When is Pearl Harbor Day?
In 2026, Pearl Harbor Day falls on Monday, December 7, 2026. It is an observance rather than a federal holiday, so federal offices and most businesses follow their normal schedules.
History of Pearl Harbor Day
On the morning of December 7, 1941, Japanese forces attacked the U.S. Pacific Fleet and nearby military facilities on Oahu, Hawaii. The assault killed 2,403 American service members and civilians, damaged or destroyed ships and aircraft, and brought the United States directly into the Second World War.
Survivors, families and veterans preserved the memory through reunions and memorial work. Congress designated December 7 as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day in 1994. The observance honors those killed and places the attack within the larger history of the Pacific War and the later relationship between the United States and Japan.
Federal law requests an annual presidential proclamation, appropriate ceremonies and flags at half-staff in honor of those who died as a result of their service at Pearl Harbor. The USS Arizona Memorial, built above the sunken battleship, became the central national memorial and remains the resting place of many crew members. Historical programs also address civilian experiences, the attack’s military context and the wartime incarceration of Japanese Americans that followed Executive Order 9066.
How Pearl Harbor Day is observed
Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day is not a federal day off. Flags are flown at half-staff until sunset, and memorial ceremonies are held in Hawaii and across the country.
Traditions of Pearl Harbor Day
Memorial ceremonies
Survivors’ families, veterans, service members and the public gather for wreath laying, music, readings and moments of silence.
Flags at half-staff
Federal agencies and many other organizations lower the U.S. flag to half-staff from sunrise to sunset in memory of those who died.
Historical education
Museums and schools use oral histories, documents and artifacts to examine the attack, the war that followed and the experiences of people in Hawaii.
Dates and observance rules are checked against the official USAGov holiday and observance guidance. State, local, school and private-employer schedules may differ.
History sources: National Park Service, 36 U.S.C. §129: National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.
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