HARTFORD — Governor Ned Lamont directed that U.S. and Connecticut flags be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Saturday, December 7, 2024, in observance of National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. The annual observance honors the more than 2,400 American lives lost during the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941.
Flags will be lowered from sunrise to sunset on all state-operated buildings, grounds, and facilities across Connecticut, including the State Capitol building. The Governor is encouraging individuals, businesses, schools, municipalities, and other entities to also lower their flags for the same duration. In keeping with the directive, all flags, whether state, municipal, or corporate, should be flown at half-staff, with the U.S. flag remaining at the top.
“We owe so much to the World War II veterans who defended the United States and saved millions from oppression, especially those whose lives were tragically lost in the line of duty, including at Pearl Harbor,” Gov. Lamont said. “The attack on Pearl Harbor is one of the darkest moments in United States history, and we honor the thousands of American service members and civilians who were killed on that terrible day. On this Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, I urge all Connecticut residents to reflect on the sacrifices made by the Greatest Generation during World War II and everything they have provided in the name of freedom and liberty for all.”
Governor Lamont also announced that the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge in New Haven, commonly known as the Q Bridge, will be illuminated in red, white, and blue lights on the evenings of Friday, December 6, and Saturday, December 7, in recognition of the anniversary. The bridge, which spans the Quinnipiac River and carries Interstate 95, honors the memory of those who served during the Pearl Harbor attack. The Connecticut Department of Transportation maintains the bridge.
“As we recognize National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, we are reminded that it is up to us to ensure that future generations learn of the great sacrifices and service of those before them,” Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz said. “Without the brave men and women who fought for our country’s freedoms during World War II, the world we live in today would be a much different place. We salute the military heroes of World War II whose unwavering service and bravery on that infamous day continues to inspire generations. We will always be indebted to the men and women who valiantly fought in this battle, and in the war that changed the course of American history.”
There are 18 service members from Connecticut who were killed in the attack. Their names are engraved on a memorial located at the base of the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge They include:
- Eric Allen of Darien (Navy, lieutenant junior grade, USS Enterprise)
- Henry Ludwig Carlson of Norwich (Navy, storekeeper 3c, USS Arizona)
- Edward W. Gosselin of Hamden (Naval Reserve, ensign, USS Arizona)
- Vincent M. Horan of Stamford (Army Air Force, corporal, Wheeler Field)
- Henry John Lanquette of Wallingford (Navy, coxswain, USS Arizona)
- John Kallervo Luntta of Collinsville (Navy, seaman 1c, USS Nevada)
- W.T. O’Neill Jr. of Glenbrook (Naval Reserve, ensign, USS Arizona)
- Stanislaus Joseph Orzech of Meriden (Navy, seaman 2c, USS Arizona)
- Richard Patterson Jr. of Berlin (Navy, shipfitter 3c, USS Arizona)
- Stephen Pepe of Bridgeport (U.S. Navy Water Tender 1st Class, USS Oklahoma)
- George Povesko of Bridgeport (Navy, seaman 1c, USS Arizona)
- Mike George Quarto of Norwich (Navy, seaman 1c, USS Arizona)
- Thomas James Reeves of Thomaston (Navy, chief radioman, USS California)
- William Eugene Seeley of New London (Navy, seaman 1c, USS Arizona)
- George Smith of New Haven (Army Air Force, private, Hickam Field)
- Gordon H. Sterling Jr. of Hartford (Army Air Force, 2nd lieutenant, Wheeler Field)
- Felix S. Wegrzyn of Bridgeport (Army Air Force, private, Hickam Field)
- Ulmont Irving Whitehead Jr. of Hartford (Navy, ensign, USS Arizona)
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