Pearl Harbor: The USS Missouri

The USS Missouri was launched on January 29, 1944. She saw action in World War II, Korea, and the Persian Gulf, and was decommissioned on March 31, 1992.



Here's Noah defending the skies from the deck of the Missouri.





Noah calls for air support.



Missouri's main armament consisted of nine 16-inch guns, which could fire a 2,700 pound shell over 23 miles.



It's difficult to appreciate how huge her main guns and turrets are until you're standing next to them.

On September 2, 1945, Japan signed the instrument of surrender in a ceremony aboard the Missouri. The location of that signing is marked with this plaque.



The Arizona Memorial, viewed from the Missouri.

The Missouri seen with the remains of Arizona's Number 2 turret.



I may post additional miscellaneous photos in the future, but this is the last planned post for our trip to Hawaii. Overall it was a great vacation, but Noah and I were both happy to return home.

Pearl Harbor: The Pacific Aviation Museum

Noah has developed an interest in military aircraft so he was eager to visit the Pacific Aviation Museum on Ford Island.

Here's Ford Island as it appeared in a photo taken from a Japanese plane during the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Arizona is one of the ships on the far side of the island. (National Archives and Records Administration)



The air control tower on Ford Island as it appears today.



Hangers on Ford Island after the attack. (Department of Defense)



Hanger 37 and the Pacific Aviation Museum.



Noah studies a diagram illustrating the different elements of the attack.



Noah leans on a torpedo.



Here he re-enacts Major Kong's ride from Dr. Strangelove.



The Mitsubishi A6M Zero.



The Grumman F4F Wildcat.



The North American B-25 Mitchell. This is the type of bomber used in the Doolittle Raid on April 18, 1942. That raid, planned and led by then Lieutenant Colonel James Doolittle, was the first air raid by the United States to strike the Japanese homeland.



Noah had a chance to defend the skies over Guadalcanal in this air combat simulator.



Leaning into the turn.



Closing in for his first kill.



Afterwards, Noah coolly described how he maneuvered behind his target and brought it down.

Pearl Harbor: The USS Bowfin

The USS Bowfin (SS-287) was the third boat of the Baloa class fleet submarines. She was launched on December 7, 1942 and dubbed the "Pearl Harbor Avenger". Bowfin completed nine war patrols and claimed 39 Japanese merchant ships and 4 military ships sunk.



Noah mans the deck gun.



Checking out the forward torpedo room.



These doorways are just the right size.



Noah and Uncle Ronald take a look at the diesel engines.



There were gauges everywhere.



Time for some well earned shut-eye.

Pearl Harbor: The USS Arizona Memorial

The day before leaving Hawaii, Noah and I visited the Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor.



The memorial sits above the sunken USS Arizona. Parts of the Arizona's gun turrets and smoke stacks rise above the water and the ship itself is easily visible, resting just below the water.





1,177 men lost their lives when the Arizona exploded and sank during the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Diamond Head

Noah and I hiked up to the top of Diamond Head today. It's a 0.8 mile hike that climbs 560 feet from the crater floor.



From the crater floor, you can see the summit. The summit lookout is barely visible on the peak in the middle of this picture.



Here's Noah ready to climb the longest stairway up to the summit.



Checking out the view from the observation post.



Looking back down from the summit.



Noah at the summit.



The Diamond Head Lighthouse.



The view of Waikiki.



While waiting for my mom to pick us up after our hike, a red-capped cardinal landed close enough for this picture.

Helicopter Tour

Noah and I took a helicopter tour of the Big Island this morning. The tour was offerred by Blue Hawaiian, and this was the Eco-Star helicopter we rode.



The control panel. To the left of the digital panels, out of view, were analog gauges.



Here's Noah, ready to take off!



A view of Mauna Loa, the largest volcano on the planet.



An aerial view of a lava flow from Mauna Loa. You see lava flows everywhere as you drive around the island.



Here's a newer flow, from the 1984 eruption, over an older flow.



The Kilauea caldera.



At the moment, lava is flowing from Kilauea down to the ocean, but it's all underground. You can get glimpses of the lava from skylights like this one.



Here's lava as it reaches the ocean. It's very hard to see with all the steam billowing out.



Flying back up the northeast side of the island, we saw some impressive cliffs, valleys, and many waterfalls like this one.



We're near the end of the Humpback whale mating season. We were lucky to spot this mother and calf on our flight.



I was worried that Noah would get air sick, but he handled the flight like a champ.