AMARILLO, TEXAS -- It was on this day 70 years ago, Japan launched a premeditated attack on America at Pearl Harbor, and we are still feeling the effects of it today.
The bombing of Pearl Harbor was ultimately what brought us into the war, what some feel was the greatest war America ever fought.
Much like 9/11, that attack caught America by surprise.
"We were winding down the war from World War I, downsizing, and they basically caught us off guard. there were over 2,300 casualties, including over 1,000 wounded and 12 ships were sunk," said Jack Barnes of America Supports You Texas.
Two of those ships were the U.S.S. Utah and the U.S.S. Arizona.
The casualty count from those two ships alone accounted for more than half of those who died that day, and no one knew that better than Panhandle Pearl Harbor Survivor Garland Eslick, who gave us this interview two years ago before he passed away.
"I'd never seen such a sigh in my life. All the ships were sunk and fire hadn't been put out on the water and Arizona was still burning inside I imagine."
It was because of those events that America got into World War II.
It was fought by what was considered "The Greatest Generation" and Eslick always said what happened that historic day should be in our thoughts always.
"Remember Pearl Harbor and just remember Pearl Harbor, it could happen again, so don't forget."
That event alone changed America and Barnes says we should use this day to reflect.
"Today is just a day to pause and reflect on the freedom that we enjoy as a result of World War II and that greatest generation, because out military defends the freedom and the liberties that we enjoy."
Barnes went on to say that much like Memorial Day and Veterans Day we shouldn't just celebrate Pearl Harbor day once a year, we should remember each of these days, every day.
