When I first saw that there was a USS Arizona Memorial Gardens in the Valley, I wasn’t surprised. Where it is located was a bit of a surprise–on the Salt River Reservation in Scottsdale.
Built around the “boat house” from the wreckage of the battleship, the space is loaded with information. From the numerous panels imparting details to the metal “bricks” listing all of the names of the 1,177 sailors lost aboard the ship, there were times I was almost brought to tears. It is the epitome of conveying the idea of duty, honor, country. Quotes and descriptions of the fire and destruction on the Pacific Sunday morning. Details of the size and complexity of this battleship. And descriptions of the heroism shown by individuals for their shipmates.
The boathouse building is surrounded by a series of columns in the shape of the ship. They are arrayed throughout the gardens and in a lake on the reservation grounds. Parking is great and moving around and through the gardens and building is easy.
This is worth a visit if only for the depth of history.
Relentless
