On 7 December 1941, Japanese naval and air forces attacked the American
Pacific Fleet base at Pearl Harbor on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. No
declaration of war was made. The attack was one of the most important
events of the twentieth century. It brought the United States of America
into the Second World War and, together with the German assault on the Soviet
Union in June 1941 and Hitler's declaration of war on America on 11 December,
turned a series of regional campaigns into a true world conflict. Although
two mighty alliances now faced each other, the addition of America's vast
industrial power to their cause virtually assured the eventual victory of the
USA, Britain and the Soviet Union.
USS Arizona Memorial
Honolulu, Hawaii
The Memorial is located
about 2 miles west of the Honolulu Airport in Pearl Harbor on the island of
Oahu. The Memorial is managed by the National Park Service (NPS) and consists of
a shoreside visitor center (VC), where the tours begin, and the Memorial located
in Pearl Harbor. The Memorial is accessible only by the NPS tour from the
visitor center.
The USS Arizona Memorial (USAR) is built over the remains of the sunken
battleship USS Arizona, the final resting place for many of the 1,177 crewmen
killed on December 7, 1941 when their ship was bombed by the Japanese Naval
Forces. This loss of life represents over half of the Americans killed on this
"Day of Infamy", the worst naval disaster in American History.
The VC is open
7:30 am to 5:00 pm, seven days a week except New Years Day, Thanksgiving and
Christmas. Tours begin about every 15 minutes from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm. The tour
programs are free and tickets are available on a first come, first served basis.
During busy summer and winter holiday periods, it is recommended that you arrive
at the VC before 1:00 pm to ensure getting a tour program ticket. There are no
age or size restrictions, but children under 5 years old must be accompanied by
an adult. Appropriate dress is required, i.e. no bathing suits or bare feet.
The tour program consists of a brief introduction by a park ranger, Pearl
Harbor survivor, or volunteer. A 23 minute film on the history of the Pearl
Harbor attack follows. After viewing the film, visitors board a Navy operated
launch for the trip to the Memorial. The entire program takes one hour, fifteen
minutes.
