Pearl Harbor Tours

Historically significant Pearl Harbor tours commemorate the December 7, 1941 attack on the U.S. naval base on Oahu initiated by Japanese military forces, a date that will "live in infamy." The unprecedented assault on the U.S. Pacific Fleet left thousands of American Navy, Marine, and Army Air Corps dead, along with 68 civilians. Over 90% of those killed were officers and crewmen serving aboard the USS Arizona battleship. The Arizona took the brunt of the first air attack just after 7:55 a.m. on the morning of December 7th. To this day, the crewmen's remains still lie beneath the USS Arizona Memorial, a uniquely designed building constructed over the sunken battleship in 1961, 20 years after her demise. Since 1962, the USS Arizona Pearl Harbor Memorial has comprised a major part of Pearl Harbor Tours to various sites in Hawaii near the original battle, including Honolulu and Oahu. Pearl Harbor tours, though sobering, are an appropriate effort to preserve the memories of those lost in the Pacific conflict, which was the impetus for the United States ultimate involvement in World War II. Japan later lost the war to American-led Allied forces and conceded defeat by signing a truce aboard the USS Missouri in the presence of General Douglas MacArthur and Admiral Chester Nimitz.

Regrettably, mankind seems determined to wage war all over the world; but war and global conflict are signs of the end times and the second coming of Jesus Christ. "And as He sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto Him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in My Name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginnings of sorrow." (Matthew 24:3-8) Since war is apparently inevitable, men and women must endeavor to seek God for the redemption, salvation, and preservation of the soul, which can only be found in Jesus Christ.

Since its dedication in 1962, the USS Arizona Pearl Harbor Memorial has been visited by each U.S. President since Franklin Roosevelt and each Japanese Emperor, beginning with Hirohito. Entertainers, actors, private citizens, and the U.S. government have raised funds and contributed financially to preserve this historically significant venue. Nearly 4,500 individuals, including survivors of the 1941 attack, visit the Memorial each day, tossing fragrant leis and mementos into the watery grave surrounding the modern structure. Pearl Harbor tours not only include visits to the USS Arizona, but also to the USS Missouri, Punchbowl Crater, the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, the recently constructed Pacific Aviation Museum, and Visitor Centers in Oahu and Honolulu. Pilgrimages to the Arizona Memorial include annual commemorative ceremonies or a viewing of the shrine room with an engraved marble wall containing the names of nearly 1,200 sailors. Visitors to the islands of Honolulu and Oahu can board buses for narrated tours of all sites which were actively engaged in the attack nearly 70 years ago. Tourists may also board the USS Missouri by boat to view historical documents, relics, and artifacts, or experience first-hand, the exact location where Japanese dignitaries signed the armistice which ended World War II. Tours also take visitors to the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl to view the graves of fallen servicemen, and respond silently to a war that forever changed the lives of Americans, Japanese, Hawaiians, and the world.

Pearl Harbor tours are accessible from several different locations in the Hawaiian Islands. Tourists can take an inter-island flight from Maui, stopping at Oahu to visit the island's commemorative sites, especially the USS Arizona Memorial. From the Pearl Harbor Memorial, tourists can stop at Oahu's Visitor Center, then on to the USS Missouri Excursion by boat. The last two stops end at the city of Honolulu and Punchbowl's National Memorial Cemetery. From Honolulu, tourists take a 120-mile circuit from the USS Arizona Memorial around the island for an unforgettable day, soaking in the spectacular scenery of tropical foliage, stunning beaches, and oceanfront views. Another favorite attraction is riding "The Duck," a World War II amphibian vehicle, which goes effortlessly from land to sea. The Duck transports curious but delighted tourists through the Keehi Lagoon to board the USS Arizona Memorial.

One of the most popular Pearl Harbor treks includes a 40-mile bus ride from Honolulu to Oahu, as tour guides narrate points of interest along the way to the USS Arizona Pearl Harbor Memorial and a short film on the 1941 attack. In addition to narratives, films, and exhibits, some venues include recorded or graphic testimonies from Pearl Harbor survivors, tours of reconstructed airplane hangars displaying World War II Japanese and American fighter planes, and actual relics. Tours to the Pacific Aviation Museum include viewing actual footage and original photos from the 1941 attack, along with a detailed history of American Aviators. While visitors can expect to pay admission fees to each venue, the inspirational value of touring the Pearl Harbor Memorial is priceless. Surveying the site of the 1941 infamous assault, along with original documents and artifacts, enables one to reflect soberly on the devastating effects of war on mankind. And yet, the brave service men and women who gave their lives for America's freedom deserve ample recognition and national gratitude. An abiding lesson to be learned for people of all nations is to exercise diplomacy and foster goodwill at home and abroad so that December 7, 1941 will never again be repeated.

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