Junior Alex Rurik interviews Pearl Harbor survivors Charles Lishman, George Vandersluis and Joe Quercia, Dec. 7.

The three men share their stories at the annual Remembrance Day ceremony at the Clovis Veterans Memorial Building. The purpose of the day was specifically to remember those who served at Pearl Harbor during WWII.

“When they told us the Japs (Japanese) were coming, I didn’t believe it,” Quercia said. “We weren’t prepared for an attack by the time they bombed us.”

George Vandersluis, a 101-year-old veteran, still remembers the day vividly and shared his thoughts during the ceremony. 

“If there was a time and a day for you to cry, it would have been then,” Vandersluis said. “I looked around me and all I saw was bodies all over the ground. We should have done more, we should have been more prepared.”

Ten flag bearers with a variety of backgrounds walked flags representing the branches of the military. This ceremony included Lou Bestinheider from the U.S. Merchant Marines, serving at the Battle of the Bulge in Europe in the 90th infantry division, Vince Schuttera from the U.S. Marine Corps, serving four years in the Pacific theatre including Guadalcanal in WWII, and John Durant from the U.S. Navy, serving five years in France and Germany in the U.S. Army Air Corp during WWII.

The service ended with a bell ringing followed by a prayer and a moment of silence. Taps was played in remembrance of those who lost their lives in service.

For more Feather photos, visit media, photos 2017-18.

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This author can be reached via twitter @RivasCayla via email: Cayla Rivas.