Another "must do" for me while in Hawaii was Pearl Harbor. Living in Japan, and having visited Hiroshima, I thought Pearl Harbor would be very interesting to see and learn about, and I was correct. It is a very sobering experience, to be in a place where many, many people lost their lives not all that long ago. It also made me very proud to be an American, and a military wife.
As it is a place to be quiet and understanding, Mom kept Mallory and just Erin and I made the drive over. Say "bye Mommy, see you later".
We got there without a problem and got our "tickets" in (it is free admission, but you have to get a "time" to go over on the ferry to the USS Arizona memorial). We had about 2 hours before our ferry time, so we got back in the car and went over to the Naval station and ate lunch.
After lunch, we came back and walked around the grounds for a bit looking at a few of the other monuments and memorials. This is the memorial for all the submarines that fought in WW2 and didn't make it home. With my grandfather being one of the WW2 submariners, it was very interesting to read the stories of these ships, and know that he was blessed to not be on one of those.
The anchor from the USS Arizona.
Erin and I waiting to get on the ferry. 
We got on the ferry at our assigned time, and it takes you over to the Arizona memorial, just across the bay from the museum. The memorial is a building built right over the spot where the USS Arizona sank when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and the US entered WW2. The building does not touch any part of the ship remains (most of which are underwater) but makes you realize how large the ship was, and that you are in a sacred spot. This is the outside of the memorial, as you arrive on the short ferry ride. 
The roof of the memorial is open air, where the US flag proudly flies high above. It makes you very proud to be an American and know those brave men died fighting for those colors. 
A section of the ship that can be seen above water, from the memorial. 
The listing of all the men killed on Dec 7, 1948 on the Arizona when it was bombed and sank. 
The red, white and blue don't run!
]Oil droplets from the ship still bubble up from below, 62 years later. They are often called the "tears" of the men who were buried in the ship when it went down that day. 
]Oil droplets from the ship still bubble up from below, 62 years later. They are often called the "tears" of the men who were buried in the ship when it went down that day. A view of the memorial from the entrance. 
The memorial from the side, and me in the blue shirt. 
The US Air Force flag, and myself being a proud USAF wife. 
The front of the memorial.
The front of the memorial. 
It was a very interesting experience and I'm so glad I got a chance to visit. I can't imagine being one of the men who experienced Pearl harbor and lived to tell about it. What a life changing experience (a few of those men have since passed away and requested to be entombed in the ship with their fellow shipmates upon their death). I can imagine it was an experience you would never, ever forget and would change you as a person forever.
Erin and I both really enjoyed the experience. Mallory was a good girl for Nana while away from Mommy for the day and had more fun swimming in the pool than she would have had at Pearl Harbor I'm sure. After we returned home, we spent the evening talking, eating and enjoying the hot tub and yard of our rental house.
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