2025.04.01
Aloha!
Today, we went to Pearl Harbor. First, we saw the sunken USS Arizona battleship, which is now a memorial. Seeing the real ship and being at the actual location was a very powerful experience. We noticed that the wreckage Arizona is still leaking fuel oil.
We also got a tour of the battleship USS Missouri. It remained in service until 1992. We saw the spot where the Japanese government signed the documents of surrender for World War II onboard the USS Missouri. There is still damage on the ship where a kamikaze pilot attacked.
Our day was very impactful in many ways. We were reminded of the importance of English as a global language. We thought about not only the atomic bomb, but also peace. Having completed two years in Global Issues, we were able to clearly see the American perspective of Pearl Harbor from before and after the attack.
At the end of the day, we all met the park Superintendent Tom Leatherman and Ranger Holly, who gave us a private tour of the visitor center. We shared our thoughts as well as asked questions and answered questions.
Individually, we all agree that we could only gain a deep understanding of Pearl Harbor by being there. In other words, we all felt the power of the local sites at Pearl Harbor.
