Monday was the 79th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor during World War II, and many Americans observed National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day on social media. Civilians, military personnel and public figures all remarked on the day in somber posts. Many also compared the tragedy to the coronavirus pandemic, which is ravaging the U.S. today.
The Japanese military attacked a U.S. naval base in Hawaii on Dec. 7, 1941, drawing the U.S. into World War II officially. The date was officially designated as Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day in 1994, and has since been acknowledged with certain tributes. The American flag is typically flown at half-staff on Pearl Harbor Day, and some organizations mark the occasion with an event of some kind.
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This year, those observances were more challenging than usual. The attack on Pearl Harbor killed 2,403 American citizens, but today the U.S. is seeing more deaths than that every day on average due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many Americans could not reckon with Pearl Harbor day without keeping those figures in mind.
Pearl Harbor Day got tweets from many public figures, including President-elect Joe Biden and Republican lawmakers who have not yet accepted his victory in the 2020 presidential election. As such, the commentary and discussion of these public statements took a decidedly political tone this year.
However, in other realms of social media, the national day of remembrance went on as usual. Here is a look at how social media honored the 2,403 Americans killed at Pearl Harbor on Monday.
RIP
R.I.P. And God bless them all and their families. https://t.co/FF7nNfwCDN
— RonnieLouise2 – VIII. Thou shalt not steal. (@RonnieLouise2) December 7, 2020
Cost
Today we remember the heroes we lost at the attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. It is a constant reminder that our freedom isn’t free. pic.twitter.com/yBIgI1YxAI
— Burgess Owens (@BurgessOwens) December 7, 2020
Presidential
When’s the last time you saw a Trump tweet of this nature? You can say all you want about either one’s policy. But stuff like this is just as important for our country.
— Jamie McGroarty⚽️ (@coachmcg11) December 7, 2020
How refreshing it is to have a leader with a heart and a brain.
— YourVoteIsYourVoice (@MathewBranning) December 7, 2020
Coronavirus
79 years later, conservatives are refusing the fight a virus that has killed over 100 times as many americans 🤔
— ellie ☭Ⓥ🏳️⚧️ (@someloserhippie) December 7, 2020
What if we had a Pearl Harbor every day for weeks or months and just decided we didn’t care that much?
— Benjamin Wittes (@benjaminwittes) December 7, 2020
Veterans Today
But vetrans are not in the vaccine priority list! https://t.co/gvWqmoumeU
— unsv2012 (@unsv2012) December 7, 2020
Trump Concession
American patriots didn’t die in Pearl Harbor so Trump could throw a coup. That’s for damn sure. RIP to our heroes.
— Scott Dworkin (@funder) December 7, 2020
Flags
The flags at the U.S. Capitol have been lowered to half-staff in honor of the lives lost at Pearl Harbor on Dec 7, 1941—a date which will live in infamy. pic.twitter.com/nkJB8bs4xR
— Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) December 7, 2020
