USS Missouri Memorial

We visited the USS Missouri, the site of the Japanese surrender on September 2, 1945, on the 71st anniversary of the end of WWII, September 2, 2016.

It's a big ship!

A view of Ford Island from the deck.

Some mighty big guns!

A seal commemorating the surrender.

Captains' Quarters

Crew's mess.

USS Missouri kitchen

Marine guardshack.

Narrow bunkbeds for crews' quarters - not for the claustrophobic.

USS Arizona Memorial

On Friday, we traveled to Ford Island to visit the USS Arizona Memorial.  Hurricane Lester was closing in on Oahu and the Navy did shut down the memorial but only after we got to see it.  Visitors can only get to it by boat.  They press upon us that this is a sacred site and reverence and honor are expected.

The base of Gun Turret No. 3 is above water.

The shrine room lists all the names of the 1,177 fallen soldiers who died in the attack.  As survivors of December 7 pass away, they are interred with their fallen shipmates and their names are added to the wall.

The remnanats of Gun Turret No. 2

The mooring quay.

The bow is marked with a buoy.  The USS Missouri is in the background.

Mooring bitts

Oil is still leaking from the ship, even after 70 years.  They are said to be the tears of the fallen soldiers.

More tears.