Oahu - Hawaii with Kids - page 116

a shot, taking 1,177 sailors and Marines to their deaths—and catapulting the
United States into World War II.
Nobody who visits the memorial will ever forget it. The deck of the ship lies
6 feet below the surface of the sea. Oil still oozes slowly up from the Arizona's
engine room to stain the harbor's calm, blue water; some say the ship still weeps
for its lost crew. The memorial is a stark, white, 184-foot rectangle that spans
the sunken hull of the ship; it was designed by Alfred Pries, a German architect
interned on Sand Island during the war. It contains the ship's bell, recovered from
the wreckage, and a shrine room with the names of the dead carved in stone.
Today, free U.S. Navy launches take visitors to the Arizona. Try to arrive at
the visitor center, operated jointly by the National Park Service and the U.S.
Navy, no later than 1:30pm to avoid the huge crowds; waits of 1 to 3 hours are
common, and they don't take reservations. While you're waiting for the shuttle
to take you out to the ship—you'll be issued a number and time of departure—
you can explore the interesting museum's personal mementos, photographs, and
historic documents. A moving 20-minute film precedes your trip to the ship.
Allow a total of at least 4 hours for your visit.
Due to increased security measures, visitors cannot carry purses, handbags,
fanny packs, backpacks, camera bags, diaper bags, or other items that offer con-
cealment on the boat. However, there is a container to store carry-on-size items
(no bigger than 30 in. by 30 in. by 18 in.), with a small fee of $2 (per item).
Note that baby strollers, baby carriages, and baby backpacks are not allowed in
the theater, on the boat, or on the USS Arizona Memorial. All babies must be
carried. One last note: Most unfortunately, the USS Arizona Memorial is a
high-theft area—leave your valuables at the hotel.
Pearl Harbor. & 808/422-0561 (recorded info) or 808/422-2771. www.nps.gov/usar. Daily 7:30am-5pm
(programs run 8am-3pm). Free admission. Children under 12 should be accompanied by an adult. Shirts and
shoes required; no swimsuits or flip-flops allowed (shorts are okay). Wheelchairs gladly accommodated. Drive
west on H-1 past the airport; take the USS Arizona Memorial exit and follow the green-and-white signs;
there's ample free parking. Bus: 20 and 47; or Arizona Memorial Shuttle Bus ( & 808/839-0911 ), which
picks up at Waikiki hotels 6:50am-1pm ($6 round-trip).
USS Arizona's Junior Ranger Program
Initially, your child may not be as excited about a trip to the USS Ari-
zona Memorial as, say, snorkeling Hanauma Bay or wandering through
the Waikiki Aquarium. But the U.S. Parks Department has tried to
make the historical memorial as meaningful to the younger genera-
tion as it is to the older generation through the “Junior Ranger” book-
let. The booklet is written for young students and takes them through
the exciting events leading up to and the attack itself (explaining
things like the Opana Radar, Target Oahu, Midget Subs, Battleship
Row, and Code-Breaking Magic). The guide in this topic is a talking
dolphin named Koa, which in Hawaii translates as “warrior” and in
military-ese is an acronym for Knowledge Officer for the Arizona.
The booklet is free; pick one up at the visitor center's front desk.
Your Junior Ranger not only earns a badge, but also learns the story of
December 7, 1941, and gains an appreciation for the USS Arizona
Memorial.