This Saturday, the Finlandia Lions men’s hockey will be hosting MSOE for a NCHA contest at the Houghton County Arena. The game, which is set to start at 4 p.m. is important not just because it is a conference matchup for the Lions, but the team will also be honoring the U.S. Armed Forces throughout the night.

The Lions will be wearing a special black-colored jersey with blue trim and camouflage for the game. The jerseys will be auctioned off during the course of the game.

Fans will be able to bid on the jerseys until the end of the second period. The winners will be announced after the game, and the players will personally deliver the jerseys to the winners.

All proceeds from the auction will be donated to the local National Guard in Calumet.

Of course, Dec. 7 has another meaning when considering the military. The attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese on Dec. 7. 1941, forced America’s hand and got our country fully involved in World War II.

The Japanese arrived in the early morning Hawaiian time and half of the eight U.S. Navy battleships stationed in the harbor were sunk with the other four sustaining heavy damage. Three of the four were later raised and six of the battleships returned to duty before the end of the conflict.

Over 2,400 Americans lost their lives that day. Nearly 1,200 more suffered injuries.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed that Dec. 7. 1941, would be “a date which will live in infamy.”

From that point on, the U.S. was fully engaged in the world war on multiple fronts, eventually gaining control of the seas to west, leading to the bombing of Tokyo and the land to the east starting with the invasion at Normandy and ending with Allied forces’ marching on Berlin in April, 1945.

We at the Daily Mining Gazette commend Finlandia men’s hockey team for taking the initiative to honor our armed forces in this way Saturday. Given that the date holds significant historical meaning, this decision makes perfect sense and the university deserves credit for recognizing it.