One of the highlights of our trip was the day we spent at Pearl Harbor. What an incredible experience it was to see the memorials to those who died during the attack on December 7, 1941. Our first visit was to the USS Bowfin, a submarine nicknamed the Pearl Harbor
Avenger. It was fascinating to go aboard and tour through the submarine. What a challenge it must have been to be aboard one of the many subs. It's such tight quarters! More than 50 subs were sunk during the course of the war.Ken on the Bowfin
USS Arizona Memorial
Our second stop was to the memorial of the USS Arizona Battleship. When the attack on Pearl Harbor occurred, a bomb hit the ammunition magazine, sinking the ship almost immediately. Most of the entire crew of 1400 went down with the ship (1177). It was never raised and the memorial is now positioned over the sunken b
attleship. In spite of the number of tourists who traveled over by boat, there was a hush as we all walked through the memorial. In your heart, you knew you were walking in a sacred place.
attleship. In spite of the number of tourists who traveled over by boat, there was a hush as we all walked through the memorial. In your heart, you knew you were walking in a sacred place.Our last stop was to the USS Missouri, the site of the Japanese
surrender in Tokyo Bay which ended WWII. We were able to walk the decks and see where the treaty was actually signed. From one end of the ship you can see the Arizona memorial. They call the Arizona and the Missouri the "bookends" because the one sign
aled the beginning and the other represents the end of WWII.
As we walked through the various memorials, we were very humbled and felt such gratitude to those who fought for our freedom, not only during the attack on Pearl Harbor, but for those who fight for us even today. We are truly blessed!
surrender in Tokyo Bay which ended WWII. We were able to walk the decks and see where the treaty was actually signed. From one end of the ship you can see the Arizona memorial. They call the Arizona and the Missouri the "bookends" because the one sign
aled the beginning and the other represents the end of WWII.As we walked through the various memorials, we were very humbled and felt such gratitude to those who fought for our freedom, not only during the attack on Pearl Harbor, but for those who fight for us even today. We are truly blessed!
Taken from the deck of the USS Missouri
with the USS Arizona in the distance.
with the USS Arizona in the distance.
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4 comments:
Awesome! One of those places I want to see, badly. To think Randal and I were there and we missed such a landmark! Gives us a good excuse for a return visit.
I'm glad you had a great time in Hawaii. More pics please!
Pictures really do not do justice to this place, do they. It is most humbling to be standing in such a special place.
I was overcome with sadness for all those people who died for us, and was surprised as well when I noticed the hush come over all of us - how it seemed everyone else was feeling the same sense of loss and deep, humbling respect. Did you see the names of some of the brothers, fathers and sons?
I actually took a picture of the wall where they listed the casualties from the Arizona but it didn't seem right to post it here. It was hard to read such a long list of names and know that it was really just a piece of those who died in WWII.
Makes you proud to be an American!
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