Every few moments at Pearl Harbor, a bubble of oil weeps up to the surface, and recalls the 1,177 crewmen who were trapped on the USS Arizona. Only 75 bodies were recovered. The remaining 1,102 are still entombed within the USS Arizona.

That oil comes from the Arizona's fuel tanks, cracked when the battleship was bombed and sunk on a peaceable Sunday morning, Dec. 7, 1941.

At 7:55 a.m., on Sunday morning, Dec. 7, 1941, a Japanese force of 183 planes attacked Pearl Harbor without warning. For 30 minutes, dive bombers and torpedo planes struck airfield and naval vessels. After a 15-minute lull, at 8:40 a.m., a second wave of 170 planes launched another attack that lasted one hour.

Casualties to the United States service personnel were 2,343 (1,177 were aboard the USS Arizona), 68 civilian personnel killed, 960 missing and 1,272 wounded. One hundred sixty-four United States aircraft were destroyed, 159 damaged. All eight United States battleships at anchor at Pearl Harbor were either sunk or damaged.

The following day, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt before Congress declared "Dec. 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy," and called for a Declaration of War against the Empire of Japan which Congress approved. On Dec. 11, the United States then declared war on Germany and Italy, the two Axis partners of Japan.

The sudden unprovoked and dastardly terrorist act on Pearl Harbor, Honolulu and other United States possessions in the Pacific plunged the United States of America and Japan into active war. That terrorist act began World War II.

We need to educate our young people and the public to remember what happened at Pearl Harbor on that Sunday, Dec. 7, 1941, so that wars cease.

Thank you to those who lowered the flag at half-staff this Dec. 7. It was obvious that Nassau County was saluting people who are important.

Dec. 7 - In their memory, remember Pearl Harbor. Each year honor those who were killed that day. Please lower your flag at half-staff.

Michael J. Byrne