By Carolyn Paschal
Special to The PREVIEW
On Dec. 7, 1941, a Sunday morning, the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service executed a surprise preemptive military strike upon the United States (a neutral country at the time) against the naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The attack led to the United States’ formal entry into World War II the next day.
The attack commenced at 7:48 a.m. Hawaiian time. All eight U.S. Navy battleships were damaged, with four sunk. Also sank or damaged were three cruisers, three destroyers, an anti-aircraft training ship and one minelayer. A total of 188 U.S. aircraft were destroyed, 2,403 Americans were killed and 1,178 others were wounded.
The lack of a declaration of war by the Japanese led President Franklin D. Roosevelt to proclaim Dec. 7, 1941, as “a date which will live in infamy.”
The Archuleta County Genealogical Society will meet on Dec. 7 with the purpose of remembering this historical day. The meeting will focus on a “show and tell” for attendees to share family stories about Pearl Harbor or World War II with their photographs and heirlooms. Visitors are encouraged to attend and participate. Treats provided by the members will kick-off the holiday season.
The Archuleta County Genealogical Society meets at 11 a.m. at the Community United Methodist Church, 434 Lewis St., in the Fellowship Hall.
