Crowds, vets recall deadly attack on Pearl Harbor Associated Press Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 1:21 a.m., Saturday, December 8, 2012 Friday's moment of silence was part of the commemoration that drew some 2,000 people to Pearl Harbor — and many more to events around the country — to mark the anniversary of the surprise attack that killed thousands of people and launched the United States into World War II. Friday's event gave special recognition to members of the Women Airforce Service Pilots, who flew noncombat missions during World War II, and to Ray Emory, a 91-year-old Pearl Harbor survivor who has pushed to identify the remains of unknown servicemen. President Barack Obama marked the day on Thursday by issuing a presidential proclamation, calling for flags to fly at half-staff on Friday and asking all Americans to observe the day of remembrance and honor military service members and veterans. Online, Pearl Harbor became a popular topic on Facebook and other social networks, trending worldwide on Twitter and Google Plus as people marked the anniversary with status updates, personal stories of family and photos. Daniel Inouye, Hawaii's senior U.S.