By Ranjan Bhaduri
Dec.08, (THAINDIAN NEWS) Lafayette residents paid their homage to the martyrs of Pearl Harbor on Monday. The US naval base located in Hawaii’s Pearl Harbor region was destroyed in a surprise attack launched by Japanese air planes on 7th December 1941. It compelled USA to get embroiled in the Second World War. As per the estimate, over 2300 US soldiers and navy men were killed in the massive air attack.

Pat Fitzgerald, a veteran of Korean war, presently in his eighties took part in a remembrance ceremony. The pedestrian bridge was the place where many people gathered to pay homages. 86 year old Vincent Amato, thought to be the sole Pearl Harbor survivor from Tippecanoe County was also present. Another survivor present at the place was 90 year old Doris Cooper. Amato said that the young generation including the school kids must be told about the event that changed the destiny of USA during the middle of the century. He was received with salutes and handshakes for his service to the nation.

As a part of tribute to the martyrs, a wreath was placed in Wabash river. Donald Myers, a retired marine sergeant who took part in Vietnam and Korean war gave a speech at the ceremony. He expressed his thanks to the citizens of Lafayette and said that it is among the few US cities that observe Pearl Harbor Day. Tippecanoe County Veterans Council was the body that organized the remembrance ceremony. After the Pearl Harbor attack shocked the world, many Americans discarded their Japanese made imported goods because of the extreme emotions that they were overcome with.