Garden State Times

The Board of Commissioners, alongside the Office of Veterans Affairs and members of the Gloucester County Board of Commissioners, gathered with local veterans on Friday to commemorate the 83rd anniversary of Pearl Harbor.

December 7 marked 83 years since the attack on Pearl Harbor, a military base located on Oahu, Hawaii. In just two hours during this historic event, 18 U.S. warships were sunk or damaged, 188 aircraft were destroyed, and 2,403 American servicemen and women lost their lives. This attack initiated the United States' involvement in World War II.

"Dec. 7, 1941 is a day that forever changed our nation and the world," stated Commissioner Melinda Kane, who serves as liaison to the Camden County Office of Veterans Affairs. "It is so important that we continue to honor the lives of those lost on that day so their legacy will never be forgotten."

This year’s ceremony included Commissioner Kane and Navy Veteran Lou Cavaliere presenting a plaque to the Battleship New Jersey. The plaque replicates the Memorial Plaque found on the USS Missouri, which commemorates Japan's surrender to the U.S. on September 2, 1945—marking the end of World War II in the Pacific Theater.

Additionally, during this event, the Peter Molnar Award was presented to the Gloucester County Veteran Memorial Cemetery Honor Guard. This organization is dedicated to honoring fallen comrades by conducting military service funerals. The award is an annual recognition at the Pearl Harbor Ceremony for individuals or organizations actively involved with veterans' activities within both county and state levels.