Gridley honors Pearl Harbor with Friday events
WHAT: Pearl Harbor Day service.
WHEN: 9:48 a.m. Friday.
WHERE: Biggs-Gridley Cemetery, 2023 Highway 99, Gridley
PRESENTED BY: Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5731 and the American Legion Post 210.
CALL: Ed Kawasaki, 514-1805.
WHAT: Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.
WHEN: 9:55 a.m. Friday.
WHERE: Butte County Fairgrounds, 199 E. Hazel St., Gridley.
CALL: Arthur Wells, 342-1453.
Two services in Gridley will commemorate Pearl Harbor Day on Friday, with survivors of the attack continuing an annual event at the Butte County Fairgrounds and other local veterans observing the day at the Biggs-Gridley Cemetery.
The separate events happened when Feather River Chapter 25 of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association disbanded last year, leaving the impression that no gathering was planned in the future.
National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day is at 9:55 a.m. at the Butte County Fai grounds' memorial flag pole, 199 E. Hazel St. The fairgrounds' south gate is open from 8 a.m. to noon.
The Pearl Harbor Day Service is at 9:48 a.m. at the Biggs-Gridley Cemetery's Veteran Court of Honor, 2023 Highway 99, presented by VFW Post 5731 and the American Legion Post 210.
Included are a prayer and a two-bell ceremony in honor of fallen Navy veterans.
This year's memorial service at the fairgrounds "is probably our last one," said Pearl Harbor survivor Arthur Wells, 90. "Age is starting to get us. There are not many of us left."
The Chico resident was serving with the Marine attachment on the battleship Pennsylvania in dry dock at Pearl Harbor when the attack occurred on Dec. 7, 1941.
Because the survivors group disbanded and nothing seemed set for this year, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion decided to have a ceremony at the cemetery to continue the tradition, said Ed Kawasaki, VFW Post 5731 commander.
"We don't want to take away anything from the fairgrounds... They are the survivors," Kawasaki said. "We would like to continue to do the service for next year."
