Aboard the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial

Designing our Nations Monuments

I sometimes wonder how it is that we have been so blessed in this country to have some of the greatest monuments to our heroes. What a task, honor and responsibility it must be for the designers. They are building something that countless visitors will see for all of our remaining history. Something that must encapsulate remembrance, that must honor and make us all reflect on tragedy, courage, valor. I believe the two finest examples of many in the United States are the Vietnam Memorial in Washington D.C and the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial in Oahu, Hawaii.

A Different Sort of Hallowed Ground

The U.S.S. Arizona Memorial is one of the most solemn places I have visited. It is an active cemetery and most of the crew members are still aboard (only a few hundred survived the attack). The space is open and airy, sereneā€¦a very stark contrast to December 7, 1941. This life preserver struck me at the end of my visit. It’s an almost ironic thing on a memorial to so many sailors who died without enough time to even attempt to use one. It’s there for the living of course, but then again, perhaps the memorial is there for us as well. May the dead only know peace.

Photo Technical Info

Honolulu Memorial Park

Cemetery

On the drive back to Waikiki Beach from visiting the Pali Lookout, I saw a roadside turn off that I immediately pulled over on. I love these scenic overlook as they are most often great places to shoot landscapes from. There is a strong Japanese influence on Oahu which can plainly be seen in Honolulu Memorial Park also know as Kyoto Gardens. It is both a garden park and an adjoining cemetery for Buddhists…I didn’t get a change to visit while I was there, but I have this on my stop list for a visit next year.