Pearl Harbor.com Exclusive... by George E. Elliott Jr. Edited by David J. Castello

Japanese warplanes rev up their engines on the morning of Sunday, December 7, 1941 Regardless of your age, or your interest in World War II, a visit to Pearl Harbor Hawaii is an extremely emotional experience. There are many war memorials across America, but there's something truly different here. At 7:55 on the sunny morning of Sunday, December 7, 1941, 183 Japanese warplanes swooped out of a cloudless sky and demolished the US Pacific fleet docked at Pearl Harbor. It was this single catastrophic event, not the invasion of Poland, the Battle of Britain or the persecution of the Jews, that finally dragged the United States into World War II. But you already knew that, right? What you didn't know, and won't until you set foot on this beautiful island, is that Pearl Harbor has a way of pulling you back in time and wrapping its suntanned fingers around your heart like no other place in the world. The Hawaiian Islands are truly America's paradise and you are seduced by the perfumed scent of tropical flowers and soft kiss of Pacific trade winds the moment you arrive in Honolulu. Here, stress has a magical way of evaporating from your body. And the last thing you can imagine, as you close your eyes and stretch out on a balmy Oahu beach, is the thought of hundreds of killing machines suddenly screaming down upon you. It is this horrible paradox that will forever haunt Pearl Harbor and leave its indelible mark upon your soul. The Japanese dive bombers are long gone, but the wondrous allure of this tropical island remains. And so do the bodies of over 1,000 American sailors - still entombed in the hull of the U.S.S. Arizona. David J. Castello

	USS Arizona Battleship Memorial At Pearl Harbor, the USS Arizona suffered direct-hits from four 800-kg bombs dropped by high-altitude Japanese Kates and the remains of over 1,000 crewmen are still entombed in her hull. Even today, droplets of oil still leak to the surface. Complete caualty list, survivor list, ship's specifications, construction history, museum hours, address and directions to the memorial. Get there early - tickets can be gone by noon.
	USS Bowfin Submarine Museum and Park Launched exactly a year after the attack on December 7, 1942, the USS Bowfin was nicknamed the Pearl Harbor Avenger. She made good on her name and sank an amazing 44 ships during the course of nine war patrols in World War II. The history of the USS Bowfin, submarine's specifications, museum hours, address and directions to the memorial.
	USS Missouri Battleship Memorial On the deck of the USS Missouri on September 2, 1945, General Douglas MacArthur accepted Japan's surrender, thereby ending World War II. The Mighty Mo was the last battleship ever built and the biggest. At almost 900 feet long, she is an awesome spectacle and one of the most popular attractions in Pearl Harbor and Hawaii. History of the USS Missouri, ship's specifications, museum hours and directions to the memorial.
	Honolulu Hotels and Resorts Luxury, moderate and economy Honolulu hotels and resorts with detailed descriptions, photos, amenities, on-line reservations and Pearl Harbor.com Special Rates - the lowest rates anywhere. Guaranteed!