deliriouslove1970. The life & times of Gary and Denise Flanders. (Free and worth every penny. If you would like to compliment the editor, send to garytheflan@deliriouslove1970.com. If you would like to complain, call your mother.)

While in Honolulu, Oahu Hawaii on November 11th, we decided to visit the Pearl Harbor Memorial.

This is a major tourist destination in Hawaii. Two million visitors a year come to pay their respects for the fallen soldiers, sailors and civilians who died on December 7, 1941.

One of the memorials that everyone wants to see is the USS Arizona Memorial.

You take an official Navy boat out into the harbor to stand on the memorial which is the exact spot where the Arizona was docked.

After the direct hit of the Japanese bomb penetrated the hull it went down and hit the cache of explosives in the Arizona’s lower storehouse. It was immediately engulfed in flames that were so intense it destroyed most of the ship. This is the remains of one of the aft gun turrets.

While standing reading the names we noticed a family pushing a gentleman in a wheelchair. I saw his cap and was so overwhelmed I bent down and introduced myself. Dan is 102 years old and served in the US Army Air Corps in Europe during World War II.

I asked Sergeant Dan if we could take his photo with Lt Gary. He was kind and humble as he said to me: “Thank you for your service”. I still tear up thinking about this incomparable Veterans Day.