The USS Arizona Memorial

A must see, when you visit the island of Ohau, is a tour of the USS Arizona Memorial. It is a tribute to the men who perished in the most devastating military attack on American soil

Arizona was moored in Pearl Harbor's "Battleship Row" on the morning of December 07, 1941, when Japanese carrier aircraft attacked. Arizona, along with six other battleships were put out of action in the ensuing bombing. Maryland, Tennessee, and the Pennsylvania were repaired in a matter of weeks. Three others, the Nevada, the California, and the Vestal were in repair for a year or more, while the Oklahoma and Arizona would never return to service.

Arizona is the final resting place for many of the ship's 1,177 crewmen who lost their lives on December 7, 1941. Approval of the construction of a memorial to be constructed over the mid portion of the Arizona was approved in 1958. Its construction was completed in 1961 and was dedicated in 1962.

Portions of the Arizona remain visible beneath the surface of the water.

The names of the 1177 men who lost their lives are engraved on the marble wall. Many who survived the attack of the Arizona choose to rejoin their crewmates when they die. The number entombed increases each year.

Smaller memorials were constructed at the locations where the other ships were located at the time of the attack. While the memorial itself lists the men killed on the Arizona, the USS Arizona Memorial has come to commemorate all military personnel killed in the Pearl Harbor attack.


As we were leaving for our return to shore, we paused and took a picture "close up" of the memorial.

The tour of the memorial is an unforgetable experience. As I said at the beginning of this post. This is a must see. Not just because we have a duty to remember those who gave their life to serve their country, we should also consider it an honor.