December 7, 1941 will forever ring in both infamy and heroism for the United States. This is where World War II officially began for the US, when a surprise attack by Japanese forces laid waste to Pearl Harbor. This became the final resting place for numerous battleships and some 1,177 crew members and is now a tribute to those brave men and women who lost their lives that day. Families, schools, and individuals can experience the history of that fateful day and more when they visit the USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor. The memorial is located just outside Honolulu, only a 45 minute drive from beautiful Waikiki.
While visiting the USS Arizona/Pearl Harbor Memorial, you will be treated to the only memorial of its kind in the world. Nowhere else can one stand above a sunken battleship. The structure has tall, strong ends and a sagging center. The sagging center of the USS Arizona Memorial is to represent initial defeat while the tall, strong ends represent overall triumph. This tribute to those who lost their lives during the attack on Pearl Harbor includes a Flag Room where the state flags of the eight destroyed battle ships hang, along with flags from the branches of the armed forces. There is also the Assembly Room, where groups can gather to remember the attack on Pearl Harbor and those who died as well as look down to view the sunken USS Arizona. The Shrine Room displays the names of the more than one thousands service men and women who lost their lives during the attack.
In all, 2,390 people died during the attack on Pearl Harbor. They too are remembered in the Visitor's Center of the USS Arizona Memorial, their names listed at the Remembrance Circle. A visit to the USS Arizona Memorial can easily fill one's day. There are a number of guided and educational tours given each day by the National Park Service. For those who prefer a more personal reflection on the events that took place that day, there is no requirement to be on a guided tour to visit the USS Arizona Memorial. It is a rewarding experience to visit the USS Arizona Memorial and can easily fill your day, reflecting and taking in the sites that remain from that fateful morning.
