It was at 11:48 a.m. 74 years ago that Japan launched a surprise air attack on the U.S. Pacific fleet docked at the Pearl Harbor port, Hawaii, killing 2,400 Americans, wounding at least 1,200 others, and catapulting the United States in World War II.

At 2:30 p.m. today, the Coaldale United Veterans Organization will gather at the Veterans and Womens Memorial Garden, next to borough hall on Third Street, to honor those who died that day, Dec. 7, 1941, and in the days that followed.They include Seaman George Stembrosky at Pearl Harbor, Marine PFC John Katchak at Wake Island, and Army Corporal Wash Shaffron in the Philippines. Army PFC Michael Fedorchak and PFC Paul Martin perished in the holds of Japanese "hell Ships" which were sunk by US submarines.In all, the small borough lost 53 young men to World War II."I know the dates and circumstances of every death; and believe me, they were heroes of the first order. We continue to share the grief of the families who lost their precious loved ones," said organizer and memorial designer William Gaddes."We believe that Coaldale is first in our nation with regard to per capita who served in World War II. More than 22 percent served in the military, twice the national average of 11 percent. With regard to those killed in action, the rate was four times the national average," he said.Gaddes, of Lake Hauto, served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War.The Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day ceremony will also honor Army Air Forces Sergeant John W. Evans of the Seek section of Coaldale, who went missing in action during the Battle of the Coral Sea. Sgt. Evans was a bombardier on a four engine heavy bomber that failed to return from a combat mission.Last month, the UVO added eight additional names to the 1,350 men and women veterans whose names are engraved on the borough's World War II Memorial Wall."We members of the Coaldale United Veterans Organization have pledged to maintain our beautiful memorial garden," Gaddes said. "We believe that this memorial is just a small token of our honor, love, and respect for those who saved our nation from tyranny. Our nation is under a very different, complex and lethal threat to our very way of life. Our military today is under extreme stress. Families of our military are no longer anonymous and relatively safe in the Homeland. Modern technology has put these military families at risk and under threat by Muslim Jihadists and the Islamic State. We must expand our military and equip them to overcome this new threat."Please respect and honor our active military and work to ensure that they are provided the optimum hardware and technical means to overcome this threat. Please support our military families as they struggle to cope with the complex demands placed upon them," he said.