Now on to fun. Pearl Harbor was surreal. The area is peaceful, beautiful, serene. To imagine what that place looked like December 7, 1941 is really hard. The museums they had were really well done. They had some documentary films that were interesting with actual footage from that day and first hand accounts. It was sobering. There were pieces from bombs recovered and ships that were destroyed on display. It was fascinating. My Grandpa Hanson served in the Marines during WW2, and received a purple heart while serving in Iwo Jima. I found out shortly before I left for Hawaii, that he actually recovered from his wounds in Hawaii. Aria was pie-eyed watching the films (I have to admit, some of the pix were graphic and I wondered about a 4 year old taking that in, but it is part of history and she did well) and there are still active military bases in that area. Lots of planes were flying over head and she was very concerned about "those bad planes returning". It was a bit funny, but we were able to convince her we were safe and that stuff happened before her grandparents were even born! We toured the USS Arizona Memorial. There was a lot more that one could take in, but some other time maybe? A must see for anyone going to Hawaii and another item crossed off my bucket list!
First view of the Harbor.
This was a piece of the Arizona recovered during a diving expedition.
The Bell from the Arizona
Anchor from the Arizona
A Japanese bomb recovered from one of the sunken ships
Scale model of what the Arizona looks like below the water
Scale model part 2
USS Bowfin submarine that can be toured
USS Missouri. On it's decks is where the treaty was signed by Gen. MacArthur to end WW2. It is open for tours also.
These markers are all over the harbor. They mark where the ships were sitting the morning of December 7, 1941.
Approaching the USS Arizona Memorial
Inside the Memorial. It was very quiet considering how many people were in there. It was peaceful, but kind of creepy. There are over 1,100 men entombed down there.
Memorial listing all of those men who died on the Arizona.
4th ( I think) gun turret of the Arizona. This is the most prominant part of the ship that sets about the water.
You can see parts of the ship in areas. There was a viewing area in the bottom of the Memorial where you could see quite a bit.
We did see the oil seeping out of the ship also. It loses a few quarts of oil every day. When the Arizona suck, there was about 500,000 gallons of oil on board.
Contemplation Circle
