USS Arizona

One of the many memorable things we did while we were there (and probably the most 'tourist' thing also) was to go to the Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor. It was quite the experience...

We arrived in the morning, hoping to avoid the long queues that are apparently fairly common - since it's Hawaii's 'most visited' tourist attraction.

We got tickets for the first session and we had a little time to spare before hand. We walked around a little bit seeing the sights and walking through the museum. It was crazy to read about all the battleships that were lost in action, and it really hit home as I saw the list of names of people "ON ETERNAL PATROL".

On one of the information boards it told of a captain who was above deck on a submarine when they started to take fire. If the sub didn't 'dive' the whole crew would die and the submarine would be destroyed, but there was not enough time for him and a couple of others to get below deck. Regardless, he gave the order to dive. The crew followed his order and took the sub below the surface, to the loss of the captain and the crew above deck. The rest of the crew and the submarine were saved, because of the bravery of that man. I kept reading similar stories of bravery and it was apparent to me that so many of those 'lost at sea' were brave, brave men and it is only right that there should be such a memorial to them.

We listened to a short talk from a survivor of the attack on Pearl Harbor and also watched a video made up of original footage of the attack. It was quite sobering to watch and realise the scale of the attack.

After that, we took a little boat ride out to the Arizona Memorial which is directly above where the USS ARIZONA lays.

The shipwreck is considered an active military cemetery and is a National Historic Landmark. 1,177 of her crewmembers went down with her, and they rest there still.

It's amazing to see the 3rd gun turret still there, and the bouys that mark the size of the Arizona. You can also see and smell the oil that still seeps out of the battleship - often the oil is referred to as the "tears of the Arizona".

Inside the 'shrine' room each name is engraved on the marble wall. As you look up at the list and start reading the names, you start to realise that each and every one of those names represents a life. A life cut short by war. It also represents a void that was left in the life of others that can never be replaced.

No matter what your nationality or background might be, the Arizona memorial pulls at your heartstrings and makes you wonder about the 'price' of war.All the names engraved on the marble wall in the shrine room.

The 3rd gun turret

The Arizona Memorial with the marker to it's right. There is a similar marker for each of the battleships that was destroyed that day.