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Pearl Harbor National Memorial, is the most visited tourist attraction, in Hawaii. There are numerous National Park designations, including Historic Sites, Historic Parks, and National Monuments. Visiting a National Memorial, has a distinct feel.
Two and half weeks in Hawaii, on three different islands, takes a lot of logistical planning. We need to figure out a way to visit Pearl Harbor, without a rental car. We discover that the resort we are staying at offers transportation to Pearl Harbor that includes tickets for the USS Arizona Memorial. It’s an added cost and only allows us to spend a half-day at the site, but it’s the best option, given our circumstances.
Pearl Harbor Visitors Center
Our driver drops us off at the Pearl Harbor Visitors Center. The Visitors Center is free to visit and requires no reservations.
There is a movie theater and two exhibit galleries to explore.
The museum covers everything from ships,
the social climate in the United States just before the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and the United States’ involvement in World War II.
The most meaningful exhibit for me is the display of paper cranes by Sadako Sasaki.
Sadako was two-years-old, when the atomic bomb hit Hiroshima. Her family lived in ground zero. Sadako and her mother survived, but at ten years old, Sadako developed leukemia, due to radiation exposure. Sick in the hospital, Sadako set a goal to fold 1,000 paper cranes. Japanese legend teaches that if a person folds 1,000 paper cranes, they are granted a wish that will come true. Sadako’s wish was for there to be no more nuclear weapons in the world. She folded 1,000 cranes, and more, before her death at age twelve. Sadako Sasaki is considered a symbol for peace. Her cranes are on-view at several locations around the world.
Bells from the USS Arizona,
and an anchor are on view for all visitors.
The Pearl Harbor Remembrance Circle, which lists the names of all who lost their lives on December 7th 1941, including civilians, is located on the Visitors Center grounds.
Pearl Harbor National Memorial’s park stamp, is located at the ticket windows.
This National Park has a NO BAG policy. No backpacks or purses can be carried past the park entrance. I only bring a small wallet, and my phone for photos. You are permitted to carry a bag, if it is medically necessary, and the ruling of this is at the park’s discretion.
USS Arizona Memorial
Visiting the USS Arizona Memorial is why most people visit Pearl Harbor National Memorial. Visitors MUST have a ticket to board the boat. The boat transports visitors to a structure built over the sunken ship. You can attempt to show up and purchase the $1.00 ticket in person, but it is not recommended. The site only allows a certain number of people to visit the structure each day. Tickets go on sale weeks prior to a visit date, and they sell out quickly. Your chances of walking-up, day of, and getting a boat ticket, are slim. The ticket windows are closed the day of our visit, as all USS Arizona Memorial tickets, are sold-out.
Your boat ticket will have a boarding time.
As soon as we arrive, we get in the queue for the boat. Boats run every 15 minutes.
As the boat glides towards the wreckage of the USS Arizona, a navy officer explains the rules.
This is a grave site and visitors are required to be respectful of the perished. No food, drinks, running, yelling, or raucousness. We are here to pay our respects to the men, who defended their country against a vicious attack. The men had no idea, when they woke up on the morning of December 7th, that their ship would be bombed. No one knew that the USS Arizona, would slip beneath the water by the end of the day.
The entire visit, process, is a military operation. Visitors are told to disembark, in an orderly fashion.
The architecture is stunning. The white structure acts as a bridge, spanning over the USS Arizona’s wreckage. Abundant light shines through the memorial, vibrantly reflecting off of the blue-green water.
Even with the head count restrictions, the place feels packed-full of people. As our group flows in, the group ahead of us begins boarding the boat.
Though some visitors converse, most are quiet.
We are instructed to gather into the memorial room. The names of those who lost their lives on the USS Arizona, on December 7th, are inscribed on the wall that rises before us.
A staff stands at the front and gives us a brief summary of the day. The staff encourages us to take a silent moment to reflect, to ensure these brave men are never forgotten.
I know that a trip to Hawaii, may be a once in a lifetime trip, and if you are here, you want to see everything you can, but if you have a baby or toddler, you may want to consider whether or not to visit the USS Arizona Memorial. On our boat, there is a family with a toddler. After three minutes visiting the USS Arizona, the toddler is done. He proceeds to scream at the top of his lungs for the rest of our time on the memorial. Since it’s basically a small island, there is nowhere for the family to go. The screeches distract from what is supposed to be a somber ceremony.
After the talk we are directed to line up to board the boat.
Shannon and I exchange glances that say, Wait what? That’s it?
I don’t mind being last to board the boat, so I linger while the crowd files out of the wall room. I snap a few photos of things I’d like to research later.
I am captivated that many of the survivors, who escaped the explosion and sinking of the USS Arizona, still elect to be interned with the ship, after their passing.
They forever consider the crew their family.
The line to board the boat, moves swiftly through the structure. Everyone stops when the USS Arizona Tears are spotted. The tears are areas of oil, from the shipwreck, that continue to rise to the water’s surface.
There is only enough time to snap a quick picture, before boarding the boat.
It’s understood that this is the most visited attraction in Hawaii, and as such, there are a lot of people moved through per day.
Our assumption before visiting is that we would have an hour or so, to walk around the USS Arizona Memorial and gaze at every inch of the wreckage. We thought we would have plenty of time to reflect on the December 7th attack, ponder, and deeply feel the loss in our hearts.
The reality is that once you step foot onto the USS Arizona Memorial, you are hurried with a crowd to the reembrace wall room, given a brief speech, then hustled on the boat, back to the Pearl Harbor National Memorial Visitors Center. The entire experience lasts about 20 minutes. The staff are very observant, and the crowd management is taken seriously, so don’t even think about trying to hang back and take a later boat.
As an honest review, we felt rushed. Should you still visit the USS Arizona Memorial at the Pearl Harbor National Memorial? Absolutely. Seeing what is left of the ship, lingering just under the water, witnessing the continued oil, reading the names, listed on the wall, is an important experience. An experience that reminds us of the senselessness of war and how everyday humans band together to defend and keep us safe. Visiting the site guarantees that their sacrifice will forever be remembered.
Ford Island Bus Tour
Scarcer than the tickets for the USS Arizona, are tickets for the Ford Island Bus Tour. The bus tours only operate Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and only occur in the afternoon. You MUST reserve tickets ahead of time.
The Ford Island Bus Tour allows you to visit memorials for the USS Oklahoma (if you haven’t read about the Oklahoma ship’s fate, it is horrifying) and the memorial for the USS Utah.
We did not take the Ford Island Bus Tour.
Non-National Park Related Sites
Our biggest regret when visiting Pearl Harbor National Memorial, is not taking a tour of the USS Missouri. Though the ship is not part of the National Park, and requires a separate entrance fee, many visitors make a USS Missouri ship tour, part of their day at Pearl Harbor. It’s said to be an excellent tour, especially for those interested in World War II history and/or historic ships.
There are two other nearby museums with separate entrance fees, The Pacific Aviation Museum and USS Bowfin Submarine Museum Park.
It’s clear that if you are a military and/or history enthusiast, you could spend several days of your Oahu visit, in the Pearl Harbor area.
Conclusion
Visiting a National Memorial, is an experience unlike other National Park Sites. In the Redwoods, you can run around, squealing excitedly at every banana slug, at a memorial, you are expected to be serious, quiet, and contemplative. You are not here for fun. Aside from the USS Arizona, Pearl Harbor National Memorial, provides exhibits that teach all of the viewpoints concerning the attack on Pearl Harbor and involvement in World War II.
Even if you are counted as only one of the thousands of daily visitors to this popular tourist site, everyone once in their lives, should visit Pearl Harbor National Memorial.
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