REMEMBERING PEARL HARBOR

Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata is commemorating National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, now 82 years since the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

Early on that Sunday morning, imperial Japan made a deadly surprise attack from aircraft carriers against Pearl Harbor and other sites on Oahu, taking the lives of 2,403 U.S. Sailors, Soldiers, Marines, and civilians, destroying or damaging 19 U.S. ships, and 300 aircraft. President Franklin D. Roosevelt called it a ‘date which will live in infamy.’

 “Many of us in American Samoa have visited these honored sites and memorials. American Samoa’s Uifa’atali Peter T. Coleman was stationed in Oahu as an Army officer, and came under fire from a strafing airplane, one day before his 22nd birthday. He survived to go on and serve in the Pacific theater throughout the war, including Guadalcanal. This year, December 8th would have been his 104th birthday.

 “Pearl Harbor Day is a reminder of all the ‘greatest generation’ of Americans and allies did to secure freedom for us throughout these years since. I’m very proud of the strong tradition of military service our people have built in American Samoa, and we honor our Toa o Samoa, past and present, as they have carried on that same mission ensuring our peace and freedom.

 “In 2023, we are able to count Japan among our friends and economic partners as both our countries stand with our many Pacific allies for peace and security.”