Pearl Harbor remembrance will mark 75th anniversary

Veterans will be the guests of honor at several local events that will remember the attack on Pearl Harbor.

The day of commemoration, Wednesday, Dec. 7, will begin at 9 a.m., at Washougal City Hall, 1701 “C” St. There will be an open house and live stream of the National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day Commemoration from Kilo Pier, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.

A ceremony to honor World War II veterans will be held at 10:30 a.m., in the Washougal Community Center, 1681 “C” St.

Lunch will be provided by The Meals on Wheels People at 11:30 a.m., in the community center. There will be no charge for veterans, but donations will be accepted, according to Janice Butzke, manager of The Meals on Wheels People Camas-Washougal and Luepke centers.

The Georgia Pacific interpretive center will be open from 1 to 4 p.m., at 401 N.E. Adams St., Camas. It includes displays about WWII, the paper mill and the community.

The movie, “TORA! TORA! TORA!” will be shown at 2 and 7:30 p.m., at the Liberty Theatre, 315 N.E. Fourth Ave., Camas. The drama recreates the events that led to the Dec. 7, 1941, Japanese surprise attack against the U.S. Forces stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

The first wave of the attack struck at the fleet in Pearl Harbor, as well as two airfields, at 7:55 a.m. The second wave occurred at 8:54 a.m.

When it was over, the American losses involved 2,403 individuals killed in action. Another 1,178 were wounded.

The USS Arizona and USS Oklahoma were total losses, along with 188 U.S. aircraft that were destroyed. Several battleships, cruisers and destroyers were damaged.

Dale King, the community outreach director at Columbia Ridge Senior Living in Washougal, will have a limited number of complimentary movie tickets available for WWII veterans at the 10:30 a.m. ceremony. Others will pay $6 for theater admission.

Columbia Ridge hosts the Camas-Washougal Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4278 for quarterly breakfasts.

“When I was planning for the Dec. 7 breakfast, we decided to make this a community-wide event because of the significance of the 75th anniversary,” King said. “Dana Difford, the VFW commander, liked the idea, so they agreed to partner with us.”

King said other supporters of the commemoration include the cities of Washougal and Camas, The Meals on Wheels People, Patriot Guard Riders, Pearl Harbor Survivors, Downtown Camas Association, Refuel Fridays, Liberty Theatre, and Paul Godin and Joey Costa with Farmers Insurance.

Questions about the events in Camas and Washougal can be directed to King at 307-8500 or dking@artegan.com, or Butzke at 695-3847 or Janice.butzke@mealsonwheelspeople.org.

Pearl Harbor anniversary will also be remembered in Vancouver

A day of remembrance ceremony will be held Wednesday, Dec. 7, at 9:30 a.m., in the 40 Et 8 Bingo Parlor, 7607 N.E. 26th Ave., Vancouver. The doors will open at 8:30 a.m.

Memorabilia will be on display, and Pearl Harbor survivors will be invited to share their stories. The program is free and open to the public.

A painting by Gordon Sage, of Vancouver, will be on display.

He was an admiral’s aid on the USS Maryland, on the day of the attack.

“His painting depicts the horror of the burning harbor with the hull of USS Oklahoma looming in the focal point,” said Penny Ross, chapter 3 secretary of the Pacific Northwest Sons and Daughters of the Vancouver Pearl Harbor Survivors Association, Inc.

The chapter is sponsoring the ceremony.

Sage’s original painting is in a museum in New Orleans.

Questions can be directed to Ross at 719-2170 or pennyplay2@hotmail.com.