“Remember Pearl Harbor!” was the battle cry that roused the United States to action following the unprovoked “sneak attack” by the Empire of Japan on the U.S. Navy at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on Dec. 7, 1941.

The impact of that devastating attack was felt all across the nation and galvanized Americans and united them in a common purpose like no other event in our history. The generation that fought and won the war still inspires us today as the standard for what Americans can accomplish when they are united to accomplish a great goal.

Today, Dec. 7, 2011, marks the 70th anniversary of the attack, officially designated as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, and the event will be marked with special ceremonies at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii and even here in Louisiana at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans.

Every American should do something to mark the day. It should be a day when “Old Glory” is flown from every home and business. It is appropriate to fly the flag at half-staff today to honor those who died in the Pearl Harbor attack. It is also a good day to thank veterans, especially World War II veterans, for their service to our nation.

Also remember the main lesson learned from Pearl Harbor — eternal vigilance. The world is still dangerous with many enemies of the United States and the freedom for which it stands. We need to keep our military ready and strong, our intelligence services alert and do everything humanly possible to thwart surprise attacks before they occur.

In times of economic stress like now, there is always pressure to cut our military. That must be resisted because our own history teaches us that strength is the best way to promote peace. Weakening the military will only invite disaster, both in terms of human life as well as economic well-being.

The event is being marked at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans Dec. 7-9 with The International Conference on WWII: From Pear Harbor to Guadalcanal. The conference is already sold out, but visiting the museum would certainly be a worthwhile endeavor.

The museum will also have a special exhibit, “Infamy, December 1941” which opens Dec. 7 and will continue through Feb. 19, 2012. It will focus on the Pearl Harbor attack and lesser known battles such as Wake Island, Guam and the Philippines. For more information on the museum and the special Pearl Harbor exhibit on the Web, visit http://www.nationalww2museum.org.

National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day is a solemn and important day. We must learn from history and this day teaches us a lesson we cannot afford to forget.

•••

This editorial was written by a member of the American Press Editorial Board. Its content reflects the collaborative opinion of the Board, whose members include Bobby Dower, Ken Stickney, Jim Beam, Dennis Spears, Crystal Stevenson and Donna Price.

The destroyer USS Shaw explodes after being hit by bombs during the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7