On a beautiful Sunday morning on December 4th, 2022 many groups converged on the American Legion Chapter on River Road near the Anderson Ferry.
US Flag flying over Pearl Harbor – Oahu Hawaii
This was the 68th annual remembrance ceremony.
The Cincinnati Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution was represented by members of their Color Guard Unit led by Mike Gunn. We were honored to participate.
This day was a special day where the memory of the attack at Pearl Harbor was remembered by many. Those who lived through this event are mostly departed, however many of the relatives of the departed still join to remember.
Participating in this event was special. Listening to those milling around, taking about prior events, the fact that the weather was really nice for December 4th added a sense of commitment to this event.
After a Flag Burning Ceremony at the American Legion location, the groups moved to the Anderson Ferry for a short parade and boarded the Anderson Ferry. The boat moved into the Ohio River, for the formal ceremony.
First there was the placement of the commemorative wreaths in the waters of the Ohio River, symbolic of the waters of Pearl Harbor.
There was a 21 gun salute triggered by the local American Legion group.
On the shore, dozens of pure white doves were released. They grouped together and flew in circles overhead. As I looked overhead at the flock of doves, I thought of the souls of those departed victims of the December 7th, 1941 attack which led to the entry of the United States into World War II.
There were prayers for those departed, a moment of silence was recognized.
At the completion of the ceremony, the ferry returned us to the shoreline, where we marched in procession up the hill.
After the ceremony, the American Legion hosted a luncheon where all participants were welcomed.
This is a very moving, respectful and terrific experience for all that participate.
We thank the Anderson Ferry operators for taking one of their ferry’s out of service to contribute to this service. This ferry has been operating on the Ohio River for over 200 years and is listed as a Historic Place.
We thank the customer’s of the ferry for understanding and their brief inconvenience. A link to the ferry website is:
https://andersonferry.com/our-story/
There is a link to a video by the local Fox 19 News channel highlighting this event:
Video – Fox 19 – Pearl Harbor Day Remembrance and Celebration
