Experiencing Pearl Harbour

Before you go to visit Pearl Harbour, you may think that you're going to see some shipwrecks, some cool plaques, and learn something about what happened that fatal day on December 7, 1941. But the USS Arizona is much more than just a shipwreck '" it's a tomb that now houses the remains of most of the men that were onboard in service that day. And you'll do much more than just learn the story of Pearl Harbour. You'll live it, for just a few moments. And if you're really lucky, you'll get just a taste of what it was like that day. It's not pretty, no. But it's an important piece of history that the men on the Arizona, and so many others, gave their life for.

When you first get to Pearl Harbour there are many things to do and see; and you can walk around at your own leisure just looking or you can take a self-guided tour via headphones provided. As you walk along there plaques with real pictures from that day, and descriptions of the sequence of events as they happened. Dispersed throughout the grounds are also many artefacts, such as the anchor and two bells recovered from the Arizona that are just really cool to look at. As you walk along, you'll then soon come to the Contemplation Circle.

The Contemplation Circle is nothing but a cement pad with cement stones surrounding it. On the stones are quotes, poems and verses pertaining to the attack on Pearl Harbour. I urge you to take a minute and just stand inside the circle. Read the inscriptions carefully and think. Think about the men, women and children that all died that day. Think how, just like you, the men in service and the people on Oahu were simply enjoying being in paradise. Only to face war, destruction, and total devastation the next day. Read the plaques and think about the determination of the U.S. to not be broken, but to fight for what was theirs. The feeling inside Contemplation Circle has stayed with me for months after I have left Pearl Harbour, and it's not something I'm likely to ever forget.

But what made the most impact on me, and for most that visit Pearl Harbour I would guess, was the USS Arizona.

Yes, the Arizona is the most famous battleship to be sunk at Pearl Harbour. And yes, when you arrive at the Memorial you'll be able to look into the water and see the once-mighty metal below the water, now covered in moss and eaten by rust. And you'll even be able to make out different parts of the ship. But you'll also see things you never expected. The first surprising thing for me was all the oil on the water.

The surface of the water covering the Arizona is covered in oil. Covered. This oil has been leaking from the ship for 69 years, and it will continue to leak 1-2 quarts a day for the next 50 years. That means that should my 5 and 3 year old daughters ever want to go see it, that oil will likely still be there. Nothing is ever done about cleanup because it would mean destroying and utterly disrespecting the tomb of the men still within the ship. While seeing the oil is very sad, it's also quite symbolic. The oil is like the black mark the Japanese left on American history that day. And even though it's taken a lot of time, that black mark, just like the oil on the water, will dissipate and fade. Probably, and hopefully, not completely. But the oil will stop leaking. And America has stopped hurting. The oil is also symbolic because Japan attacked Pearl Harbour in order to disarm the American fleet; thereby paving a clear way for Japan to invade China for their oil. But it wasn't as easy as they thought.

But there's more than just the Arizona to look at while at Pearl Harbour, even when you're at the USS Arizona Memorial. At the Memorial there's also a shrine. This shrine has list after list after list of all the men who died on the Arizona that day. And there are a lot. It's an overwhelmingly sad thing looking at so, so many names. But stop and read as many as you can. These men were prepared to fight, but were never even given the chance.

Is that all there is to say about Pearl Harbour? Of course not. But after your visit, you'll find that it's not so much about talking or even learning about Pearl Harbour, although there's plenty of that there too. Really though, it's about living it '" just for that moment. And feeling it. For you have to allow yourself to truly feel Pearl Harbour before you can ever begin to hope to really experience it.