The memorial at USS Arizona in Oahu, Hawaii is a moving experience for people who get a chance to visit the Pacific Ocean grave for many of the battleship’s 1,177 crew members who lost their lives in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.
Battles in the European Theatre were taking place against the Nazi forces of Hitler’s Germany. The United States officially entered World War II on December 7, 1941, when Japan attacked U.S. Forces across the island of Oahu, leaving several military installations in fiery ruins.
Listen to Stories of WWII Veterans
There are still veterans of World War II around to tell their personal stories of wartime in the 1940’s. Patriotic young men and women went off to war and bravely fought threats against freedom in the United States and around the world. Take time to listen to the aging population of brave veterans to learn about this important era in history from people who lived it.
A family member was a recent recruit into the Navy when the unexpected attack n Pearl Harbor changed the course of history. Originally the USS Monssen 798 was thought to be bound for Europe when the Pearl Harbor attack occurred. The battleship turned and traveled through the Panama Canal to the Pacific Ocean. Crew members spent three years on the ship without setting foot on dry land. See Pearl Harbor Day Remember the Brave.
A Date That Will Live in Infamy
December 7, 1941 was called 'A Date That Will Live in Infamy' when President Roosevelt responded to the vicious attack by the Japanese by addressing Congress and asking for a declaration of war. Germany had already declared war on the United States and the attack by the Japanese allowed FDR to begin the intervention in Europe as well as in the Pacific.
USS Arizona WWII Memorial in Honolulu Hawaii
Standing on the platform and looking into the ocean, visitors see the vague outlines of parts of the battleship underneath the water. Spending time to honor the fallen that died in defense of freedom is a sobering experience.
The USS Arizona Memorial was dedicated on Memorial Day in 1962. The memorial stands to remember the tragedy and honor the dead. On December 7, 1941 2,390 lives were lost, but thousands of military services member survived the bloody battle. Pearl Harbor Survivors have regularly sojourned to the USS Arizona Memorial to tell their story.
Guests of the USS Arizona Memorial begin their turn in the visitor center. When their number is called the guests assemble at the theater for a 23 minute documentary film depicting the attack on Pear Harbor. A short boat ride takes visitors to the memorial where they can make a self guided exploration of the memorial.
Visitors interested in a narrated audio tour can rent an audio headset with a one hour tour narrated by Academy Award winning actor and US Navy WII veteran Ernest Borgnine. The audio tour is available in seven languages, including English, French, German, Japanese, Mandarin and Spanish.
According to the National Park Service website, 1.5 million people visit the USS Arizona annually.
USS Arizona Memorial is operated by the National Park Service. The address is 300 Ala Moana Boulevard, Honolulu, Hawaii 96850. 1-808-541-2693.
- The History of Veterans Day November 11
- USS George H.W. Bush Commissioned in Norfolk
- National War Memorials in Washington D.C.
