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Pearl Harbor
On December 7, 1941, a quiet Sunday morning, a squadron of Japanese warplanes on a top-secret mission flew toward the unsuspecting U.S. military base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Tragically, the Americans detected the planes using a new technique called radar, but the equipment was so new that the men missed the warning. Minutes later, the surprise Japanese air attack left the Pacific Fleet of the United States in utter disarray. In just hours, 2,390 people died in the attacks, and half of those casualties were on the USS Arizona. Over the next four years, the fields of Europe and the seas of the South Pacific witnessed an epic struggle for the survival of freedom, and the course of world history was forever altered in the process.
Here at Pearl Harbor the Arizona still lies on the ocean floor, and droplets of oil still leak slowly to the surface from its enormous tanks. Visitors from around the world come to visit the USS Arizona Memorial, which spans the middle of the sunken battleship. Upon arrival at the visitors' center, visitors can sign up for a timeslot on the short ferry ride over to the memorial. Arriving early helps to ensure that a time will be available for that day. While waiting for your time, you can browse the excellent museum and gift shop areas. Once your time is called, a brief video is shown explaining the historical significance of the site. Then, visitors board the ferry for the trip over to the memorial.
At the memorial, the sense of immense sacrifice in the air is almost palpable. The Memorial is a special place of peace, a place for quiet reflection and a chance to pay respect to those who fought for freedom. Overlooks allow you to look directly down onto the Arizona, and a special memorial wall lists the names of all those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. Please be respectful here, as the bodies of those lost on the Arizona have been left on their battleship as a permanent memorial.
Begin exploring the Arizona by clicking a photo on this page. For more details about the Arizona, visit the NPS site listed in "external links" below. After you visit the Arizona Memorial, you may also wish to visit Punchbowl National Cemetery of the Pacific, another beautiful memorial site in Honolulu.
Here at Pearl Harbor the Arizona still lies on the ocean floor, and droplets of oil still leak slowly to the surface from its enormous tanks. Visitors from around the world come to visit the USS Arizona Memorial, which spans the middle of the sunken battleship. Upon arrival at the visitors' center, visitors can sign up for a timeslot on the short ferry ride over to the memorial. Arriving early helps to ensure that a time will be available for that day. While waiting for your time, you can browse the excellent museum and gift shop areas. Once your time is called, a brief video is shown explaining the historical significance of the site. Then, visitors board the ferry for the trip over to the memorial.
At the memorial, the sense of immense sacrifice in the air is almost palpable. The Memorial is a special place of peace, a place for quiet reflection and a chance to pay respect to those who fought for freedom. Overlooks allow you to look directly down onto the Arizona, and a special memorial wall lists the names of all those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. Please be respectful here, as the bodies of those lost on the Arizona have been left on their battleship as a permanent memorial.
Begin exploring the Arizona by clicking a photo on this page. For more details about the Arizona, visit the NPS site listed in "external links" below. After you visit the Arizona Memorial, you may also wish to visit Punchbowl National Cemetery of the Pacific, another beautiful memorial site in Honolulu.