Immortalized by the day the U.S. was thrown headfirst into war in the Pacific, this historic site represents the beginning and the end of World War II for many Americans.
“Remember Pearl Harbor!” Echoes of the call that rallied the nation for war still resound in Honolulu’s historic waterfront. Japan’s surprise attack on December 7, 1941 went down in history books as being the single moment that flung the United States into war, and Pearl Harbor still captures the drama and valor of that time. Formerly known to the Hawaiians as Wai Momi, or “Waters of Pearl,” the shallow lagoon is a quiet place that shimmers with a history stretching back into ancient Hawaiian mythology.
The harbor’s World War II history is enshrined in a cluster of memorials that float on the still waters of the lagoon. Take a deep breath and step back in time. The sunken USS Arizona remains Pearl Harbor’s wartime icon and is accessible by boat. Step aboard the floating shrine constructed on top of the defeated ship and pay your respects to the servicemen entombed within. The nearby USS Oklahoma took the second-biggest hit in the surprise Japanese torpedo strike. Across the harbor, the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum and Park tells the story of the “Pearl Harbor Avenger” and the technical development of submarines at the time.
Visit the USS Missouri to experience an epilogue to the action of World War II. The last battleship built by the U.S. was also the place where General Douglas MacArthur accepted surrender by the Japanese. Get an in-depth understanding of the harbor’s history at the WWII Valor in the Pacific National Monument and the Pacific Aviation Museum. We’d recommend taking at least a full day to explore Pearl Harbor’s evocative sights. If you’d like to pay your respects to Pearl Harbor’s war fallen, you can visit the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Punchbowl. Choose from guided tour packages that include several of Pearl Harbor’s key sights and experience the bigger picture in this poignant place.