Pearl Harbor commemoration ceremony to be closed to public

HONOLULU – The annual Remembrance Day ceremony to commemorate the attack on Pearl Harbor will be closed to the public this year and streamed online as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

The ceremony will begin at 7:50 a.m. on Dec. 7 at the Pearl Harbor National Memorial’s Contemplation Circle in Hawaii.

A small number of veterans will be in attendance on site, Hawaii News Now reported.

A moment of silence will be observed at 7:55 a.m., the time when the Japanese attack on the American naval base began in 1941.

“America’s obligation to honour its veterans has been a sacrosanct pillar of our society, and we encourage everyone to join us virtually for this important ceremony,” said Scott Burch, acting superintendent of Pearl Harbor National Memorial.