On the 75th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack, local veterans, community members and students will gather together to return to the morning of Dec. 7, 1941.

Every year the Brown County Bald Eagles gather on June 6 and Dec. 7 to commemorate the Normandy D-Day invasion and the World War II attack on Pearl Harbor.

“This year, because it’s the 75th (anniversary), we wanted it to be a little bit more of a community event,” said Keith Baker, one of three Brown County Bald Eagles co-directors.

The Bald Eagles and Nashville American Legion Post No. 13 are partnering with the Brown County Inn to host this year’s commemoration, which includes a buffet dinner.

Guests are encouraged to wear clothing or military uniforms from the World War II era or from their time in service.

Instead of one guest speaker, this year’s gathering will feature multiple speakers sharing the firsthand experiences of survivors and victims of the Pearl Harbor attacks.

Speakers will include some Brown County High School History Club members. Some of the Pearl Harbor attack victims were 17, 18 and 19 years old, Baker said.

“Nobody exists anymore, so that’s what we’re trying to do, to let the audience sort of relive Pearl Harbor on a firsthand account.”

Two screens will show photos from the time period. Local musician Amanda Webb also will perform.

A POW-MIA recognition ceremony will include members of all of the armed services, Baker said.

Martin Travelstead’s older brother was killed in Pearl Harbor. He will carry the American flag in to the ceremony. Travelstead is the Honor Guard commander for the Nashville American Legion Post No. 13.

“It’s not just for veterans. It’s for people who just want to come out and experience a little bit and maybe learn a little bit,” Bald Eagles co-director Tim Sparks said.

Sparks joined the group in 1995 after returning from flying in the U.S. Navy during Desert Storm. He spoke to the group about his war experience in 1991.

The Brown County Bald Eagles — a program for military aviation history and civilian aviation enthusiasts — formed in the mid-1980s, Sparks said.

Ben Sparks, Tim’s father, was one of the first to attend a Bald Eagles meeting.

“They met at a luncheon and then said, ‘Let’s get somebody to talk,’ then one thing led to another,” Sparks said.

“It was just a loose-knit group of guys that wanted to get together and just kind of honor and remember the sacrifices of their shipmates or foxhole-mates, if you would, that they served with.”

The group is informal with no rules or dues. Sometimes 150 people have shown up to their meetings and other times there are 30, Sparks said.

One of the longtime directors, Floyd Crouse, will be in attendance at the Dec. 7 ceremony.

Each gathering has featured a guest speaker, ranging from World War II prisoners of war, to a survivor of five kamikaze attacks in World War II, to a woman Air Force World War II service pilot.

“We’ve got veterans all over the place who have a story to tell,” Sparks said.

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Before stories are shared during the 75th anniversary Pearl Harbor Commemoration Ceremony, a buffet dinner will be served at the Brown County Inn.

Reservations were due before Dec. 5, but Baker said he would be able to take late reservations the morning of Dec. 6. Email [email protected] or call 404-664-6350. The buffet costs $26 per person.

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