Remembering Pearl Harbor: The USS Arizona Memorial

 

 

It was on this day 83 years ago that the United States was suddenly thrust into the Second World War when the Imperial Japanese Navy attacked it's Navy base at Pearl Harbor. Over 350 aircraft dropped bombs and torpedoes on the US Pacific fleet, resulting in the loss of four battleships and over 2400 dead. About half of those killed were on the USS Arizona, which sunk after an armor-piercing bomb caused a catastrophic explosion in an ammunition magazine. The other three battleships would eventually be recovered, but the Arizona was too badly damaged and left as a memorial for it's crew. In 1962, an official memorial would be built over the wreckage. 

Second Life has it's own USS Airzona Memorial. It is located in the southeast corner of the Oahu sim. A reader reads out every one of the names of the fallen every few moments. By clicking on a sign, one can toss a lei into the sea in their memory. Beneath the memorial is a virtual wreckage.

This year, there will be a ceremony at the USS Arizona Memorial in honor of the dead. It starts at 11 AM SL time.

The Pearl Harbor Memorial is at Oahu (180/10/24).  

 

Remembering the "day which shall live in infamy."

Bixyl Shuftan