On December 8, 1941, the United States declared war upon Japan in response to the December 7th attack, a date which will live in infamy in the history of the U.S. and, particularly, in the history of the United States Navy. Less than one hundred years after LT Curtis’ report, the Empire of Japan attacked the U.S. Navy base at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, killing more than 2000 Americans and sinking twenty-one vessels of the U.S. fleet. The Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum located on the historic Ford Island in Honolulu was also at the center of the attack.
Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum offers visitors a free audio tour in six languages, a Gift Store, and the WWII themed Lanikea Café which serves gourmet burgers, sandwiches, fresh island salads, daily specials, wine and beer.
The 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor was commemorated at the Museum, in Hawaii, and around the country. The Military History collection of the State Museum of Pennsylvania is home to a memento that marks the launching of the USS Cassin and USS Shaw at the Philadelphia Navy Yard on October 28, 1935. A small celluloid and metal button commemorates the day in the appropriate colors of navy blue and gold. This program is a joint venture between The Museum of Flight and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum at Pearl Harbor. The Ford Island museum is a showcase of aviation history from biplanes to modern jet fighters. The air-conditioned, WWII-themed Laniākea Café offers a full lunch menu from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm daily, and Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum store carries a great selection of Pearl Harbor, aviation, WWII and patriotic merchandise.
The Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum brochure suggests a tour of this expansive throng of aircraft will take an hour, maybe 90 minutes. The Balao-class submarine launched one year after the December 7 attack and dubbed the Pearl Harbor Avenger, is one of the most celebrated war vessels in United States history. Then, board a Navy shuttle for a visit to the magnificent USS Arizona Memorial, a striking 184-foot-long site that rests above the sunken battleship, a solemn reminder of the 1,177 crewmen who rest within (75 were recovered, 1,102 remain entombed there). The vast airplane collection inside the historic hangars makes Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum a must-see when you visit Pearl Harbor.