Pearl Harbor 70th anniversary events?

[Royal Flush]

All, apologies if this has already been asked, but are any Loungers planning on visiting Pearl Harbor for the 70th anniversary this December? I'm very likely to attend (it will be my first visit to the memorial).

 

[Rathdown]

I would be very surprised if the government encourages -- or permits-- any sort of commemorative event at the USS Arizona.

 

[Steven180]

I'm unsure of any specific events for the 70th anniversary - would likely see 75th as a more recognized date.

Nonetheless I highly recommend you read into the history just before you go to have a fuller understanding of the landmarks, terrain features, and perspectives. Take a great camera to capture things that intrigue you from the research, and those that won't last forever, such as the oil leakage that still exists from the Arizona. Plan plenty of time at the memorial, and consider swinging by the museum and submarine that are there - good exhibits.

Enjoy yourself, and you'll not regret taking advantage of this opportunity if you ever return again. Unfortunately these sites will continue to lose their individual quality and history with time.

Best to you,
M.

 

[AmateisGal]

Would love to go to Pearl Harbor, but finances are such that this is an impossibility.

However, the magazine America in WWII is putting out a special 70th anniversary Pearl Harbor issue. Might want to check it out!

http://www.americainwwii.com/

 

[ButteMT61]

Ironically, I'll be in Normandy on that day.
Anyone who goes, please post pix/stories.

 

[Steven180]

Anyone who goes, please post pix/stories.

Yes Sir, ditto.

Royal Flush, would love to see some of the scenes and ceremony if possible...

M.

 

[Gray Ghost]

I want to be at Pearl but the finances are a little short at the moment. I do plan to be at the USS North Carolina BB-55 Memorial for the Pearl Harbor memorial services. Need to get my early war Air Corp uniform ready with the pinwheel patch. Looking forward to it.

=GG=

 

[Royal Flush]

I will indeed. Many thanks to all of you.

RF

 

[RHY]

The ceremony on every December 7th on the Arizona Memorial is usually by invitation only for VIPs, survivors and their families. The date is commemorated every year with a ceremony at 7:55 am.

After the ceremony the public is allowed to visit the Arizona, but due the significance of the date, the lines are long and it is best to get there very early to get seating on the shuttle boat that takes visitors out to the memorial. If you are inclined to visit the USS Missouri, it is near by the Arizona.

Those who are history buffs or serious in absorbing all the aspects of the museums and exhibits may want to schedule a day for the Arizona Memorial and its newly renovated museum. Next door to it is the USS Bowfin submarine museum and is very interesting as well.

A second day could be scheduled to view the USS Missouri and the Pacific Aviation Museum on Ford Island. The Aviation Museum is near the Missouri and is right under the famous Ford Island Control Tower that many people will recognize from the movies Tora, Tora, Tora (1970) and Pearl Harbor (2001).

Should you have any questions, let me know and I will try my best to assist you.

 

[Lincsong]

I would be very surprised if the government encourages -- or permits-- any sort of commemorative event at the USS Arizona.

Sadly that has been the case/concern over there for decades. Can't offend the tourists.

 

[ButteMT61]

My brother (retired USMC) was there today and send me pics. You can't help but almost cry looking at that.
I just finished "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand...now that monument means a whole lot more to me. Seems the history of US POW's in Japan wasn't something we heard much about as kids...
Sadly, PC has also infiltrated the 9/11 memorial. Don't get me started...

 

[Steven180]

The ceremony on every December 7th on the Arizona Memorial is usually by invitation only for VIPs, survivors and their families. The date is commemorated every year with a ceremony at 7:55 am.

After the ceremony the public is allowed to visit the Arizona, but due the significance of the date, the lines are long and it is best to get there very early to get seating on the shuttle boat that takes visitors out to the memorial. If you are inclined to visit the USS Missouri, it is near by the Arizona.

Those who are history buffs or serious in absorbing all the aspects of the museums and exhibits may want to schedule a day for the Arizona Memorial and its newly renovated museum. Next door to it is the USS Bowfin submarine museum and is very interesting as well.

A second day could be scheduled to view the USS Missouri and the Pacific Aviation Museum on Ford Island. The Aviation Museum is near the Missouri and is right under the famous Ford Island Control Tower that many people will recognize from the movies Tora, Tora, Tora (1970) and Pearl Harbor (2001).

Should you have any questions, let me know and I will try my best to assist you.

Thanks a million RHY, great insight for anyone looking to go. Didn't even know about the Pacific Aviation Museum and Ford Island! Glad to see that maybe some effort is being made to maintain the actual sites in the era. (?) I was at Hickam some time ago and was struck just by the bullet holes that are left in the buildings. Very appropriate and appreciated.

Sadly that has been the case/concern over there for decades. Can't offend the tourists.

Please tell me you're kidding...

M.

 

[RHY]

Sadly that has been the case/concern over there for decades. Can't offend the tourists.

Boy, are you so wrong! Every significant event that occurred in Hawaii and the rest of the United States are commerated with ceremonies that honor those who sacrificed their lives or service to keep our country free.

Today, on the USS Missouri, commemoration ceremony was held with the key note speaker the rear admiral who commands the Ronald Regan Task Force that is in Pearl Harbor this weekend. When ever the carriers enter or leaves Pearl Harbor you should see the sailors and officers line the deck when they pass the Arizona.

