OLYMPIA, Wash. – On Saturday, December 7, Governor Jay Inslee directed all Washington State and United States flags be lowered to half-staff at all state facilities in observance of National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.

Inslee has ordered flags to remain at half-mast from sunrise to sunset on Dec. 7 in honor of those killed or injured during the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941.

Governor Inslee has also stated that agencies can lower their flags at the close of business on Friday, December 6th as long as they remain at half staff until close of business or sunset on the morning of Monday, December 9th.

National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day was established by Congress in 1994 to commemorate the sacrifices of the men and women who served during the attack that led the United States into World War II.

September 1, 1939 is considered by many to be the start of World War II, when Germany invaded Poland. Germany then took control of large parts of Western Europe.

Before the attack, the United States had been providing supplies and other assistance to Allied forces since September 1940.

On December 7, 1941, the Empire of Japan launched an air raid on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, killing more than 2,300 Americans. On December 8, 1941, the United States entered World War II when Congress declared war on Imperial Japan the day after the attack.

On December 11, 1941, the USA declared war on Germany and Italy – Italy surrendered to the Allies in 1943.

The war against Germany lasted until May 8, 1945, when Germany surrendered.

Japan surrendered on September 2, 1945 after the United States dropped two atomic bombs on Japan.

The number of deaths directly related to the war is estimated at at least 50 million.