HONOLULU (AP) — The National Park Service and the U.S. Navy plan to hold a joint memorial service Monday to mark the 74th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack.
KTVI TV reports that the joint service is a rehearsal for what is expected to be a much bigger memorial service next year to mark the 75th anniversary of the attack by Japan that killed over 2,400 Americans and brought the U.S. into World War II.
KTVI says that in previous years, commemorations took place at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center. This year and next year, the ceremony will be at Kilo Pier. More than 3,000 guests and the general public are expected to attend. Next year’s 75th anniversary will be a much larger event with almost 6,000 people.
Daniel Martinez of the National Park Service tells KTVI that the Kilo Pier offers not only more space, but also a better view.
The theme of this year’s historic commemoration is “Pathway to Reconciliation: From Engagement to Peace,” focusing on the rebuilding and solidifying the friendship between the U.S. and Japan.