Please take a look at the local tv news coverage of today's ceremony on the Missouri: http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/15385101/wwii-66th-anniversary-ceremony-happening-friday

This is the coverage on MSNBC: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44382200/ns/us_news/

 

[RHY]

Steven180,

The Pacific Aviation Museum has a website at: http://www.pacificaviationmuseum.org/

The museum is rather recent and covers military and civil aviation in the Pacific from the days of the Pan Am clippers to the state of the art planes that flew in the recent middle east conflicts. Two things to note, the contributions of Amelia Earhart are featured a the museum and the restoration of the famous Ford Island Control Tower is now being undertaken by the museum's personnel. Most may not know that Earhart crash landed her famous Lockeed Electra on take off from Ford Island on March 20, 1937.

As for the bullet holes, I believe that most buildings on Oahu that were hit have not covered or patched any of the damage. They have been left as a reminder for the next generation of soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen of what it means to have an enemy attack your country. The Marine base in Kaneohe, the barracks at Schofield, the Wheeler Air base and Pearl Harbor buildings have been maintained in similar condition.

 

[Lincsong]

Boy, are you so wrong! Every significant event that occurred in Hawaii and the rest of the United States are commerated with ceremonies that honor those who sacrificed their lives or service to keep our country free.

Today, on the USS Missouri, commemoration ceremony was held with the key note speaker the rear admiral who commands the Ronald Regan Task Force that is in Pearl Harbor this weekend. When ever the carriers enter or leaves Pearl Harbor you should see the sailors and officers line the deck when they pass the Arizona.

Please take a look at the local tv news coverage of today's ceremony on the Missouri: http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/15385101/wwii-66th-anniversary-ceremony-happening-friday

This is the coverage on MSNBC: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44382200/ns/us_news/

How long have you lived in Hawaii? Do you follow what is said by the elected officials there regarding December 7? The cemermonies you mention are put on by the military. Do you catch the little articles in the paper about the concern of offending Japanese Tourists? More specifically the concern that travel agents have in that Japanese tourists will stay away in the first two weeks of December?

 

[Lincsong]

My brother (retired USMC) was there today and send me pics. You can't help but almost cry looking at that.
I just finished "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand...now that monument means a whole lot more to me. Seems the history of US POW's in Japan wasn't something we heard much about as kids...
Sadly, PC has also infiltrated the 9/11 memorial. Don't get me started...

Can't talk politics on the Lounge. But you're correct about PC an the 9/11 Memorial. Same nonesense put out by the elected officials in Hawaii.

 

[RHY]

How long have you lived in Hawaii? Do you follow what is said by the elected officials there regarding December 7? The cemermonies you mention are put on by the military. Do you catch the little articles in the paper about the concern of offending Japanese Tourists? More specifically the concern that travel agents have in that Japanese tourists will stay away in the first two weeks of December?

I have lived in Hawaii all my life. Your narrow view of what goes on in Hawaii and the people here are not represented by a few politicians you may not know or like.

As for the ceremonies, yes they are put on by the "military" in some cases, but not all. The State and county governments have various memorial services for various service events through out the year that you don't even know about. Also, the "military" services are supported by many civic groups and non-profit organizations that volunteer many man hours, donate flower wreaths and leis, contribute financially, donate supplies and other resources.

What is your problem with Japanese tourists? What "little articles" are you referring to? In some cases, the Japanese travel companies may have told Japanese visitors to be mindful of the significance of the December 7 ceremonies and out of deep respect to the survivors and their families many tourists have chosen not to visit during that period. Nobody banned them.

You dishonor everyone participating in those memorial services with your remarks and lack of understanding of the real situation surrounding those services.

 

[RHY]

Royal Flush,
One location you should add to your list of sites on your trip to Hawaii in December is the National Cemetary of the Pacific, aka Punchbowl Crater, where the US Office of Veterans Affairs operates the cemetary for WWII, Korea, Vietnam and later battle grounds veterans.

If you do some research on the cemetary, there are several notable locations to take in. Ernie Pyle, the war correspondent, is buried there. Also, many of the December 7 soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen are buried there. Many are listed only as "Unknown" and the date.

Many volunteers have spent countless days, weeks and years trying to get the "Unknown" identified and the military's identification unit has been successful in recent years due to the DNA identification which is now available.

 

[Story]

As good a place as any for this -

Two weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor, a Japanese submarine shot a torpedo at an American oil tanker just off the California coast, sinking the ship and sending 3 million gallons (11.36 million liters) of crude to the ocean bottom.
All 38 people on board were rescued in what remains an overlooked chapter of World War II — it was one of several attacks by Japanese and German forces on the U.S. mainland during the war.
The SS Montebello has sat mostly intact 900 feet (275 meters) below the surface with the oil remarkably still on board after seven decades. A mission to see how much of the oil remains in the hold of the 440-foot (135-meter) ship launches this week to help officials determine how to prevent the crude from leaking and marring the celebrated central California coastline.

http://news.yahoo.com/wwii-ship-sun...I4NjFhZDg5BHBzdGNhdAMEcHQDc3RvcnlwYWdl;_ylv=3

 

[RHY]

This is the official website for the 70th Anniverary activities for the Pearl Harbor attack. Events start on December 2 and run through the week of the 7th. See: http://www.pearlharborevents.com/index.html

Most of the events are open to the public and free to attend. This is a recent tv station coverage of the activities the other day: http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/16146994/uso-tribute-dance-concert