LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) – Tuesday marked the 80th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attacks. News 18 spoke to people in Riehle Plaza to see how people in Tippecanoe County commemorated that day.
On December 7, 1941, the Japanese attacked the American Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.
80 years later, the Navy Club of Lafayette held a remembrance ceremony to commemorate the lives lost that day. US Navy Sea Cadets, Purdue Navy ROTC and a World War II veteran gathered for a solemn reflection on the John T. Myers Pedestrian Bridge.
The event included a three-volley salute by the honor guard. Attendees were able to show their respect for the fallen soldiers by throwing carnations into the Wabash River. West Lafayette Mayor John Dennis reflected on his own military ties in his family.
“On days like today when we celebrate our country’s history, we celebrate those who fought and died for our freedom, I think it’s important for everyone to pause and remember to give thanks a veteran, to thank a soldier, and to be so thankful that we live in the United States of America,” Dennis said.
Cary Grant, a local US Navy veteran, was grateful for the initiative to host Remembrance Day. “My favorite part of the day was meeting this old gentleman who served in the military at Omaha Beach. I think a lot of people have forgotten what December 7 is. A lot of men and women died that day,” he said.