Pearl Harbor Offers Free USS Arizona Tours for Guard and Space Force Birthdays

Americas Oldest and Newest Branches Honored

The U. S. National Guard was founded in 1636. The U.S. Space Force was created in 2019.

This December, both military branches get honored at the same place: the waters above the sunken USS Arizona, where 1,177 sailors and Marines still rest from the attack that launched America into World War II.

Pearl Harbor National Memorial is offering free boat programs and museum access for service members of both branches, and the timing connects nearly four centuries of military history to one of the most sacred sites in the country.

Free Boat Rides on December 13-14

National Guard and Space Force members can board a special USS Arizona Memorial boat program on December 13 and 14, 2025.

Active duty personnel, reservists, retirees, veterans, and their dependents should gather at the Bell Court by 3:30 p. m. for the 3:45 p. m. departure. The program is capped at 145 visitors total, so arriving early is a good idea.

A valid military ID is required at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center.

Navy and Marines Can Join Too

The National Park Service had planned separate birthday celebrations for the Navy and Marine Corps earlier in the year, but those events were canceled.

To make up for it, Navy and Marine Corps personnel are invited to participate in this December program alongside the Guard and Space Force. All four branches can share the boat ride to the memorial together.

Partner Museums Open Doors for Free

The birthday celebration extends beyond the memorial itself.

The Battleship Missouri Memorial, Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, and Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum are all offering free admission to Guard and Space Force members on these dates.

Pacific Historic Parks is also providing complimentary self-guided audio tours and access to the Pearl Harbor Virtual Reality Experience.

The Guard Turns 389 Years Old

On December 13, 1636, the Massachusetts Bay Colony’s General Court ordered the formation of three militia regiments to defend the colony. All able-bodied men between 16 and 60 were required to join.

That decision created what we now call the National Guard, making it the oldest military organization in the United States.

Today, about 350,000 men and women serve in the Army and Air National Guard across all 50 states and U. S. territories.

Space Force Celebrates Year Six

The U. S. Space Force was established on December 20, 2019, when President Donald Trump signed the National Defense Authorization Act into law. It became the first new military branch since the Air Force was created in 1947.

The Space Force operates under the Department of the Air Force, and its roughly 9,500 uniformed members are called Guardians.

Their mission includes protecting satellites, tracking space debris, and coordinating military operations across all domains.

From Colonial Muskets to Orbit

The pairing of these two branches at Pearl Harbor highlights how far American defense has evolved. The National Guard began with farmers carrying muskets to protect villages from attack.

The Space Force monitors threats from thousands of miles above Earth.

Both exist to defend the nation, and both trace their purpose to the same idea: citizens ready to serve when called.

December 7, 1941 Changed Everything

On that Sunday morning, 353 Japanese aircraft launched a surprise assault on the U. S. Pacific Fleet anchored at Pearl Harbor. The attack killed 2,403 Americans and wounded another 1,178.

Eight battleships were damaged or destroyed. The next day, Congress declared war on Japan, and the United States entered World War II.

The attack remains one of the most significant moments in American military history.

The Arizona Took the Heaviest Blow

The USS Arizona was hit by several bombs during the attack, and one detonated the forward ammunition magazine. The explosion destroyed the ship in seconds.

Of the 1,177 crew members killed, more than 900 remain entombed in the hull. The battleship sank in about 40 feet of water and has never been moved.

It still leaks oil into the harbor, sometimes called the “tears of the Arizona.”

The Memorial Floats Above the Wreck

The USS Arizona Memorial was dedicated in 1962 and designed by Honolulu architect Alfred Preis. The 184-foot structure spans the midship section of the sunken battleship without touching it.

Inside, a marble wall lists the names of every crew member who died. The memorial is accessible only by Navy boat and draws more than two million visitors each year.

Honoring Service Across the Centuries

Pearl Harbor National Memorial runs birthday programs for each military branch throughout the year. The Army celebration falls in June, the Coast Guard in August, and the Marine Corps in November.

Each event offers the same format: a special boat program to the Arizona, free partner site admission, and a chance to reflect on sacrifice.

For the Guard and Space Force, that reflection now happens at a place where the cost of defending freedom is measured in names on a wall.

Visiting Pearl Harbor National Memorial, Hawaii

Pearl Harbor National Memorial honors those who died in the December 7, 1941 attack that brought America into World War II. The visitor center is located at 1 Arizona Memorial Place in Honolulu.

USS Arizona Memorial boat programs require advance reservations through the National Park Service website, though this special military birthday event allows walk-up access at the Bell Court. The visitor center is free, but parking costs $7 per day.

Partner sites charge separate admission ranging from about $26 to $40 for adults, though military members receive free entry during birthday events.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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