Stayed at the Navy Lodge on Ford Island for work this week and found myself with some time to kill. Discovered there’s a “history trail” around the perimeter of the island, including the
Utah Memorial, and passing by
Missouri and
Arizona.
Has placards showing the history of the island from 1900-ish onwards, before, during, and after the war, including the histories of the surviving prewar buildings, seaplane ramps, etc. Ford Island’s odd status as a sort of combo history park, active base, tourist attraction, and nature preserve means the whole place has a cool frozen-in-time vibe. It’s a good 4-mile, easy walk. If you find yourself there and you’re a history nerd (guilty), I recommend it.
NOAA’s main Pacific operations center and piers are on the north side of the island