USS Arizona Post

USS Arizona Post American Veterans Hawaii: U.S. Military & Veterans, Honoring the Past, Inspiring the Future. Join us!

Black tears of oil still seep up from the submerged tomb of the 1177 sailors and Marines that perished in the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. These are constant reminders of this defining moment of WWII that propelled America into global conflict and forever changed the course of world history. During the hour-and-fifty minute raid on Pearl Harbor, nearly 2,400 American servicemen died and approx

imately 1,170 were wounded. Eighteen ships lay sunken or badly damaged and close to 350 planes were put out of commission. The USS Arizona, one of seven battleships moored along Battleship Row was the most seriously devastated. Taking several hits from large, armor-piercing bombs, the great ship went down in less than nine minutes. As the President spoke to Congress, asking them to declare war on Japan, sailors were cutting through the still burning wreckage of the USS Arizona attempting to save others who were trapped inside the ship. The last survivor from the Arizona was pulled from the wreckage that afternoon. The loss of life that day wasn’t restricted only to military personnel, or even to Pearl Harbor. Forty nine civilians of very different backgrounds, ages, and locations on the island of Oahu also took a heavy toll. AMVETS is committed to ensuring that December 7, 1941, which President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared “A date which will live in infamy,” will always be remembered and preserved through the USS Arizona Memorial and the Wall of Remembrance. In the 1950’s, AMVETS helped secure the final required funding of $250,000 for the memorial. Unfortunately, the Wall of Remembrance, a permanent memorial with all the names inscribed in marble panels, began to deteriorate over many years, making them hard or impossible to read. In 1983, AMVETS replaced the Wall of Remembrance, which was rededicated in 1984. Thirty years later the Wall of Remembrance once again faced the challenges of deterioration and needed replacement. As keepers of the Wall, AMVETS again honored our commitment and raised the funds to replace the 138 Olympian White marble panels adorned with the names of the fallen. Construction on the Memorial began in August 2014 and the wall was rededicated this past Veterans Day 2014. For many Americans, the bombing of Pearl Harbor on that ordinary Sunday morning marked a change in the world as they knew it. The attack united us as people and strengthened our resolve to ultimately prevail over the forces of aggression. The vicious and unprovoked terrorist attacks of September 11 also served to remind us yet again that we still face challenges to our freedom, and we must be vigilant in defending liberty. Our country will not tolerate those who jeopardize our very way of life. The upsurge in American patriotism in response to the terrorist attacks — much like the response to the attack on Pearl Harbor gives us much reason for hope. As our country fights to eliminate international terrorism and bring those responsible for the attacks to justice, America’s veterans know — perhaps better than most — the sacrifices that must be made until victory is achieved. AMVETS, which had its beginnings in 1944, near the end of World War II, shoulders the responsibility to see to it that the United States never forgets those who served and died at Pearl Harbor. Realizing that freedom is best protected through strength, we will continue to stand firm on national defense issues.

08/31/2026
08/31/2026
🇺🇸KEYNOTE SPEAKER ANNOUNCEMENT The AMVETS Department of Hawaii is honored to announce Colonel Gregory D. Gadson, U.S. Ar...
08/31/2026

🇺🇸KEYNOTE SPEAKER ANNOUNCEMENT

The AMVETS Department of Hawaii is honored to announce Colonel Gregory D. Gadson, U.S. Army (Retired) as our Keynote Speaker for the 85th Annual Ewa Battlefield Commemoration Ceremony, commemorating the 85th Anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor and our Nation’s America250.

📅 Saturday, December 5, 2026
⏰ 1000 Hours
📍 Historic Ewa Battlefield – Ewa Beach, Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi

Colonel Gadson is a highly decorated combat veteran, West Point graduate, former Army football player, entrepreneur, actor, photographer, and nationally recognized motivational speaker whose remarkable life embodies courage, resilience, leadership, perseverance, and service.

Commissioned as a Field Artillery officer after graduating from West Point in 1989, Colonel Gadson served our Nation during Desert Shield/Desert Storm, Joint Forge in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, and Iraqi Freedom in Iraq.

On May 7, 2007, while commanding the 2nd Battalion, 32nd Field Artillery in Iraq, Colonel Gadson was severely wounded by an improvised explosive device, resulting in the loss of both legs above the knee and serious injuries to his right arm and hand. He persevered, remained on active duty, and continued serving our Nation, later commanding U.S. Army Garrison Fort Belvoir, Virginia, before retiring from the Army.

His military decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal, and Army Commendation Medal, among others.

As we stand together on the historic Ewa Battlefield 85 years after the attack of December 7, 1941, Colonel Gadson’s message of resilience, character, leadership, and service will help us connect the sacrifices of the Greatest Generation with the generations of Americans who have continued to defend our freedom.

As our Nation commemorates its 250th anniversary, we will remember our history, honor those who served and sacrificed, and inspire the next generation to carry forward their legacy.

Please join us in welcoming COL Gregory D. Gadson, USA (Ret.) to Hawaiʻi and the historic Ewa Battlefield.

