Pearl Harbor and USS Arizona
Pearl Harbor and USS Arizona have been joined for 70 years now. The Attack on Pearl Harbor, or as it was referred to Hawaii Operation, was intended to cripple the fleet of our great nation in order to keep us out of the affairs of The Empire of Japan. 353 Japanese Fighters came barreling at us that fateful day on DEC. 7th 1941, with the knowledge they would never come back. I do not condone the actions of Japan in any way, but one must wonder what was going on in the minds of the men in those Torpedo and Dive bombers as they prepared for their Kamikaze attacks ( terrible shot by the way), not to mention the poor USS Arizona…Meanwhile on-board the USS Arizona (BB-69)Tendered 1,177 officers and crewmen who had no idea their lives would end that day. They worked on a Battle ship that never really seen any action. It was more of an escort ship and training system. When it was sunk, unlike some of the other damaged ships of the Attack on Pearl Harbor, The USS Arizona could not be resurfaced and was parted out and the rest of her sat upon the bottom of the harbor.I was stationed on one of her sister ships, The USS New Jersey(BB-62) and I will tell you that the grander of that beautiful ship bring tears to my eyes every time I think of her. So I can not imagine what it could have been like to be on the USS Arizona when all the fighting started.So I tip my cap to all of you Vets that served during that time and those of you who may have lost love ones and friends on that day. But remember there are no victors in war, only decades later can we give peace to those that served and lost, and those that served and Remember.
USS Arizona Memorial, Pearl Harbor