CRTC Remembers Pearl Harbor Published Dec. 15, 2011 By Patricia Luna CRTC December 15, 2011 -- VFW Post 2496 organized Alpena's second annual Pearl Harbor Memorial Service on December 7, 2011. Members of the local sheriff department, city police officers, firefighters and local military members commemorated the 70th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor with a ceremony to remember the tragic events of that day and to celebrate the survivors. Alpena CRTC Commander Col Bryan Teff was honored as the guest speaker. Col Teff compared the attack on Pearl Harbor to the events of September 11, 2001 and discussed the necessity of remembering history in order to preserve its most valuable lessons. "For too many years, the memory of December 7, 1941 was slipping away. It's tragic to know that it took another catastrophic event to get us thinking about our history," he said. "It's important for Americans to remember our history, the high and low points. Certainly Pearl Harbor was a low point. We've come a long way as a nation since 1941 and without question, our nation has proven to be resilient." Col Teff stressed the importance of teaching younger generations about the need for vigilance. The events of December 7, 1941 are a history lesson that should be told over generations and the events of that day should not be left to slip away into obscurity. In closing, Col Teff tossed a memorial wreath into the Thunder Bay River while the VFW Post 2496 Honor Guard performed a rifle salute and Richard Raquepaw played Taps.