A Hymn to the Fallen

Fallen A Hymn to the

A VETERAN’S VISIT TO THE USS ARIZONA MEMORIAL

By: Daniel A. Martinez, Historian

This year’s commemoration of Pearl Harbor Day was solemn and dignified and yet strangely different. As I stood there again, as a National Park Service participant since 1984, I was now a witness to the first virtual ceremony ever conducted in the history of commemoration. This change was brought about by a searing pandemic that began in March of 2020. Covid-19 had altered the health of American lives here in Hawaii and throughout our great nation and for that matter, the world.

In order to protect the public and our staff, the ceremony needed to be presented in a virtual format so that safety could be ensured. This year the public would watch it via television or internet across the United States. I was asked by Superintendent Scott Burch if I would like to host veterans and their family members for private visits to the USS Arizona Memorial following the virtual ceremony. I was naturally honored to be Photos courtesy AP and DVIDS assigned that task but was also curious how we would conduct it. The visitation plan would entail that there would be five group visits beginning at 9:15 am and then to be spaced out every 30 minutes. Among those five parties that visited that day were the following World War II veterans:

Mr. Robert Lee & Family

Civilian Eyewitness Pearl Harbor. Later enlisted US Navy during WWII

Mr. Lewis Walters & Family

Federal shipyard worker and Navy veteran whose late father George was the shipyard’s acclaimed crane operator on December 7.

Mr. Peter Yu & Family

Witnessed the attack 7 December 1941. Later enlisted in the US Army and fought with Merrill’s Marauder’s

Mr. Henry Lee & Family

Witnessed the attack 7 December 1941 US Army WWII, Korea & Vietnam

Mr. Wendel Neuman & Family US Army Normandy Invasion

Top Left, Wendell Neuman/DVIDS Bottom Left: Photo By Daniel Martinez

Henry Lee, top, Lewis Walters/Courtesy DVIDS Several of the guests of the veterans who came to honor and remember those lost on 7 December 1941 had never visited this ground zero site. All were curious and awed by the beauty and majesty of the design of America’s first WWII memorial.

We discussed details regarding the structure, design and the interpretive meaning concerning the USS Arizona Memorial. In tribute they dropped flower petals in the waters of Pearl Harbor.

As the last veteran group approached a poignant moment occurred when we discovered that two roses were among the floral package intended for our guests.

I told the Neuman family the story behind the roses and the two veterans it represented. I shared with them the story of Richard Fiske who was a Pearl Harbor Survivor. He served as a Marine Bugler on the battleship USS West Virginia and had been a volunteer at the USS Arizona Memorial beginning in 1988. In 1992 he met Mr. Zenji Abe (a Japanese dive bomber pilot who participated in the attack on Pearl Harbor). Mr. Abe and Mr. Fiske became the closest friends over the years.

They decided they would commemorate December 7th with a small ceremony to honor American and Japanese casualties by placing flowers in front of the inscribed shrine room wall of the Memorial. Fiske would play both American and Japanese Taps. As they grew older that tribute changed. Two red roses were now dedicated monthly at the Memorial. The flowers were paid for by Mr. Abe and Mr. Fiske continued to do this special tribute for as long as he can. Richard Fiske passed away in 2004. Zenji Abe died three years later.

On the 79th anniversary of the attack, Mr. Wendel Neuman placed the two red roses on a stanchion representing Fiske and Abe. Pausing, he raised his hand to salute, and in that patriotic moment he completed this ceremonial hymn to the fallen.