If you look at Mount Diablo until sunrise on Wednesday morning, you’ll see the Pearl Harbor remembrance beacon.
It was re-lit earlier this evening by survivors of Pearl Harbor.
The Beacon on Mount Diablo was originally installed and illuminated in 1928 to aid in trans-continental aviation.
It is one of the four guiding beacons installed along the west coast by Standard Oil of CA and is the only one known to still be operational.
After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Beacon’s light was extinguished during the West Coast Blackout, for fear it may enable an attack on California. It stayed dark until Pearl Harbor Day 1964, when Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz, Commander in Chief of Pacific Forces during World War II, relit the Beacon in a commemorative ceremony and suggested it be illuminated every December 7th to honor those who served and sacrificed.
Since that day, Pearl Harbor Veterans and their families have gathered every Dec.7 to see the beacon light shine once again.
Thanks to Mike Harms for the great photo, which was taken using a telescope from his backyard in Clayton.
The Beacon is a great memory of the best generation this country has ever seen. Without the men and women of those times we might not realize the
Freedoms we take for granted now…
Whoe Jim,
Well said.
+1
+2
I remember reading in the newspaper back in 1995 that the beacon also used to guide ships on Suisun Bay. Does anybody know if that is true?
It was seen by ships at sea, so it seems logical if the beacon was also used to guide ships on Suisun Bay, but I really don’t know the answer.
I did get to see it shining (from a distance) last night and was happy (grateful?) to see it.
The Beacon is a great memory of the best generations this country has ever seen. Without the men and women of those times we might not realize the
Freedoms we take for granted now…
It was a beautiful afternoon/evening for the annual lighting ceremony yesterday. Much love to Chuck Kohler and the boys. Thank you.💖💖💖
It is always a wonderful sight to see the beacon lit.
Something that the liberals and socialists have not been able to take away.
It is truly a beacon of light to those of us who do not ignore, forget or try to get rid of history. Remember if you forget history it will repeat itself-hear us the liberal-socialist-green politicians.