Tomorrow we get to Pepeete, Tahiti. But today, I want to talk about Honolulu which was our last port in Hawaii. The only ultimate tour we could take was to the Arizona Memorial. In reviewing the various tours, we found a Pearl Harbor VIP, Military Bases, & WWII Battlefield tour. This was a small tour with only 14 persons on the bus with a Pearl Harbor historian.
Because of the magnitude of the tour, today I will only talk about Pearl Harbor. As we drive to the Visitor Center, our guide is talking all the way and providing information about the December 7, 1941.
As we walk to the visitor’s center, we get our first glimpse
of the Arizona Memorial in the distance.
As we wait for our time to visit the memorial, our guide
takes us around the grounds and into the two museums, explaining everything as
we go. Here is the original bell from the Arizona.
Inside of one of the museums, our guide talks about the
bulkhead in front of us that was removed several years ago when some charting
dives were made.
In the museums, each large item has a replica in bronze so
that the blind can feel what we are looking at. Here is the actual memorial and
the Arizona if we could see everything as it is. These models were amazing.
One of the items from the 30’s and 40’s is a sign that shows
various distances to military bases, continents, etc. This was one of those
items that anyone serving in the service in Hawaii always had their picture
taken with. I immediately saw that we had 4,500 miles to get to Australia when
we leave Hawaii.
Finally, it was time to go into the Theater. Here we saw an
extremely interesting film about December 7, 1941.
When the film was done, it was time to head to the boats
that will take us to the Memorial.
As we go across the water, we see these large white markers.
As we get closer, we find that these markers indicate the
location the various ships that were anchored on December 7, 1941. These
markers were everywhere as we get our first glimpse of battleship row. We find
out that all the ships in the Pacific fleet were in Pearl Harbor except for the
aircraft carriers. They were going to have the annual fleet inspection on
December 8 and were required to be in port 24 hours early to get ready for the
Admiral’s inspection. This annual inspection was the only reason all these
ships would be in Pearl Harbor and so close together.
Do you think the Japanese knew about this inspection?
Absolutely!
Then we see the Memorial as it appears to rise out of the
water. Actually, it is resting on the Arizona.
As we walk into the memorial, it is like no other memorial
we have visited. While there are a number of people here, all talking is in
whispers. No one is yelling. No one is laughing.
At the end of the memorial is the names of all the men who
are still entombed below our feet.
Then we look over the side and can see pieces of the Arizona
sticking up out of the water.
Then we realize we can see the outline of the ship below the
water.
We then see the oil slick where the fuel oil is leaking from
the Arizona ever so slowly. Because of the location of the fuel, it has been
determined to not try and pump it out. A metallurgist did a survey several
years ago and found that the integrity of the ship is good and that there is no
chance of a major spill for years to come. So, the oil continues to leak out
ever so slowly.
As I look out one side, I see the USS Missouri in the
distance. If you notice the white buoy on the water, that is the aft end of the
USS Arizona. There is a marker in the front also. This is a big ship that is
under water.
As I look up, I see the American Flag waving at the top of
the Memorial. I just watched it for a few minutes and then made my way to the
boat to take us back to shore.
For one of the few times in my life, I am speechless…
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