It’s early morning, and as you head towards Honolulu’s infamous Pearl Harbor, your guide provides significant island history and background on what you will see.
Exhibits and artifacts at the WWII Valor in the Pacific National Monument set the scene, vividly depicting the events of December 1941. Next, you head by boat to the USS Arizona Memorial, where visitors from around the world pause to reflect; looking down on the ruins of the sunken WWII battleship. Aboard the nearby USS Missouri, you learn about “Mighty Mo’s” wartime history and see a signed copy of the surrender document that ended the war. Don’t miss the USS Oklahoma Memorial, a monument to those who lost their lives in the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Your guide takes you through downtown Honolulu and past the historic buildings that were a part of Hawaii’s history as a monarchy, a territory, and as the 50th state.
A drive through Punchbowl Crater, home of the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, completes this tour. Here, 38,000 markers pay tribute to the men and women of the US Armed Forces who have sacrificed for their country. Throughout the day, your guide shares insightful details about the beautiful island’s place in history. Experience this “memorial” tour and you will find a new appreciation for Oahu and its extraordinary past.
