An Historic Tribute: The 75th Anniversary of the Attack on Pearl Harbor

On Dec. 7, the 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, the date President Franklin Roosevelt said “would live in infamy,” The Urology Group paid tribute to many of our patients who served their country during World War II.

We were fortunate to have had nearly 75 WWII veterans and their guests attend the luncheon and patriotic program. The luncheon was coordinated as a small gesture to salute local men and women for their WWII service and sacrifice, and to let them know they are appreciated all these years later. The truth is, we were the real beneficiaries of the event. It allowed us to meet and hear the stories of the many real-life heroes who were in attendance.

Many of the veterans also agreed to share their stories with invited students from Princeton High School, who will create a living-history project and video. The project will be shared with the veterans in attendance as well as local veterans’ organizations. The preservation of their personal accounts of war-whether from a foxhole or behind a desk-is essential to capturing the full historical perspective, but the project will, hopefully, also create context and appreciation for the students involved.

The attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, led directly to our country’s entry into WWII, forever changing our lives and triggering our country’s commitment to the defense of freedom. We are proud to honor those who played a role in that history and continue to instill their values and leadership among our youth. It is our hope that by bringing together the men and women who answered the call of duty more than seven decades ago with the youth of our community, we can both honor the past and inspire the future.

The Urology Group chose to honor WWII veterans on this special occasion because they are our patients, but more importantly, because they represent the courage and sacrifice of an entire generation — the Greatest Generation. We are proud to repay, in a small way, the men and women whose contributions helped preserve and protect our nation through World War II.

Of the 16 million U.S. service members from WWII, only about 620,000 remain. This was believed to be the largest gathering of WWII veterans on this anniversary outside of Hawaii where the national commemoration took place.

On behalf of The Urology Group, we thank you for your service.