Pearl Harbor

Reading history out of a textbook has never really been my thing. I appreciate history so much more if I can watch it on a well-produced documentary, learn about it at a fanciful museum, or visit a specific location where I can see and feel things that a textbook can't do for me.

Jared on the other hand seems to have always loved history in all of its forms. Even as a kid he had a fascination and appreciation for history. He knows so much and that's why I have so much fun exploring historical places with him.

Jared couldn't wait to get to Pearl Harbor.

With so much to see and do there, we just had to fit in as much as possible. Our first stop was the USS Bowfin Submarine. Our tour of this submarine exceeded any expectations either of us might have had.

With each small door we climbed through, we were amazed over and over again at the living conditions and complexities of a submarine.

This was the only kitchen on the sub.

In this small and cramped space, meals were prepared, three times a day, for all the crewmembers on board. This definitely gave me a new perspective on preparing meals for my little family of five, and I sometimes don't even do that once a day!

I can't imagine that there would be such a thing as privacy in this kind of environment. The only "free" space consisted of a small walkway between each door. The beds were crammed into spaces where ever they could fit them, and I struggled to imagine where the crew members might have kept anything personal.

I can't imagine how any of them would be able to get a decent amount of sleep at any given time, considering first the fact that a submarine like that is never completely at rest, every area is pretty much a common area, and the beds are tiny. In our little audio tour, some of the men talked about how hard it was to sleep with their shoulders pinned up against the wall in a tight corner and how every time they turned over, they'd wake up because of the inadequacy of their sleeping arrangements. I don't know how many of the crew were 6'6" or even just 5'10" for that matter, but I can imagine that any of them with any amount of height spent a lot of time trying to ignore their discomfort. Jared and I really appreciated our own bed after trying those cots out for size.

In this picture, Jared is standing next to a torpedo on his left and a bed is right above that. It's folded up for direct access to the torpedo and can easily be lowered when it's bedtime. I can't imagine sliding a torpedo under my bed or having one hover over me as I tried to sleep...a constant reminder that peril was always lurking.

As we toured this submarine, I imagined the life of someone living and serving there, wondering what kind of people could give their lives to that kind of work. Especially when they might wake up one morning to a notice like this...

This particular submarine sunk a total of 38 ships in Japanese waters before being decommissioned. The crew of this submarine also rescued downed pilots who ejected out into the ocean. My uncle was a pilot during the war and he spent three days in the open sea, fighting with overpowering elements and extreme conditions of nature before being rescued. Sometimes history feels personal.

Near the Bowfin is a beautiful memorial with an Amerian flag in the center surrounded by pedastals. Each pedastal has a plaque on it that tells the story of a specific sub. The stories are of personal sacrifice, success and heroism. Those who served on these vessels were fathers, brothers, husbands, and friends. Those who served on these vessels were just like me and just like Jared in so many ways, yet in the depths of the ocean or in the middle of the sea, many of them found courage beyond normal human boundaries to do extraordinary things. I thought about the lives that changed when each submarine was sunk or lost at sea. I thought about how grateful I am for my country, for patriotism, and for all the courageous men and women of our nation.

After the Bowfin, we visited the USS Arizona Memorial.

We ended up visiting Pearl Harbor on Memorial Day, which really added to the significance of our experience and the flowers were beautiful. On top of that, the "black tears" or the oil that still leaks from the USS Arizona, seemed very fitting.

We paid honor to those who gave their lives in that sacred spot the best we could, but it still felt insufficient.

Our experience at Pearl Harbor was humbling. I felt such a deep gratitude for those who served then and those who serve now, and I also felt gratitude for living in a country that defends and honors freedom, sometimes at a significant and painful price. I hope my children will recognize and know those same freedoms throughout their lives, and I hope and pray that those freedoms will always be defended and protected.