YNN TV news was there to capture the ceremony as veterans and elected officials gathered to pay tribute to the victims and survivors of that day 72 years ago when Japanese air forces attacked the U.S. Naval Base at Pearl Harbor -- and ushered the U.S. into World War II.
More than 2,000 Americans were killed that day, and over another thousand injured.
Organizers of the event said it was important for the next generation to understand the significance of Pearl Harbor and its impact during such a critical point in American history.
One veteran injured in World War II told the TV news that with the comradeship he felt at the event, Saturday was one of the best days of his life. "I've seen a lot of my buddies get wounded and die, I'm so happy to be here," WWII vet Watson Olsiewski told YNN.
YNN reporrted that about 84,000 people survived the attck on Pearl Harbor, and that the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association estimated that as of last year, only 3,000 remain alive
