On the morning of Sunday, December 7, 1941, at exactly 7.48am, the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service launched a surprise attack on the United States naval base at Pearl Harbour, Hawaii.

Charles Mifsud at the opening of the exhibition.

The date, which was famously proclaimed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt as one “which will live in infamy” and precipitated America’s entry in World War II, left 2,403 Americans dead and 1,178 wounded.

On the military front, eight US Navy battleships were damaged, four of which sunk, and 188 US aircraft were destroyed. Yet, by the end of the war, all but the USS Arizona were raised and sent back in service.

Seventy-five years later, photographer Charles Mifsud travelled to the Pacific island to document a commemoration event in which the protagonists were the few remaining survivors – most of whom in their 90s.

Thanks to the financial and logistical support of the US Embassy in Malta, Mr Mifsud mounted an exhibition at the Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry in Valletta, which chronicles this tragic event from the eyes of those who were in the thick of the action.

“My interest in this event was from the human aspect because I was keen to convey the experience of the veterans. My interest grew even further when I floated the idea to the US Embassy and received a positive response,” Mr Mifsud said.

A total of 32 colour photos make up the ‘Memoirs from Pearl Harbour’ exhibition varying from the commemoration itself, aerial shots, historic places and snapshots of Hawaii’s idyllic landscape

A total of 32 colour photos make up the ‘Memoirs from Pearl Harbour’ exhibition, varying from the commemoration itself, aerial shots, historic places and snapshots of Hawaii’s idyllic landscape. The rest, portraying the survivors, are in black and white to stress their link with the past.

A boat trip to the USS Arizona memorial offered the unique opportunity of an encounter with some of the last remaining survivors.

An aerial shot of the USS Arizona, with the floating memorial on top.

“Four of them recounted in detail the dramatic events that unfolded on that day when the cargo section of the vessel exploded, causing the death of 1,177 men,” Mr Mifsud said.

One of the most striking photos is that of 104-year-old Ray Chavez, the oldest Pearl Harbour survivor. Despite flagging the presence of an enemy submarine, this was to no avail because the warning was not heeded by his seniors

“It was more of a reconciliation, rather than an attempt to reopen the wounds, as emphasised in the meeting between outgoing US president Barack Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe,” Mr Mifsud said.

Apart from the victims, the commemoration also paid tribute to the American-Japanese who were unjustly interned, some of whom later join the war effort on the US side.

Mr Mifsud recalled the risks taken by US servicemen to mitigate the effects of the devastating attack not only on the naval assets but also on the facilities themselves, which were largely spared from further destruction.

“This was a unique opportunity to meet in person those who contributed to shape history, some of whom were back in action in a few months’ time in different war scenarios like the Battle of Midway. Others could not come to terms with this attack and only returned to Pearl Harbour after many years,” he said.

“One of the most evocative parts of the commemoration took place at sunrise on December 7, 2016, at the exact time when 75 years earlier the Japanese launched their surprise attack,” he added.

The exhibition is open today between 8am and 6pm and on April 24 between 8am and noon.

The oldest Pearl Harbour survivor, Ray Chavez, 104, shaking hands with a US Navy officer.

Tribute was also paid to American-Japanese who were unjustly interned.