Fredericksburg museum honors Pearl Harbor vets
To view our videos, you need to
enable JavaScript. Learn how.
install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now.
Then come back here and refresh the page.
On Dec. 6, 1941, Richard Cunningham was assigned to the USS West Virginia at Pearl Harbor. He bought his mom a broach as a Christmas present and placed it in his locker.
Less than 24 hours later, the world changed.
For Cunningham, that day serves as a reminder that our country needs to remain on watch.
"Be vigilant,” he said. “It could happen to us anytime, anyplace, maybe in a different way."
At the National Museum of the Pacific War in Fredericksburg, hundreds gathered to remember the attack on Pearl Harbor and to honor four men who experienced the horrors of that day first hand.
"We solemnly reaffirm the legacy that they left us, a legacy of service, dedication, sacrifice and believing in something than themselves," retired USMC Gen. Michael Hagee said.
Friday’s gathering served as a time to honor heroes of the past and pay tribute to soldiers making similar sacrifices today.
"As long as we grow heroes like the ones we found in 1941, and 2001, our world will be a safer and more secure place in which to live." Col. Richard Creed said.
The National Museum of the Pacific War will mark the anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack with live combat demonstrations throughout the weekend.