Keep lessons of Pearl Harbor alive for future

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Would greater vigilance and military preparedness by the United States have prevented the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor?

We’ll never know.

The lessons of that attack, however, must forever be remembered as the nation faces new threats and challenges.

Sixty-eight years ago today, Japan’s military attacked the U.S. Navy base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, igniting America’s involvement in World War II.

The results were devastating.

Americans killed: 2,388.

Americans wounded: 1,178.

Ships sunk: 12.

Aircraft destroyed: 164.

Fewer and fewer Americans are alive who remember this attack, but it must not be forgotten. Neither should the World War II generation, more and more of whose members we are losing due to old age and illness.

That’s why it was heartwarming to see the Sauk Valley put forth one last big effort to honor the men and women of the Greatest Generation, who fought back against Japan and Germany, defeated them, and destroyed the dangerous ideologies espoused by the Empire of Japan and Nazi Germany.

Fueled by generous financial contributions and hard work from volunteers, the Whiteside County Honor Flight program provided free trips for World War II veterans to see the war memorials in Washington, D.C.

The trip’s highlight was a tour of the National World War II Memorial, along with warm welcomes at airports in Washington and Moline.

After the National World War II Memorial was completed in 2004, a movement was organized to provide free trips to see it for as many war veterans as possible.

The local effort came just in time for Sterling resident and World War II veteran Jack McMillin, who was suffering from pancreatic cancer but still made the Nov. 10 flight with 36 other local vets.

Two weeks later, unfortunately, McMillin died at age 86, but he left this world with a renewed knowledge of the immense respect that the community has for him and others of his generation.

As the last of the World War II generation passes on, what else can be done to honor the memory of those veterans? The great memorial in Washington is fine, but what about the war’s hard-learned lessons?

Two years ago, an Illinois veteran proposed that Pearl Harbor Day be designated a national holiday. In this way, succeeding generations would continue to learn how the nation suffered in a surprise attack.

We don’t know whether the nation needs any more full-fledged holidays, with federal workers taking the day off, banks being closed, schools being let out for the day, and so forth.

But it surely would be appropriate to designate some sort of commemorative day to instruct students and remind adults of what America learned on that first Pearl Harbor Day.

How about it, U.S. Reps. Hare, Manzullo and Foster? Let’s see some bipartisan action to keep the lessons of Pearl Harbor alive for all time.