Jacksonville, FL. — On Monday Americans honored the 79th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
In Atlantic Beach on Mayport Road, the Fleet Reserve Association Branch 290 had its own smaller ceremony to remember the lives lost decades ago.
The bell tolled for shipmates that passed away in the United States Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard.
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Lena Wood, the secretary and treasurer of the club side of the house of FRA told Action News Jax they were all once proud members of the Fleet Reserve Association Branch 290.
“Knew everyone single one of them. Every single one of them. Good friends, good shipmates, and highly remembered and highly regarded,” Wood said.
The last bell toll honored all those who made the ultimate sacrifice in World War II.
On Monday at least a dozen veterans with the Fleet Reserve Association paid tribute to fallen service members not only the past but the present too.
“Because they gave their life. They served their time and it’s the tradition and the remembrance and we can never forget any fallen shipmate,” Wood said.
More than 2,400 were killed in the attack on pearl harbor in Hawaii 79 years ago, the majority were Navy personnel.
The Japanese attack near Honolulu propelled Americans into World War II.
At one point the Beaches Honor Guard came outside to give their 21 gun salute.
As a Navy veteran Wood told me a remembrance ceremony like this is near and dear to her heart.
The FRA Branch 290 has put on the ceremony since 1960s.
This year they continued the tradition despite concerns from the pandemic.
The crowd was smaller and people were required to wear facemask inside.
“Every year this is a standing tradition for us to have this ceremony and we refuse to cancel it this year for anything,” Wood said.