Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Bremner
Damn, Just seeing that in a pic is somber.
When I saw it in real life there was a group of Japanese tourist on the memorial. They where laughing. I wish I could have asked them if an American laughed at Hiroshima, would it be ok?
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You should have said something. Back in '89 when I visited the Arizona, there were some Japanese tourist as well, but the tour guide explained to everyone to be silent. Not a sound was heard from anyone.
The picture is of gun turret #3, aft of the superstructure of which the Memorial spans. Gun #1 is intact near where the bomb struck the ship, guns 2, 3 and 4 were removed. Gun 2 was placed on the USS Nevada during her reconstruction and fired in anger against the Japanese at Okinawa and Iwo Jima. Guns 3 and 4 were placed in hillside bunkers on the west side of the island. The bunkers are still there.
I need to go back and pay my respects to the Arizona and her fallen crewmembers. She still bleeds.
It may not be known by many, but the USS Utah lies where she fell that day in December. She is laying on her side on the north side of the island with 54 crewmen still onboard.