Remembering Pearl Harbor and Our WWII Veterans

WWII Vet Ribbon 

80th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor

Dec. 7, 2021

Let’s take time today on the anniversary of Pearl Harbor to honor our Alaska Pioneer Home residents who served in World War II. December 7, 2021 marks the 80th anniversary of the infamous attack on Pearl Harbor that launched the United States’ entry into World War II.

During that two-hour surprise attack by the Japanese, more than 2,300 American military personnel lost their lives. The successful attack on Oahu required the Japanese military to conduct perfect planning, rigorous training and to deploy new technology resulting in the greatest concentration of naval air power in history. The naval fleet compiled for this attack consisted of 67 ships (including six aircraft carriers and numerous submarines) and more than 350 aircraft. Tensions had been building for more than 10 years between United States and Japan. Heavy, disputed sanctions that the United States had levied against Japan in an attempt to reign in Japan’s invasions of its neighboring countries brought the conflict to a head. After political negotiations failed, Japan determined the best way to resolve the sanctions was to execute a crippling blow to the United States Pacific naval fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. According to the National World War II Museum and the U.S. Department of Veterans (VA), of the 16 million Americans who fought in World War II only 240,329 are alive today (down from 496,777 in 2018). The average age of the “youngest” remaining veterans is 96 years old, and statistics show that we are losing them fast. It is estimated that 234 World War II veterans pass away every day.

As such, it is the Alaska Pioneer Home’s encouragement to you that if you should encounter a World War II veteran today, shake their hand and touch a living piece of history before it’s too late. “The Greatest Generation” has much to teach us if we are willing to listen, so perhaps the situations they survived may not be doomed to repeat themselves. According to The National World War II Museum, as of 2021 there are 369 World War II veterans living in Alaska. Of those 369, eleven reside in our six Alaska Pioneer Homes. We are blessed and honored to be able to serve them and to hear their stories.

In remembrance of all those who fought and died during the Pearl Harbor attack and the rest of World War II, if you meet a veteran be sure to thank them for their service. Politely ask them if they don’t mind sharing their story of the war. These veterans are disappearing fast and their stories will be lost forever unless enough of us hear them and pass them on to future generations.

Below are photos of our veterans who are members of our Alaska Pioneer Homes family. Thank you for your service to our country.

Additional resources:

77th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor

Dec. 7, 2018

Let’s take time today on the anniversary of Pearl Harbor to honor our Alaska Pioneer Home residents who served in World War II. Dec. 7, 2018 marks the 77th anniversary of the infamous attack on Pearl Harbor that launched the United States’ entry into World War II.

During that two-hour surprise attack by the Japanese, more than 2,300 American military personnel lost their lives. The successful attack on Oahu required the Japanese military to conduct perfect planning, rigorous training and to deploy new technology resulting in the greatest concentration of naval air power in history. The naval fleet compiled for this attack consisted of 67 ships (including six aircraft carriers and numerous submarines) and more than 350 aircraft. Tensions had been building for more than 10 years between United States and Japan. Heavy, disputed sanctions that the United States had levied against Japan in an attempt to reign in Japan’s invasions of its neighboring countries brought the conflict to a head. After political negotiations failed, Japan determined the best way to resolve the sanctions was to execute a crippling blow to the United States Pacific naval fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. According to the National World War II Museum and the U.S. Department of Veterans (VA), of the 16 million Americans who fought in World War II only 496,777 are still alive today. The average age of the “youngest” remaining veterans is 94 years old, and statistics show that we are losing them fast. It is estimated that 348 World War II veterans pass away every day.

As such, it is the Alaska Pioneer Home’s encouragement to you that if you should encounter a World War II veteran today, shake their hand and touch a living piece of history before it’s too late. “The Greatest Generation” has much to teach us if we are willing to listen, so perhaps the situations they survived may not be doomed to repeat themselves. According to The National World War II Museum, as of 2018 there are 286 World War II veterans living in Alaska. Of those 286, more than 15 reside in our six Alaska Pioneer Homes. We are blessed and honored to be able to serve them and to hear their stories.

In remembrance of all those who fought and died during the Pearl Harbor attack and the rest of World War II, if you meet a veteran be sure to thank them for their service. Politely ask them if they don’t mind sharing their story of the war. These veterans are disappearing fast and their stories will be lost forever unless enough of us hear them and pass them on to future generations.

Below are photos of our veterans who are members of our Alaska Pioneer Homes family. Thank you for your service to our country.

Photos

Stanley Coleman
Stanley Coleman

Hallie Dixon
Hallie Dixon

Roger Anderson
Roger Anderson

Hallie Dixon and Miss Alaska, Angelina Klapperich.
Hallie Dixon and Miss Alaska, Angelina Klapperich.

Chancy Price
Chancy Price

Urban Rahoi
Urban Rahoi

Bob Johnson and wife Audrey
Bob Johnson and wife Audrey

Brad Finch and daughter Jeannine
Brad Finch and daughter Jeannine

Alfred Willis
Alfred Willis

Horace Anderson and Hallie Dixon
Horace Anderson and Hallie Dixon

William Johnson
William Johnson