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Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green) released the following statement on the 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor.  

“President Franklin Roosevelt declared to a shocked nation that December 7 would be a date which would ‘live in infamy’ due to the horrific and unprovoked attack on Pearl Harbor that took over 2,400 American lives,” said Latta. “While 75 years have passed since that fateful day, we still mourn the loss of those killed and remember the heroic actions that saved the Pacific fleet from total destruction. The bravery displayed by members of the military — called to action on a moments notice — should never be forgotten.

“At the same time, December 7 is a day that changed the trajectory of American history. The unprompted attack brought the United States into World War II. While a significant amount of the Pacific fleet was impacted, including 328 aircraft and 19 naval ships that were either destroyed or damaged, Americans rose up to answer the call and rebuilt our military to one that won the war despite fighting on two fronts. While more than 16 million served in the U.S. military during the war, only 700,000 of these brave veterans are still alive, and we should honor them on this day. The story of Pearl Harbor is more than tragedy, it’s a story of American resilience.”

Last week, legislation authored by Congressman Latta to honor veterans of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) with a Congressional Gold Medal was approved by the U.S. House of Representatives. The members of the OSS, an intelligence agency that operated during WWII, were critical to winning the war and saving American lives. In the spirit of Pearl Harbor, Speaker Paul Ryan is signing and sending that legislation to the President’s desk today.

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