We'd gotten used to getting out of bed between 7 and 8 a.m., but taking our time relaxing on the balcony, having breakfast, planning, and getting ready for our day. That morning 5 a.m. came awfully early but we were catching the 6 a.m. tour bus to Pearl Harbor. While it cost more than going out on our own, it was a better choice than the city bus as we later found out.
We wandered through the museum before we went to the theatre to view the 30 minute video (which includes voice recordings) of the attack on Pearl Harbor. I learned a couple things. First, if only the officers who became aware of the incoming aircraft had not assumed the planes were American craft expected to be coming in from California, perhaps the devastation and loss of life would not have been as high. Second, it seemed at least half of the audience were Asian and I assume Japanese. I can't imagine how they felt listening to the descriptions of the actions of the Japanese as described by the narrators.
We were then transferred to the memorial on a small ferry.
Beyond the end of the Arizona, you can see the Missouri in the distance. The ship has be refurbished and now is a museum. We didn't pay for that part of the package so this was as close as we got to it.
Inside the memorial is the wall of names, listing all the men who lost their lives that day. Just viewing this wall from afar sent shivers down my spine. 1177 men died on board the Arizona, and nearly 2400 in total were killed and many more wounded in the attack.
Since the early 2000's, the National Park Service has offered a service to the families of the survivors who have now passed. They have found a way to dive down to the ship, to drop an urn into the ship, without touching anything. He told us, in this way, 37 more men have joined their fellow crewman.
Leaving the memorial we boarded the ferry back to the park site. The ride back was quiet, as we were all lost in our own thoughts.
As we traveled back on the bus to Waikiki, K and I decided the morning had been very somber so we planned a walking tour of downtown Honolulu for the afternoon. I had thought I would post this as well but I think I'll leave it for tomorrow. Even now I feel touched by what we saw and heard that day.
Tomorrow - Honolulu walking tour
2 comments:
I probably can't imagine how overwhelming it would be to go there and see that, especially the wall of names.
Just thinking "out loud": My dad and his family are German, his dad fought for Hitler, and I always feel a bit odd when something about the Nazi regime or WWII in general comes up when talking with Dad, always wonder what *he's* thinking. He's not in any way supportive of what happened--he was a child at the time--but I still feel a bit uncomfortable.
So if there were Japanese tourists there, I could guess they'd feel uncomfortable about it...and then there was the subsequent horrific bombings. :-(
Quite often I feel disgusted that I'm human--only we (as a species) seem to revel in the gruesome ways we can kill each other. Ugh.
Okay, I need to Google for a cartoon to cheer myself up!
Yes, I feel quite sombre after reading your post. :-( It's very very sad. I think its wonderful and extremely poignant that those who survived are able to join their comrades by being buried next to them when they pass.
I find it positive in a way that there were a lot of Japanese visitors eager to learn the point of view of the other side during the war. It can only lead to better understanding and learning from history.
Take care
x
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