Ceremonies Mark 73rd Anniversary of Pearl Harbor Attack

U.S.S. Arizona survivor Louis Conter and other Pearl Harbor survivors salute the U.S.S. Chung-Hoon as it performs a pass in review during a memorial service for the 73rd anniversary of the attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl harbor on the island of Oahu at the Pacific National Monument on December 07, 2014 in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. (Credit: Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)

by: Los Angeles Times, Dave Mecham

Posted: Dec 7, 2014 / 06:44 PM PST

Updated: Dec 7, 2014 / 10:49 PM PST

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Veterans who survived the Pearl Harbor attack that launched the United States into World War II attended Sunday’s 73rd anniversary ceremony with the help of canes, wheelchairs and motorized scooters.

Wearing purple orchid lei, about 100 Pearl Harbor and World War II survivors attended the ceremony overlooking a memorial that sits atop the sunken battleship Arizona. Many of them arrived well before sunrise.

This year’s anniversary of the Japanese attack is the 10th consecutive one that battleship Utah survivor Gilbert Meyer attended. But it’s getting harder for Meyer, 91, to travel to Hawaii from San Antonio.

Asked if he planned to attend next year’s anniversary, he responded with a chuckle, “That’s like asking me if I’ll still be alive.”

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