Veterans who survived the Pearl Harbor attack gathered for the 73rd anniversary of the Japanese bombing that launched the United States into World War II.

About 100 Pearl Harbor and World War II survivors attended Sunday’s ceremony overlooking a memorial that sits atop sunken battleship USS Arizona. Many of them arrived well before the sun came up.

Gilbert Meyer was attending his 10th ceremony. However, the 91-year-old USS Utah survivor says it’s getting harder to travel to Hawaii from San Antonio, Texas.

Many of Meyer’s comrades arrived with the help of canes, wheelchairs and motorized scooters. They were greeted with purple orchid lei.

A moment of silence was held at 7:55 a.m., the time the bombing began on Dec. 7, 1941. The attack killed about 2,400 sailors, Marines and soldiers.

(AP)