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Parkersburg, Marietta wreath ceremonies to remember attack on Pearl Harbor

FILE - As heavy smoke rolls out of the stricken USS West Virginia, a small boat rescues a crew member from the water after the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Dec. 7, 1941. (AP Photo, File)

PARKERSBURG — There will be a wreath ceremony held at 2 p.m. today at Point Park in Parkersburg, Army veteran Jerry Smith said.

“It was hell for 11 minutes,” Smith said about the attack on Pearl Harbor. “2,300 people lost their lives in 11 minutes. 19 sets of brothers were lost, four or five sets of three or more brothers. It was a turning point in World War II that really got America into the war.”

During the attack, a total of three U.S. ships were destroyed beyond repair, and a further 16 were damaged in some capacity. That included the USS West Virginia.

“The West Virginia sank to the bottom and sat upright,” Smith said. “They pulled it up, it took three years and nine months to repair it, but it was in Tokyo Harbor the day the Japanese surrendered. It’s an amazing story.”

Smith said to arrive 20 minutes early and that there would be representatives present from the different branches of the military.

Another ceremony is scheduled at 5;30 p.m. today on the Putnam Bridge in downtown Marietta. The schedule of activities for the 2023 Pearl Harbor Day Ceremony presented by the AMVETS Post 1788 in Marietta:

Pre-set:

* Honor Guard forms on the bridge – Sgt At Arms, Jim Evans

* All wreaths displayed on bridge

* Tent and table and podium at foot of bridge – Front and Putnam St. parking area

* 5:30 p.m.: Introductory remarks – Commander Gene Venham

* 5:33 p.m.: Invocation – Chaplin Jim Heikkinen

* 5:36 p.m.: Introduction of guest speaker

* 5:38 p.m.: Guest speaker – Bruce Edward Haas

* 5:48 p.m.: Movement onto the bridge – Gene Venham

Placement of wreaths in the water – Gene Venham

Marietta Legion – Regis Kern, Marietta VFW – George Wulfert, DAV -Bruce Edward Haas – AMVETS – Dale Pierce, Lowell Legion – Damian Huck, Beverly Legion – Steve Wainwright, Marine Corps League – Howard Jacobson, Moph – Larry Proctor

* 5:56 p.m.: 21 Gun salute to fallen service members and civilians lost

* 5:58 p.m.: sounding of Taps

* 6 p.m.: dismissal and thanks – Gene Venham

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