Armed Forces Birthdays Celebrated With 'Free Pass’ Days At Pearl Harbor Historic Sites

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Armed Forces Birthdays Celebrated with ‘Free Pass’ Days at Pearl Harbor Historic Sites
Free Admission Offered to Active-Duty Military Members, Retirees And Dependents 

Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (June 10, 2016) – The Pearl Harbor Historic Sites jointly announced that active-duty Armed Forces members, retirees, and dependents are invited to enjoy ‘Free Pass’ days to celebrate the birthday of their respective U.S. military branch this year. The schedule is below. 

Free admission is being offered for tours of the Battleship Missouri Memorial, Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor, and USS Bowfin Submarine Museum and Park. A valid military I.D. must be presented at the Ticket and Information Booth at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center or onsite at each Pearl Harbor Historic Site to take advantage of the offer. 

Walk up tickets to the World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument, which includes boat tours to the USS Arizona Memorial, are free and available daily. 

“It’s our privilege to welcome military members, veterans and their family members to historic Pearl Harbor to celebrate the anniversary of their respective branch of service,” said Michael A. Carr, President and CEO of the Battleship Missouri Memorial. “We’re honored to pay tribute to the men and women of our Armed Forces and recognize their role in protecting our freedoms.”

About the Pearl Harbor Historic Sites
Welcoming approximately 1.7 million visitors each year, the Pearl Harbor attractions include several independent historic sites – some under the purview of the U.S. National Park Service and others operated by private, nonprofit organizations. Together, and in partnership with Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, they carry forth the legacies of some of our nation’s most treasured icons. Although Pearl Harbor is one historic destination, there are four distinct sites to visit, each with its own story to tell. Each attraction is as compelling as the next and none that the visitor would want to miss. For more information, visit www.PearlHarborHistoricSites.org.

Battleship Missouri Memorial
Since opening in January 1999, the Battleship Missouri Memorial has attracted more than 7-million visitors from around the world with a fascinating tour experience showcasing the USS Missouri’s unique place in history. Located a mere ship’s length from the USS Arizona Memorial, the Mighty Mo completes a historical visitor experience that begins with the “day of infamy” and sinking of the USS Arizona in Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, and ends with Japan’s formal surrender aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945. 

The USS Missouri had an astounding career over five decades and three wars – World War II, the Korean War, and Desert Storm – after which it was decommissioned and donated to the USS Missouri Memorial Association, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The Association operates the Battleship Missouri Memorial as a historic attraction and oversees her care and preservation with the support of visitors, memberships, grants, and donations. 

The Battleship Missouri Memorial is open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. General admission, which includes choice of an optional tour, is $27 per adult and $13 per child (4-12). Military, kamaaina (local resident) and school group pricing is available. For information or reservations, call (toll-free) 1-(877) 644-4896 or visit USSMissouri.org.

Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor
Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor, a private, non-profit organization, occupies the WWII hangars and control tower on Ford Island that still bear the scars as our nation’s first aviation battlefield. Giving visitors a front-row seat to the Pacific Theater and presenting 50 aircraft and their stories, the museum was named “one of the Top Ten Aviation Attractions” by TripAdvisor®. Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. General admission is $25 per adult and $12 per child 4-12. Military, kamaaina (local resident) and school group pricing is available. For more information, call (808) 441-1000 or visit PacificAviationMuseum.org. Tickets and a free flight simulator coupon are available online.

USS Bowfin Submarine Museum and Park 
Adjacent to the Pearl Harbor Visitors Center, the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum and Park, operated as a private, non-profit organization, is dedicated to the sacrifice of more than 3,500 submarine personnel lost in World War II. This gallant band of brothers, compromising less than 2 percent of the U.S. Navy, sank more than 5.5 million tons of enemy ships, while sustaining losses of 52 submarines that remain on Eternal Patrol. The USS Bowfin Submarine Museum and Park is open daily from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Combined general admission to the submarine and museum is $12 per adult and $5 per child 4-12. Military, kamaaina (local resident) and school group pricing is available. For more information, call (808) 423-1341 or visit Bowfin.org.

WWII Valor in the Pacific National Monument
The USS Arizona, USS Oklahoma and USS Utah Memorials are operated and maintained by the National Park Service as part of the recently designed WWII Valor in the Pacific National Monument. The three ships’ memorials honor and commemorate all members of the U.S. Armed Forces and civilians who gave their lives to their country during the attack on the island of Oahu and Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Visitors to the USS Arizona Memorial take a Navy launch to the memorial between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. The USS Oklahoma Memorial is located on Ford Island next to the Battleship Missouri and can be accessed via the Battleship Missouri Memorial shuttle bus. Access to the USS Utah Memorial is limited to those with military IDs. The Pearl Harbor Visitor Center is open daily from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission and parking is free. For more information visit nps.gov/valr, PacificHistoricParks.org or call (808) 954-8778.

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Media Contact: 
Megan Hesselink
(808) 539-3430    
Megan.Hesselink@Anthologygroup.com

Jaclyn Hawse
(808) 455-1600 ext. 246
JaclynH@ussmissouri.org