Pearl Harbor – A Name Synonymous with the USA and World War II
Hawai’i is famous for so much – it’s fiery volcanic history, breath-taking scenery, stunningly beautiful coastline, crystal clear waters, pineapples and yes, Pearl Harbor. It is hard to imagine that it is now over 80 years since one of the most dramatic events of the history of World War II occurred, an event that was to plunge the whole of America into a war it had, until the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, steadfastly refused to join.
Pearl Harbor National Memorial is a stark reminder of a dark day in the history of the U.S.
A trip to the Pearl Harbor National Memorial is a must for anyone coming to Hawai’i and staying on Oahu. Why? Because there is so much more to a visit than just looking at a memorial. If you take a Pearl Harbor Remembered tour you will have the opportunity to hear about the comprehensive events leading up to, during, and after that fateful day on December 7, 1941. This though is not a history lesson like any other you will have experienced.
Discover for yourself the vast scale of the Pearl Harbor theater of war
Not only will an experienced guide capture your imagination while they tell you all about Pearl Harbor, but you will also get a first-hand experience of the scale of the attack. Many of you may well have seen black and white footage on TV of the aftermath of the attack on the ships in the harbor, but those pictures give you absolutely no idea of the scale of the disaster, the size of the ships, or the size of the harbor itself.
The USS Arizona Memorial is a unique maritime reminder of the past
On the Pearl Harbor Remembered tour you will be able to see the sunken wreck of the SS Arizona from the ship’s Memorial structure which straddles its massive, submerged deck, having been taken there by boat. The USS Arizona was one of the many casualties on a day where the Japanese attack killed 2,403 U.S. personnel, including 68 civilians, and destroyed or damaged 19 U.S. Navy ships, including eight battleships. You will also be able to see the USS Missouri, the ‘Mighty Mo’ moored nearby, standing guard over her fallen comrade. Fittingly, it was onboard the USS Missouri that Japan formally signed its surrender to the allied forces in 1945, shortly after the dropping of atom bombs on both Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
A visit to Pearl Harbor is a genuine emotional rollercoaster of a ride
A visit to Pearl Harbor will generate a whole mixed bag of emotions that so very few places on this earth can. Excitement, patriotism, pride, alongside sadness, disbelief and dismay. It is a chance to be respectful of those who gave their lives for the freedom enjoyed by Americans today, a chance to guarantee that their lives were neither wasted, nor forgotten by the generations that follow.
Whatever else you have planned for your vacation on Hawai’i, make sure you pencil in your diary half a day to come and visit this remarkable memorial. Like so many of the excursions we recommend here at Lea Lea Tours, a visit to Pearl Harbor is not something you are ever likely to forget, and aren’t holidays all about creating memories to last a lifetime?
If you have any questions you would like answering about the Pearl Harbor Remembered tour or any of the other tours we offer, please feel free to give us a call as we well be glad to provide you with all the answers.