1 00:00:05,427 --> 00:00:08,232 - [Narrator] On December 8, 1941, just hours 2 00:00:08,232 --> 00:00:11,673 after the Pearl Harbor attack, 36 Japanese bombers 3 00:00:11,673 --> 00:00:14,336 flew over Wake Island, killing 23 men 4 00:00:14,336 --> 00:00:16,738 and destroying eight Navy wildcats. 5 00:00:16,738 --> 00:00:18,841 Fifteen days later, the Wake garrison 6 00:00:18,841 --> 00:00:20,919 surrendered to the Japanese. 7 00:00:20,919 --> 00:00:23,372 - We were under attack for almost two weeks 8 00:00:23,372 --> 00:00:26,122 before the island was surrendered 9 00:00:27,037 --> 00:00:28,797 We suffered losses, but the Japanese 10 00:00:28,797 --> 00:00:31,565 actually suffered way more than we did. 11 00:00:31,565 --> 00:00:33,534 - [Narrator] After four years, the remaining 12 00:00:33,534 --> 00:00:36,735 Japanese surrendered Wake Island back to the US. 13 00:00:36,735 --> 00:00:39,995 - Wake Island was held captive by the Japanese 14 00:00:39,995 --> 00:00:43,013 for almost the entire duration of the war. 15 00:00:43,013 --> 00:00:44,885 - [Narrator] Seventy-Five years later we're here 16 00:00:44,885 --> 00:00:47,618 on Wake Island, next to the Marine Memorial, 17 00:00:47,618 --> 00:00:51,502 to commemorate the 15-day siege our troops endured. 18 00:00:51,502 --> 00:00:53,587 - I think it's critical that people remember 19 00:00:53,587 --> 00:00:55,754 that anything is possible, 20 00:00:55,954 --> 00:00:59,182 and while we don't hope for those things 21 00:00:59,182 --> 00:01:02,349 to happen, at least we can take solace 22 00:01:02,711 --> 00:01:04,514 in the fact that people in the past 23 00:01:04,514 --> 00:01:07,764 have been able to withstand such things 24 00:01:08,089 --> 00:01:10,256 and we've been triumphant. 25 00:01:10,299 --> 00:01:12,237 And what it means to me is simple, 26 00:01:12,237 --> 00:01:14,187 I mean I wear the uniform every day and I'm proud 27 00:01:14,187 --> 00:01:17,579 to wear it, and we joke around here in the detachment, 28 00:01:17,579 --> 00:01:21,579 but I say if we see a foreign ship off the coast 29 00:01:21,713 --> 00:01:23,449 we're arming up because you never know 30 00:01:23,449 --> 00:01:25,612 what people's intentions are. 31 00:01:25,612 --> 00:01:27,084 - [Narrator] Reporting from Wake Island, 32 00:01:27,084 --> 00:01:30,084 I'm Airman First Class Richie Hayes.