Date Awarded

2021

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (M.A.)

Department

American Studies

Advisor

Hannah Rosen

Committee Member

Audrey Horning

Committee Member

Elizabeth Losh

Committee Member

Simon Stow

Abstract

From Ship to Sarcophagus: The USS Arizona as a Navy War Memorial and Active Burial Ground On December 7, 1941, the Japanese government launched an aerial attack on Pearl Harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. The attack destroyed several ships, including the USS Arizona. Today, a memorial straddles the wreck of the Arizona, paying homage to the 1,177 men that perished aboard the ship. In this paper, I will discuss the history of the attack on Pearl Harbor, the creation of the present memorial, and the interment ceremony that takes place there at the request of a USS Arizona survivor upon his death. Furthermore, I explain why the USS Arizona Memorial is unique when compared with other war memorials in the United States and across the world. “A Date Which Will Live in Infamy”: Community Engagement at Pearl Harbor National Memorial and Museum World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument is operated by the National Park Service (NPS) and includes the USS Arizona Memorial as well as several exhibits discussing the attack on Pearl Harbor and the repercussions of the attack. Presently, the exhibits depict life before the attack, the attack itself, and the results of the attack. In this essay, I will explain how the NPS has both succeed and failed in telling an inclusive and representative history of Pearl Harbor. I will also discuss why following guidance from the field of archaeology regarding community engagement is the best path for future development of the World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.21220/1kj3-1j98

Rights

© The Author

Download

Share Feedback

Share

COinS