Virginia War Memorial to observe Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day with virtual livestream program this year

The Virginia War Memorial will observe Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day this year with a virtual livestream program on Monday, December 7, 2020, at 11 a.m.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, there will be no live ceremony to honor the Virginians who died in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and other Hawaiian bases on December 7, 1941, which propelled the United States into World War II.

Instead, the Virginia War Memorial will livestream a program hosted by Memorial Director and noted historian Dr. Clay Mountcastle. The program will include a special edition of the Memorial’s “From the Archives” with Memorial archivist Heidi Sheldon who will highlight items relating to the Pearl Harbor attack from the Memorial’s extensive artifact collection. Concluding the program will be the showing of the award-winning Virginians at War documentary, “World War II: Pearl Harbor” featuring the personal stories of Virginians who witnessed the attack.

“We regret that because of the COVID-19 restrictions that we cannot join with our partners at the Navy League of the United States, Richmond Chapter to hold a public ceremony this year to honor and remember those brave Virginians who lost their lives on December 7, 1941,” said Dr. Mountcastle. “The names of these heroes are forever inscribed on the walls of the Memorial’s Shrine of Memory-20^th Century where they will be remembered and honored for generations to come for their service and sacrifice.”

The public can register to view the Pearl Harbor Day Observance livestream by clicking HERE or watch the livestream on December 7 at www.Facebook.com/VirginiaWarMemorial.

The Virginia War Memorial is located at 621 South Belvidere Street in Richmond.  It is open to the public Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Sunday, 12 noon – 4 p.m.  Admission and parking is free.  Due to current COVID-19 guidelines, facemasks and social distancing are required, and the number of visitors permitted inside the Memorial at any one time is limited.  For more information, please visit www.vawarmemorial.org, www.dvs.virginia.gov or call 804-786-2060.

About the Virginia War Memorial

The mission of the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond is to Honor Veterans, Preserve History, Educate Youth and Inspire Patriotism in All.  Dedicated in 1956, the Memorial includes the names of the nearly 12,000 Virginia heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice during World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, and the Global War on Terrorism. The Virginia War Memorial is a division of the Virginia Department of Veterans Services and serves as an integral part of its mission in support of all Virginians who have served in our military.  For more details, visit www.virginiawarmemorial.org or www.dvs.virginia.gov.

About the Virginia Department of Veterans Services

The Virginia Department of Veterans Services (DVS) is a state government agency with more than 40 locations across the Commonwealth of Virginia.  DVS traces its history to 1928 and the establishment of the Virginia War Service Bureau to assist Virginia’s World War I veterans.  Today, DVS assists veterans and their families in filing claims for federal veterans benefits; provides veterans and family members with linkages to services including behavioral healthcare, housing, employment, education and other programs.  The agency operates two long-term care facilities offering in-patient skilled nursing care, Alzheimer’s/memory care, and short-term rehabilitation for veterans; provides an honored final resting place for veterans and their families at three state veterans cemeteries.  It operates the Virginia War Memorial, the Commonwealth’s tribute to Virginia’s men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice from World War II to the present. For more information, please visit www.dvs.virginia.gov.