OSHKOSH (NBC 26) — Dec. 7 marks the 83rd anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, a pivotal moment in American history that drew the United States into World War II.
- Oshkosh commemorated the 83rd anniversary of Pearl Harbor with a ceremony at 7:55 a.m., the exact time the 1941 attack began
- The event honored 102-year-old Rolland Briar, a USS Whitney veteran, and featured students reading names of Wisconsin lives lost
- A rifle salute and personal reflections highlighted the tribute to over 2,400 American service members who perished in the attack
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
At 7:55 a.m.—the exact time the attack began on Dec. 7, 1941—AMVETS hosted a solemn remembrance ceremony at the Elks Lodge in Oshkosh to honor the lives lost and the veterans who survived.
Among those honored was 102-year-old Rolland Briar, a veteran who served aboard the USS Whitney during the attack. His daughter, Bette Briar-Tilot, shared her father's story and reflected on the importance of commemorating such events.
“We need events like this. We need to remember these veterans, because we are losing them day by day,” Briar-Tilot said. “I believe there are only 19 left. It will help him."
The ceremony drew attendees like James LaFontaine, who came to honor his father, a Pearl Harbor survivor. Holding a treasured photo of his father, a Chief Petty Officer, LaFontaine reflected on the resilience of those who endured the attack.
“It’s a miracle that there were even any survivors if you really think about it,” LaFontaine said. “Being under attack like that, what they did should never be forgotten, you know?”
Students from Valley Christian School contributed to the tribute, reading the names of Wisconsinites who died in the attack, each name followed by the tolling of a bell. The ceremony concluded with a rifle salute, marking a powerful homage to the more than 2,400 American service members who lost their lives 83 years ago.