🇺🇸 REMEMBER THE PAST • HONOR THEIR SERVICE • INSPIRE THE FUTURE

SERVICE • PATRIOTISM • FELLOWSHIP • COMMUNITY

08/31/2026

Museum Saturdays: USS Arizona Bell

One of the artifacts that Pearl Harbor National Memorial stewards is one of two bells from the battleship USS Arizona. The USS Arizona had two bells because of its length, one bell for the foremast and one for the mainmast. Both bronze bells were cast in 1916. You can find the USS Arizona’s foremost bell in the Pearl Harbor NM’s Bell Court. This bell was moved to the USS Arizona Memorial in 1966 and to the park’s visitor center in 1994. The mainmast bell is at the University of Arizona.

Each bell on each ship was unique. Bells are used in foggy conditions, in times of distress, to signal the changing of the watch, and when dignitaries embark and disembark the ship. Bells were often the only way to identify a sunken ship.

Image Caption: A view of one of the USS Arizona's bells. The bell had been placed at the entrance to the USS Arizona Memorial for the 40th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Image Credit: National Archives and Records Administration

08/30/2026

“Hurricanes were not the only threat. U-boats patrolled the coast and German agents were a concern. All the SPARs were issued fi****ms, and the lighthouse was the backdrop for target practice.

‘We were ordered to shoot anyone who entered the LORAN building without authorization.’

- Radioman 3rd Class Anita Freeman

Our work in Chatham originally began as part of our She Served Here focus in 2025, but the more we learned, the more it helped shape our 2026 theme: Serving on All Fronts.

Chatham gave us a much clearer picture of the American Theater and the very real dangers faced by women serving here in the Lower 48. Their work was critical to the Allied war effort, even when the battlefield looked very different from the one we typically picture.

We talk about context a lot. When you understand how seriously the military considered the possibility of German landings on the East Coast and Japanese attacks from the West, it makes more sense why so much critical infrastructure and military work was moved inland during the war. Suddenly, WAVES doing codebreaking in Dayton makes a lot more sense. And suddenly, the SPARs stationed along the coastlines look a lot more obviously like a military assignment and a lot less like a cushy posting in a resort town. The map of service becomes much clearer.

Yesterday, we had some great conversations about the difference between the homefront and the American Theater and between civilian work and military service. There was a lot of overlap, but military service still came with its own unique risks, responsibilities, and requirements.

Those challenges shouldn’t be overlooked simply because the theater of war isn’t as obvious to us today.

That has been the heart of Serving on All Fronts, recognizing and celebrating military service even when it doesn’t look like what we expect it to.

08/29/2026

The August edition of The Deep Dive is out!

This month, we’re looking back at the crew’s celebration of 803 Day, sharing more about the Navy’s redesignation of the future USS Arizona as SSGN-803, looking ahead to Flagstaff Navy Week, and highlighting how the Foundation is bringing the story of USS Arizona into classrooms across Arizona.

We’re also taking a look back at the remarkable modernization of USS Arizona (BB-39) and the interesting parallel between the evolution of the historic battleship and the expanded capabilities of today’s SSGN-803.

Read the August Deep Dive: https://bit.ly/4y03PbO

08/29/2026
08/28/2026

Preserving peace through strength across the Pacific 🇺🇸⚓

Underway in the Pacific Ocean, Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Oakland (LCS 24) conducts a live-fire exercise to hone surface warfare capabilities.

Routine live-fire drills maintain tactical proficiency and ensure our surface combatants stand ready to respond across the full spectrum of maritime operations across the .

📍 Pacific Ocean
📸 U.S. Navy courtesy photo

🇺🇸 STRONG MORNING AT BIG TIRE BOOTCAMP! 💪🏽🛞AMVETS Hawaii’s Big Tire Bootcamp had an outstanding morning of training, tea...
08/28/2026

🇺🇸 STRONG MORNING AT BIG TIRE BOOTCAMP! 💪🏽🛞

AMVETS Hawaii’s Big Tire Bootcamp had an outstanding morning of training, teamwork, and military-community engagement at the AMVETS West Oʻahu Veterans Center!

We were honored to welcome Lt Col Nicholas Romano, the new Commander of the 369th Recruiting Group, along with approximately 110 recruits, recruiters, and command staff for a high-energy morning of physical training and team building.

This is what our Adaptive Fitness & Sports Program and Big Tire Bootcamp are all about—bringing people together, building resilience, strengthening relationships, and creating a community that supports our service members from the beginning of their military journey through their transition into veteran life.

A huge mahalo to Program Director and Head Coach Alim Shabazz, our Big Tire Bootcamp coaches, volunteers, recruiters, command team, and everyone who helped make today’s training such a success.

To the approximately 110 future Airmen and Guardians who trained with us today: welcome to the military family! 🇺🇸

AMVETS Hawaii is proud to stand alongside you today and throughout your journey of service.

Strong bodies. Strong minds. Strong communities.
Veterans serving Veterans—and supporting the next generation who will wear our nation’s uniform.

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