WILLIAMS — In the wake of September 11, 2001, it seems to slip the minds of most people that we were injured in a surprise attack before. An attack that President Roosevelt labeled, “…a date which will live in infamy.” On December 7, 1941, the island nation of Japan attacked the Naval base at Pearl Harbor and the aircraft at Hickam Field, Hawaii. The attack came mostly from the sky, but some Japanese two-man submarines were also suspected. Over 2,000 service men and civilians lost their lives in the attack with several thousand more injured. The war with Japan came to an abrupt end with the bombing of two of their cities with newly-developed atomic bombs on August 9, 1945.

The symbol of the attack on Pearl Harbor is the U.S.S. Arizona over which a memorial has been built. A piece of that historic vessel was shipped to Williams and placed in Williams Memorial park on the west end of town.Since the attack, December 7th has become Pearl Harbor Rememberence day. With a statue of Bill Williams and a World War II soldier looking on, a group of residents attended the memorial service of the American Legion Cordova Post #13 in Williams. After speeches and a prayer, the residents were invited to a Mexican buffet at the American Legion Cordova Post #13 on Grant Street at 4 p.m.