Tourists in Honolulu who were planning on visiting the memorial built at Pearl Harbor to honor the soldiers killed during the War World II attack, are going to have to wait a week before being able to do so.
The reason for the prolonged waiting has to do with the fact that the USS Arizona Memorial was damaged by a hospital boat, the USNS Mercy, which was being maneuvered by two tugboats out of the harbor.
Because of the waves caused by the Mercy’s propeller, the dock was pushed several feet towards the Arizona Memorial and it is supposed, that the memorial’s floating dock was damaged during the accident.
However, it has been made clear that the remains of the Arizona battleship have not been harmed and so the only aspects that authorities have to take care of are the dock’s handrails and ramp, which have been nearly destroyed.
The dock also has to be put back into its original place and all the chains and ropes have to be tighten so as to make it safe for visitors to get close to the memorial.
Investigations are being conducted by the authorities in charge to find out what exactly happened and who is to blame for the damage on the dock and for suspending visitations on the Arizona Memorial.
The Arizona Memorial was built to honor the sacrifice of 1,177 marines and soldiers and also of 900 servicemen killed in the Pearl Harbor attack that took place in 1941.
The Arizona ship which became the tomb of over 2000 people, now lies at the bottom of the sea and above the surface, the Arizona Memorial was built to mark the spot.
The Arizona Memorial is a highly beloved piece of American history and over 4,000 people visit the monument every day, by taking a boat that gets them close to the site.
The public can still visit the memorial, but it has to be done from a safe distance therefore the tourists do not get to see the actual monument in the way it was intended and they cannot tour the memorial.
For some of the tourists, the visit to the Arizona Memorial is the whole point of their trip and to not get a proper visit is very disheartening. Still, many of them are grateful for the opportunity of just seeing the memorial from afar and plan on returning once reparations will be completed. If reparations go as planned, visitations will be resumed on June 4.
Image Source: ussarizonamemorial
