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As of January 1, 2019, we have closed our forums. This is a decision we did not come to lightly, but it is necessary. The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk. The server software itself must be updated, and it cannot be without removing the forums.
So it is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to our long-running forums. They came online in 2000 and brought together so many wonderful Disney fans. We had friendships form, careers launch, couples marry, children born ... all because of this amazing community.
Thank you to each of you who were a part of this community. You made it possible.
And a very special thank you to our Guides (moderators), past and present, who kept our forums a happy place to be. You are the glue that held everything together, and we are forever grateful to you. Thank you aliceinwdw, Caldercup, MrsM, WillCAD, Fortissimo, GingerJ, HiddenMickey, CRCrazy, Eeyoresmom, disneyknut, disneydani, Cam22, chezp, WDWfan, Luvsun, KMB733, rescuesk, OhToodles!, Colexis Mom, lfredsbo, HiddenMickey, DrDolphin, DopeyGirl, duck addict, Disneybine, PixieMichele, Sandra Bostwick, Eeyore Tattoo, DyanKJ130, Suzy Q'Disney, LilMarcieMouse, AllisonG, Belle*, Chrissi, Brant, DawnDenise, Crystalloubear, Disneymom9092, FanOfMickey, Goofy4Goofy, GoofyMom, Home4us123, iamgrumpy, ilovedisney247, Jennifer2003, Jenny Pooh, KrisLuvsDisney, Ladyt, Laughaholic88, LauraBelle Hime, Lilianna, LizardCop, Loobyoxlip, lukeandbrooksmom, marisag, michnash, MickeyMAC, OffKilter_Lynn, PamelaK, Poor_Eeyore, ripkensnana, RobDVC, SHEANA1226, Shell of the South, snoozin, Statelady01, Tara O'Hara, tigger22, Tink and Co., Tinkerbelz, WDWJAMBA, wdwlovers, Wendyismyname, whoSEZ, WildforWD, and WvuGrrrl. You made the magic.
We want to personally thank Sara Varney, who coordinated our community for many years (among so many other things she did for us), and Cheryl Pendry, our Message Board Manager who helped train our Guides, and Ginger Jabour, who helped us with the PassPorter-specific forums and Live! Guides. Thank you for your time, energy, and enthusiasm. You made it all happen.
There are other changes as well.
Why? Well, the world has changed. And change with it, we must. The lyrics to "We Go On" for IllumiNations say it best:
We go on to the joy and through the tears
We go on to discover new frontiers
Moving on with the current of the years.
We go on
Moving forward now as one
Moving on with a spirit born to run
Ever on with each rising sun.
To a new day, we go on.
It's time to move on and move forward.
PassPorter is a small business, and for many years it supported our family. But the world changed, print books took a backseat to the Internet, and for a long time now it has been unable to make ends meet. We've had to find new ways to support our family, which means new careers and less and less time available to devote to our first baby, PassPorter.
But eventually, we must move on and move forward. It is the right thing to do.
So we are retiring this newsletter, as we simply cannot keep up with it. Many thanks to Mouse Fan Travel who supported it all these years, to All Ears and MousePlanet who helped us with news, to our many article contributors, and -- most importantly -- to Sara Varney who edited our newsletter so wonderfully for years and years.
And we are no longer charging for the Live Guides. If you have a subscription, it's yours to keep for the lifetime of the Live Guides at no additional cost. The Live Guides will stay online, barring server issues and technical problems, for all of 2019.
That said, PassPorter is not going away. Most of the resources will remain online for as long as we can support them, and after that we will find ways to make whatever we can available. PassPorter means a great deal to us, and to many of you, and we will do our best to keep it alive in whatever way we can. Our server costs are high, and they'll need to come out of our pockets, so in the future you can expect some changes so we can bring those costs down.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for your amazing support over the years. Without you, there's no way us little guys could have made something like this happen and given the "big guys" a run for their money. PassPorter was consistently the #3 guidebook after the Unofficial and Official guides, which was really unheard of for such a small company to do. We ROCKED it thanks to you and your support and love!
