Friday, May 30, 2014

USS Missouri and "Punchbowl" Cemetery

Right after our tour of Pearl Harbor, we headed over to the USS Missouri for a tour. This was my first time to get a close look at a battleship, and it was interesting.
This ship was used for 5 days during the Persian Gulf war, launching Tomahawk missiles.


This ship sustained an attack by a Japanese Kamikaze pilot during the war. The crew gave the pilot a seaside burial with a Japanese flag that they fashioned together with materials on board the ship.
 A couple of photos from inside the ship. It was more spacious that I had imagined it to be, but I bet after weeks on end of being aboard, it wouldn't seem very spacious.  These are two different dining rooms.
 It was upon this ship, that the Instrument of Surrender was signed by Japan, ending WWII. This is a reproduction of the document.

A statue of Admiral Chester W. Nimtiz, who served as commander in chief of the Pacific fleet during WWII.

This is a colorized statue of one of the most famous photographs of the war era.

 We had a quick drive-through tour of The National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, or the "Punchbowl" Cemetery.  The grounds were being prepared for the upcoming services for Memorial Day weekend.  The cemetery is built within the Punchbowl crater, hence the nickname.

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