The Harmony Highway: The Pearl

While we were in Hawaii, we decided to drive down to Pearl Harbor and visit the memorial. Let me just say that this was one of the most moving and emotionally heavy things I've ever experienced. It was incredible. This is one of those things that really makes you appreciate the sacrifice of those servicemen and women who gave their lives for the cause of freedom. One other thing that tugs at my heart strings is that my paternal grandfather was in the Navy and happened to be shot down before Pearl Harbor. We used to joke and think it was funny because he got shot "in the buttocks"- as Forrest Gump would say. Some shrapnel hit his plane and he was sent to San Diego to recover. I'm not sure how long before Pearl Harbor that this happened, but every time I think about that, I realize that had he not been shot down there was a very good possibility that he could have been there and I might never have known him. Thank goodness I was able to know him for a short while. Anyway, when we got to the memorial, they shuffled people into a small "theater" and showed a 20 minute video about the events that led up to that pivotal moment in time. It was very eye opening and helped shape the story give the visitor a better perspective on the events that took place that day. I am still amazed at the number of people that were forever entombed inside the ships and was so touched by the survivor's desire to rest with their shipmates, when their time came. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.