VISITING THE USS UTAH MEMORIAL AT PEARL HARBOR
[CIVILIANS CAN VISIT OUR MEMORIAL! - READ ON]
The following information was received from the Navy Public Relations Office at Pearl Harbor regarding visiting the USS UTAH Memorial:
VISITING THE USS UTAH MEMORIAL AT PEARL HARBOR
[CIVILIANS CAN VISIT OUR MEMORIAL! - READ ON]
The following information was received from the Navy Public Relations Office at Pearl Harbor regarding visiting the USS UTAH Memorial:
|
"Military Retirees with a valid ID card and a DOD vehicle decal
are
authorized access to all military installations (without advance
notification). If a retired member does not have a DOD decal,
he/she must
obtain a vehicle pass. Additionally, retired members are
authorized to
sponsor guests onto military installations. Retired members are
not
required to be the drivers of the vehicle in which he/she is a
passenger,
but a vehicle pass is required. The same applies for Military
Reservists, with a valid ID card.
All Navy Region active DOD employees and retired Civil Service
personnel are
authorized access and may also sponsor guests. Vehicle passes are
required.
Anyone not affiliated with the Military/Civil Service that would like
to
visit the USS UTAH Memorial must be sponsored by the Active
Duty/Retired
Military, Military Reservists or DOD/Civil Service personnel.
"For current information on visiting the Utah Memorial contact the Navy Public Relations Office as follows Telephone (808) 473-2888 Fax (808) 473 2876." (11/27/2001) [A personal note: I do not believe it is the Intent of the Navy to discourage visits to the USS UTAH Memorial; I appreciate the need to maintain military security. So, how does a civilian visiting Pearl Harbor obtain "Sponsorship on the spot" as it were? My suggestion: First, visit and enjoy an unforgettable voyage back into history at the USS ARIZONA Memorial. You will most probably meet someone in the categories listed above, i.e. Active Duty/Retired Military, Military Reservists or DOD/Civil Service personnel. Ask them if they would mind taking a few minutes to act as your sponsor to visit the USS Utah Memorial. I believe the majority would be honored and happy to do so. Also note, there is a Pearl Harbor Survivor acting as host for the Arizona Memorial. He or She can furnish a wealth of information. And Finally, call the Navy Public Relations Office at Pearl Harbor on the Telephone numbers listed prior to your visit. Aloha and God Bless.] W.E.Hughes 3/11/2000 |
MORE INFORMATION: Printed below is information from Steve Johnson, a military retiree, regarding his experiences relating to his visit to the Memorial. Steve also makes a great suggestion for civilians who wish to visit the Memorial. Thanks to Steve from the crew of the USS Utah (BB31/AG16)
"Just as a follow up to an earlier e-mail. Our family visited Hawaii earlier this month. We used the information, contained in your "VISITING THE USS UTAH MEMORIAL" section of "SCUTTLEBUTT", from the Navy Public Relations office. Telephone (808) 473-2888
Fax (808) 473 2876."
Because we were driving a rental car I contacted the Navy PR Office and asked for the procedure for registering a rental car. [ed. note] Because of personnel changes Steve's info is altered slightly here, however, we believe this is what you will be told;]
You may request a vehicle pass for your rental car from the Pearl Harbor Naval Base Pass & ID Office that is located just before the main gate (Nimitz Gate) to Pearl Harbor. You will be required to provide your Rental Car Agreement (contract), driver's license, and military identification to receive a pass for the duration of your visit.
Directions to Pearl Harbor Naval Base Pass & ID Office:
--From Waikiki, take Ala Moana Blvd. until it becomes Nimitz Hwy. Follow Nimitz Hwy., pass the Airport and exit Pearl Harbor. Pearl Harbor Naval Base and Hickam AFB share the same exit. Merge to your far right lane and turn right into the Visitors Pass & ID parking lot. Watch for the sign on your right, and the parking lot is located before you reach the sentry.
--Or, take the H-1 Freeway westbound and pass the Airport. Exit 15B, Hickam AFB/Pearl Harbor and merge to your far right lane to the Visitors Pass & ID lot.
The Pass & ID Office is open M-F from 0730 to 1555. You may contact the Pass & ID Office at telephone(808) 474-9140.
