Pearl Harbor: The Sorrow of a Nation
Written: May 21 '01 (Updated May 29 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: It's like walking into the history books. Incredibly moving experience.
Cons: Very crowded, some people were disrespectful in their behavior
The Bottom Line: "The day that will live in infamy." Walk into the history books and pay your respects to those lost in the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.
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| diverpam's Full Review: Pearl Harbor |
I approached Pearl Harbor with a deep respect, knowing so many people died there in the infamous December 7 attack. Most people were somber as they approached, feeling the gravity of what had happened at Pearl Harbor so many years before.
Video Introduction
Seated in the theater at the visitor's center, I began to feel the heat of tears as soon as the video began to recount to story of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. I felt the anger, pain, and fear that so many innocent people must have felt on that dreadful day when Pearl Harbor was attacked. This short film will help you envision what it was like and includes actual newsreel footage.
Personal and Military Items on Display
Try as I might, I could not stem the flow of tears as I progressed into the display areas. There are many artifacts, such as letters that were sent to families of soldiers killed in the attack and personal possessions donated by the families of those killed.
The personal mementos of those who died made the experience almost too real and too personal for me to handle. I grew very angry when I heard people joking around and being disrespectful. They were acting like they were standing in line at a circus rather than being close enough to reach out and touch lives that were tragically shortened by war.
U.S.S. Arizona Memorial
I had to go outside and be alone for a while before I could continue with the Pearl Harbor experience. Finally, I was able to take my place on the boat that would take us out to the U.S.S. Arizona, the final resting place of hundreds of American sailors. I can only imagine the horror that they felt when they realized their ship had been ripped apart by enemy fire and that they were trapped alive.
You can look down see the oil still seeping up from the U.S.S.Arizona after so many years and leaving rings on the water.
You can also visit an area of the memorial that lists the names of those killed aboard her. This was an area where I spent a long time reading names and feeling a great sense of loss for all the futures that were never to be realized.
To look around and still see remnants of that long ago war, made it all seem too real. It was no longer just something in a history book or a movie. It was real people who lives had been lost and families who had been destroyed.
I stood in silence and said a prayer for those long lost. And for their loved ones. It is a part of history that I will never forget. Pearl Harbor was a memorable experience unlike any I have ever known before or since.
When to Visit
Be sure to go early in the day to avoid the long lines. We arrived about 9am and were amazed at the length of the line when we left.
You Must Visit
This is a must see for every American. If you do nothing else on the Island of Oahu, you must visit Pearl Harbor and the U.S.S. Arizona. Take your tissues and your dark sunglasses. You will probably need them both.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Couples
Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime
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diverpam
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Member: Pam
Location: Collierville, TN
Reviews written: 263
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~~~~So many oceans...so little time!~~~~
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