If you miss us, you can still find some of us online. Sara started a new blog at DisneyParkPrincess.com -- I strongly urge you to visit and get on her mailing list. She IS the Disney park princess and knows Disney backward and forward. And I am blogging as well at JenniferMaker.com, which is a little craft blog I started a couple of years ago to make ends meet. You can see and hear me in my craft show at https://www.youtube.com/c/jennifermaker . Many PassPorter readers and fans are on Facebook, in groups they formed like the PassPorter Trip Reports and PassPorter Crafting Challenge (if you join, just let them know you read about it in the newsletter). And some of our most devoted community members started a forum of their own at Pixie Dust Lane and all are invited over.
So we encourage you to stay in touch with us and your fellow community members wherever works best for you!
Best wishes for a wonderful and magical new year!
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Welcome! We're happy you've found the PassPorter Community -- the friendliest place to plan your vacation to Walt Disney World, Disney Cruise Line, Disneyland, and the world in general! You are now viewing the PassPorter Message Board Community as a guest, which gives you limited access. As our guest, feel free to browse our messages by selecting the forum you want to visit from the list below.
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06-16-2006, 04:14 PM
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#76
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PassPorter Message Board Manager
 PassPorter Guide Author
Community Rank: Legend VIP 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Maidstone, Kent, UK
Concierge Level: 3
Posts: 190,285
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Re: Aloha Kana and Pila – Part 1
Very moving installments Bill. Hawaii is definitely on my list of places to visit and the USS Arizona Memorial is top of the things we must do if we ever get out there. What a beautiful memorial it is to all those who lost their lives, ensuring that they will never be forgotten.
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06-17-2006, 08:11 AM
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#77
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The Original BagMan
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Shalimar, FL
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 22,002
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Re: Aloha Kana and Pila – Part 1
[b] The USS Bowfin submarine…
Before we move on with the trip report, here are some links for those that want more info on the Memorial, or the USS Arizona…
The National Park Service Page on the Memorial
http://www.nps.gov/usar/index.htm
Specific Info on the Arizona…
http://www.nps.gov/usar/ExtendWeb1.html
The Arizona Memorial Museum Association Page
http://www.arizonamemorial.org/
Now, on with the TR…
We finished at the Arizona Museum after spending a few dollars in the gift shop and headed over to the “food court” as it was lunch time. Looking over the various places, we decided on chicken and beef shish-k-bobs [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/yuma.gif[/img] After lunch, we headed next door to tour the USS Bowfin, a submarine…
A little info here…
These three ships, the U.S.S. Arizona, U.S.S. Bowfin, and U.S.S. Missouri, represent the beginning, middle, and end of the U.S.’s involvement in the Pacific part of WW2. Our involvement started with the sinking of the USS Arizona, The USS Bowfin was nicknamed the “Pearl Harbor Avenger” (I’ll explain in a little bit) and U.S. ended the Pacific part of WW2 on the deck of the U.S.S. Missouri when the Japanese signed the Surrender Paperwork…
Once in the parking lot, you can walk to both the U.S.S. Arizona Museum and the U.S.S. Bowfin. You will board a trolley to ride over to Ford Island to view the U.S.S. Missouri. The Bowfin and Missouri are both maintained by private, non-profit groups and there is a fee to visit them. They are worth it, in my humble opinion…
Bowfin info – A Balao class submarine originally set up to hold 70 personnel (7 officers/73enlisted) and later increased to 80 (8 officers/72enlisted). She is just under 312 feet long, just over 27 feet wide and weighs 1810 tons surfaced and 2415 tons submerged. Her keel was laid on 23 July, 1942. She was launched 7 December, 1942 (thus the nickname) and commissioned 1 May, 1943. More info on the specifics of the boat can be found here: http://bowfin.org/website/bowfin/bowfin_frameset.htm The Bowfin was acquired from the Navy in 1979 and opened to the public in 1981.
The USS Bowfin Submarine Museum and Park home page is http://bowfin.org/website/index.cfm
During WW2, the Bowfin went out on 9 patrols and was credited/responsible for sinking 44 enemy ships…
The memorial at this park was set up as a silent tribute to the 52 American Submarines and more than 3500 Submariners lost in WW2…
My father was a post WW2 submariner for 20 years in the Navy…
Now, on with our visit..
