February 2026

Harbor of Memory and Grace:

How One Visit to Pearl Harbor Honored Generations of Heroes

In this month’s newsletter, we would like to share with you a poignant poem written by the son of a Pearl Harbor survivor and why Pearl Harbor National Memorial matters. 

Our story begins with a visit to the park and ends with a poem titled Harbor of Memory and Grace: A Visit Remembered. This poem was written by Mark Dolan, the son of Pearl Harbor survivor Frank L. Dolan. The poem, now featured on our website (linked below), reflects how powerful a visit can be.

Last August, retired Marine and NPS Ranger Phil Lingenfelter was giving a talk to visitors at the Contemplation Circle located on the shoreside at Pearl Harbor National Memorial. 

Frank Dolan, USS Vestal

Mark Dolan, 2025 at Pearl Harbor National Memorial 

Among them was a 72-year-old semi-retired educator from Texas who was on his first ever visit to Pearl Harbor National Memorial. Mark Dolan approached Ranger Phil on a break and asked about the USS Vestal, a repair ship that was tied to the USS Arizona at the time of the attack for repairs on December 8, 1941. 

He shared with Ranger Phil that his father Frank L. Dolan was stationed aboard the USS Vestal on December 7, 1941, and survived. On that Sunday morning, Frank helped rescue wounded sailors — including six men trapped by fire on the Arizona’s sky control platform, saved when a fellow Vestal sailor, Joe George, threw them a rope. Decades later, George was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star for Valor.

Ranger Phil then pivoted and told the Vestal story and its rich history.

“It was a stirring presentation. It was really amazing and I kind of thought I need to think about this more,” Dolan said on why he penned the poem.   

“He made me feel ten feet tall because he said that was a wonderful story and he didn’t think his father could tell it any better,” Ranger Phil said.

After meeting Ranger Phil, Dolan then boarded the shuttle to the USS Arizona Memorial and met with Bryan Maul, an NPS Ranger stationed on the Memorial that day. 

“He brought out a number of maps that showed the direction of the attack and the various waves that came through. He was really careful to go through that with me and real thoughtful,” Dolan said.

Ranger Bryan took Dolan’s picture showing the area where the Vestal was stationed.



“Visiting the Memorial was an awesome experience for me,” Dolan said. “I had looked forward to doing this most of my life.” 

Mark Dolan’s youngest son served in Iraq and two tours in Afghanistan. The Marine Corps veteran died Dec. 24, 2015, at the age of 27 as a result of seizures brought on by traumatic brain injuries and PTSD. 

“He and my dad were really close, they talked an awful lot about both of their mutual experiences, so it was moving for me going to the Arizona thinking about my son as well…. …My dad’s stories always resonated with Joshua. I think that was a lot of reason why he was interested and excited to go in the service.”

Joe George

Twenty years after the war, then ten-year-old Dolan went with his dad to a San Diego church to hear a talk from Mitsuo Fuchida, the Japanese Commander who led the attack and had his radio operator send the message “Tora Tora Tora” to let his superiors know that complete surprise was achieved. Fuchida converted to Christianity after the war. 

“Fuchida was kind and generous. They shook hands and smiled,” Mark Dolan said. “It was quite a profound experience for me, two arch enemies meet in peace like that, it was quite something.”  

At the 60th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack, the Dolan family attended an event in Fredericksburg, Texas honoring Pearl Harbor survivors. Frank Dolan participated along with some 300 fellow Pearl Harbor survivors. That’s him seated in the photo far right.

Photo Courtesy Mark Dolan

Dolan encourages families to keep up with military history and family stories.

“It certainly keeps history alive but there are also lessons from history to learn and if you are ever going to appreciate our country for what it is we need to know about the sacrifices that made it possible,” Dolan said. “This generation and even my generation have just lost an appreciation for those who have gone before and sacrificed so much. It shouldn’t be any big deal for us to at least honor them by learning their story."

Today, we only know that just eleven of the estimated 85,000 active-duty military members stationed at Battleship Row and Oahu airfields on December 7, 1941, are still alive.

Soon, there will be none.

Relatives of USS Arizona casualty meet Ranger Phil

The responsibility to carry their stories forward now rests with us and we hope you will join us in this endeavor.

When visitors arrive at Pearl Harbor National Memorial, some after a lifetime of waiting, they are met by dedicated Rangers who are able to share stories with depth, care, and historical precision. They experience thoughtfully maintained spaces of reflection like the Contemplation Circle. They engage with programs, interpretation, and preservation efforts that ensure these stories are not reduced to dates in a book, but that they are kept alive.

Your generosity helps make that possible.

Joshua Dolan and Parents, Mark and Pat, 2022

Your Donations Support:

Educational programs that bring history to life for visitors of all ages

Preservation of artifacts and historic spaces

Interpretation that honors the service and sacrifice of those who were there

Meaningful visitor experiences that connect past and present

Because of you, a son was able to stand where his father once served.

Because of you, a grieving father could reflect on his own son’s sacrifice.

Because of you, a poem was written that will inspire countless others.

Mark offers a reminder we all need to hear:

“If you are ever going to appreciate our country for what it is, we need to know about the sacrifices that made it possible. It shouldn’t be any big deal for us to at least honor them by learning their story.”

At Pacific Historic Parks, we are committed to honoring those stories, not just preserving history, but ensuring it continues to shape hearts and minds.

As we look ahead, your support ensures that when the last survivor is gone, the memory, lessons, and legacy remain strong.

Marjorie and Frank Dolan with grandson, Joshua, 2009

Pacific Historic Parks is the leading organization supporting significant historical sites in the Pacific for future generations. Through education, interpretive programs, research, preservation, and restoration, we work to perpetuate the memory of events and honor the people involved in these historic Pacific locations.