National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, 2011

Proclamation 8764 of December 6, 2011

National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, 2011

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

On a serene Sunday morning 70 years ago, the skies
above Pearl Harbor were darkened by the bombs of
Japanese forces in a surprise attack that tested the
resilience of our Armed Forces and the will of our
Nation. As explosions sounded and battleships burned,
brave service members fought back fiercely with
everything they could find. Unbeknownst to these
selfless individuals, the sacrifices endured on that
infamous day would galvanize America and come to
symbolize the mettle of a generation.

In the wake of the bombing of our harbor and the
crippling of our Pacific Fleet, there were those who
declared the United States had been reduced to a third-
class power. But rather than break the spirit of our
Nation, the attack brought Americans together and
fortified our resolve. Patriots across our country
answered the call to defend our way of life at home and
abroad. They crossed oceans and stormed beaches,
freeing millions from the grip of tyranny and proving
that our military is the greatest force for liberty and
security the world has ever known. On the home front,
dedicated civilians supported the war effort by
repairing wrecked battleships, working in factories,
and joining civilian defense organizations to help with
salvage programs and plant Victory gardens. At this
time of great strife, we reminded the world there is no
challenge we cannot meet; there is no challenge we
cannot overcome.

On National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, we honor the
more than 3,500 Americans killed or wounded during that
deadly attack and pay tribute to the heroes whose
courage ensured our Nation would recover from this
vicious blow. Their tenacity helped define the Greatest
Generation and their valor fortified all who served
during World War II. As a Nation, we look to December
7, 1941, to draw strength from the example set by these
patriots and to honor all who have sacrificed for our
freedoms.

The Congress, by Public Law 103-308, as amended, has
designated December 7 of each year as ``National Pearl
Harbor Remembrance Day.''

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the
United States of America, do hereby proclaim December
7, 2011, as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. I
encourage all Americans to observe this solemn day of
remembrance and to honor our military, past and
present, with appropriate ceremonies and activities. I
urge all Federal agencies and interested organizations,
groups, and individuals to fly the flag of the United
States at half-staff this December 7 in honor of those
American patriots who died as a result of their service
at Pearl Harbor.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
sixth day of December, in the year of our Lord two
thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and thirty-sixth.