Camden County Commissioners To Commemorate 80th Anniversary Of Pearl Harbor Tuesday
CAMDEN, N.J. (CBS) -- Tuesday marks the 80th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor -- when Japan launched a surprise bombing on the naval base in Honolulu. Later this morning, there will be a commemoration ceremony at the Battleship New Jersey in Camden.
"This event is meant to honor the survivors of that day as well as pay tribute to all veterans who lost their lives for this country," Commissioner Melinda Kane, who also serves as the liaison to the Camden County Office of Veterans Affairs, said in a release. "As FDR said, December 7 is a day that will live in infamy. It was a day that our country, and the entire world, changed forever. Countless brave men and women made the ultimate sacrifice that fateful day and this event is the least we could do to show our respect for their bravery."
Within hours of the attacks, 18 U.S. warships had been sunk or damaged, 188 aircrafts were destroyed, and 2, 403 troops died.
The attack marked the beginning of the U.S.'s involvement in World War II.
On Monday, military personnel and WWII veterans took part in the USS Utah Memorial sunset ceremony in Pearl Harbor.
The USS Utah was the first ship torpedoed in the attack, it sank 12 minutes later, which killed 58 crewmen.
