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Sailors Keep Pearl Harbor's Legacy Alive

The USS Arizona Memorial spans 184 feet across the sunken remains of the battleship where 1,177 crew members lost their lives in the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on Dec. 7, 1941. 

Thousands of people visit the site each day to pay tribute to their service and sacrifice. Ferrying them there and back is the responsibility of 16 sailors assigned to the Arizona Detachment, a special duty assignment. 

Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Brandon Howey is one of those sailors. He calls the opportunity an honor in itself. 

A sailor in dress whites and a face mask stands at the controls of a boat on the water, a memorial visible from the windows.
Boat Driver
Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Brandon Howey drives World War II veterans in a shuttle boat to the USS Arizona Memorial Dec. 5, 2021, as part of a remembrance event to mark the anniversary of the attacks on Pearl Harbor and Oahu, Hawaii. Dec. 7, 2021, marked the 80th anniversary of the attacks.
Credit: Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Sean La Marr
VIRIN: 211205-N-OS575-0070
People disembark from a boat and walk into a white memorial structure that sits over water.
Memorial Arrival
People enter the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
Credit: National Park Service
VIRIN: 211207-O-D0439-001R

"I hope that as long as this job exists in the Navy, the sailors of the Arizona will never be forgotten," Howey said.

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The National Park Service has managed and operated the USS Arizona Memorial since 1980.
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(This article was originally published on Feb. 17, 2023.)

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