HARRISBURG – State Rep. Camille “Bud” George, D-74 of Houtzdale, today joined members of the state House of Representatives in commemorating Dec. 7 as Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day in Pennsylvania.
“Time cannot erode the sacrifices, heroics and horrors of that ‘Day of Infamy’ 68 years ago today,” said George, the last World War II-era veteran serving in the House. “While the savagery of the attack is seared into our memories, it is the love of our nation and the sacrifices made on our behalf that live on within the soul of a great nation and the spirit of its people.”
George, who was 15 at the time of the attack and quit high school three years later to enlist in the U.S. Navy, sponsored House Resolution 549, which honors the day and urges that it never be forgotten. The resolution was approved unanimously.
“The blood on Battleship Row and across the islands of Hawaii were shed for our freedoms,” George said. “We gasp at the horrors of the Dec. 7 attack on Pearl Harbor but remain inspired by the courage and sacrifices of that morning when 2,500 Americans lost their lives.”
Pennsylvania’s has many bonds with Pearl Harbor. The warships Pennsylvania, Oklahoma and Utah were commissioned at the Philadelphia Naval Yard. Twenty Pennsylvanians were among the more than 1,775 sailors and Marines who died aboard the USS Arizona.
“In the months after the Dec. 7 attack on Pearl Harbor — Germany and Italy declared war on the United States four days later — 16 million Americans volunteered for military service,” George said. “FDR called it “the warm courage of national unity,” and it is desperately needed today as America is again fighting two wars against determined and reprehensible enemies.
“Today, we gather in that spirit of national unity to resolve that we are a people whose loved ones withstood Pearl Harbor and overcame great, worldwide threats to our existence,” George said. “The many heroes of Pearl Harbor will forever inspire us.”
George thanked Rep. Russell Fairchild, R-85 of Union and Snyder counties and a U.S. Army veteran of the Vietnam War, for his support and help in preparing the resolution.
In 2001, George spearheaded an effort leading Pennsylvania to become the first state to contact the USS Arizona Memorial Fund about making a contribution. More information about the fund is available online.