USS Arizona Accessibility Briefing

USS Arizona Memorial

NPS

Accessibility Welcome Briefing

Aloha!

On behalf the National Park Service and United States Navy, welcome to Pearl Harbor National Memorial. There are three briefings that occur prior to departure. The first briefing occurs in the validation line. The second briefing occurs in the Boarding Theater after you have been checked into the Boarding Theater. The third briefing occurs on the Navy boat by the Navy Sailors who transport you to the USS Arizona Memorial.

While You are Wait in Line

Please enter the theater when directed by a Ranger. Once seated the Ranger will provide a five-minute briefing before releasing you on to a Navy boat. There is no park-film prior to departure. The 23-minute film plays separately in Theater 1 on the 0:15 and 0:45 of every hour. You do not need a ticket to watch the film.

*45-minute roundtrip once you enter the Memorial Boarding Room.
*Please silence electronic devices before entering the Memorial Boarding Room.
*Clear water only; no other food or beverage is allowed.
*No film in the Memorial Boarding Room.
*No strollers allowed. Please park strollers in the designated parking area.

Boarding Theater Briefing

You are about to embark on a 45-minute-long journey that will transport you via boat to the USS Arizona Memorial. There you will spend 10-15 minutes on the memorial itself and then return with this group. There is no coming back early or departing late unless there is an emergency. In case of emergency, let the Ranger know and the Ranger will help you get on the next boat back to the park.

Please help us create a quiet, contemplative space by silencing electronics, keeping your voice at a whisper volume, and conversations appropriate for where you are visiting.

As mentioned, there is a Ranger present at the memorial, and they are happy to answer your questions.

I want to take you back to the morning of Sunday, December 7^th, 1941. It’s 07:40 and the crew of the USS Arizona is getting ready to start their day. Morning colors will begin shortly at 08:00. The men are busy getting ready for work, others are getting ready to enjoy a day of liberty, or a day off, and others have been hard at work for hours already. Suddenly the men of the Arizona begin hearing the sounds of planes flying overhead. Military drills happen all the time at Pearl Harbor so, the men brush it off, assume it’s another drill, and continue with their morning. However, the sounds were not just another drill on base, these were the sounds of the “Kate” torpedo bombers who had just received their orders from Admiral Yamamoto to begin their attack on the United States’ Pacific Fleet. Just 15 minutes later, at 07:55 am the coordinated attack on Pearl Harbor begins. The USS Arizona is hit by a total of 4 armor piercing bombs. The final bomb hits at 08:06 and lands between gun turret 1 and 2, piercing the armored deck and eventually hitting the ship’s forward magazine containing over 1 million pounds of gunpowder and ammunition. At 8:10 the USS Arizona explodes.

On this single ship alone, 1,177 men lost their lives. Many were instantly cremated. Over 900 of our sailors and marines were never recovered, nor returned home, their ashes remain entombed within the ship, in the waters, beneath your feet for their eternal rest.

The memorial itself was designed by Alfred Preis. Construction of the memorial was completed in 1962 and was dedicated by President John F. Kennedy. The structure stands strong and proud at one end, sinks towards the middle, and raises back up on the other to symbolize the United States, the initial defeat after the attack, and ultimate victory at the end of the war. The structure is also said to resemble a bridge to serve as a reminder to build peace and to not repeat history’s mistakes. Along the memorial there are 21 openings said to symbolize a 21-gun salute or additionally the number of ships severely damaged or sunk during the attack. The room in the back of the memorial holds the name of the sailors and marines who lost their lives during the attack on December 7th as well as the surviving crew members who chose to return to the Arizona for their final resting place. One way you can pay your respects to each and every man is to read their individual names etched in marble on the shrine room’s wall. You will notice that last names repeat because there are dozens of sets of brothers, a father and a son, and the youngest man on that wall was 16 years old.

On each side of the shrine room wall is the Tree of Life which represents peace and reconciliation. Here at Pearl Harbor National Memorial, we have the honor of sharing the stories of Pearl Harbor. We also have the responsibility of sharing how one of our greatest enemies became one of our greatest allies. I encourage you not just to think of death and war but instead consider these principles of peace and reconciliation while visiting.

Please wait for the Ranger to open the doors and signal for you to exit to the dock where your boat will be waiting. Top exit has a ramp. Steps will take you to the second exit. Both exits will take you to a Navy boat.

Navy Boat Briefing

*No photos while entering the USS Arizona Memorial.
*Adult life jackets are located beneath the long benches.
*Children’s life jackets are located beneath the short benches.
*Please stay seated at all times. No standing or changing seats.
*Collect all of your belongings before departing the boat.
*Be present and respectful, and please remember where you are.

Mahalo and for visiting and paying your respects to the men of the USS Arizona Memorial.

Aloha.