Our Dad's Most Anticipated Day--Pearl Harbor

There was no doubt which activity our dad was looking forward to the most:  Visiting Pearl Harbor.  Although he has been there many times, it still brings back so many memories of his days in the Air Force.   After all the training he had gone through and all the flight time he had logged as a Flight engineer, he would have been headed out on a bomber in ten days for Japan or anywhere in between when the war ended.  He lost many friends and neighbors in that war, so it always brings back all kinds of feelings in him.

 On this morning, he got up early and hurried us all along so we could be one of the first groups to go out on The U.S.S. Arizona, since they only allow so many people to go there a day.  He wasn't going to miss that!

 On the shore, waiting for the boat to take us out to the memorial.

 We got the headphone tour, so it was great hearing about what we were going to see and actually hear actual accounts from survivors themselves.

 We were the next boat to be docked at the memorial. 

 The three white cement blocks that you see have the names of three of the eight other battleships on Battleship Row which were anchored there on the day of the Pearl Harbor Attack.  All received major damage with some not being able to be repaired at all.  

The Arizona Memorial is actually over the top of the battleship, but does not touch it.  Its unique design looks like it's sagging in the middle, but this is intended to show the "height of American pride before the war, the sudden depression of a nation after the attack and the rise of American power to new heights after the war."  It really does show that!

Across the harbor is the Battleship Missouri.  It was put far enough away not to minimize the Battleship Arizona since many groups fought against having it there at all.  But, while the Pearl Harbor events signaled the start of World War II, the Battleship Missouri is where the war ended with the Peace Treaty being signed aboard it.

The dedicatory plaque that is acknowledging that the Arizona crew would know and appreciate what this memorial is meant to be for all those who lost their lives in the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

This is what is left of the gun towers because they were removed.  Actually, if they were still there, they would be higher than the memorial itself.

Still to this day, oil leaks from the sunken battleship and comes to the surface.  I believe they said about two quarts a day.  Some concerns were expressed that the continued deterioration of the oil tanks could pose a significant environmental threat, but the National Park Service states that it monitors it regularly.  Besides, this oil has been referred to has "the tears of the Arizona," or "black tears."

As my dad listens and remembers what happened that day, he is in deep thought and has so much empathy for those who lost their lives here.

This marble wall bears the names of all those killed on the Arizona.  This room is like visiting each one of their graves because the ship beneath is the final resting place for 1,102 of the 1,177 sailors and Marines killed in the December 7, 1941, attack.

Notice the window to the right--it is cut out in the shape of "The Tree of Life."  This is a universal symbol of the interconnectedness of all life on earth.

Over to the left of the main wall is a small plaque which bears the names of thirty or so crew members who survived the 1941 sinking and chose prior to their death, or whose family chose after their death, to have a canister containing their ashes interred within the wreck by US Navy divers.  Any surviving crew members of the Arizona (or their families on their behalf) can elect to have their ashes interred within the wreck.

Notice the leis on the guard rails of the velvet ropes.  People used to be allowed to throw them over the remaining part of the ship, but now they can only place them here on the rope.  The strings in the leis were posing a hazard to sea life.

 

I found this very interesting.  Elvis Presley was a major contributor to get this memorial built.  He put on a benefit concert and raised $64,000.  In addition, after it was built, he had this beautiful bell-shaped flower arrangement which was made with exactly 1,177 carnations in honor of all those who lost their lives on the Arizona.

Here is the picture of the young Elvis making the presentation.  It says, "Gone but not forgotten.  From Elvis and the Colonel" (who was Elvis's manager.)

Here is the sunken deck which you can see below the surface.  As I said, this was where they used to toss the leis in remembrance of those who lost their lives aboard this ship.  But, now they just put them below their names on the wall inside the shrine room.

Beverly, Dad, and I are on the opposite side of a railing just like Joyce and Natalie are standing on.  I started taking pictures of them taking pictures of us.  Pretty funny!

View of the surrounding harbor from the Arizona Memorial.

Soon, it was time to get on the small boat that would take us back to the rest of our tour.

The National Parks have done a great job in making the entire experience so real for you.  Here, we are standing in front of an identical "Tree of Life" which was inside the memorial.

Next, we headed over to the Battleship Missouri Memorial. 

Look how the flags are blowing straight out.  It was starting to get windy, then the rains came.  Luckily, we had purchased some rain paunchos before we went on the tour.  The rain didn't stop us at all--we still did the entire tour!  Before the day was over, we were absolutely drenched even with the rain gear!

I felt badly that I didn't get the spot where the Japanese Kamakazi plane hit the railing of the ship, but it was raining so hard, and all they have is a marker there.  But, we were told that the Japanese man's body was treated very reverently as they gave him a proper sea burial.  Fortunately, for those on board, no one was injured.

This flag was in a frame backwards.  Our tour guide said that was because that's the way the soldiers always see it as they are going behind it.

It was on this exact spot on the deck of The U.S.S. Missouri or Old Mo, as it was called, that the Japanese participated in the surrender ceremony to conclude World War II in 1945.

This is the United States' copy of the "Instrument of Surrender,"

and this was the Japanese copy.

This is a picture of  the officials of the Japanese Government on that exact spot where the treaties were signed.

Mementos of that day--including postcards, currency, and the Missouri newspaper with the heading:  "Japanese Surrender!"

While it rained so hard outside, we toured below deck to see how the sailors lived.  The Missouri has actually been used in three major American conflicts--in World War II (Iwo Jim, Okinawa, and Guam), plus the Korean War, and finally the Gulf War before she was retired here in Pearl Harbor.  The Arizona marks the start of World War II, while The Missouri marks the end.