We followed her directions and everything went smooth. At the Pass & ID Office they advised me that they normally only give a one-day pass to visit the USS Utah but they gave me a pass for our entire stay.
The day we visited Pearl Harbor started with a visit to the USS Arizona Memorial, then a drive over to Ford Island, via the new .9 mile long Adm. Bernard "Chick" Clarey Bridge, and a visit to the USS Utah Memorial followed by a tour of the USS Missouri. A very inspiring day.
I hope that with the Navy's plan to construct a Navy historic/cultural facility to celebrate the Navy's role in the Pacific on Ford Island that any tour or visitors center would include the USS Utah.
The one thing I did notice at Pearl was that the Navy personnel were not wearing T-shirts that said "Old Navy" but were wearing T-shirts that said "Real Navy".
Steve Johnson
US Army, Retired
(More from Steve Especially for Civilians who need a military sponsor to visit the UTAH Memorial)
"Go ahead and post my e-mail I am open to all questions."
Yes, my suggestion would be to ask one of the Volunteers working at the Arizona Memorial and especially one of those working over at the USS Missouri [To sponsor you] . The Missouri is full of retiree Volunteers working all over the ship to ensure it is not abused by the tourists. Most of these retirees are eager to talk and tell you about everything going on in Hawaii. Both of the Volunteers that I met were Viet Nam era retirees and were hard to get away from, they wanted to talk, and are from all branches of the service.
You now take a trolley from the Submarine Museum/Bowfin over to Ford Island were the Missouri is moored. Of course we were already on Ford Island and had purchased our tickets (discount), in advance, at the Hickam Tickets and Tours office from Todd, a WW 2, Bronze Star and Purple Heart recipient.
Steve Johnson
More mail from another civilian who visited the Utah Memorial in December, 2001:
Mr. William HughesUSS Utah Web siteDear Mr. Hughes,My wife Carol and I had the great honor and priviledge to visit the USSUtah Memorial on Ford Island December 9, 2001.Because we were persistent in our desire to visit the memorial, personnelrepresenting the Public Affairs Department on the Ford Island militarybase [(808) 473-2888] ultimately gave our names to the guard/gate and we were given entry provided we were driving our own vehicle or a rent-a-car (we rented acar). If being discouraged or at first denied entry to the Utah, weencourage those wishing to visit the Utah, to just politely keep pressingthose officers in charge and we found they finally will acommodate you!Of all the memorials we visited during December 7th-9th, we were deeplymoved by the fact that we were the only two to be visiting the USS UtahMemorial in Her isolated location, we experienced a lonliness for thosestill aboard Her, and the total quietness surrounding us was broken onlyby the deafening and repeated rhythm of the wind blown chain clangingagainst the memorial flag pole over and over and over again.Seeing Her rusting parts laying there as they were left sixty years agowas indeed a haunting experience!Sincerely,
Carol and Jerry JacksonMalibu, California<jacksonhi5@earthlink.net>01-27-2005
MORE INFORMATION:
The following e-mail received recently received (and greatly appreciated) from a gentleman in Austraila:
From: "lgjworsley" <lgjworsley@bigpond.com>
Hi, I just wanted to extend my thanks to you and your website in relation to visiting the USS Utah. I'm a Canadian who lives in Australia. I'm a bit of a Pearl Harbour buff,and have been there 1/2 a dozen times but never to see the Utah. I have wanted to go, but never knew how, until I found your website. I followed the instructions, and first rang the number you gave. No problem. Through a series of emails, I gave them my details of address and passports numbers for my family and when I would be visiting. I have no military ties at all. I was picked up in a minivan at the front of the USS Arizona memorial by a Petty Officer and driven to the USS Utah and given a tour of Ford Island as well.I was very impressed . I can't thank you and your website and the Dept of the Navy enough that, me ,a Canadian who lives ion Australia, could of been so lucky to see so much. Please add my comments to your website so that other will know, that seeing the Utah is no more hassle than a few phone calls, and is well worth the effort to pay your respects to the few who gave so much.
Yours Respectfully
Glenn Worsley
[Ed. Note:]
Thank YOU sir, and our thanks to all who have written. Also, a sincere WELL DONE to the Navy Public information Office.
Additional information on visiting the USS Utah Memorial will be posted on this site when any changes are effected.