Governors across the U.S. have ordered flags to be flown at half-staff to mark National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day on Saturday.

This year marks the 83rd anniversary of the surprise attack that plunged the United States into World War II.

More than 2,400 American soldiers were killed on December 7, 1941, in Japan’s first attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Nearly 1,200 others were injured.

President Joe Biden issued a proclamation Friday saying he is calling on “all federal agencies, interested organizations, groups and individuals to fly the flag of the United States at half-staff on December 7, 2024, in honor of American patriots.” , who…” died as a result of their service at Pearl Harbor.

The day honors “the 2,403 military personnel and civilians who were killed on that tragic December morning 83 years ago,” he said in a statement.

“And we recognize the absolute courage of the service members who fought to defend democracy and resist fascism abroad in World War II after this painful and unprovoked attack.”

Americans “must remember that they risked everything, dared everything and gave everything, not for one person or one place — but for the idea of ​​America,” he said.

They “recognize that freedom is never guaranteed” and their “sacrifices have helped create a world based on peace and security,” he added. “And together, these courageous women and men have proven that no force – neither destruction, death, nor the darkness of hate – is a match for the flame of freedom that ignites the hearts of free people everywhere.”

He added: “Let us remember the patriots who died and were wounded on December 7, 1941, and continue to fulfill our sacred obligation to care for our service members, our veterans and their families, caregivers and survivors.”

In response to Biden’s proclamation, governors ordered U.S. and state flags to fly at half-staff on Saturday.

Hawaii Gov. Josh Green ordered U.S. and state flags to be flown at half-staff at the Hawaii State Capitol and all state offices and agencies, as well as the Hawaii National Guard, from sunrise to sunset on Saturday at the direction of the president.

“First Lady Jaime Kanani Green and I will attend a solemn memorial service at the Pearl Harbor National Memorial to honor the lives lost on December 7, 1941,” Green said in a statement.

“The day is a poignant reminder of the courage and sacrifices made by thousands of men and women whose bravery in the face of unimaginable adversity has shaped the course of history. “Your memory continues to inspire our commitment to peace and resilience as a state and as a nation.”