Thank You Navy!

[PinnedAndRecessed]

I just got back from a visit to Pearl Harbor. I visited the USS Missouri (Mighty Mo), the USS Arizona memorial and the USS Bowfin.

The Mighty Mo was the ship upon which the Japanese surrenderred in WW2.
It was moved to Pearl Harbor after it was decommissioned in 1992. This is the memorial marker on the ship's deck:



There's a funny story about the table, though. Turns out the table upon which the surrender papers were signed was out of the ship's galley. Standard table. The entire ceremony only lasted 23 minutes and as soon as it was over one of the sailors took it into the eating area to get ready for the next meal and put it in with the rest of the tables.

The CO came looking for the table and exclaimed, "That table is now a part of history! If you don't find it, heads will roll!" Without missing a beat the sailer said, "Uh, o.k. That's it." He pointed to the closest table. I'm not saying that the table on exhibit isn't the correct one, but...........

The USS Arizona memorial was extremely moving, as were the memorials to all the ships lost in combat. Extremely moving. This is a list of the names:



What's interesting here is the groups of names with the same last names. Brothers of the same families died together. In one case, it was father and son. Noble heroes, they were.

In keeping with this forum's rules on posts and guns, just so this is about a gun, here's a shot of the cannons on deck of the Missouri:



Touring these sites just made me appreciate the tremendous sacrifices our Navy personnel make for our benefit. Even in peacetime it must be difficult. Again, thank you Navy.

 

[Owen]

not cannons, naval rifles

 

[armoredman]

16 inch, 50 cailber rifles. Sub MOA accuracy. Drop them into a football field at 26+ miles.....

 

[PinnedAndRecessed]

Ok. I stand corrected. They are not cannons. They are rifles. I just wanna see the guy who can carry one on an elk hunt.

 

[Snowdog]

Perhaps they make plastic sabots for those 16" guns so typical .30 caliber Ballistic Tips can be used.

Thanks for the write-up and photos, Pinned. I'm sure it was a vacation you'll remember.

 

[Lennyjoe]

Great pictures.

One day I plan to visit Pearl.

 

[armoredman]

My ship made her way into Pearl, rails manned in whites, as we rendered honor to the senior ship in the harbor, the USS Arizona. Her commission is still valid, and there were very few dry eyes aboard. I wish I could have gone to the memorial, but we were due in the gulf, and we did a 24 hour turnaround. Never went back.

 

[PinnedAndRecessed]

there were very few dry eyes aboard

I know the feeling.

BTW, I was not aware of this, but several of the crew members of the Arizona who survived have been subsequently interred there. Their cremated remains, anyway. I felt that was especially touching. The last one around 1999, I think.

 

[LHB1]

My father served in the Navy during WW2. He had several ships torpedoed from under him and was wounded but never wanted to talk about it. Before he died, my wife and I made a trip to Oahu and visited the Arizona/Pearl Harbor memorial right after Memorial Day. There were still many stands of flowers on the Arizona for/from sailors and loved ones. I'm not ashamed to tell you my eyes weren't dry when we left. When we got back, I thanked him for his service. Thank you also to every one who served in any capacity!

God Bless and Keep You.
LB

ps: My standard closing of "Good Shooting and Be Safe" is inappropriate for this post.

 

[migoi]

I can see Pearl Harbor...

from my back yard and have visited the USS Arizona Memorial several times. I have yet to make it through an entire visit without having to drift over by myself for a bit to regain composure. For some reason it is very difficult to get words out while on the memorial.

When my wife retired from the Navy after 29 years of service in September 2003, we (her retirement ceremony guests) were given a late afternoon tour around Ford Island with time spent on the memorial right at sunset. That one was particularly tough to get through.

It is difficult to imagine the chaos created that day and the courage exhibited in response.

migoi

 

[dasmi]

I've never been to the Arizona memorial, but I love visitting the USS Midway meseum. I've spent hours exploring that ship, and walking around the flight deck, thinking about the generations of men who manned her. It's truly a moving experience.

