To most people, when one says "Hawaii" the word generally conjures up visions of beautiful beaches with swaying palm trees and pristine, turquoise ocean waters. A tropical paradise bristling with festive luaus, sun bronzed dancers performing the native Hula, surfing, steel guitars and of course incredible days packed with consistently gorgeous weather. Say Hawaii to this student of the WWII Pacific naval campaign, and one thought immediately comes into my mind: Pearl Harbor. Maybe it's not as romantic a concept for some as the aforementioned images, but it is an extremely important personal subject for me as it represents the moment in time when the United States entered World War II. Pearl Harbor is certainly more than simply an historic landmark. It has often been described as an event; a cataclysmic and horrible time in the history of the United States and the world.

I have been fortunate of having had the wonderful opportunity of traveling to the Hawaiian Islands for purposes other than my military duties, courtesy of Uncle Sam. My most recent trip took place in September of 2005 as a 25th wedding anniversary gift for my wife. Excited as I was to be spending ten glorious days in this Pacific paradise, I was, in truth, even more thrilled with the prospect of returning to Pearl Harbor to be able to see it through older, wiser more mature eyes; certainly with a more refined focus. I anticipated my visit with a greater appreciation and a deeper respect for all that Pearl Harbor represents to this great nation. The events which occurred on Dec. 7th, 1941 would shape a generation and ultimately define the course of world history.

Located within the home port of the U.S. Navy's Pacific Fleet, an active military installation, the civilian visitor section of Pearl Harbor is composed of three memorials: The Arizona Memorial, the Battleship USS Missouri and the Submarine Memorial.

THE ARIZONA MEMORIAL  As I looked across the harbor waters separating the waiting visitors from the memorial, I recalled of what I had read and learned of that day back in 1941. Realizing that I was about to enter a shrine dedicated to the bravery and courage of what has come to be known as the greatest generation, where 2,390 Americans lost their lives on December 7th, I was honored to be able to pay homage to those brave souls for having made the ultimate sacrifice. I also couldn't help but get a little emotional as I thought of my Dad who had passed away two years earlier. He served in the Pacific Theater as a U.S. Navy Corpsman (PhM2Cl) and took part in the invasions of Guam and Okinawa. The mortality rate was extremely high for Navy medics and I felt truly blessed that he had survived. I couldn't help too but wonder at how this quiet, gentle man that I knew growing up, managed to be remain so saintly after having gone through such a terrible ordeal. I was both extremely proud and profoundly humbled.

As the crowds on any given day to view the memorial are generally quite large, we were told it is best to arrive early. As I understood it, they allow for a only limited number of tickets each day so we planned on being at the entrance by 9 am. Even with that, we had upwards of an hour to wait before we were able to actually get to the actual  memorial. Apparently, 0900 was not nearly early enough. The wait is not without its benefits because you have the opportunity to see many of the recovered ship's artifacts and take a self guided tour of the different stations located in the museum. Without a doubt it is time well spent and an experience that should not be missed.

The trip from the museum to the actual memorial is made by being ferried across the harbor in a U.S. Navy launch. I tried to visualize in my mind's eye, as we crossed the harbor's waters, the confusion and terror that must have reigned there 60 plus years ago. I am sure that my imaginings did not do it justice. Arriving at the memorial pier, we disembarked and I noticed the quiet, church-like atmosphere of the surroundings. All conversation is in hushed tones and profound reverence for the occasion is obvious. As we walked through the memorial corridor, I was struck by the realization that directly below the surface, along with the submerged rusting gun turrets and slicks of the USS Arizona's oil which still lazily floats to the surface after these many decades, was the final resting place of those hundreds of sailors who died that day. Above all else, Pearl Harbor is hallowed ground.

Here we were in the location where, for the United States, World War II began. Looking just to the east of the memorial the Battleship Missouri is in plain sight .  . where, on her decks, WWII was officially and finally ended. The symbolism of the Missouri facing bow on to the Arizona Memorial is that of the start of WWII - represented by the Arizona - is within easy view of the Battleship Missouri - where on her decks the war officially came to a victorious end.

THE USS BOWFIN SUBMARINE MUSEUM and PARK My primary focus of study regarding World War II has for years been the Pacific submarine war. Three complete walls of my office are lined with hundreds of volumes of books and literature covering not only Pacific naval engagements but land based battles and campaigns. The largest, most complete portion of my book collection is devoted to U.S. submarine operations in WWII. In all sincerity, when I sat down to write this section, I fully anticipated being able to present an objective, unbiased review of my visit to the Bowfin Museum. Unfortunately, as hard as I tried, I found that task to be impossible. It was more than just casual curiosity which brought me to the Bowfin Museum. Rather, my passion for this part of American military history made this trip more like the unleashing of youngster into Disney World. My interest in submarine history coupled with the excellent presentation of the museum allows me to sum up my visit there in one word: FANTASTIC! I'm sure that much is due to the fact that the memorial is located in Pearl Harbor . . . where WWII began for United States; or maybe it was just my deep interest for this part of U.S. naval history but without a doubt, this was an incredibly enlightening and humbling experience.

Aboard ship, the Bowfin is all spit and polish. The brass in the torpedo rooms absolutely glistens, any stainless steel sparkles, the glass gauges are crystal clear and it looked liked they swab her passageways on a daily basis. It even looked like the cork on the interior of the hulls was just installed. My wife, who dutifully follows along on my forays to WWII submarine memorials was equally impressed and marveled at the technological complexity of a vessel that was over 60 years old. Cramped? You bet . . . but it's a World War II submarine and I couldn't help but wonder how it must have felt for any submariner to be inside one of these steel tubes while depth charges rained down from above. This boat was there. She's the proud survivor of a terrible era in world history and her battle flag is testimony to the bravery and dedication of the crews that pitted her against a seasoned and tenacious enemy. 

The Bowfin herself is just one part of this whole picture. There is also an outstanding museum to visit. Lined with artifacts, photos, flags, models and mementos, this modern building is a treasure trove of submarine history. From the humble beginnings of America's silent service to the present day nukes, the park provides a well rounded presentation of American submarine history and legend in which I could have spent hours . . . if my wife would have allowed it.

An extremely inspiring area of the park is the remembrance of the fifty two boats lost during the war. Each of the submarines has a separate concrete memorial with a bronze plaque. These tributes encircle an American flag waving in the center of the ring, overlooking Pearl Harbor. A time for quiet reflection and thought provoking admiration in honor of the bravery and dedication of the 52 crews who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

The USS Bowfin is without a doubt one of the few surviving tangible pieces of World War II naval history. An inspiring tribute to that small percentage of sailors who served aboard U.S. submarines during WWII in the Pacific. Visit Hawaii for the sunshine, the beaches and the luaus. But in my humble but highly biased opinion, a trip to Oahu could not be complete without experiencing what remains of one of the most critical periods of American history.

USS Bowfin Submarine Park