USA, Hawaiian Islands– In the Middle of the Pacific VI.
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It is not just about the history of American military on Hawaii. It dwells from the earliest history of military on the islands to the War in Vietnam.
A former coastal fortress is home to the museum. There are numerous exhibits and especially fans of military vehicles will enjoy the place the most.
The USS Arizona memorial, is another sight we visit. The ship was sunken during the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor by Japanese military in 1941. The majority of the crew died (over 1 100 sailors). The memorial is accessible only by boat.
Don’t worry about getting to the memorial as the service is provided by US navy. However, the number of tickets is limited. Rightfuly so as more than two million people see the memorial every year. Therefore, only 4500 tickets are available each day and usually they are sold out by mid-morning.
It is worth an early wake and a screening of famous Hollywood blockbuster Pearl Harbor. Its half-eliptic shape has a great symbolic meaning as well. Its raised ends represent American pride. One its height before the war, the middle its fall after the attack on Pearl Harbor, and then new raise.
There are symbols referring to American sailors who died during the surprise Japanese attack. In room there is an opening in the floor under overlooking the wreck of Arizona. Almost a nine-ton anchor is placed at the entrance.
In 1999, the battleship USS Missouri was moved from the US West Coast to the memorial. The sailors of this massive ship (270 meters long with a displacement of 45,000 tons) nickname it "Mighty Mo". And she is famous mainly because it was on her board that American General Charles D. Arthur and Admiral Chester W. Nimitz accepted the Japanese surrender, which definitively ended the Second World War.
(To be continued...)
GPS: 21°21'53.6"N 157°56'60.0"W (USS Arizona Memorial)
Text: Maxim Kucer
Foto: Wikipedia.org: Department of Defense, Cristo Vlahos, Flightsoffancy, Icewedge, U.S. Navy, Hakilon
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