One of the most signifcant things that we did when we visited Hawaii was to visit Pearl Harbor.  We saw the USS Arizona Memorial and I wanted to share some pictures of that.

First, here is a map of Oahu.  You’ll see the natural harbor of Pearl Harbor at the south (bottom) end of the island.

Next, here is a detailed photo showing the Arizona Memorial.  The map shows a label for the Missouri; you can see the white markers to the north east of the Missouri.  That is where Arizona, Nevada, Tennessee, Vestal and other ships were moored when they were attacked.

One thing that really hit me was the marker with the names of the crewmembers still on station.  Here is one with a name that struck me.

Did you notice the one in the middle with CAPT after his name?  F Van Valkenburgh, CAPT USN was lost on board that day.  Who was this guy?  Well, according to the US Navy, he was in command of Arizona when she was attacked.  Here is a little background from the Navy on this man.

Franklin Van Valkenburgh was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on 5 April 1888. Appointed a Midshipman in 1905, he graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in June 1909. His initial service was in battleships, punctuated by a tour with the Asiatic Squadron in 1911-14. He received postgraduate education in the field of steam engineering and was Engineering Officer of the battleship Rhode Island during the First World War. Van Valkenburgh was twice an instructor at the Naval Academy during the late ‘Teens and in the ‘Twenties, and also served in the battleships Minnesota and Maryland during that time. Following promotion to the rank of Commander, he was assigned to the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, in Washington, D.C., during 1928-31

In the early 1930s, Commander Van Valkenburgh commanded the destroyer Talbot and Destroyer Squadron Five. He was a student at the Naval War College and inspector of naval materiel at the New York Navy Yard before again serving at sea as Commanding Officer of the destroyer tender Melville in 1936-38. Captain Van Valkenburg then spent a tour ashore with the Third Naval District and, in February 1941 became Commanding Officer of the battleship Arizona. He was killed in action when his ship exploded and sank during the 7 December 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. For his “conspicuous devotion to duty and extraordinary courage” at that time, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

The destroyer USS Van Valkenburgh (DD-656), 1944-1967, was named in honor of Captain Van Valkenburgh.

Medal of Honor citation of Captain Franklin Van Valkenburgh(as printed in the official publication “Medal of Honor, 1861-1949, The Navy”, page 272):”For conspicuous devotion to duty, extraordinary courage and complete disregard of his own life, during the attack on the Fleet in Pearl Harbor, T.H., by Japanese forces on 7 December 1941. As Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. Arizona, Captain Van Valkenburgh gallantly fought his ship until the U.S.S. Arizona blew up from magazine explosions and a direct bomb hit on the bridge which resulted in the loss of his life.”

Here is another one.

Did you notice I C Kidd, RADM USN?  He was the battleship taskforce commander, in charge of all of the US Pacific Fleet battleships at the time, and also went down with the USS Arizona.  Here is what the US Navy had to say about him:

Isaac Campbell Kidd was born in Cleveland, Ohio, on 26 March 1884. He entered the U.S. Naval Academy in 1902, graduating with the Class of 1906 in February of that year, and was commissioned an Ensign in 1908. Kidd participated in the 1907-09 “Great White Fleet” cruise around the World while serving in USS New Jersey (BB-16). Following service in USS North Dakota (BB-29) and USS Pittsburgh (Armored Cruiser # 4), he became Aide and Flag Secretary to the Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet, the first of his many flag staff assignments. He was an instructor at the Naval Academy in 1916-17.

During and after the First World War, Kidd was stationed on USS New Mexico (BB-40), then had further staff and Naval Academy service. He was executive officer of the battleship Utah (BB-31) in 1925-26, then commanded USS Vega (AK-17) until becoming Captain of the Port at Chrisobal, Panama Canal Zone in 1927-30. Promoted to the rank of Captain, he was Chief of Staff to Commander, Base Force, U.S. Fleet in 1930-32. After three years at the Bureau of Navigation in Washington, D.C., he was Commander Destroyer Squadron ONE, Scouting Force, in 1935-36.

Captain Kidd next attended the Naval War College and served on the College staff. He was Commanding Officer of USS Arizona(BB-39) from September 1938 until February 1940, when he was promoted to Rear Admiral and assigned as Commander Battleship Division ONE and Chief of Staff to Commander, Battleships, Battle Force. On 7 December 1941, he was killed in action on board Arizona during the Pearl Harbor Raid. Rear Admiral Isaac C. Kidd was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Pearl Harbor attack.

Two U.S. Navy destroyers have been named in honor of Rear Admiral Kidd: USS Kidd (DD-661), 1943-1974 (still afloat as a memorial at Baton Rouge, Louisiana); and USS Kidd (DDG-993), 1981–.

Medal of Honor citation of Rear Admiral Isaac C. Kidd (as printed in his official Navy Office of Information Biography, June 1974):”For conspicuous devotion to duty, extraordinary courage, and complete disregard of his own life, during the attack on the Fleet in Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii, by Japanese Forces on December 7, 1941. He immediately went to the bridge and as Commander Battleship Division ONE, courageously discharged his duties as Senior Officer Present Afloat until the USS ARIZONA, his Flagship, blew up from magazine explosions and a direct bomb hit on the bridge, which resulted in the loss of his life.”

Wow.  These are just two of the outstanding Navy officers and enlisted men who were killed on that early Sunday morning in 1941.  Real people’s lives were forever changed by Japan’s aggressive actions.  We need to remember the cost of lost vigilance and ensure that we never allow this type of thing to happen again.

Here is the marker for those who survived the attack but chose to be buried aboard the Arizona with their lost shipmates.

The Navy will bury the ashes of Pearl Harbor survivors onboard the Arizona if they request it and coordinate the service with the Navy.  Their names are added to this panel in the memorial.  What a great way to respect these men.

The lost ships all have markers in the water over where they were lost.  Of course, the Arizona is still down there and you can see it from onboard the memorial.  Here are some shots of Arizona.

Here is a photo of the Arizona Memorial with the control tower that was in use on 7 December on Ford Island visible in the background.

Up until 11 September 2001, this was the site of the worst attack on the US in our history.  Being here and remembering the sacrifice of those lost here and those who had to fight World War II, including Laura’s father, was a moving and important experience.  If you are in Hawaii, reserve a day to go to Pearl Harbor and remember the sacrifice that led to victory for us in World War II.