We are headed for a cruise around the Hawaiian islands this week. Friday morning we are going to the Arizona. My late mother-in-law had a classmate whose remains were never found on the Arizona.

I have been to Hawaii twice, but we only stopped for fuel. Never there more than a couple of hours and we were under strict orders not to go to the bar.

I am going to have a birthday on the ship and later in the week, we will celebrate our 50th anniversary.

Get there early, it fills-up fast, bring a water bottle and hat, or whatever sun protection. Leave bags/packs behind, there's storage lockers ($5) but, they fill-up fast so, just reduce your items.

If you are able to include a tour of the USS Missouri, which is nearby, you'll have a full day and complete any Pearl Harbor excursions thus avoiding the hoard of tourists.

I recommend taking both a camera and some tissues. It is an emotional experience.

flashguy

quote:

Originally posted by flashguy:
I recommend taking both a camera and some tissues. It is an emotional experience.

flashguy

Seconded on the tissues.



If at all possible, go see the Missouri as well as the Bowfin, too. You'll want tickets in advance for the Missouri. Being able to get up into the turret is worth the price of admission.

One of the last three remaining Veterans to serve aboard the Arizona during the strike on Pearl, passed away two days ago, on Saturday.

Wow!

Congratulations on your upcoming birthday, and anniversary. Sounds like a fun celebration cruise.

quote:

Originally posted by ShneaSIG:

quote:

Originally posted by flashguy:
I recommend taking both a camera and some tissues. It is an emotional experience.

flashguy

Seconded on the tissues.



If at all possible, go see the Missouri as well as the Bowfin, too. You'll want tickets in advance for the Missouri. Being able to get up into the turret is worth the price of admission.

If you do the Missouri tour and have time then I highly suggest the "Heart of the Missouri Tour" since you get to see inside the guns, see the gyroscope for over the horizon firing solutions, go places the general admissions can't, and it's only a 10 person guide lead tour. A Sigforumite recommended it to me and both Dad & I really enjoyed it.

By the way, if it's raining right there on Ford Island is the Pacific Aviation Museum and it's hands down the best thing I found to do in the rain in my 7 trips to Hawaii.

There used to be a CINCPAC tour that was available only to active duty and their families.

Of course, not to date myself, but the last time I went on that tour I think the Missouri was still an active ship and Ford Island was still part of the active naval base

Every American that visits Hawaii should visit the Arizona.

When I was there about seven years ago I opted for a supplemental audio tour. You could rent a small recorder that narrated your tour. It included sounds of battle. It did not take much to imagine the sky filled with Japanese airplanes, the bombing, torpedo attacks, and the return fire from the ships.

You will enjoy the tour. Very sobering and awe inspiring.

Safe travels.

I just spent a week seeing my daughter in Honolulu. The Pacific Passport costs about $70 and includes the Arizona, Missouri, Air Museum, and Bowfin Submarine tours. Highly recommended. Tickets available at the USS Arizona. Tour bus rotates often.

Read the names. All of them. Every one was a son/boyfriend/father/friend. It will set you back.

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Originally posted by corsair:
Get there early, it fills-up fast.

Yes, they have a ticketing system and they go fast. Don't give up if you do happen to get there late. I was there about three years ago and we didn't know about the system. We got there in the afternoon and the guide helped us out and told us that there is always standby seating for each boat ride. Sometimes people get tickets early in the day but never come back for the boat. We just stood in the standby waiting area until there was room for all seven of us in the same boat. I think we waited for less than 45 minutes.

quote:

Originally posted by scratchy:
Read the names. All of them. Every one was a son/boyfriend/father/friend. It will set you back.

My wife and I did this when we visited. Same with a section of the Vietnam wall that had too many of my dad’s friends and classmates. Sobering and the least we could do.

I think our travel agent has it all arranged. We arrive Thursday night and get on the ship Saturday morning so we don't have a lot of free time. Also going to a luau Friday night.

I have been fortunate enough to get to Pearl Harbor twice since 2018. As a huge WWII buff through my youth, it was something that I never thought I would be able to get to see. The second trip, the Arizona Monument was closed due to issues with the docking pier for the shuttle tenders. The entire War in the Pacific complex, including the walk through display, the cinema presentation prior to the trip over to the Arizona Memorial, the Bowfin, the Missouri and the Air Museum is one of the most amazing museum and experiences of my life.

I have visited many of the Smithsonian museums, art galleries, DC monuments and the Vietnam Memorial. The Vietnam memorial still provides a unique, different emotional response than any remembrance memorial I have ever personally felt. I am hoping that I will have the opportunity to get to Europe and a visit to Normandy; I anticipate that the feeling might be every bit as powerful.

Much like the Vietnam Memorial, the Arizona Monument is almost minimalist in its presentation; elegant and powerful in the way it starkly maintains the list of those lost there. The things that stick with me, and the sights and smells that come back are the smell of diesel oil and the small oil slick that continues to leak from the Arizona underneath the monument; the small display that educates visitors about the option that survivors have upon their death to have their ashes taken down to the ship and be interred with those who perished there before them, to spend their eternity with those they served with in life. It was pretty powerful to me.

I also enjoyed the War in the Pacific Air Museum quite a bit, with the visit out to the big hangar where they were restoring a B-17 that was recovered in a South Pacific island jungle and have many more aircraft up through some modern ones displayed too. My favorite t-shirt for sale in the gift shop: A Topgun logo shirt that reads, "If I was flying, Goose would still be alive".

Enjoy Oahu, its a pretty place. I actually drove a loop of the island to see Turtle Bay resort and the North Shore too. Its a long, long trip to get there from Western PA, but glad I did it.

My first trip I rented a Harley and toured the entire island. Took me all day. My daughter had made me a guide to keep me away from the tourist traps. The GPS took me directly to each stop. Wonderful way to see the island.

PghpI, when you get to Europe, be sure to visit some of the American cemeteries there. Take tissues.

flashguy

Very humbling experience. Facinating to see the fuel still seeping from the fuel tank.

I have visited the memorial twice since 2016. I needed Kleenex both times. Quite touching.

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Originally posted by AZ Husker:
My first trip I rented a Harley and toured the entire island. Took me all day. My daughter had made me a guide to keep me away from the tourist traps. The GPS took me directly to each stop. Wonderful way to see the island.

I was stationed there (NAS Barbers Point) from 90'-94'. One of my collateral duties was to take new arrivals around the island in a short bus and show them all the sights. Once a month for 4 years I did that. Last time I was on Oahu was 2012 to see my first ship decommissioned. I would hate to have that tour bus gig now. The traffic is so much worse and the island has gotten so much more crowded than when I was living there.