Today marks the 70th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor Naval Station in Hawaii.

It occurs to me that even the youngest sailors serving that day are now into their late 80s, which means the generation that lived through those extraordinary events is now barely with us. If you’re an American reader, please take a moment today to remember those who served and, if you have time, to attend a remembrance event. Those voices will soon fall silent forever. It’s important to listen while we can.

Pearl Harbor (Guardian Photo)

And if you are to watch one Pearl Harbor-themed movie today, may I suggest the extraordinary “Tora! Tora! Tora!” from 1970 starring Martin Balsalm and Sô Yamamura? It remains the best filmed version of the attack.

Whatever you do, stay away from the horrid 2001 movie starring Ben Affleck and Kate Beckinsale. It is truly awful.