Hawaii burst into the pages of America's history nearly two decades before statehood when on Dec. 7, 1941, it became the target of a Japanese attack on the U.S. Pacific fleet in Pearl Harbor. The attack, which claimed the lives of 2,388 military and civilian personnel and resulted in the damage or loss of 21 vessels and 170 planes, triggered U.S. involvement in World War II.
The USS Arizona was one of seven battleships tied up along "Battleship Row" on the southeast shore of Ford Island when the first wave of the Japanese attack began. The ship exploded at approximately 8:10 a.m. In less than nine minutes, she sank with 1,177 of her crew.
Today more than 1.5 million people a year pay tribute to the Arizona crew when they visit the USS Arizona Memorial located on the Pearl Harbor Navy Base about a 45-minute drive west of Waikiki.
A 23-minute film precedes the short jaunt to the memorial. The documentary offers a moving account of the events that led to the Japanese attack. After the film ends, visitors board a Navy-operated launch for the short trip to the memorial, which was built to straddle the sunken hull of the battleship, the final resting place of many of the crew members who perished in the attack.
Tours are free and no reservations are required, but waits are common. Allow about 2.5 hours for the slightly over one hour tour. Security regulations prohibit all bags including backpacks, fanny packs, purses, diaper bags, shopping bags, camera bags, large video cameras and luggage from the visitor center and the memorial.
The U.S. Arizona Memorial and Visitor Center are open from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week except New Year's Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Tours begin on an average of every 15 minutes from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
