The Light on Mt. Diablo

Cal State East Bay’s Concord campus once again hosted veterans and Pearl Harbor survivors at a beacon lighting ceremony commemorating Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day on Dec. 7.

This year was the 75th anniversary of the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor and according to the Sons and Daughters of Pearl Harbor Survivors, the event was a tribute to those people who lost their lives, and also a chance to honor the survivors.

Originally installed and illuminated in 1928 to help with transcontinental aviation, the Mount Diablo beacon is one of four such lights installed along the West Coast by Standard Oil of California but is the only one still operating.

The “Eye of Diablo” light as it’s called, was turned off in 1941 just after the attack on Pearl Harbor out of fear that it might lead to an attack on California, according to the advocacy group Save Mount Diablo. However, in 1964, it was relit to honor those who lost their lives in the attack and is now lit annually at sunset on Dec. 7.

A few years ago, the ceremony moved from the summit of Mount Diablo to Cal State East Bay since many of the veterans were unable to navigate the terrain up to the summit.

This year’s ceremony was in the Oak Room of the library at Cal State East Bay’s Concord campus.