Officer quarters were pretty nice.

Because of three different time periods for this ship being used, many of the items are of a later period than World War II, such as the Selectric typewriter, and the archaic computer that you see.

Very smart of these sailors to figure out how to have shipboard internet.  It was called, "MoNet," for Missouri Net.

This poster really showed the feelings of the day during World War II--you either fight or buy bonds to help out financially.

So, how did 1600 men get any rest aboard the ship?  This poster pretty well answered that--they slept in bunks three high and had little curtains to shut.  That was about the extent of their privacy.  Notice how they called them, "Coffin Racks"?

Pretty ingenious how they would lift up their mattress and keep their belonging below.

Just so you can seek the tiny aisle between the other side where there are three bunks high, too.

They took the curtains off this so you could see how they kept sailors in their beds when they were on rolling waters.

So, of course, if you had a loud guy who came in very nosily, it could affect hundreds of sleepy sailors.  I thought this poster was so appropriate:  "Tread quietly!  Welcome to the living space of Deck Department's 1st Division, where hard work is a daily necessity and a little shut-eye is a welcome relief."

My dad was never aboard a ship during the military, but the barracks he slept in weren't too comfortable either.

If this didn't encourage you to become an officer, nothing would.  Look--their own bed, desk and chair in their own room!

They even had a law library aboard.  This sort of looks like my dad's original library when he first started work over 63 years ago.

And I had to take pictures of the dental room for our two dentist sons.

Pretty antiquated lab, but I'm sure anyone with a toothache was more than happy to have a dentist aboard.

Even a little cartoon on the wall (sorry, I can't make out what it says), but I think it pretty much says how we all feel when we go to the dentist.  Right?

With a small city aboard, you had to have a well-run post office.

This reminded Beverly, Joyce, and me of when we used to build a post office out of a cardboard box when we were young.  We cut out the slit and put a pan on the other side.  Then we would all write letters to members of our family, drop them in the post office, and the person that was the post woman would deliver them.  We did this for hours!  No television or game boys!

Very graphic pictures of so many that died--this is a quote by Joseph Stalin, I believe, which said, "The death of one man is a tragedy.  The death of millions is a statistic," lest we forget that all those numbers are individuals.

A miniature version of The U.S.S. Missouri.

As we got off The Missouri, there was a mock-up of the famous picture called "Victory Kiss."  It was taken in New York City's Times Square, as Pres. Harry S. Truman announced the end of the war with Japan. 

 We were all pretty hungry, so we ate at a really great restaurant there which looked like one the military guys would love to hang out at.  After that, we headed over to the Pacific Aviation Museum.

This museum is actually inside Hangar 79.  During the war, this hangar was used as a maintenance and engine repair facility.   It actually survived the attack.

But, they have left the bullet holes in the door's window panes to show how it was attacked, too.

Our guide, who is an unpaid volunteer, originally began repairing some of the old planes to put in this hangar for the public to see.  He loved doing this so much, he now volunteers as a guide, and he was so well-versed on all of these planes, it was amazing!

This started out being the U.S. insignia on the fighter planes before the Pearl Harbor attack.  But, it was changed shortly afterward because the red dot inside the white star looked too much like a Japanese Zero plane.

My dad could tell you about every one of these planes.  Not only was he trained as a pilot, but also as an engineer, and also worked in the plane mechanics.  He was well-rounded in it all!

This is the actual plane in which former Pres. George H. W. Bush soloed--a Stearman N2S-3.

They, also, had more modern planes there, too.

These two pictures are for Cassie--fighting Tigers!
 

 Our guide showed us how they were repairing old planes to get them back to their original order.  These planes actually are made out of fabric with a special paint-like stuff on the fabric.  How scary to have bullets flying all around you and only be protected with thick fabric!

 Thank goodness, it finally stopped raining!  This is us walking toward the Ford Island Control Tower.  Fortunately, it wasn't destroyed.  Maybe someday they will have it fixed up so you can go inside of that, too.

 Next up:  The U.S.S. Bowfin Submarine.

 Joyce entering the submarine.

 Again, we had headphones to help us know what we were seeing.

 The huge torpedoes and torpedo tubes.

 Again, very cramped sleeping quarters.  Although I don't think I could ever sleep on a huge warship like The Missouri, I absolutely COULD NEVER sleep on a submarine--knowing I am underwater the whole time!

 Now, we're talking the kind of typewriter I learned on--like my dad had in his law office when he first started!

 This little lady was a riot.  She was from the Philippines and was a guide.  She really took an interest in our family, and tried to point out everything.  What is Natalie looking up at?

 I think this is the periscope.  She then grabbed my camera and started snapping pictures of us standing every which way.  However, she was a better guide than photographer and none of them worked out!

 The mess hall.

 There was something unique about these copper barrels,  but I can't remember.  I put in this picture because of Natalie's expression.  She thought it was cool, too!  Hah!

 Walking out on deck of the submarine.

 My dad trying out the chair of the rotating gunner.

 We had to try out the bell.  This helped guide them on deck when it was foggy.

Back on shore, they had a periscope for you to see what it looked like while looking through one.

 This was one of three anchors from The U.S.S. Arizona.

 

 The bell from The Arizona.

 It was almost time to leave.  As I said, we were all still sloshing around in our shoes (my hair definitely got very wet), but what a great time we had that day while our father reminisced and we learned so much more history, but even more than that, the whole event which marks Pearl Harbor became so much more of a feeling rather than just something that happened in history.

Pearl Harbor will always hold a soft spot in our hearts.