This was one of my most favorite things. We were there right when it opening so it wasn't super crowded yet and I loved it. We were able to walk around and read everything and just take it in.
There was a reverence there that I didn't expect. I had heard some horror stories about loud and overzealous tourists, so I was worried, but it was perfect.
The deep respect and gratitute I felt for these fallen soldiers was at times overwhelming.
My Grandpa was a gunner on airplanes in WWII and I've heard many stories. He still has the maps that they issued him with escape routes and ally countries. He's shown us many pictures.
If there is one stop I would recommend it would be Pearl Harbor - but get there early.
It is amazing to go out to the USS Arizona. It makes it very real. Before they take you out to the site you watch a video about the events leading up to the Pearl Harbor attack. I cried... I have a tendency to get a little teary about my patriotism and this was no exception.
There is still oil coming out of the Arizona... you could see little bubbles of it coming to the surface. It was so sad to see how close it was to the surface and yet there was nothing more than they did do to save those soldiers.
This is the USS Missouri - the exact type of ship that the Arizona was - just to give you an idea of size.
The wall of rememberance for all those that lost their lives on the USS Arizona.
They had WWII survivors there signing books and memoribilia.
How cute are they?
I cried at the Arizona too, we took a bus trip that went past the cemetery where the soldiers are buried and I cried there too.
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