It has been 71 years since the bombing at Pearl Harbor - the attack that pulled the United States into World War II.

A young Navy Reserve officer from Santa Claus, Indiana, had been called into active duty just a few months prior. Lt. Commander Bill Koch was sent to Pearl Harbor soon after the bombing. He served as Ship Superintendent, responsible for repairing the hull and structural portions of the ships that were damaged in the attack on Pearl Harbor and the Pacific fleet. One of the major ship-repair jobs he was responsible for involved the U.S.S. Indiana.

Today we remember the heroic acts of so many on that day and the months and years following. We honor the lives lost and remember how precious freedom really is.