Wednesday, December 7, 2005

A MOMENT OF SILENCE

I have visited the Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii dozens of times, and each time I visited I was overwhelmed by the same intense emotions.  Each visit, whether it was the first or the 100th, transports the visitor to that tragic and fateful day.

In the early morning hours of December 7, 1941, 2,388 lives were lost.  1,177 were crewmen of the USS Arizona.  Only 75 bodies were ever recovered.  The other 1,102 remain entombed on the wreckage.  If you stand on the Memorial and look down into the water you can see droplets of oil floating up to the surface like dark, iridescent tears from the battleship itself.

The attack on Pearl Harbor marked the change in not only our country but in the world.  Much good has eventually come from the lessons learned, but the toll on all countries involved was great and the lives lost are still honored and mourned.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Memorials are always so touching.   I am glad that we try to remember and learn from our mistakes.  In this global world there is probably a memorial in Japan similar to this because we struck back.   What goes around comes around I always say so hopefully we can forgive and forget.  One of my best friends is Japanese and her family was interned during this time.  Peace to all.  
Maria    

Followers