In the land of alohas, there's more to do than walking on black-sand beaches and sipping fruity concoctions.
There's a place for remembrance.
Nestled in the south shore of Oahu is a minimalist, somber reminder of 2,333 servicemen who died in a surprise attack.
Walk around their memorial and you'll get a lesson on the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor – maybe straight from one of the few still-living survivors.
NAPO MONASTERIO / NNS
The Arizona Memorial stands surrounded by other mooring quays placed to remember the other ships damaged or destroyed in the Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor.
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This island has plenty to offer the history buff. Not only is there the USS Arizona Memorial, whose sinking thrust the United States into War World II, but less than 500 yards away you'll find the ship where the war ended: the USS Missouri. And in between, there are submarines to tour, veterans to meet and more.
Get to the USS Arizona visitor center as early in the day as possible. Because of the limited number of boat rides to and from the Arizona Memorial, some tourists are turned back.
Who needs an audio tour when you have Al Rodrigues? For him, Pearl Harbor was a different place 66 years ago. As part of the Navy Reserves, the then-21-year-old was stationed at Section Base, Bishop's Point, in late 1941. He was there Dec. 7 when the fateful “Air raid Pearl Harbor: This is not a drill” message blared out.
Rodrigues was one of the survivors. Today, only 400 remain – 30 of them from the attack on the Arizona (28 sailors and two Marines).
He shares his story with visitors to the Arizona Memorial museum. He is 87. His main gripe? “My golf game is not what it used to be,” he says.
Other survivors, wearing caps covered in badges, often walk through the museum and surrounding areas, a dwindling group of living history volunteers.
Built in 1980, the memorial is managed by the National Park Service and the U.S. Navy. The Park Service runs the museum and visitor center, and the Navy is in charge of the USS Arizona Memorial (and ferry rides to and from it).
The visitor center has drawn a higher-than-expected number of visitors over the years, and signs of wear and tear are noticeable at times, not to mention the crowding. Most striking is how the grounds that the visitor center sits on have sunk by as much as 30 inches since it opened. Donations are being solicited for a bigger visitor center, since funding from the federal government has been limited.
Before heading to the USS Arizona Memorial, you'll view a short documentary film on the events leading up to – and following – the 1941 attack. Then the U.S. Navy will ferry you to the memorial.
The bright-white memorial, roughly shaped like a bridge, was designed by Honolulu architect Alfred Preis, representing initial defeat (the sag in the middle) yet victory in the end (the ends raising high).
The 21 windows are not a reference to the 21-gun salute. The U.S. Navy Band of the Arizona had placed first in the semifinal of the Battle of Music competition. It was scheduled to compete in the finals on Dec. 19, 1941.
But for the 21-member band, that day never came; they all died in the attack. Months after, first place was awarded to the Arizona band – and the trophy is still on display at the museum.
The USS Arizona Memorial evokes reflection. As you look out through the windows, you'll see what's left of the battleship. Look at the water, too, and you might see “black tears” – oil that still seeps from the ship, 66 years later. Many locals believe the “tears” will keep occurring until the last survivor passes away.
Most poignant is the far end of the memorial, an etched shrine to the 1,177 sailors – it's a section worth visiting as soon as you step off the ferry, before it gets crowded. As you scan the wall, you will find the names of those who died aboard the ship.
Pearl Harbor marked the beginning of the war. Four years later, on the other side of the Pacific, the war ended.
Now, the ship that signifies the end of War World II is less than half a mile away.
Open to the public since 1999, the USS Missouri has seen much more than just war with Japan. It was involved in the Korean War and the first Gulf War.
The ship on which the Japanese signed the declaration of surrender in 1945 is now a walk-through museum. And for the military buff, it's as good as it gets.
Without a tour guide, however, there's just too much you would miss. It's worth the price – from the behind-the-scenes details they will show you (just how exactly did the missile room look when they were bombing Saddam Hussein?) to the interesting trivia you'll learn (where Ben Affleck stood when he filmed “Pearl Harbor”).
Much has changed on the Missouri since 1945, though: The ship received a massive makeover in the 1980s, under President Reagan. Yet many touches – and damages – remain intact since the days of the war in the Pacific. As you look out the port side, you'll notice a huge bend in the hull – the damage caused by a kamikaze pilot.
And, only yards away, another minimalist reminder stands behind glass: pen and paper, the instruments that brought the war to a close.
While you're there
Located next to the Pearl Harbor Memorial is the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum and Park, commemorating one of the Navy's most triumphant vessels. This is not a place for the claustrophobic – but for the war enthusiast, it's a treat, since the vessel sank more than 12 enemy vessels in less than two years.
Tired of tight quarters? Head for some wide, open spaces, yet keep the patriotic theme going. At the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, which overlooks Honolulu, you can stroll through the more than 30,000 graves of veterans. You'll find some notable names, from Hank Hansen, one of the Marines who raised the flag at Iwo Jima, to Ernie Pyle, the famous war correspondent (and a World War I veteran).
