USS Tarawa sailors reenlist, pay Tribute at USS Arizona Memorial
Story by JO2 Crystal King, USS Tarawa public affairs
Onboard USS Tarawa -- During the early morning of June 26, Sailors from USS Tarawa (LHA-1) spoke in hushed tones and walked slowly in their freshly pressed white uniforms through the chamber of the USS Arizona Memorial. Some had come to reenlist, some had come to administer the enlistment oath, but all had come to pay their respects to fallen shipmates from a different time and to remember a tumultuous part of Navy history.
On Dec. 7, 1941, more than 1,100 Sailors died on board USS Arizona (BB-39) during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Most of those Sailors are still entombed inside the ship.
"As the first one into the memorial, I thought of what a hellish nightmare they had to endure," said Chief Petty Officer Robert Klinehoffer. "This was more than a reenlistment ceremony for me. It was a chance to let every one of them know they haven't been forgotten, and that what they fought for then is still what we fight to preserve today."
Another reenlistee, Petty Officer First Class James Price, said, "It was amazing to see that after 60 years the ship's oil tanks are still leaking, leaving small slicks on the surface of the water."
The six who took the oath in front of the wall bearing the names of the ARIZONA Sailors were among a total of 18 who reenlisted there or on the Battleship USS Missouri (BB-63) during TARAWA's port visit to Pearl Harbor. The San Diego-based amphibious assault ship made the port visit June 24-28 during its participation in the major multinational exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2002.
"The ARIZONA memorial and the natural beauty of Pearl Harbor make this a very popular site for our reenlistments," said Petty Officer First Class Pamela Jensen, a TARAWA command career counselor and prior re-enlistee at the USS Arizona Memorial. "Being here makes me realize our place in the big scheme of things."
"This is a very humbling place," said Senior Chief Brian Wells, reflecting on his reenlistment and visit. "My reenlistment was important, but I could have done it anywhere. I did it here to pay respect to my shipmates."