Congressman Jim Costa and Clovis Veterans Memorial District CEO Lorenzo Rios were among the speakers who highlighted stories of American sacrifice at Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day Dec. 7 at the VA Central California Healthcare System in Fresno.
Dozens of veterans and their families attended the ceremony, which began at 9:55 a.m. at the Pearl Harbor Memorial outside of the facility and marked the 78th anniversary of the Japanese attack that killed 2,403 Americans and pushed the United States into the second World War.
The event began with a presentation of colors by the American Legion, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led by Patti Cline, whose father was a Pearl Harbor survivor.
VA Central California Healthcare System Director Chuck Benninger was the first speaker to give comments at the podium.
“A few years ago I stood on the deck of the U.S.S Arizona Memorial, a place dedicated to the memory of over 2,000 Americans killed that day, 1,200 of those were aboard the U.S.S Arizona,” Benninger said. “Even now, as you look over the side, you can see that the U.S.S. Arizona still oozes out oil, acting as a constant reminder of the devastation and sacrifice of our military members on that day.”
Rios emphasized the importance of never forgetting the day “which will live in infamy” when he took the podium. He encouraged future generations to honor the sacrifices made by those in the past by enlisting and serving today.
“Today I challenge all of us, as the torch has been passed from leagues under the sea from those that will never be with us, to ensure that that the torch of freedom will never go under, that the next generation continues to pass that torch forward,” he said. “Today that torch is carried proudly by our service members overseas, by some of our young veterans who come back and understand the sting of battle, and that is what brings us all together.”
Rios also called for tolerance, referencing the tumultuous political and cultural climate the nation is in.
“Now that our nation finds itself in a unique, stressful situation, I would challenge us all to make sure their sacrifice matters and remember that every citizen has a duty to make sure that this nation stays free, and that tolerance is not a word that is just said and not understood but something that is practiced by the way we live our lives,” he said.
Costa shared the story of a Pearl Harbor survivor from Merced and what he witnessed the day of the attack.
“His story is like many of our family member’s stories,” Costa said. “His story is your story, it’s our story. It’s the American story of countless individuals of which we have a small percentage today that are still living. For those who are no longer with us, today they come alive again.”
Patti Cline shared the story of her father, Ed Daldron, a Pearl Harbor survivor who saw the explosion on the U.S.S. Arizona after it was bombed. The story was read by Patti Cline’s husband, John Cline.
“It’s important to share these stories for the younger generations who might not understand,” Patti Cline told the Roundup. “It’s important to remember what they went through, their sacrifices. It’s important because it’s something that could can happen again.”
The ceremony concluded with the laying of the wreath, which was provided by the CVMD, at the base of the Pearl Harbor Memorial.