USS Arizona Memorial Programs

Going to Hawaii is fun but while there make time to see this memorial if you haven't seen it already. It is an active burial site. The USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor is the site of the attack that resulted in the country's involvement in World War II. Certainly the highlight of the large historical site that also has several museums. You should reserve tickets online because it's a popular attraction for groups and programs. Come here knowing it's also an active gravesite. It's the final resting place of over 1,000 sailors killed in the attack on December 7, 1941. This is actually the most visited attraction in the state. Only way to get here is by a boat. Visitors first go to the Visitor Center, where they can watch a film and look at artifacts collected from the ship. As for the memorial itself, it straddles the sunken hull without actually touching it. The start of the memorial got help from Robert Ripley, of Ripley's Believe It Or Not! He visited the year after the attack. It took awhile to get it funded but it eventually was. Alfred Preis was a Honolulu architect who came up with the design. The U.S. Navy wanted it to be in the shape of a bridge floating above the ship. Basically there are three main parts. First the visitors go through the entry after leaving the boat and going up a ramp. In the assembly room is an opening overlooking the sunken decks, and you can see out the large open windows. At the far end is a shrine with the names of those killed in the attack. There's also a list of the survivors who chose to be buried here. Check out the Visitors Center to see things like one of the anchors. There's also a gift shop to get things like shirts and hats. Honestly it should be visited by everyone. It's free but it's a popular attraction, as reservations are often filled months in advance, with some more of these held back for release the day before it. There's only a processing fee for the online tickets.

The USS Arizona was an incredible experience. It is a very real reminder of the not so distant past and all the sacrifices and challenges that all the peoples of the world had gone through. The Memorial Park is a beautiful and well maintained park with various historical monuments and walkways. There is a little of a haunting aspect for us as we see the submarine USS Bowfin available for visitation as well as looking out across the water at the memorial to the Arizona. The sounds of various propeller flights always going by adds to the cumulative affect of the sensation of that bygone day. The monument to the Arizona itself is a stark reminder of the reality of the day. To be there in person looking down upon the ship is a very moving experience. The monument itself is a beautifully maintained structure that has the names of the personnel engraved on a wall of those who perished there. You can also see a tribute to the survivors who wanted to be entombed there with their shipmates after they have passed. The Navy does an excellent job of running the shuttle boats back and forth to the monument and you can see and feel their pride in being there. To all Veterans, we Thank You for your service.

Sobering and solemn. There are four commemorative places in the US where I end up with a lump in my throat, an overwhelming sense of reverence and respect, and an abundance of pride in our country. First is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The second and third are the memorials at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. And then there is the Arizona Memorial. The memorial commemorates the fateful day of December 7, 1941, a day which will live in infamy. And then there is the remains of the USS Arizona. When you're there, you are walking on the common grave of 1,102 military men who are interred here beneath the clear waters of Pearl Harbor. The trickle of oil has continued to surface since the day of the attack, lending an even more somber air to the place. It is a most reflective place in our land.Reservations are highly advisable to visit the Arizona and all the surrounding Pearl Harbor memorial activities. It should be noted that the Passport to Pearl Harbor does NOT include entrance to the Arizona Memorial. Once you get to the main site the visitors center is a huge placeWe had reservations in three different categories, We had the Pearl Harbor Passport, we also made reservations for the Arizona Memorial, and then the ones that were the hardest to get, which were the Ford island bus tour. All three different activities allowed us to see Just about all of Pearl Harbor's memorials, museum, the USS Missouri, and the memorials for the USS Oklahoma and the Utah.I would recommend every American visiting Hawaii, to stop at these memorials.

It's been years since I visited the memorial but when a friend from NY said he'd never been, I went on the national parks website, opened an account and immediately made reservations.The experience is emotional, respectful and patriotic, remembering the sacrifices made by many who were so young.The wall of names is overwhelming in scale and the immensity of devastating loss. And looking below into the water, one can only imagine what it looked like on Dec. 7, 1941. I admit it means more to me today now that my dad and uncles who served in WWII are long passed.There are other sites to visit such as the museum and battleship, which means we'll be back! Those are more expensive and deserving of time. $1 non refundable fee for the 45-minute tour. $7 parking. No bags allowed, except the clear kind. Please be respectful and keep voices low and quiet while on board the memorial.

It's worth visiting the USS Arizona Memorial memorial at least once if you're visiting Oahu. The memorial is built over the sunken Battleship Arizona that was destroyed in 1941, when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. It is known as the final resting place for over 1100 sailors and marines. The ferry ride over to the memorial was nice, and you get about 15 minutes to pay your respects and look around before the ferry returns to bring you back to the Pearl Harbor Visitor Centre. Reservations are required to get into the memorial, and it's recommended that you get your tickets in advance as spots book up pretty quickly. Reservations are made on the recreations.gov website and costs only $1.00 per ticket. Plan to arrive early for your reserved time slot because they do not accept late arrivals, and you may need time getting into the Pearl Harbor Visitors Centre (depending on the lines). Bags (unless they are clear) are also prohibited at the Visitor Center and will need to be checked in for $7 per bag before going in (allocate a bit of time for this too if needed). For this reason it is a good idea to wear clothes with lots of pockets for your phone, cards, cash, etc.It's also noted that there are plenty of other attractions for an additional cost at and around the Visitor Centre if you plan to spend the day at Pearl Harbour.

The ferry (boat) ride over to the USS Arizona Memorial was very somber. I didn't realize I would be full of emotion. I am glad that the rangers stressed how serious it was and for everyone to show respect. To see oil still spurting out after all of these years! To know that over 900 men are declared buried at sea and we were standing there ! Gave me chills!

You MUST have a reservation to get to this memorial. It doesn't cost much but does sell out and is based on a time slot and day. Go to recreation dot gov to reserve it. Alternatively, you can try fir stand by tickets at the Pearl Harbor Memorial desk but it's risky. There is only one boat that reaches here (departs from the Pearl Harbor Memorial) and requires you to have a ticket. You'll only get maybe ten minutes to visit this memorial once you arrive so make it count. Sit on the left side of the boat in the middle as you depart to be the first one off the boat and into the memorial once you arrive.

This is ran by the national park service, and it really is one of their best programs. We enjoyed the afternoon there, and the sailors and rangers made us feel at home.

The USS Arizona Memorial is one of the most amazing memorials and is a must-visit when going to Oahu and the Pearl Harbor site. The USS Arizona battleship was built leading up to World War I and was in Hawaii on December 7, 1941 when it was bombed.To get to the memorial, it's recommended to make a reservation online. It's free but costs $1 per person for the reservation fee. That'll secure your spot but if you don't make the reservation, you can wait in the standby line and wait until there's room on the boat for you. The boat will take people on a short ride to the memorial itself.The memorial was built across the ship's sunken remains and it includes a list of all the crew members that were lost on that day. You'll be able to see the remains of it, and if you have a keen eye you might still be able to see oil spilling out on the surface.Overall it takes about 45 minutes to get there, walk around for a little bit, and get back to shore. If you plan on going to Pearl Harbor, this is a stop you must make.

It has been decades since we visited and it is best to visit on a clear day with low tide. It was overcast the day we went and the water was murky so couldn't see the ship well except for the part where there's an opening to look at the center of the ship. The entire complex is really big now and lots to see including a museum area with displays and models of war vessels. Getting advance tics is recommended. There's bathrooms and extra cost to tour some vessels. You can easily spend an entire day here if you pay to visit the extra ships too. The ferry ride over was fun with navy men and women driving the boat over to the memorial. In the way back, they let a couple of little girls steer the boat a bit for fun.