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HokieMacDaddy HokieMacDaddy OP
Mar 16, 2026 at 10:24 AM ET
Visited Pearl Harbor recently
When I was a kid I read everything I could get my hands on about the attack. It was surreal to be standing in the very places it occurred, seeing evidence still there 85 years later, and learning stories I'd never heard. I thought of my grandfathers, who both served here before, during ,and after the war. It was particularly fascinating to see within a few hundred yards of each other the remains of the USS Arizona, which was destroyed on day 1 of the war, and the retired USS Missouri, on whose decks the war ended in Tokyo Bay. The Pearl Harbor National Memorial (on the eastern shore of the harbor) is small but does a great job giving both macro and micro views of the attack and the war. The Arizona memorial (a short ferry ride away) is exceptionally humbling. You can also catch a bus over to Ford Island to visit the Mighty Mo and the aviation museum, which is well worth a visit.

16 Replies

G
GobblerCE
4mo
Truly a moving experience. Go up in the Ford Island Tower if you can.
bourbonstreet bourbonstreet
4mo
yups... extremely moving place; very. : (
Tuckahokie Tuckahokie
4mo
Was the Arizona still leaking oil? It was when I was there in 2000-ish
MAHokie69 MAHokie69
4mo
Yes, 2-9 qts/day. It could go on for as much as 500 years
HokieMacDaddy HokieMacDaddy OP
4mo
that's what they say but I didn't notice
`lag `lag
4mo
been a while but yes, you can see small oil slicks...
what I'm learning is called a sheen.
reestuart reestuart
4mo
I remember seeing it in the late 90s. I've got a pic somewhere.
It was a really humbling experience.
H
HwoodHokie
4mo
Very humbling to visit. Grandfather was on the USS California
C
Chesapeake_Hokie
4mo
I’ve seen my uncle’s name on the survivor wall.
I regret never asking him about that day, although I’m not sure he would have told me. I actually flew my father‘s flag over the memorial when I was there. Very humbling experience
HokieMacDaddy HokieMacDaddy OP
4mo
what got me was how many of the survivors elected to be interred there
after they passed
AirborneHokie96 AirborneHokie96
4mo
I had a flag flown for my WWII/Korean War Vet Grandfather there
I had made him a shadow box and wanted the perfect flag for it. I also love it that at WVU, they have the mast from the USS West Virginia on campus and permanently installed in front of Oglebay Hall.
C
Chesapeake_Hokie
4mo
I did not know about the WVa mast, that's very symbolic
I know the Arizon's bell is at the University of AZ
AirborneHokie96 AirborneHokie96
4mo
Govt was going to scrap the USS West Virginia so the Student Body paid
for the mast and installed it on campus. Wonderful story during a time when we have great united values.
Coach McGuirk Coach McGuirk
4mo
Posts like this are what make the lounge great. Some people should take
notes, but that would be humbling, and there will be none of that. Arrogance rules the day.
BG Hokie BG Hokie
4mo
Yuck, why ruin a great thread with this?
AirborneHokie96 AirborneHokie96
4mo
A big Johnson rules the day too