Camano prepares to remember Pearl Harbor Day
Published 12:01 am Friday, December 4, 2009
CAMANO ISLAND — Phil Lewis of Stanwood remembers listening to the radio as President Franklin D. Roosevelt told America about the sinking of Navy ships at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
It was Dec. 7, 1941, and Lewis was only 9 years old.
“That infamous day changed our country forever,” Lewis, a Navy veteran said.
More than 2,400 American men and women died in the World War II attack.
As he has for several years now, Lewis is organizing the annual Pearl Harbor Day Commemoration on Camano Island. The ceremony is sponsored by the Freedom Park Association, which established the park at Terry’s Corner.
“The park is dedicated to Pearl Harbor survivors,” Lewis said. “And to everyone who works for peace and freedom.”
The Pearl Harbor Day ceremony is set for 3 p.m. Monday at St. Aidan Episcopal Church, 1318 Highway 532, Camano Island. The Camano Island Men’s Choir and Billie Jensen plan to sing and the Stanwood American Legion Post 92 Color Guard plans to carry the flag.
Members of the North Cascades Chapter of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association are scheduled to speak.
“The survivors are rapidly dying now,” said the Rev. Bob Dietel, the St. Aidan pastor who is himself a Vietnam War veteran. “It’s important for us to remember their stories.”
Lewis hopes that at least 10 survivors will attend the commemoration event, which follows a wreath-laying ceremony earlier in the day at Whidbey Island Naval Air Station in Oak Harbor.
Also scheduled to speak at the commemoration is Cmdr. Mike McKenna of the VAQ 129 squadron from NAS Whidbey. The squadron adopted the North Cascades Chapter of Pearl Harbor Survivors as some of their own, Lewis said.
“It’s a good way to help the younger generations never forget,” he said.
Gale Fiege: 425-339-3427; gfiege@heraldnet.com.
More ceremonies
Other Pearl Harbor Day commemoration events on Monday:
Ceremony at the Eternal Flame, 11 a.m., Snohomish County campus, 3000 Rockefeller Ave., Everett;
Whidbey Island Naval Air Station, North Cascades Pearl Harbor Survivors Association ceremony, 10 a.m., Crescent Harbor Marina, Seaplane Base, 150 W. Tulagi, Oak Harbor;
Naval Station Everett’s private ceremony for survivors, 9 a.m., aboard the USS Ford;
Stillaguamish Valley Pioneers Military Day, 1 to 4 p.m., Pioneer Hall, 20722 67th Ave. NE, Arlington.
