Mele Kalikimaka

A memorial of a such a somber event and beautifully done. Walking on to the memorial was like walking into a cathedral. The light seemed ethereal. You could tell the whole group was taking it in, as one, when everyone went quiet. The mast that once held the flag on the USS Arizona is the current flag mast pictured. At the back was a stone wall listing the names of all who were lost that day. Including many brothers from the same family, and one father and son pair. On the benches in front of that wall, was a list of service men and women who chose to have their ashes interned within the sunken vessel. One of the divers was quoted to say whenever they return a service men’s ashes to the vessel they can feel the pull of the ship accepting another one of their own back into the fold. Next to the USS Arizona memorial is the USS Missouri. Upon that ship is where MacArthur accepted the Japanese surrender. Having the symbol of the USA’s entering WW2 right next to where it all ended gave a sense of closure. Larry and I were taking our time reading every placard. Eric said we were two peas in a pod. I found it to be a profound gesture of humanity for Captain Callaghan and his crew to give the Japanese kamikaze pilot, that hit them, a burial at sea to include a Japanese flag they made from scratch to cover his body and gun salute.Read more