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National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day falls on Monday, December 7, 2026. That is 41 days away.

National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day honors the people killed and wounded when Japanese forces attacked the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. The attack struck ships, airfields and the sailors, soldiers, Marines and civilians who were there that morning.

The attack brought the United States into World War II. For many families, it is remembered less as a turning point in history and more as the day a son, a brother or a friend did not come home. Survivors who lived for decades afterward often spoke of the morning in plain, careful detail.

The day is usually marked quietly. Flags are often flown at half staff. Veterans groups, schools and towns hold short ceremonies, sometimes with a moment of silence, a wreath laying or the reading of names. In Hawaii, memorial services take place near the harbor itself.

The USS Arizona Memorial stands over the sunken battleship, which still rests in the harbor. Visitors reach it by boat, and many remain there for a while in silence, looking down at the hull beneath the water.

Ways to honor this day

• Display a flag at half staff, if you fly one at home.
• Attend a local remembrance ceremony held by veterans or a school.
• Pause for a moment of silence in memory of those lost.
• Write a note of thanks to a veteran or a military family.
• Read a survivor's account of the attack at your library.

Dates

All national days on December 7

Categories: Commemorative daysHistory days