Pearl Harbor, once a dramatic historic site, is now a major tourist attraction in Hawaii drawing more than 1.5 million visitors each year. What was once a site of deaths and destruction is now a living force, a solemn reminder of what the world lost and endured during the last world war.
Pearl Harbor was named after the pearl-producing oysters that once abound there some years before it became a naval base. When Hawaii was annexed by the United States in 1898, part of the agreement was for the US to gain exclusive rights to Pearl Harbor. by 1914, the port already had military barracks, housing for US marines and Army personnel, and housing for cavalry, infantry, and artillery units. Over the years, the US kept more of its ships at Pearl Harbor. By 1941, US Navy fleet exercises were held there. This did not escape the Japanese military command.
At 6 am on December 7, 1941, Japanese fleets stationed approximately 200 miles north of Oahu. At around 7:40 am, stealth bombs, torpedo bombs, and fighter bombs were directed at Pearl Harbor, destroying the ships fleeted there. 2390 soldiers and civilians were killed. The bombing of Pearl Harbor forced the United States of America into the Second World War.
Today, Pearl Harbor shows little traces of the destruction that took place in 1941. The port has been reconstructed following the war. It is now considered one of the world's most beautiful naval bases. Located in the Ewa District of Oahu, it is also the world's largest naval base. The millions of visitors who come are there to witness the site of a dramatic turn in history.
Open to the public are three historical attractions: the Arizona Memorial, the Submarine Bowfin, and the Battleship Missouri. They all provide insights and physical dimension into the tragic event that took place one morning in 1941.
The USS Arizona Memorial stands for the start of the Second World War. The memorial is the site of the sunken battleship. The hull the ship is still visible from the sea. Inside the monument is a shrine room, where they are immortalized in the names of the crew on a marble wall. Odd windows allow the light from outside and look at the names on the wall. Start the Arizona Memorial is a sad experience, as you are in the cemetery of 1,117 crew members.
On the USS Arizona Memorial Visitor Center are interpretive programs, a documentary on the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and a shuttle boat to the memorial. L 'visitor center is open from 7:30 am to 5 pm.
The USS Bowfin Submarine is a symbol of the winning prowess of submarines. The USS Bowfin was one of the 288 submarines used during WWII. It sank 44 enemy ships and helped win the Second World War for the US and the Allied Forces.
The USS Battleship Missouri was where the peace treaty was signed, and so symbolizes the end of WWII. It was here that General Douglas McArthur accepted the unconditional surrender of the Japanese, marking the end of the Second World War. This took place on September 2, 1945. Battleship Missouri or "Mighty Mo" contains exhibits from three different 20th century wars, covering 50 years worth of history.
There are other attractions at Pearl Harbor including a museum that contains the plaques that contain the names of all military and civilians killed during the war. Completed only in 2007, the USS Oklahoma Memorial is dedicated to the 429 marines and sailors of "The Okie." This 35,000 battleship capsized within 12 minutes after the December 7th bombing.
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