I was on my own today.  First step of the day was to get me a vistor’s pass to Hickam Joint Military Base which would allow me to get back into the base without having to call Brad or Rebecca to come to the gate to vouch for me.  We drove to the appropriate building and signed our name on the clipboard.  Much like the DMV we waited (very briefly) for our name to be called.  After filling out minimal paperwork I was set.  I dropped off Rebecca at the house while I set off to explore.

First I decided to try to get into a tour of the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial.  New interest in the attack had occurred since the 70th anniversary in of the attack and the contemporary movie.  More and more people were wanting to see the iconic memorial.  I attempted unsuccessfully to find a parking space at the official parking lot of the memorial.  I ended up parking a far bit down near a marina in an area I wasn’t even sure was legal.  This was making me more concerned that there would be a huge backup of visitors and a tour could be hours away from me.

Word of advice, if you are coming to the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial, do not bring a backpack or purse.  They will not let you in.  Luckily I didn’t bring my backpack and had handheld cameras including my Nikon and Gopro.  I checked in at 9:15AM and got the 9:30AM tour.  I waited with about 70 other guests under the partial shade of a canopy.  The park rangers show you a short movie about the attack which gives somewhat a sobering reminder of the horrors contrasted with the acts of bravery which happened on that day of infamy.  This set the tone of the tour…a reminder that were visiting a tomb of young men who gave their lives for their country.

For those of you unfamiliar with the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial, it lies in Pearl Harbor and can only be reach by boat.  We were shuffled into a medium sized boat which would take us to the memorial.  As we arrived we were reminded no photographs on the pier…we were only allowed to photograph inside the memorial.  I used my Gopro to capture my view as entering the memorial.  Just as I had seen 8 years ago on my last visit, I saw oil in the water – the battleship is still leaking oil to this day.  Along the back wall was an engraving of all the men lost.  I had heard that a lady from my church had lost a brother, but I had forgotten the name of this family, and therefore could not find it on the wall.  After a while it was time to line up as there was another boat coming with another tour group and sub sequentially take us back to the port.  I managed to grab a seat in the back and got some good shots exiting the memorial.

Next was Ford Island to see the Pacific Aviation Museum. I had to take a bridge to Ford Island, which must be off limits to civilians.  I remember my host, Brad, who is in the military said that I could show my vistor pass from Hickam to the gate and get onto Ford Island, which I did.  I drove up to the Pacific Aviation Museum.  There seemed to be some confusion on the ticket booth’s part because I asked for a ticket and he gave me an audio guide.  When I asked if I needed a ticket he directed me to another area where I could buy a $25 ticket….and he forgot to give me a wristband to show I had purchased a ticket….and seemingly no one asked why I didn’t have a wristband.

The initial exhibit had half a dozen WWII planes which were nicely featured with appropriate mannequins wearing period clothing.  The audio guide was not available with every exhibit, but it did come in handy if you didn’t want to read each placard.

I saw the remains of a Japanese Zero plane which crashed on Niihau during the Pearl Harbor attack.  I had read about this strange occurrence as a footnote to the attack.

As I went to return my audio guide, the museum worker asked if it worked in both buildings…to which I responded “I didn’t know there were two buildings.”  I then asked for my wristband to make sure the museum workers knew I had paid to get in.

An older man on a golf cart offered to take me up to the next hanger 47 which housed a majority of the aircraft.  I figured I could walk, but I ended up giving in after this gentlemen insisted I ride on the golf cart.

This hanger housed many of the aircraft from other eras including helicopters of the Vietnam War and jets from the Korean War.  What was unusual is that it did have Russian and Vietnamese aircraft.  What was most intriguing was the “The Swamp Ghost,” a B-17E which crash landed in Papua New Guinea and was found decades later and moved to the museum.

Afterwards I figured I might just have enough time to visit the U.S.S. Missouri before lunch.  Google Maps seems to want me to drive back to the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial, however I found my own way there, bought my ticket and waited for the tour.  Our tour guide was a retired English teacher.  During the first stop she gave the usual specs of the ship; how the guns are fired, etc.  During the 2nd stop we found out about the surrender of the Japanese in Tokyo Harbor.  Flashbacks to high school with AP US History occurred when I realized this was THE SHIP which was the setting of the war’s end.  As the tour guide pointed out, you can see the beginning of the war from the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial, and the end of the war from the U.S.S. Missouri.

During the 3rd stop we were told of the Kamikaze incident which caused virtually no  damage to the ship but left us with a reminder of valor and acts of love.  After a 19 year old pilot struck the ship and died on desk, the ship’s captain decided it was appropriate to give this Japanese pilot a proper burial at sea…after all…he did give his life for his country…something the sailors on the Missouri had committed to do as well..  The sailors of the ship took an old bedsheet and sewed a Japanese rising sun on it to make an appropriate flag for the burial.  It was very touching to hear of the dignity which the American sailors treated the body of this pilot who tried to inflict harm on them…something rare to find today.

I then went downstairs to the maze of rooms and exhibits.  I saw cafeterias, dentist examination rooms, legal offices, captain’s quarters, showers…and most intriguing of all, sleeping quarters.  The bunks were stacked in top of each other with very little room for movement….and very little privacy.  If someone was being loud in the area, you could hear it.  I’m certain I could not make it as a sailor on the Missouri.

It was getting late…around 2:30PM and I was getting hungry for lunch.  There was a souvenir stand on the North Shore I wanted to visit (about 30 minutes away) and I figured now was the best time to visit.  After taking the interstate and country roads, I found that this particular vendor was no longer there.  Disappointed I decided to go to the nearest pizza place Pizza Bob’s where I could engage my disappointment in a slide of sausage pizza.

Half of a pizza was somewhat expensive – $9.85 + $1.80 / topping.  I think my total came to about $12 and tip made it to be about $15.  Hawaii can be very expensive!  I asked the waiter if there was any good beaches nearby.  He said all the debris from Tropical Strom Darby had been stirred up making the ocean brown.  Sure enough I found my way to the beach and it was brown.  So no swimming for me today.  I walked along the shore and on some of the rocks dodging trash along the way.  Why do people leave so much trash on the beach?

I decided I should head back, but I’d probably want to get some gas first.  I managed to pull the large Dodge Caravan I was driving to the pumps.  Did I mention Hawaii has a parking problem…which makes larger cars an even more hassle?  Not that I’m complaining, but I am used to my Volkswagen Beetle.

I accidentally left my gas cap off which a nice teenager or 20something pointed out to me later on just a few blocks away.

I decided to head back to Hickam base.  After about 30 minutes of driving I made it back…this time to the commissary.  The Hickam Commissary has a Subway, Papa John’s, Popeye’s and Baskin Robbins, which comes in handy if you don’t want to leave the base. If there is any doubt, this base is huge.  It takes a good 15 minutes driving at 15 MPH to get out of it.  There is a beach on the base, but it was a bit far away and it was getting late, so I eventually found my way back to my hosts’ house, but not before calling them as all the houses look the same, and Google Maps doesn’t give accurate directions to their alley where they park their cars.

Tomorrow I have a full day ahead with a visit to Molokai.  It should be interesting seeing Kalaupapa, where those with Hansen’s disease were committed.