The "Heroes Of The Arizona" Story

The USS Arizona Memorial sits above the remains of
the Arizona battleship that was sunk at Pearl Harbor
by Japanese planes on December 7, 1941.

It was an ordinary day.  Making one more visit to the USS Arizona Memorial which is located on the island of Hawaii.  Carol and I have visited the Hawaiian Islands several times and never miss visiting the memorial which is in Honolulu, Hawaii.  It is always a moving experience to stand on the Arizona Memorial and look out over the surrounding waters and try to imagine the horror of December 7, 1941 when Japanese planes pierced the quiet sunny morning at Pearl Harbor and rained bombs on the battleships lined up below.  

Mr. Lauren Bruner, a survivor of the USS Arizona, died
recently and his ashes were recently placed
n the wreckage of the ship.

This past Pearl Harbor Day, December 7, a few of those remain- ing service- men who escaped the carnage, made a visit to honor those who perished 78 years ago with a moment of silence at 7:55 a.m., the exact time the assault began.  It was that attack that launched the U.S. into World War II.  One survivor recently died and his ashes were placed inside the battleship's wreckage this past weekend.  

Another view of the Arizona Memorial

Lauren Bruner was a 21-year-old sailor when an enemy plane dropped a bomb on the USS Arizona.  The bomb ignited an enormous explosion in the battleship's ammunition storage compartment.  Lauren survived and lived to be 98 years old.  The Southern California man was the 44th and last crew member to be interred in accordance with this rare Navy ritual.  

The USS Arizona before it returned to the sea.

The final three living Arizona survivors plan to be laid to rest with their families.  Lauren Bruner wanted to return to his ship because few people visit cemeteries, while more than 1 million people visit the Arizona each year.  He was prepared to join his old friends who never made it off the warship.  He had traveled many times in the past to the Memorial to attend anniversary events, but this trip will be his last.  

The oil leaking from the sunken battleship are known
as "tears". They rise to the surface from below.
Less than a quart of oil escapes the tanks of the ship
each year and it will take our lifetime and longer
 before all the oil escapes the tanks of the ship.  

The Navy began inter- ring Pearl Harbor survivors on their old ships in 1982.  Only two vessels remain in Pearl Harbor; the Arizona and USS Utah.  Survivors of those two ships are the only ones who have the option to be laid to rest this way.  

View from inside the Arizona Memorial.

Of the 1,177 USS Arizona sailors and Marines killed at Pearl Harbor, more than 900 could not be recovered and remain entombed on the ship, which sank in nine minutes.  Mr. Bruner's ashes were placed aboard the Arizona following a sunset ceremony on the anniversary of the attack.  If you enjoy traveling, try and make a visit to Pearl Harbor and visit the Arizona Memorial.  You will find it very moving and it will make you appreciate our armed forces so much more.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.