Lest we forget.

Members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8850 and others in the community gathered Tuesday for a brief observance of the anniversary of the Japanese attack of Pearl Harbor.

It was 63 years ago that a surprise attack against the U.S. Naval fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii brought Americans into World War II.

Dec. 7, 1941 was described at the time by President Franklin

D. Roosevelt as "a day that will live in infamy" as he encouraged the U.S. Congress to approve a declaration of war just one day after the attack.

"The United States was at peace with that nation, and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its government and its emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific.

"Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in Oahu, the Japanese ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to the secretary of state a formal reply to a recent American message. While this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or armed attack," Roosevelt said in his address to Congress.

"… As commander in chief of the Army and Navy I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense. Always will we remember the character of the onslaught against us."

For those who gathered Tuesday at the VFW in Ironton,

the attack on Pearl Harbor was a forecast of another attack decades later.

"It's similar to what 9-11 was," said VFW quartermaster Mike White. "It took us completely by surprise, a malicious attack on the U.S. and its military forces. A lot of innocent lives were lost."

White said the observance is also important since so many World War II era veterans are not alive today to tell their stories. "World War II vets are dying by the thousands a day," he said. "We just don't have too many World War II vets."