Explosions sound. Echoes everywhere. Chaos, uncertainty. Look up! See the enemy soaring above. Look down! See your own sinking steadily. Ships sink, and hearts sink with them, with fear and realization and panic. The surprise attack has begun.

Almost 75 years ago, the attack on Pearl Harbor devastated the American people, leading to U.S. involvement in World War II. Today, that event is commemorated with museums, monuments, and the Waikiki Holiday Parade, which will feature several high schools from across America this year, including Central’s very own flag line and marching band, the Stereophonic Storm of the Mid-South.

The parade takes place in Honolulu, Hawaii, on Friday, Nov. 25, but their invitation letter came in early 2013, giving the band and flag line the opportunity to prepare long before the actual event.

“We started practicing last year and decided what music to play,” band director Brice Evans said. “And we did a Veterans Day performance, where most of the music was the same as what we’re playing at the parade.”

The band is performing “I’ll Be Seeing You,” “Saint Louis Blues March,” and “Swing, Swing, Swing.” All of these pieces have a connection to World War II: “I’ll Be Seeing You” was a popular song during World War II and became an anthem for American soldiers overseas; “Saint Louis Blues March” was performed by Glenn Miller, a band musician and volunteer for the US Army Air Corps; and “Swing, Swing, Swing” was featured in the movie 1941, a comedy involving the attack on Pearl Harbor.

The band was given the opportunity to play in the parade partly because of their involvement in President Obama’s inaugural parade.

“We marched in the inauguration of 2013,” Evans said. “When you march in a parade that prestigious, you get invited to march in other parades like that.”

Fundraising for the trip is a project of its own. Students sell everything they can, from car magnets to smoked sausages. Senior Christa Griffith, who plays the clarinet, has been able to participate in cheesecake and chocolate bar fundraisers.

“Everyone is raising money for themselves, so we’ve had several opportunities to do fundraisers,” Christa said. “The biggest incentive to raise money is that if you don’t raise enough you can’t go.”

Marching band and flag line have also been raising money by performing for donations and selling ads in a booklet for their annual Band Showdown. Their first Showdown was in Nov. 2015, and the next is coming up on Oct. 8. It will feature both the marching band and flag line, which is led by flag line director Juana Palmer, who has a unique history in Hawaii.

“I was a nurse in the military,” Palmer said. “I was stationed there, for a year, and I’ve been back to visit two times.”

The band plans on climbing Diamond Head, a dormant volcano; going to Secret Island, a private beach; and visiting the Polynesian Cultural Center.

“The Polynesian Cultural Center is like a theme park except that different areas represent different Polynesian islands,” Evans said. “Each little area shows what an island’s culture is like; the islands are thousands of miles apart, but they all share similar cultures.”

The flag line and marching band also plan to have three free days on the trip for the students and sponsors to explore the island.

“We get the incredible opportunity to march for the 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor,” Christa said. “That’s one of the things that I’m most excited about, as well as getting to spend Thanksgiving in Hawaii!”