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| Once on the memorial, I walked right over the top of the ship. There was a spot in the middle where I could look down and see another gun turret just under the water. The ship has turned into a makeshift coral reef. Even with the oil leaking out, I saw convict tangs and other fish moving in and out of the remains of the ship. |
| The back part of the memorial is called the Shrine Room. Here all 1,177 names of those who died on the USS Arizona are listed, including 5 sets of brothers. Survivors who wish to be interned in the Arizona have the option to do so. Their bodies are cremated and then a special urn is placed in a spot below the water on the ship. Their name is then added to the wall. If you look carefully, you can see many people have left leis along the steps of the shrine. People from around the world visit the memorial to pay their respects. |
| The American flag still flies from the USS Arizona. The flag pole connected to this flag is connected to the original masthead of the Arizona. The Pearl Harbor attack began the United State's involvement in World War II. As a popular song from that time said, "Remember Pearl Harbor". Americans did. Overnight people began volunteering for military service. They were eager to get a chance to strike back against the Japanese. |
| Just across from the Arizona memorial sits the USS Missouri. This battleship has the distinction of being the location of where the Japanese military signed unconditional surrender documents on September 2, 1945. The fight in the Pacific was not easy and ended only with the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Many lives were lost on both sides of the war. |
| I am standing on the walkway to the World War II submarine the USS Bowfin. After seeing the sub, USS Arizona, and the USS Missouri I was thankful to all of the people who fought for me and my country during World War II. Many were willing to make great sacrafices so I could live a great life in the United States today. I am saddened by the great loss that occurred here. Being here after September 11 made the memorial even more poignant. I kept thinking about the individual people who lost loved ones both on December 7, 1941, and September 11, 2001. |