Pearl Harbor

[pspercy]

We asked the hotel bellman, he told us to be early and would get us picked up around 0730. Cost was about $7each, each way, van was an old airport car rental shuttle bus, buddy of his I guess :) Worked out fine and we also used similar to get to the airport when it was time to go. This was in 2004.

[beachchick]

The 30x30x18 bag size is in Frommer's Hawaii 2010. Hope that helps.

 

Mahalo. That does help. It's good to have updated information and the NPS website says nothing about sizes these days.

 

Thanks for this info!

 

I read that sandals are not allowed on the Arizona and you must wear closed toe shoes. Do you know if this rule is accurate?

 

Here is a quote from the NPS website:

 

Dress Attire

 

Civilian

Visitors are reminded that they are visiting a site of tremendous loss of life in service to our country. Sandals are permissible, but bathing suits or profane T-shirts are discouraged. Military

Military visitors to the National Monument are within the boundary of Pearl Harbor Naval Station. Navy regulations relating to military dress are enforced by navy personnel. NPS Rangers will remind military personnel that dress whites or better (or service equivalent) is the military dress attire required to gain access to the shuttle boats to the USS Arizona Memorial. Battle dress uniform is not allowed on the USS Arizona Memorial, though it is allowed throughout the visitor center and at sites on Ford Island.

 

Pets

Pets are not permitted at the USS Arizona Memorial. Service animals are not considered pets and are allowed.

 

 

As you can see, sandals are acceptable. I recommend something other than flip flops for more secure footing onto and off of the tender.

 

You'll be absolutely fine in sandals. Remember to wear something with pockets because you aren't allowed to bring bags of any kind. Pockets give you a place to keep your ID and valuables. You may carry a camera or recorder (no cases) and bottle of water. We were allowed to keep our small plastic water safes around our necks. They fit in the front pockets of our aloha shirts, so super easy to keep ID safe. We use our pockets for lipblock, mini sunscreen, hand wipes, etc.

 

I hope you have a wonderful visit. It's really very special. The first time my DH took me there, I took a picture from the memorial of the then newly opened Missouri. Then later that day when we visited the Missouri, I took a picture of the Arizona Memorial. There is something about those two pictures, together on the page of a photo album, that is still moving to me.

 

 

(The following is a general observation and not directed at anyone in particular.)

 

I completely agree with the notion that this is, by any measure, a sacred site. As such, the men who are entombed there and all those who lost their lives deserve our respect. One way to show it is to wear decent clothing. This is what we wear: Cotton shorts, aloha shirt (buttoned, of course, but untucked), and Tevas or similar water/hiking sandals for DH; cotton shorts, tank top with open aloha shirt over it or nice-ish top (such as printed cotton-rayon), and Tevas or similar for me. We both wear squishable sun hats (ours are Solarveil, which sadly are not available anymore) on the tender, but DH removes his on the memorial. I don't expect that everyone will agree with me, but I do wish that there were more restrictions than "bathing suits or profane t-shirts are discouraged."

 

 

beachchick

[Giantfan13]

Couldn't agree with you more Beachchick.

 

I am a Viet Nam vet. after Viet Nam, I spent 3 years in Germany and visited several concentration camps from WWII. Places like that, Pearl Harbor, Normandy Beach, etc, where so many people lost their lives are just not places for amusement. Those people who died there, must be respected and honored, and it is up to us, the living, to do so.

 

Cheers

 

Len

[priya08]

Thank you beachchick for the worth load of information! I am looking forward to PH visit later this month :)

[cruzn single]

I, like Beachchick, also have the pictures of the Arizona and the Missouri taken from the other ship. Also, one of my most memorable pictures, is one that was taken on a very still day of a drop of oil and the reflection in the water! My husband still brings that particular picture out to show people who don't believe that there is still oil leaking after 68+ years.

[beachchick]

Couldn't agree with you more Beachchick.

 

I am a Viet Nam vet. after Viet Nam, I spent 3 years in Germany and visited several concentration camps from WWII. Places like that, Pearl Harbor, Normandy Beach, etc, where so many people lost their lives are just not places for amusement. Those people who died there, must be respected and honored, and it is up to us, the living, to do so.

 

Cheers

 

Len

 

So very nicely stated. For me, maybe it has something to do with the fact that my grandfather was a captain in the 8th Army Air Corps in England for 3 years during WWII (I still have his captain's bars) or that my dad was in the Navy as an aerial photographer during the Korean war (not deployed to Korea, thankfully) or that my father was and my DH is huge history and war buffs or that I spent a good part of my career working with military officers (I'm a civilian). I don't know, maybe it's just the way my parents raised me. It saddens me when I see someone who doesn't "get it" in that regard.

 

I' date=' like Beachchick, also have the pictures of the Arizona and the Missouri taken from the other ship. Also, one of my most memorable pictures, is[b'] one that was taken on a very still day of a drop of oil and the reflection in the water[/b]! My husband still brings that particular picture out to show people who don't believe that there is still oil leaking after 68+ years.

 

Oh wow. Chicken skin moment for sure.

 

beachchick

[ed_k_tx]

Couldn't agree with you more Beachchick.

 

I am a Viet Nam vet. after Viet Nam, I spent 3 years in Germany and visited several concentration camps from WWII. Places like that, Pearl Harbor, Normandy Beach, etc, where so many people lost their lives are just not places for amusement. Those people who died there, must be respected and honored, and it is up to us, the living, to do so.

 

Cheers

 

Len

 

So very nicely stated. For me, maybe it has something to do with the fact that my grandfather was a captain in the 8th Army Air Corps in England for 3 years during WWII (I still have his captain's bars) or that my dad was in the Navy as an aerial photographer during the Korean war (not deployed to Korea, thankfully) or that my father was and my DH is huge history and war buffs or that I spent a good part of my career working with military officers (I'm a civilian). I don't know, maybe it's just the way my parents raised me. It saddens me when I see someone who doesn't "get it" in that regard.

 

 

 

beachchick

 

I posted on a different thread that life is too short to sweat the small stuff. Well, this is not small stuff. Like Len and Beachchick I come from a family with service backgrounds. There wasn't any question about it. You served somewhere, somehow. Both grandfathers fought in WWI. My mother lost both of her brothers within 8 weeks of each other in WWII.

My father served in the Merchant Marine in WWII. Did you know that only the U. S. Marines suffered a higher casualty rate than the merchant service. I followed in his footsteps and graduated from the US Merchant Marine Academy. Len might have heard of it. We had an obligation to fulfill to help pay back for our education. Unfortunately some of my class mates didn't feel the need since the draft had ended. I did. Six years in the USCG.

 

I little story to bring the point home. When we first moved down to Texas my inlaws came to visit. We drove over to San Antonio and visited The Alamo. My FIL, a tough, cynical New Yorker (no offense Len). A veteran of North Africa and Italy in WWII was brought to tears. He knew what it meant to lay down your life for your country.

 

Pearl Harbor, Punchbowl, Arlington, Ft. Scott where my uncles are buried, or any other place of rememberance of those who gave the ultimate had better be treated with reverence and respect when I am there.

 

OK, off my soapbox. Thanks for allowing me to vent.

Aloha,

Ed