Pearl Harbor, 78 years ago

Remembering and honoring those who lost their lives.

Ella Klingele and Gaby Zugel

You wake up on Dec 7, 1941, to the ear-piercing sound of screams and earth-quaking explosions. You walk out of your small Hawaiian beach house to see hundreds of people screaming for life. You then see planes swooping down into the streets and shooting civilians walking and bombing the ships in the Pearl Harbor army base. You then realize the U.S is under attack.

Just before 8 a.m. on December 7, 1941, hundreds of Japanese fighter planes attacked the American naval base at Pearl Harbor near Honolulu, Hawaii. The barrage lasted just two hours, but it was devastating: The Japanese managed to destroy nearly 20 American naval vessels, including eight enormous battleships, and more than 300 airplanes. More than 2,000 Americans soldiers and sailors died in the attack, and another 1,000 were wounded.

This event affected thousands of civilians as well as soldiers, nurses/doctors, and destroyed military property.

On Dec 7, Americans pay tribute and keep in mind the thousands of people killed.