Journal-News.com

HAMILTON — Members of the Badin High School History Club plan to honor Today, Dec. 7, those who lost their lives at Pearl Harbor.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared Dec. 7, 1941 "a date which will live in infamy," after Japanese fighter planes attacked the naval base in Hawaii, catching the nation off guard and drawing America into World War II.

At 2:55 p.m., students will meet on Hamilton's High-Main Bridge. Senior Jonathan Beer will play "Amazing Grace" on the bagpipes and members of the club will drop roses into the river to honor those who died, including an Oxford Navy reservist — Lawrence A. Williams — who was on the USS Arizona when it sank.

Club members also will read the names of those who died on the Arizona. Beer will close the ceremony by playing Taps on his trumpet.

"Every generation has had to deal with a major tragic event it will always remember," said Chuck Mignery, club sponsor. "For kids today, it's 9/11. For their grandparents, it's Pearl Harbor — which is a distant event to the younger generation of today.

"I want to encourage students to bridge the gap between Pearl Harbor and 9/11 and the ceremony scheduled (today) will help students develop a link between the past and the present," said Mignery, whose father served in World War II.

Veterans of Foreign Wars posts are also planning to commemorate Pearl Harbor Day and memorialize those who lost their lives in the attack.

"The Pearl Harbor remembrance is for all the veterans who served in World War II and the initial strike at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941," said Tom McGill, post quarter master, West Chester VFW Post 7696, which is also planning an event. "In World War II, 400,000 Americans were killed and 60 million were killed worldwide — we should never forget that."

OTHER PEARL HARBOR DAY EVENTS:

Pear Harbor Day memorial service 1 p.m., Bicentennial Commons, Carmody Boulevard, Middletown. American Legion Post 218 will observe Pearl Harbor Day with memorial service, toss wreath into the Great Miami River, and fire 21-gun salute. John D. Lovely, commander, (513) 422-5424, (513) 423-8922.

Pear Harbor Day remembrance 1 p.m., West Chester VFW Post 7696 is scheduled to hold its annual Pearl Harbor remembrance at Voice of America Shopping Center on Cox Road, West Chester Twp. A short ceremony will be followed by a gun salute. The public is invited. For more information, call (513) 535-4559.

WWII veterans invited to be guests of honor VFW Chuck Cain Post 7670, 4021 Hamilton-Trenton Road, Overpeck, is holding a dinner that is free for World War II veterans and one guest followed by a ceremony. Guest speaker is Earl Morse, president and founder of Honor Flight, an organization that flies veterans to see the World War II memorial in Washington, D.C. Dinner is at 4:30 p.m. and ceremony at 7 p.m. Music by ?Motown? Marvin. All WWII veterans and one guest are free, all others are $8 each. For reservations or more information, call (513) 470-5246.