Activities on Memorial Day in Honolulu
On Memorial Day, the United States Armed Forces are honored at various cemeteries and museums throughout Honolulu, Hawaii. The infamous attack on Pearl Harbor during World War II occurred approximately 30 minutes west of Honolulu; tourists may visit Pearl Harbor's ships and museums. Memorial Day activities in Honolulu also have a Hawaiian flare, which includes placing leis on tombstones and setting candlelit lanterns on the Pacific Ocean. Does this Spark an idea?
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Shinnyo-En Lantern Floating Ceremony
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A Honolulu tradition since 1999, the Shinnyo-En Lantern Floating Ceremony occurs at Ala Moana Beach Park on Memorial Day. This ceremony features students of the Shinnyo-En Buddhist school, who release lanterns with candlelights into the ocean in the early evening. Shinnyo-En Lantern Floating Ceremony is open to the general public and admission is free. All visitors are allowed to participate in the lantern activities and may bring their own lanterns. The master of ceremony is the spiritual head of the Shinnyo-En sect.
National Cemetery of the Pacific
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The National Cemetery of the Pacific is in northern Honolulu, right off the Lunalilo Freeway. Many locals refer to this site as the "Punchbowl," due to the crater in the middle of the cemetery. Memorial Day is the only federal holiday that the Punchbowl is open to the public; guests can visit from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., as of March 2011. Local boy scouts place leis over each tombstone the weekend before Memorial Day. On Memorial Day, the mayor of Honolulu, Hawaiian politicians and army officers deliver speeches to honor U.S. veterans who gave their lives for their country. During the ceremony, cannons are fired in honor of the veterans.
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Schofield Barracks Post Cemetery
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On the morning of Memorial Day, the Schofield Barracks Post Cemetery features the Memorial Day Remembrance Ceremony. United States Army Garrison Hawaii and the 25th Infantry Division host the ceremony. Guest speakers include high-ranking military personnel, officers from the Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion members. Activities include music from the Army Garrison, and veterans organizations place memorial wreaths at the cemetery's flagpole. Schofield Barracks Post Cemetery is on the northwestern edge of Honolulu, within a mile of the Veterans Memorial Freeway. This event is open to the public and admission is free.
Pearl Harbor
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Permanently stationed at Pearl Harbor, the U.S.S. Missouri is a naval battleship that was active during World War II. This ship was also the meeting site for the signing of the "Instrument of Surrender," which marked the end of World War II. The U.S.S. Missouri Memorial is open to the public on Memorial Day from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., as of March 2011.
Adjacent to the U.S.S. Missouri Memorial is the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial. This long structure is on Pearl Harbor and floats above the U.S.S. Arizona battleship, which sunk during the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. The memorial and museum features World War II-themed exhibits and guests can see the sunken ship through the museum's glass floor.
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References
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