Oshkosh AMVETS Post 7 remembers those who lost their lives at Pearl Harbor

OSHKOSH, Wis. (WBAY) - On Saturday morning the Oshkosh AMVETS post 7 hosted a Pearl Harbor remembrance ceremony where they paid tribute to the men and women who lost their lives in the attacks 83 years ago.

The ceremony began at exactly 7:55 am, the exact time Japanese planes dropped the first bombs.

Rolland Briar, a 102-year-old veteran who survived the Pearl Harbor attack, was also in attendance.

The commander of Oshkosh AMVETS Post 7, Jeff Bedward, told us how special it is to have Rolland at the event.

“It’s an honor for us to have a Pearl Harbor survivor here with us today. We all didn’t know there was still any alive! And to have one in Green Bay, it’s an honor to have him here,” said Bedward.

Rolland’s daughter Bette shared his story and what he remembers from that day.

He was getting ready to go to the 8 a.m. mass when the first bomb hit. He says the hardest part for him during the horrific attack was the noise and that fear of not knowing what was going on.

56 Wisconsinites who lost their lives were recognized by having their names read as a bell tolled.

According to records, there are less than 20 Pearl Harbor veterans alive today, so it is important that generations continue to remember those veterans and honor their sacrifice.

“If we don’t have these remembrances, the generations coming up will not know about them. I was told there’s some not even teaching it in school anymore. So we need this,” said Bette Briar-Tilot.