On today’s date 80 years ago, an event changed the nation and the world forever.

Today is Pearl Harbor Day, where we remember the events of December 7th, 1941, when a surprise attack in Hawaii not only led the United States into World War II, but also marks the sacrifice of many American service members who paid the ultimate price that day.

According to the US Department of Veterans Affairs, only 240,329 of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II are still alive in 2021.