Happy 250th Birthday, America | At Pacific Historic Parks, we are excited to celebrate the 4th of July holiday as our nation approaches this historic milestone, the 250th anniversary of the United States. As a grateful nation, we pause to reflect on the monumental signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, and the enduring legacy of its ideals across centuries and generations. With this passage of time, we also recognize our U.S. military personnel and veterans and acknowledge them as the living embodiment of personal sacrifice, courage, and duty, bearing the weight of keeping our independence secure for all to enjoy our freedoms. | Marking 250 years of American independence, this commemorative America 250 flag invites reflection on the courage, sacrifice, and shared history that continue to define the nation. Also available at the Pearl Harbor National Memorial now through July 4th, it carries a quiet connection to a place where remembrance lives each day, honoring those who gave so much in service to freedom. Whether displayed at home or set aside as a keepsake, the America 250 flag offers a simple, meaningful way to remember, to honor, and to carry forward the legacy of a nation shaped by resilience and hope. | | | | |
|
Honouliuli
Commemorating 80 Years of Closure
| | Several members of the Pacific Historic Parks Board of Directors and members of the Education team met with National Park Service Superintendent (NPS) Christine Ogura to tour the Honouliuli National Historic Site on Oahu. The solemn visit in June explored a story of incarceration, martial law, and prisoners of war in Hawaii during World War II. It was the largest and longest-used confinement site in territorial Hawaii, where U.S. citizens and residents of Japanese and European ancestry were unjustly detained, and it housed 4,000 prisoners of war from Okinawa, Korea, Japan, Italy, Taiwan, and the Philippines. NPS Superintendent Ogura also conducted docent tours as part of training. | | This year marks 80 years since the camp closed in 1946. | | An Evening of Legacy and Music: Honouliuli Comes Alive in Concert | | |
Step into time and place where history breathes through music at Honouliuli: A History Awakened, a moving fundraiser presented by Pacific Historic Parks. The special concert will be held at the historic Hawaii Theatre on Sunday, September 27, 2026 at 3:00 p.m.
World-renowned ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro, and master artist, performer, creative director, Sensei and founder of Taiko Arts Center Kenny Endo invite audiences to a powerful reflection on resilience, remembrance, and place - each to perform a stirring program that blends sound, story, and spirit. Together with a line-up of other performing artists, they illuminate the legacy of Honouliuli National Historic Site with depth and reverence.
Proceeds from this event will help to support the educational and preservation programs a Honouliuli National Historic Site. Be part of an unforgettable day of connection and meaning.
| | Tracing Footsteps of a Pearl Harbor Survivor | | |
When Rebecca Parr, daughter of Pearl Harbor survivor Raymond Wan Sr. of the USS Curtiss, visited the USS Arizona Memorial for the first time, she found herself surrounded by echoes of the stories her father had carried for decades.
“I was only seven years old when my
father started sharing snippets about the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor,” said Parr, 71.
During her tour of the Pearl Harbor
National Memorial on June 15, 2026, Parr traced the footsteps of her father, who was just 17 years old when he found himself thrust into WWII in the Pacific.
| | | |
Among the memories that stayed with him was the story of a simple decision that changed lives
forever. Before the attack, Wan Sr. had asked his friend, Nickolas Steve Ganas, to switch watches with him at gun turret number four aboard the USS Curtiss. On that fateful day, Ganas was killed. A 500-pound bomb struck the ship and the explosion devastated the area around the gun turret he manned. Wan Sr. survived, but the loss of his friend and fellow sailors remained with him – bottled up inside for decades. According to Parr, it was only until her father was in his late 70s and 80s when he began to fully speak about the horrific details of war.
| | |
“He finally was able to share the memories of his buddy Nick and the loss of his shipmates,” she
said. “My dad, who is 102 years old and enjoys singing, still has a song in his heart for the boys who served and died,” Parr added. She began to tear up, “I’m proud to be his daughter.”
At the USS Arizona Memorial, Parr paid tribute to all who fought and sacrificed at Pearl Harbor,
honoring the fallen and reflecting on her father’s remarkable journey.
| | Tribute to Isaac E. George Jr. | | |
Pacific Historic Parks is saddened to learn that Pearl Harbor survivor Isaac E. George Jr. passed away on February 10, 2026. He was 104 years old.
In 1940, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps. The following year, he was sent to Oahu, serving as a radioman with the 324th Signal Company, 5th Air Force. On the morning of December 7, 1941, 20-year-old George was at Hickam Field where he heard the enemy planes flying overhead. George and other radio operators grabbed guns, helmets, and ammunition and raced to the control tower, helping monitor transmissions while trying to avoid enemy machine-gun strafing.
His obituary reads, “A proud Pearl Harbor survivor, devoted family man, and living piece of American history.”
May he rest in eternal peace.
| | |
Thank You For Your Continued Support of Pacific Historic Parks
Your generous gifts sustain our mission through education, preservation, research, and public programs. Together, we preserve the history of the USS Arizona and other historic Pacific sites. We honor those who served, those who sacrificed, and those whose stories must never be forgotten. Your contributions ensure their legacy endures. Thank you.
| | | | |
