Every time I took photos, stood and painted this amazing control tower, I wondered what the people inside saw on December 7, 1941. Located on Ford Island, in the heart of Pearl Harbor, it was also in the heart of the action. The USS Arizona lies about 1/3 mile away looking North, if you turned West about the same distance the remains of the USS Utah are rusting in the water. In this huge and beautiful harbor many ships still nestle in its protected waters. I could see Coast Guard ships, NOAA ships and small service boats and on the mainland, Pearl Ridge.
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| WWII bunker & mountains on mainland |
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| WWII housing near the Missouri/early evening. |
During WWII the largest battleship in the world was the USS Missouri. Today its huge presence attracts visitors from all over the world. The walkway toward the ship is lined with fluttering American flags; the ship behind the flags is a huge monster with giant guns facing out to show its might. Today it hovers beside the Island, a presence not to be ignored. There are ghosts on this ship, the ghosts of General Douglas MacArthur and the retinue of Japanese ambassadors, changed the world when they signed the Articles of Surrender in August of 1945.
The reflections in the water have beautiful, distorted images not unlike the images of peace. What is peace? Will the world ever know?
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| USS Missouri guns in harbor; cottage housing in foreground |
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| Early morning view of Arizona memorial from Ford Island |
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Missouri and little cottage (wwII housing) Can you imagine having that in your backyard?
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| Reflections of the tower aboard the Missouri |
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| Welcome aboard BB-63! |
Wow. Amazing to have the memorial practically in your back yard. The history of that harbor and the remaining buildings is mesmerizing to ponder.
ReplyDeleteLovely paintings, Pat. The control tower is very cool. And your header is gorgeous. I think more art in the world would make a more peaceful planet.
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