A feeling of loss runs strong among those who read the columns of names on the wall and weep unashamedly for men most never knew. But grief alone is not the message of the Arizona Memorial. America is strong, peaceful and prosperous because of the sacrifices of a generation of men and women willing to defend freedom. Interpretive programs, including the boat trip to the USS Arizona and a documentary film about the attack, begin at 8 a.m. The memorial is closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.
Admission is free.
Request the excellent Oahu map. To be in the first group in the theater and on the shuttle boat ride to the memorial, be at the visitor center door at 7a.m. Programs fill quickly, and by midmorning, the wait may be nearly two hours. Fill the time by visiting the memorial's museum and bookstore, by talking with Pearl Harbor survivors on site to tell their stories or by touring the nearby Bowfin submarine and museum. The small but informative museum has American and Japanese artifacts from 1941.