Pearl Harbor National Memorial, Oahu
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All visitors are welcome to attend the USS Arizona Monument Program. Both the area and the museums are free to enter. More details about the park can be discovered here.
Now, DNA technology is being used to return the remains of servicemen lost in December 1941 aboard USS Oklahoma to their families.
On December 7, 1941, the Japanese surprise attack struck Pearl Harbor. It was a U.S. Naval Base located near Honolulu. On Sunday 7th December 1941, thousands of Japanese fighter planes attacked Pearl Harbor. Nearly 20 American ships were destroyed, or severely damaged by the Japanese fighter aircraft. The attack resulted in more than 2,400 Americans being killed. Civilians were among the casualties, as well as 1,000 other people. Franklin D. Roosevelt asked Congress to declare war on Japan the day after the attack.
Even though the attack took place before Japan had made a formal declaration, Admiral Yamamoto didn’t make the announcement. The announcement was made only one hour after the attack. Yamamoto had to present the message hours earlier than U.S. codebreakers could decipher most of them. The declaration of war is sometimes called the last section. Many senior U.S. officials saw it as a declaration to war. Many senior U.S. officials and military officers saw it as a sign that the negotiations were over and no war would break out. The declaration didn’t cause war nor end diplomatic relations. On December 8th, the Japanese government made a declaration of war. This was later published on the front page of the evening edition. It did not send the document to U.S. authorities until one day after it had published the declaration of war. A great place to also visit is
Divers from the Navy’s shore and tenders, the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, and service members (Pacific Bridge Company) begin working to refloat any vessels in the vicinity of Pearl Harbor. Navy divers, shore and tender divers, the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, and service members (Pacific Bridge Company) began work on any ships that might be recommissioned. Divers from the Navy (shore and tenders), the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, and civilian contractors (Pacific Bridge Company, among others) began refloating ships. They repaired the holes, cleaned up the debris, and evacuated the water. The damaged vessels were taken care of by Navy divers. Five battleships and two cruisers were repaired or floated in six months. They may be moved to Pearl Harbor or another island shipyard for more serious repairs.