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- By Kaili Berg
On Saturday, December 7, 2024, the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community (SRPMIC) will host the annual National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day Commemoration at the USS Arizona Memorial Gardens at Salt River.
This solemn event honors the 2,390 American lives lost during the attack on Pearl Harbor over eight decades ago on December 7, 1941, and celebrates the resilience of the American spirit.
The SRPMIC, home to the Akimel O’odham (Pima) and Xalychidom Piipaash (Maricopa), has woven their cultural values of remembrance, respect, and resilience into this memorial. The Gardens, located on tribal land, serve as a sacred space to commemorate the bravery and sacrifice of those who served aboard the USS Arizona.
The program begins at 10:00 a.m. with the Breathing of the Flag Ceremony, a tradition observed every December 7 since 2007. This moment commemorates the lives of all those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the United States.
The ceremony will also feature Taps, a 21-gun salute, and a wreath-laying to pay homage to those lost. Visitors are invited to explore the USS Arizona relic room from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., offering a closer look at the ship's history and its significance.
As twilight falls, the event concludes with the Garden Illumination, a tribute where over 1,500 columns light up to represent each life aboard the USS Arizona on that fateful day. The gaps in the columns signify survivors, while the glowing columns symbolize the enduring legacy of those who perished.
The USS Arizona Memorial Gardens at Salt River is a unique tribute, spanning the exact dimensions of the USS Arizona. This sacred space on tribal land features a relic from the ship, a large section of its original Boat House, which served as the first memorial at Pearl Harbor. It is the first and largest piece of the USS Arizona ever entrusted to a tribal community.
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a devastating event that claimed the lives of over 2,400 servicemen, women, and civilians, including 1,177 crew members aboard the USS Arizona. This surprise assault marked a turning point in history, leading the United States into World War II.
The Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community invites the public to join this commemoration, a powerful reminder of bravery, resilience, and the enduring light of those who gave their lives for freedom.
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