Land Ho! We arrived in O’ahu before sunrise. We went outside for breakfast and could see Diamond Head backlit by the sun. We’ve never been to Hawaii, but Bob and I both knew what tour would be our priority for this day. It’s not Honolulu or Waikiki beach, but Pearl Harbor.

O’ahu is the third largest island in the chain (after Hawaii and Maui) but holds roughly two thirds of the state’s population of 1.5 million. King Kamehameha III moved the capitol of the Kingdom of Hawaii to Honolulu from Lahaina, Maui, in 1856. Honolulu is the state capitol and is home to Iolani Palace, the only royal residence on US soil.

We took the earliest tour to Pearl Harbor, just a short drive from where we docked. It’s a beautiful morning, with blue sky and a soft breeze. As we entered the naval base, it was quiet and very peaceful. It’s Sunday morning, maybe that same quiet, peaceful feeling they felt on the morning of December 7, 1941.

Pearl Harbor is the only naval base in the United States to be designated a National Historic Landmark. We exited the bus and started walking towards the entrance. Out across the harbor, was our first glimpse of the USS Arizona Memorial. It’s a long white structure with 21 windows to symbolically represent a 21-gun salute or 21 Marines standing over the fallen structure.

First we went into a theater to watch a short documentary on what happened on that morning. Some of it was actual footage. Once it ended, the doors opened and you boarded a small boat that takes you across the harbor to the memorial. Now that you saw the footage, you understand the layout of the ships that morning.

As we arrived at the Memorial, a young naval seaman escorted us up the ramp into the Memorial. My heart hurts. It hurts as I realize what I am looking at. The Memorial crosses above the submerged remains of the battleship, the final resting place for 1,177 crewmen killed on that fateful day.

As you look over the railing, you can see the ship. After almost 79 years, it’s become a sanctuary for beautiful fish and sea turtles. Suddenly you see it, oil! One tiny drop at a time coming from the ship, slowly rising and hitting the surface of the water forming a beautiful, colorful formation. Each one unique, but beautiful. It’s called ‘black tears’ (how appropriate I thought). I was mesmerized, as if watching a log burn in a fireplace.

As you walk to the far end of the memorial, you enter a large, peaceful sanctuary with a wall listing all the names of those souls that were on the USS Arizona that morning. The plaque said “To The Memory Of The Gallant Men Here Entombed And Their Shipmates Who Gave Their Lives In Action On December 7, 1941 On The USS Arizona”.

As you look around the harbor, you realize there were so many other ships that were sunk or damaged. 353 Imperial Japanese aircraft, in 2 waves, were launched from six aircraft carriers. All eight US Navy battleships were damaged, with four sunk. All but the USS Arizona were later raised and six were returned to service and went on to fight in the war. A total of 2,403 Americans were killed and 1,178 others were wounded. Besides the ships destroyed or damaged, the Japanese also hit the airfields damaging or destroying the majority of Navy and Army Air Corps aircraft.

As we left the memorial, you could look up at see the American flag blowing in the wind against a brilliant blue sky and it gave me a chill. We got on the small boat and went across the harbor now imaging the chaos and horror of that morning.

For those of us that were not living during that time in history, I can imagine it brought the American people together as 9/11 did in our time, but in a much bigger way. I am also a strong believer in learning more of our history, good and bad. Never forget our past, our future depends on it. It makes my head hurt when I see people trying to erase our history.

Eleanor Roosevelt kept a poem in her wallet during WWII that said “Dear Lord, Lest I continue my complacent way, help me to remember somehow out there, a man died for me today. As long as there be war, I then must ask, am I worth dying for”.

Our tour then proceeded to the battleship Missouri Memorial (‘The Mighty Mo”). As you look across the harbor and see the USS Arizona, you can see the USS Missouri almost nose to nose. They refer to the ships as ‘book marks’. The USS Arizona marks the beginning of WWII and the USS Missouri marks the end. 2020 is a special year for The Mighty Mo. It’s the 75th Anniversary since the signing ceremony of Japan’s surrender. We boarded the majestic ship, walked throughout and then saw the actual place (plaque on deck) where the surrender took place on September 2, 1945.

The USS Missouri was one of the greatest Battleships of all time (Iowa-class battleship designed for speed and firepower). This ship is 887′ in length (3 football fields) and can move along at nearly 40 mph. It has nine 16″/50 caliber guns that fire a 2,700 pound projectile to an incredible 23 miles with pinpoint accuracy.

There is no better place on earth for the USS Missouri than sitting in Pearl Harbor next to the USS Arizona.

We completed our day in O’ahu by hiring a taxi to drive us to some places for pics. Honolulu, Waikiki Beach, Diamond Head and then a coastal drive. It’s Sunday so it was really sweet to see all the native families out for the afternoon spending time together on their lovely beaches.

What memories we have made this day!

Aloha O’ahu! We hope to see you again someday.