Pearl Harbor Gold Stars Wall of Honor was displayed at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific  (aka the Punchbowl) in Honolulu. (Click on image)

 

The Spirit of '45 coalition supported the Pearl Harbor 75th Anniversary Commemoration by creating a 100 ft "Wall of Honor" comprised of the photos of the 2,225 Americans who lost their lives during the attacks of the December 7, 1941 -  the largest collection of photos of the Gold Stars of Pearl Harbor ever assembled.

 

                                        Read the media release

The photos were collected by Roy Hammat of HonorStates.org, with each photo identified by name, location (e.g. ship or air field) at the time

of death, and state.   

 

The Wall was designed by Nick Molle' of the Digital Clubhouse Network and was co-sponsored by A+E HISTORY and Walgreens, with support from the USS Midway, Dignity Memorial and Sharp Memorial Hospital of San Diego.

Replicas of the Wall were displayed at the US Navy Memorial in Washington, DC, the USS Midway in San Diego, at the Oak Hill Funeral Home & Memorial Park in San Jose, CA, and in New York City in what will be a new annual Spirit of '45 tradition on Pearl Harbor Day.

 

The Pearl Harbor Gold Stars will be the first photos to be officially "inducted" into the giant Spirit of '45 WWII Wall of Honor that is being built in time for the 75th anniversary of the end of WWII in August 2020.

 

We're Building a Wall of Courage and Unity! 

 

The Wall of Gold Stars was presented to the U.S. Navy and the National Park Services by Pearl Harbor Survivors Stu Hedley of San Diego, and Carl E. Clark of Menlo Park, CA.

 

 

Mr. Hedley was on the USS West Virginia when it was attacked by Japanese dive bombers, and later served in several major naval battles of WWII, including Wake Island, Guadalcanal, and Saipan.   

 

Mr. Clark was a WWII Navy veteran who was serving at Kaneohe Base during the December 7 attacks, and later saw combat in the Pacific theater, including the final battle of Okinawa. 

 National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu

 

 

  

(L) Pearl Harbor Survivor Carl E. Clark of Menlo Park, CA, with Enna Anulau of Dignity Memorial which helped sponsor the Wall with Walgreens Hawaii. 

 

 

Carl's trip to Hawaii was made possible by generous donations from U.S. Congresswoman Anna Eshoo and California Assemblyman Kansen Chu and his wife Daisy.  

 

Centenarian returns to Pearl Harbor for first time since December 7 attack

 

Just over two months after his return from Hawaii where he represented Spirit of '45 Day at the Pearl Harbor 75th Anniversary Commemoration events in December 2016, Carl E. Clark passed away peacefully on March 16, 2017 at the age of 100.  

 

Read Carl's obituary in the New York Times 

 

"Carl Clark is a true American hero.  Because of his courage, he saved the lives of many of his fellow shipmates and the USS Aaron Ward over 71 years ago.  His extraordinary service to our country never wavered, despite his being subjected to segregation and racism.  His unwavering patriotism is part of the rich history of our nation.  How fitting for him to be able to share his important life experience at the Pearl Harbor 75th Anniversary Commemoration."

U.S. Congresswoman Anna Eshoo 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I am proud to have had the honor of helping support Mr. Carl E. Clark's participation in the Pearl Harbor 75th Anniversary Commemoration on behalf of our community.  Mr. Clark represents the "unsung heroes" of his generation and the tradition of selfless service to our country this is one of the cornerstones of America's greatness as a nation."

California Assemblyman Kansen Chu  

 

 The Pearl Harbor Wall of Gold Stars was displayed at several locations in Hawaii during the 10 day 75th Anniversary Commemoration, including the special gala at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, the Pearl Harbor Visitors Center, and during the opening ceremonies of the National Pearl Harbor Day Parade, which featured a Spirit of '45 Day entry.

 

US Navy Memorial, Washington, DC  

 

  

Wall of Honor displayed at US Navy Memorial in Washington, DC 

"I usually have the same summation when telling about this fateful event: 'All gave some; some gave all.' There are only two people who will give their life for you: Jesus and a military man. The real heroes are still out there."

                                                                        Rear Admiral Frank Thorp, IV (retired), President & CEO, US Navy Memorial

Click here for more photos of the Pearl Harbor Wall of Honor at the US Navy Memorial in Washington, DC

 

USS Midway Museum, San Diego

 

 

 

Wall of Pearl Harbor Gold Stars displayed at  USS Midway with Seward Johnson's sculpture depicting the famous "Times Square Kiss" symbolizing Spirit of '45 Day that stands in San Diego's Greatest Generation Park. (C) Walgreens District 263 Manager Lance Zwanck.  (R) Spirit of '45 Day national events coordinator Linda Laurie with the San Diego Wall that was co-sponsored by the Midway, Walgreens, Sharp Memorial Hospital, A&E HISTORY, and Dignity Memorial.

 

"The seventy-five years following Pearl Harbor have not, by any measure, dimmed the legacy or contributions of the Greatest Generation.  The celebration aboard the USS Midway Museum, in conjunction with Spirit of '45 and many partners, bears testimony to America's continuing devotion to preserving the American spirit of service to country and community."

Scott McGaugh, director of marketing, USS Midway Museum

 

"Sharp HealthCare Foundation is proud to sponsor the Pearl Harbor Wall of Honor.  San Diego is home to Sharp HealthCare, where we proudly serve the veterans who fought for our freedoms, and equally proud that many Sharp employees and affiliated physicians are veterans.  As we honor those who lost their lives at Pearl Harbor, we also remember our namesake, Lt. Donald N. Sharp, who gave his life for his country in World War II."

Bill Littlejohn, President & CEO, Sharp HealthCare Foundation 

For more photos of the Pearl Harbor 75th anniversary commemoration on the USS Midway Museum, click here. 

 

Navy Jr. ROTC, Manhattan, New York City

 

Rev. James Blakely, US Navy veteran who served on the USS St. Louis during the attacks on Pearl Harbor, with Navy Jr. ROTC cadets in New York City.

 

Read the media release

 

 

National Pearl Harbor Day Parade

 

For the second year, the nation's largest Pearl Harbor Day parade featured a Spirit of '45 Day entry, complete with a life sized version of Seward Johnson's sculpture depicting the famous "Times Square Kiss" that is on loan to the USS Missouri, and Kiss re-enactors Theresa Werner and James Martin from Washington, DC.  

 

Young Marines honored the fallen of Pearl Harbor by marching in the Parade with individual photos from the Wall. 

U-Haul supplied a pickup to transport the Kiss to and from the Missouri, and a box truck with the 75th Anniversary logo. 

 

U-Haul also sponsored the convertible that carried Pearl Harbor Survivor Carl Clark, who was accompanied by Robert Corpus on his historic return to Hawaii for the 75th Anniversary.

 

 

 

Joining them was Ms. Trinity Hanson from Orange County, CA who helped kick off the Spirit of '45 campaign to honor the Caregivers of WWII by carrying the photo of Lt. Annie Fox, the chief of Army Nurses who was the first woman to receive the Purple Heart for bravery during the attacks of December 7.

  

 

Thanks to A&E HISTORY and Walgreens for their continuing support for Spirit of '45 Day and the WWII 75th Anniversary Commemorations Alliance! 

 

Mahalo!