VI
EN
Text and photos:Quoc Vinh
Painful memories
The 50th state to join the United States on August 21, 1959, and situated in the Pacific Ocean, the Hawaiian Islands are a long chain of islands with a total area of nearly 17,000 km² and a population of over 1.5 million. The largest is Hawaii Island (over 10,000 km²), located at the far end of the archipelago, but the most important is Oahu Island, with an area of approximately 1,500 km², located about 140 miles northwest of Hawaii. On the southern coast of Oahu lies Honolulu, the capital of the archipelago with over 350,000 inhabitants, and more than 55% of its population is of Asian descent.
.JPG_2.JPG)
Also on the southern coast of the island, about 6 miles west of Honolulu, is Pearl Harbor, the main base of the U.S. Pacific Fleet since 1940. Situated on a bay that cuts inland and divides into several sheltered channels and waterways, with an island in the middle of the bay known as "Ford Island," this natural harbor provides ideal conditions for protecting the fleet against external attacks. The harbor's defenses are extremely meticulous, with a special steel mesh system designed to protect against torpedoes and submarines. Besides Pearl Harbor, the fleet also has another base at Lahaina Harbor on Maui, an island located roughly between Oahu and Hawaii.
According to historical records, on the morning of December 7, 1941, swarms of Japanese fighter planes unexpectedly bombed American warships at Pearl Harbor, causing a devastating shock. This was because Japan had not issued a formal declaration of war before suddenly attacking Pearl Harbor, while the United States and Japan were still in the negotiation phase.
Immediately upon ordering the end of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Admiral Yamamoto, the commanding officer of the Japanese navy in this offensive, sensed the difficulties Japan would face. And indeed, this victory was a crucial turning point in World War II, leading to President Roosevelt's declaration of war against Japan at 12:30 PM on December 8th.
Foreign military experts consider the attack on Pearl Harbor a lesson in complacency and unpreparedness for battle. In terms of intelligence, Japan had prepared for the attack for years, and over 11 months of comprehensive combat preparations resulted in a strategically significant battle that lasted nearly three hours. Pearl Harbor is also the title of a 2001 film by director Michael Bay about the 1941 attack. The film is more of a love story than an accurate chronicle of the event, although some of the events presented did actually happen. Some of the scenes on the ship were filmed on the USS Lexington in Corpus Christi, Texas. At the 2001 Academy Awards, the film was nominated in four categories and won the Oscar for Best Sound Editing.
When the color green fills
Seventy-four years after that horrific moment, Pearl Harbor continues to operate normally. Warships and aircraft carriers still enter and leave the harbor, and it was recognized as a historical site on January 29, 1964. And crowds of people from all over the world continue to flock here daily to visit. Although they are not allowed into the working areas of the aircraft carriers, visiting the landmarks and paying respects at the memorial helps them understand more about the history of this land…
.JPG_5.JPG)
Among the attractions here, the first must-see is the USS Arizona Memorial. The destruction of the USS Arizona and the immense loss of naval forces associated with the sinking were the reasons the United States entered World War II. Today, the USS Arizona Memorial is operated by the National Park Service and attracts many visitors.
The memorial area is free to visit, but visitors must have a ticket to enter. Tickets are distributed free of charge from 7:00 AM, and the visitor program runs from 7:45 AM to 3:00 PM daily. A maximum of just over 2,000 tickets are issued each day.
The USS Arizona Memorial tour lasts approximately 75 minutes and includes a 23-minute documentary with English subtitles depicting the battle on a massive screen, assembled from three sides if time permits. Afterward, visitors take a boat trip to the memorial, viewing a list of U.S. Navy sailors who perished with the ship in the attack, inscribed on a giant marble plaque, and photographing the rusted turrets of the sunken aircraft carrier still visible above the water. Visitors can even see oil leaks and bubbles rising to the surface if they look long enough. The guide further explains that for over half a century, sailors at Pearl Harbor have held daily flag-raising and flag-lowering ceremonies at the USS Arizona Memorial, believing that thousands of servicemen still rest within the wreck and that the ship continues to perform its assigned duties.
Visitors can also continue their tour by visiting the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park. This submarine, named the "Pearl Harbor Avenger," was launched on December 7, 1942, and sank 44 enemy ships during its nine wartime patrols. Visitors can also spend over an hour exploring other submarines in Bowfin Park and the Waterfront Memorial, commemorating the 52 U.S. Navy submarines and over 3,500 Allied submarines shot down during World War II.
To learn how to operate a massive aircraft carrier, visitors should go aboard the USS Missouri. Weighing over 58,000 tons and with 900 feet below the waterline, the USS Missouri was recommissioned on January 29, 1944, and continued to participate in operations during the final months of World War II. Visitors need at least two hours to explore every nook and cranny of the ship, a miniature military city, touch the giant cannons, see the daily life of the U.S. Navy, and enjoy panoramic views of Hawaii from above.
The final stop is the Pacific Aviation Museum, opened in 1999 and also located on Ford Island. It's a must-see, especially for those fascinated by the soaring wings of aircraft. It displays a variety of models of Japanese warships and aircraft, 1,764-pound bombs, nearly 7-meter-long aerial torpedoes, and exhibits on radio communication and code transmission used in the attack, along with many other valuable documents.
If you're not afraid of seeing weapons or scenes of death, take a walk along the waterfront, where a memorial walkway has been erected with events, images, and diagrams about the Pearl Harbor attacks. This is a relaxing and free option!
Today, the Hawaiian Islands have become a popular tourist destination, attracting visitors from all over the world. They come not only for sightseeing but also to learn more about a major event in American history. The road to Pearl Harbor, seemingly difficult to find on Google Earth satellite maps, is actually a straight road stretching to the horizon, blending with the blue of the sea, the blue of the clouds, and the rows of palm trees, allowing visitors to feel the return of peace spreading throughout every corner of this place…
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
But A "No Bags" policy applies when visiting Pearl Harbor. Due to enhanced security measures, all wallets, handbags, backpacks, shoulder bags, camera bags, diaper bags, luggage, or any other type of bag that could conceal items are not permitted inside Pearl Harbor Information Centre. Only cameras and video cameras are allowed; all other bags must be left at the deposit center at the national park entrance for a fee of $3.
But The USS Arizona Memorial is always crowded with visitors, especially in the summer, when the weather is good, and on weekends. Therefore, visitors should arrive early to get free tickets at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center.
But Official information regarding visiting Pearl Harbor can be found at: www.pearlharborhistoricsites.org
But City buses to Pearl Harbor number 20 and 42 cost $2.50 each way.
But Along the way, you can stop at a bus stop to visit Chinatown, which offers a variety of local products as well as stalls run by Vietnamese people.
But Hawaiian cuisine is rich and diverse, but also quite expensive. Tourists should try Hawaiian pizza and Hawaiian sandwiches, both of which feature pineapple as a main ingredient.
