KFI:
The USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu will remain closed longer than initially expected, the National Park Service announced in a statement Friday.
According to Hawaii News Now, an operator of one of the vessels that transports tourists to and from the memorial noticed a crack in the exterior. When crews completed repairs, tourists were allowed once again to disembark onto the Arizona.
However, the cracks reappeared a few hours later, and officials were forced to suspend boat transportation to the memorial. Further investigation of the issue revealed that the structure was not supporting the loading ramp the way that was needed. more here
Crack again rears its ugly head.
I don’t know why, but I’ve never liked that structure. I’ve been there, and my great uncle is buried nearby, but even as a kid in the Jet Age, I thought it was ugly and unserious as befitting it’s function. Although now, I hope they can fix it, because lord knows what would replace it, or even if it would be replaced.
When we visited some years back visitors maintained a quiet reverence. But it was kind of weird to see so many Japanese tourists.
Hope they get it repaired.
This is Redgrandma. It didn’t auto fill my info.
I went 10 years ago. It was truly amazing; I hope they can repair it, especially with Hawaii blowing up right now.
When I first read the headline and thought “Great, now the left has vandalized this war memorial.”
The times we live in with our fellow Americans, I guess.
Visited the memorial about 15 years ago, so when I was at Oahu last week, I skipped it. Now I wish I had visited it again. Ford Island aviation museum was impressive; still has Japanese bullet holes.
IMHO a real tragedy and disgrace. My first visit was in 1953; my 4th and last was ’05. How can we let this happen? A complete lack of respect for the men who died for America. I am sad to read this and MAD AS HELL!
Dr. Tar- I thought the same thing. lol
When I lived in Hawaii I visited the memorial often. And always took guests. I agree about the Japanese tourists though. That was unsettling.
I think the memorial is beautiful and fitting. I hope they fix the problem soon. Isn’t it strange that after all this time they are just now having problems with cracks?
Anonymous: “But it was kind of weird to see so many Japanese tourists.”
I saw a show on the Discovery Channel about 20 years ago. A Park Ranger said that Japanese tourists just flock to there. They all ask: “What is this all about?” It seems that the Japanese are taught that Japan was just sitting there minding its own business and the Big Bad United States just dropped a couple of A-bombs on them for no reason.
Sad part about the poor condition of the monument: if Obama was President and there was a government shut-down he would find the money to put up barricades to close down the monument, but I doubt he would ever spend a dime to maintain it.
Was there many years ago and saw the famous oil streak in the water.
There are not many places that evoke the feelings that are produced at a sanctuary such as that memorial.
That marble wall of chiseled names is something to behold.
The ‘ rigid peaks’ on either side of the ‘sag’ represent US before and after the war. Softened sag in the middle is the US during the war.
Cracks over time are to be expected (56 years old), especially in that salt water environment. BUT to let maintenance go, and yes periodic closings, on such a structure is not acceptable!!