Pearl Harbor National Memorial (Episode 28)

Send us Fan MailOn December 7th, 1941, 2,300 military personnel and civilians were killed in the attack on Pearl Harbor. Over 900 sailors and marines aboard the USS Arizona are still entombed there. It is their burial site.Today, 1.5 million people per year come to pay their respects — and the National Park Service, working alongside active duty US Navy sailors, takes a boat out to the memorial every 15 minutes to make that possible.David Kilton, Interpretation and Visitor Services Lead at Pearl Harbor National Memorial, joins The Parks Podcast to share the full story — the history, the logistics, and how to visit one of the most sacred and carefully managed sites in the national park system.In this episode: — How Pearl Harbor National Memorial came to be — from the day of the attack through 1980 and the NPS partnership — The USS Arizona — why 900+ sailors are still entombed there, and what that means for visitors — The story of the salvage divers — and why the Arizona couldn't be saved — The "Arizona Detachment" — active duty US Navy sailors who consider themselves part of the Arizona crew — Roosevelt's Day of Infamy speech — and the handwritten edits on display in the museum that make history immediate — The virtual standby system — how it replaced hours in line with a text to your phone — How to get a boat reservation on Recreation.gov — and what to do if you can't — The no-bag policy — what you can and can't bring, and why — The USS Oklahoma and USS Utah memorial tours — 3x/week on Ford Island — The sister park relationship with Hiroshima Peace Park — student exchanges and the peace and reconciliation mission — The Japanese bombardier and the Marine bugler who became friends after the attackLinks mentioned: — Plan your visit: nps.gov/perl — Boat reservations: recreation.gov (56 days in advance, $1/seat) — Virtual standby: sign up on-site via phone — USS Oklahoma/Utah tours: recreation.gov (Mon/Wed/Fri)Support the show