Bradley County’s annual Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day will take place Thursday, the 76th anniversary of the attack in Hawaii that led to the U.S. entry into World War II.
The ceremony will take place at the Elks Lodge downtown at 235 Second Street N.E. at 10 a.m. The program, organized by the Colonel Benjamin Cleveland Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution, will last about one hour.
State Rep. Kevin Brooks, who represents the 24th District in the Tennessee House Of Representatives, will be the guest speaker.
George Allen, a Pearl Harbor survivor, will light a memorial candle to honor the victims of the attack and fellow American veterans who took part in the war.
SAR members will present a memorial wreath to honor those who fought in the war.
Bradley Central High School’s JROTC will post the national colors to begin the ceremony.
Cleveland Mayor Tom Rowland will lead the invocation and benediction prayers.
The Bradley County Veterans Funeral Honor Guard will fire the traditional 21 gun salute on the lawn at the Elks Lodge.
Buglers from the Cleveland High School Band will close the program with taps.
Bradley County Mayor D. Gary Davis and other city and county officials will be attending the ceremony. Area veterans groups and the public are invited to attend the program that has become a Cleveland December tradition.
The city’s Pearl Harbor Remembrance Ceremony was first organized over a dozen years ago by Bill Norwood, a Korean War POW, and other veterans. Mr. Norwood asked the SAR to adopt the program last year.