 

[Gifted]

It's awesome isn't it? And that can go with the ship and the memorial. Unfortunately, I saved over all my pics, so I can't share them with you all. I'll have to go back some day and rectify that.

Did you play with the M2 they have on the rail?

 

[TonkinTwentyMil]

Thank YOU (and a Question for all)

PinnedAndRecessed, that was very fine review of the USS Arizona/Pearl Harbor Memorial.

I've had the privilege of visiting it twice -- the first time while on my way to Vietnam -- and it was a genuinely moving (and sobering) experience... especially when I saw the Arizona's still-seaping black oil rising to the surface... and my ship anchored beyond, in the distance. I've also been fortunate to visit the Vietnam "Wall" Memorial in Washington (especially moving for me when I touched the names of some old Navy shipmates) along with some of the notable Civil War battlefields, like Gettysburg.

I encourage all THR folks to visit these magnificent examples of "hallowed ground", including the floating museum ships like the Mighty Mo and the WWII aircraft carrier USS Yorktown (the latter in Charlston). Beyond that, most big Navy ports have one or two "open house" ship visits available on weekends.

There's also a sad element here that I've noticed over the years: increasingly, many Americans who live IN or close to these extraordinary monuments to history and courage are oblivious to their presence! In my own extended circle of family and friends, I've noticed that those of the "liberal" persuasion are the folks who inevitably exhibit that regrettable attitude and totally ignore these powerful pieces of history.

Accordingly, I wonder if there is some correlation between one's politics and their interest in/appreciation of our great military history heritage, i.e., visiting the great War memorials.

What say you, my fellow High Roaders?

 

[lee]

Pearl Harbor

I have been to Pearl Harbor many times, to and from Westpac cruises. As a 20 year retired sailor made many of them. The USS Arizona was one of the first places I went to after liberty call. I would also make it one of the last places I visited if we were there for more than a few days. I too had problems with the wet eye syndrome every time there.
RMC, USN, RET and very proud....

 

[MillCreek]

When I was in Hawaii on business last year, my wife and I visited the Arizona memorial and toured the Missouri and Bowfin all in one fell swoop.

The memorial was quite sobering. Mrs. MillCreek, who served for twenty years in the Navy, retiring as a HMC (SW), had never made it to Pearl on any of her deployments. Truly not to be missed if you are ever in Honolulu.

 

[Hutch]

History channel had a special regarding the Arizona's destruction a few days ago. There was a Navy doctor who had the explosion on film. Awe-inspring. Taking nothing away from the Memorial, it seems to have a few inaccuracies in the verbiage. There is no evidence that the AZ was struck by any torpedoes, and the fatal bomb hit did NOT go down the stack. Seems to have pierced the deck just to the side of the aft-most forward turret (however that's designated) and detonated in the magazine. There were interviews with at least two survivors, plus an actress who had been on board while a movie was filmed on it in 1936.

God rest their brave souls.

 

[Boats]

The designation would be Turret II as they are sequentially numbered fore to aft, oftentimes designated by caliber to differentiate the main guns from the five inchers and smaller guns. (Ex. for USS Arizona 14-1, 14-2, 14-3, 14-4.)

 

[ACP230]

I was there as a 12 or 13 year-old kid. My dad had been working for the U.S. Government in the Trust Territory Of The Pacific Islands and we stopped in Pearl Harbor on the way back to the mainland.

My youngest son is the same age now as I was then.

I'd like to take him there, but probably won't be able to afford it.

Both my folks were in World War II, dad in the Army Air Corps in Italy, and my late mom in the Pacfic as an Army Nurse. The Arizona Memorial was emotional for both of them. For me too, although my understanding was limited.

 

[loose cannon]

they still inter survivors remains there.itd be like returning to be with your shipmates.ive never had the privladge of serving(nearsighted)but i have powerful emotions when it comes to our warriors.

my first hero after jesus is my dad who served 2 tours in korea.when he was in the mood; he,d talk about being in a foxhole on a cold morning when the whistles and bugles started sounding right before a wave of chicoms attacked.

i can see him in my mindseye waiting with his garand safty off,,,,,