Veterans place flowers in the Hudson in honor of the victims of the
Pearl Harbor attack
(Photo: Bob McCormick)
NEWBURGH – Whether it was at the Hudson River, the Wallkill River
or elsewhere in the Hudson Valley or Catskills, on Thursday, December
7, veterans groups honored the memories of the 2,403 Americans who were
killed when the Japanese bombed the Pearl Harbor military base in Hawaii.
In Newburgh, veterans from World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam, the
Gulf wars and current conflicts, attended along with Gold Star Mothers,
public officials and supporters of members of the armed forces.
State Senator William Larkin learned of the attack on Pearl Harbor when
he came out of a movie theater with friends. It was hearing about the
attack that led him to enlist.
“I went into combat at 16-years-old. I don’t regret one day
of it. I was an enlisted man, so I know from the ground up. I retired
as an Army colonel. I commanded companies in combat and I am proud of
what we did. This is the greatest county in the world and if we don’t
stop playing around… we need to start realizing this is America;
this is our country,” he said.
Larkin is now two months shy of 90-years-old. He joined dozens of others
on the Newburgh waterfront on Thursday as veterans placed flowers and
wreathes in the Hudson River to honor those who died at Pearl Harbor 76
years ago.
