Survivors return to Pearl Harbor to mark 80th anniversary of WWII attack

When I was in college I travelled to Oahu to visit a friend who had moved there. I was always aware of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and, even back then, I was something of a military history buff. So it is fair to say that I was more informed than most kids my age. As part of my visit, I went to the Pearl Harbor Memorial. I was not prepared for the impact the memorial had on me.

The first thing I remember is the waiting area for the boats that transport visitors to the actual memorial. The commemorative plaques in the waiting area, from all over the country, made me realize the true extent of the attack and the human disaster for the American sailors and soldiers on duty that morning. One plaque in particular, I remember, quoted the Gettysburg Address. It said something along the lines of these men had given “the last full measure of devotion.” I was choked with emotion and surprised at my reaction. It brings tears to my eyes today as I write this.

The memorial itself, located in the harbor and on top of the sunk USS Arizona, was also a shock for me. The wall of names.

It was an emotional visit. One I will never forget. God bless those men.