Seventy years ago, Japan’s cowardly and deadly attack on Pearl Harbor plunged the United States of America into World War 11.

The attack killed 2,402 Americans and injured 1,282 Americans.

As President Franklin D. Roosevelt said the day after the attack when he asked Congress to declare war, Dec. 7, 1941, is “a date which will live in infamy.” Those words are as true today as when he first spoke them.

Each year, the anniversary of that attack provides us an opportunity to honor those who were killed during the attack or died later — minutes, hours or days — from wounds suffered as a result of the attack. We also honor the survivors of Pearl Harbor, though few remain.

Dec. 7 of each year is also a time to honor the courage and resolve the American people displayed in the aftermath of Pearl Harbor. After the attack, Japanese Adm. Isoroku Yamamoto reportedly said, “All I fear we have done is awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with terrible resolve.”

America’s resolve to fight evil and prevail was shown by the Doolittle raid on Tokyo, at Guadalcanal and at Iwo Jima. As we did 70 years ago and after 9/ll, we stand ready to prove that resolve again and again.