Pearl Harbor’s Last Survivors Fade, Leaving America to Confront History Without Its Living Witnesses

For over eight decades, the solemn remembrance of the December 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor has been anchored by the presence of those who lived through that fateful morning. But now, with only a dozen centenarian survivors remaining—none able to attend this year's ceremony—the nation confronts a sobering reality: the era of hearing firsthand testimony is ending. This loss is more than symbolic. The bombing that claimed over 2,300 American lives thrust our nation into World War II and reshaped global power dynamics. How long will America honor this sacrifice effectively when direct witnesses are no longer among us?...