U.S.S. Arizona Memorial
Over 2,000 Americans stationed on the island of Oah’u died on December 7, 1941, when the Japanese forces attacked the U.S.’s Pacific military bases and harbors. The siege on Pearl Harbor prompted a 5-year war with Japan and solidified the United States as a nation at war for the cause of democracy, freedom, and liberty.
A visit to the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial is one of the only monuments that will provide some context to America’s role in World War II. The visit to the memorial is free and includes a very informative 25-minute documentary (with real footage of the attack on Pearl Harbor), free boat transportation to the memorial, and about 15 minutes of time at the memorial itself. Plan to be there for at least two hours.
There are plenty of reasons to go and really no excuse not to. There is an enormous line in the mornings, as tickets can only be purchased the day of and are first-come. It is actually best to go in the middle of the day.
Several museums, tours of a submarine and battleship, and other displays provide plenty of other things to do before or after your visit to the memorial.
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