Seventy-three years ago today, on Dec. 7, 1941, the Imperial Japanese Navy attacked the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, an act that plunged the nation into World War II. The surprise attack that Sunday lasted less than two hours but killed more than 2,500, wounded about 1,000 and ruined 318 American ships and airplanes. Today we honor the lives lost and remember the terrible day that, in President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s words, will “live in infamy.”

Pearl Harbor naval base and U.S.S. Shaw ablaze after the Japanese attack. (Photo: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs)

The USS Shaw ablaze after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. (Photo: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs)

Aerial photograph, taken by a Japanese pilot, of the destruction of Pearl Harbor, Japanese bomber in lower right foreground. (Photo: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs)

A Japanese pilot took this photo of the bombardment. A Japanese bomber is in the foreground. (Photo: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs)

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Wreckage of USS Arizona. (Photo: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs)

Wreckage of the USS Arizona. (Photo: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs)

Explosion at Pearl Harbor seen from Hickam Field. Hickam Field suffered extensive damage and aircraft losses, with 189 people killed and 303 wounded. (Photo: Newscom)

Sailors at NAS Ford Island watch as the USS Shaw explodes. (Photo: Newscom)

Three civilians were killed in this shrapnel-riddled car by a bomb dropped from a Japanese plane eight miles from Pearl Harbor. (Photo: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs)

Eight miles from Pearl Harbor, three civilians died in this shrapnel-riddled car. (Photo: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs)

USS Arizona, at height of fire, following Japanese aerial attack on Pearl Harbor. (Photo: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs)

Smoke billows from the USS Arizona during the height of the fire. (Photo: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs)

The Japanese bomber, a thin line of smoke trailing in the wake, was struck by anti-aircraft fire during the attack on Pearl Harbor. (Photo: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs)

A Japanese bomber, a thin line of smoke trailing in its wake, after being struck by anti-aircraft fire. (Photo: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs)

Pearl Harbor destruction after Japanese 'Kamikaze' attacks. (Photo: Newscom)

Some of the destruction after attacks by Japanese pilots. (Photo: Newscom)

Japanese suicide pilots who were used to attack Pearl Harbor. (Photo: Keystone Pictures/Newscom)

Japanese kamikaze, or suicide, pilots that were organized and used in the war in the latter half of 1944. (Photo: Keystone Pictures/Newscom)

Severely damaged and beached during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the USS Nevada gets ready to leave her Hawaiian anchorage for permanent repairs at a U.S. port. Temporary repairs made at Pearl Harbor enabled the battleship to make the voyage under her own power. (Photo: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs)

After being severely damaged and beached, the USS Nevada makes ready to leave her Hawaiian anchorage for permanent repairs elsewhere. (Photo: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs)

One of the 80 U.S. Navy planes wrecked by Japanese bombs and bullets during the air attacks on Pearl Harbor. The plane was an OS2U, an Observation Scout built by Vought-Sikorsky. (Photo: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs)

One of 80 Navy planes wrecked by Japanese bombs and bullets, this is an OS2U — an Observation Scout built by Vought-Sikorsky. (Photo: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs)

Inspection of what is left of an aircraft at Hickam Field. (Photo: Newscom)

Inspectors survey what is left of an aircraft at Hickam Field. (Photo: Newscom)

Burning ships in the harbor. (Photo: Newscom)

Ships burn in Pearl Harbor. (Photo: Newscom)

Captured Japanese photograph taken aboard a Japanese carrier before the attack on Pearl Harbor. (Photo: Newscom)

This captured photograph was taken aboard a Japanese carrier before the attack. (Photo: Newscom)

President Franklin D. Roosevelt during his first address to the nation after the attack. (Photo: CSU Archives/Newscom)

President Franklin D. Roosevelt makes his first radio address to the nation since the attack. (Photo: CSU Archives/Newscom)

The U.S.S. Neosho, navy oil tanker, cautiously backs away from her berth (right center) in a successful effort to escape the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Dec. 7, 1941. At left the battleship U.S.S. California lists after aerial blows. Other crippled warships and part of the hull of the capsized U.S.S. Oklahoma may be seen in the background. The Neosho was later sunk in the Coral Sea. (Photo: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs)

The USS Neosho, a Navy oil tanker, backs away from her berth (right center) in a successful effort to escape the attack. At left, the battleship USS California lists after aerial blows. Other crippled warships and part of the hull of the capsized USS Oklahoma are visible in the background. The Neosho later was sunk in the Coral Sea. (Photo: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs)

The U.S.S. Oklahoma lying capsized in the harbor following the Japanesee attack. (Photo: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs)

The USS Oklahoma lies capsized in the harbor. (Photo: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs)

Ruins of a B-17C aircraft rests near Hickam Field after the attack. Nearly half of the approximately 60 airplanes at Hickam Field had been destroyed or severely damaged. (Photo: Newscom)

Ruins of a B-17C rest near Hickam Field. Nearly half of about 60 airplanes at Hickam were destroyed or severely damaged. (Photo: Newscom)

A San Francisco newspaper stand on Monday morning, Dec. 8, 1941, the day after Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. (Photo: Newscom)

The day after: A San Francisco newspaper stand on the morning of Monday, Dec. 8, 1941. (Photo: Newscom)

U.S. Navy tug raises one of eight Japanese 'midget subs' from Pearl Harbor. It was one of five World War 2 Ko-hyoteki-class submarines that entered Pearl Harbor, one of which torpedoed the USS West Virginia. (Photo: Newscom)

A U.S. Navy tug raises one of eight Japanese ‘midget subs’ from Pearl Harbor. It was among five Ko-hyoteki-class submarines that entered the harbor; one torpedoed the USS West Virginia. (Photo: Newscom)

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