Just hours after Pearl Harbor, a small band of Americans on tiny Wake Island— Marines, sailors, Army radio men, Marine fighter pilots, and over a thousand civilian workers— faced a massive Japanese invasion force with almost no chance of rescue.
Armed with only a few coastal guns, some anti-aircraft batteries, and a dozen Wildcat fighters, they stunned the world on December 11, 1941, by driving off the first Japanese landing attempt and sinking two enemy warships—the very first Japanese ships lost in World War II.
For two more weeks they fought on alone, inflicting heavy losses before finally surrendering on December 23. Dozens were killed in the fighting, and in 1943 the Japanese executed 98 captured American civilians still on the island.
Their heroic stand earned the Wake Island defenders the first Presidential Unit Citation of the war—one of the only ones ever personally signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
This Memorial Day event in Bristow is special: it is the only full-scale memorial in the entire United States dedicated solely to the defenders of Wake Island and their incredible story.
Come join us for this free, family-friendly celebration to honor these forgotten heroes. Everyone is welcome—especially veterans and military families. Together, let’s make sure the courage and sacrifice of Wake Island is never forgotten.