Last known local surviving Pearl Harbor vet honored at Brackenridge ceremony
It’s hard to explain the chaos and confusion that broke out in the moments following the Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor, said George Pann, who at the time was a 19-year-old Army private assigned to the 55th Coast Artillery in Oahu.
Pann, now 97, and other area retired service members gathered at the Brackenridge American Legion Post 226 on Saturday, Pearl Harbor Day, to honor those who defended the country when the Japanese attacked American soil.
“You can’t say too much about it,” Pann said.
Where words fail, the annual memorial ceremony is intended to make sure no one forgets the sacrifices that were made that day. It included tributes to veterans and prisoners of war, a traditional gun salute and performances of the national anthem and “God Bless America” by Robbie Lynn of Springdale.
It’s a welcome chance to get together with friends, community members and fellow service members, Pann said.
“It’s a good feeling,” he said as he shook hands with those who lined up to thank him for his service.
Pann, formerly of Harrison but now living in Saxonburg, is the last known surviving Alle-Kiski Valley veteran of Pearl Harbor. He served in the Pacific Theater in the Gilbert Islands, the Philippines and Okinawa until 1945.
“It’s just a continuation of appreciating what the veterans did before us,” Robert Jones, the former post commander at the Natrona Heights VFW Post 894, said of the yearly gathering. “It’s just good to keep history going.”
As more time passes — this year marks 78 years since the attack on Pearl Harbor and the formal entry into World War II by the United States — it’s increasingly important to make sure no one forgets what service members who fought in all of the country’s wars and conflicts gave to protect those at home, said Steve Hloznik, former Tarentum VFW Post 5758 commander.
“We never forget, and that’s the idea,” Hloznik said. “It’s about the sacrifices men and women make.”
Jamie Martines is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Jamie by email at jmartines@triblive.com or via Twitter .
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