As you enter the park, there are inert pieces of some of the military weaons used…
The Memorial
Has a number of columns surrounding the flag and a different submarine is described on each one..
The plaque list the submarine name and number, the commanding officer when lost, a photo, launch date, a brief synopsis of the submarine’s history and a list of those crew members that disappeared with the boat and are on “eternal patrol”.
If anyone wants to seethe plaque on a specific submarine there, drop me a PM, I have good photos of them all…
The ramp up to the sub…
The Sub…
We purchased our tickets for both the Bowfin and the Missouri. Prior to getting on the boat, you are given a walkman-style unit with a numeric pad. You press the button associated with the station you are at and it gives you the technical info for that area and you hear a description by a sailor who has been there…
The deck area…
Forward torpedo room…
Most cubicles are just big enough for one person, 2 if you’re really good friends…
That’s Jan in the “hallway” to give you an idea of how much room there is…
Officers bunks…
Officers ward room
The Captain’s bunk…
Main Control Room
Kitchen…
Enlisted chow hall…
The daily menu, personally signed and approved by the Captain…
Enlisted personnel sleeping…
One of the engines
Where the engines are really controller…
Aft torpedo room…
Sharpshooter Jan [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/rofl2.gif[/img]
Off the boat and we wandered around the Museum/Gift Shop. We got the photo they took, I’ll scan them in and post them later…
NEXT: The U.S.S. Missouri |
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06-17-2006, 08:31 AM
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#78
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Community Rank: Trailblazer 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: North Carolina
Concierge Level: 1
Posts: 5,666
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Re: Aloha Kana and Pila – Part 1
Bill, I am loving this. My dad is reading your report over my shoulder. We are both huge history buffs and I would love to visit there one day. Can't wait to read more!
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06-17-2006, 08:36 AM
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#79
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Community Rank: Legend Extraordinaire 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Ohio Football Hall Of Fame
Posts: 42,304
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Re: Aloha Kana and Pila – Part 1
Great updates Bill!!! We saw this on our honeymoon and it really brings back some wonderful memories! Your pictures are gorgeous.
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06-17-2006, 08:55 AM
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#80
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RED SOX NATION!!
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Connecticut
Concierge Level: 9
Posts: 136,854
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Re: Aloha Kana and Pila – Part 1
Another fantastic update! So interesting! I hope one day to get there [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/082502yes_prv.gif[/img]
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06-17-2006, 08:57 AM
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#81
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Wannabe Snowbird
Join Date: May 2002
Concierge Level: 7
Posts: 34,137
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Re: Aloha Kana and Pila – Part 1
Holy Sardine Can, Bagman!! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img] I can tell you right here, right now, without a doubt, there is no way I would ever be able to go inside a submarine! Way too close quarters for my comfort! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/ukid.gif[/img]
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06-17-2006, 10:09 AM
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#82
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Community Rank: Navigator 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Davidsonville, MD
Posts: 6,563
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Re: Aloha Kana and Pila – Part 1
I regret that we did not get to the Bowfin. Well, next time. I can't wait to see your photos of the Missouri. We really enjoyed that one. I'm going to try and find my photos from that day. My brother in law loved the Missouri so much, he opted to have his Navy retirement ceremony on board in October 2002. I only wish I could have flown back for that!
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06-17-2006, 07:18 PM
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#83
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Living Seas wannabe
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 31,940
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Re: Aloha Kana and Pila – Part 1
Bill - thank you for the wonderful photos of the Arizona. I have been there twice and it is a majorly sobering experience.
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06-18-2006, 06:28 AM
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#84
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PassPorter Message Board Manager
PassPorter Guide Author
Community Rank: Legend VIP
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Maidstone, Kent, UK
Concierge Level: 3
Posts: 190,285
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Re: Aloha Kana and Pila – Part 1
What wonderful photos - reading your report, I'm desperate to visit Hawaii one day, it seems like there is so much to see and do a lot of history to appreciate there.
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06-18-2006, 09:19 AM
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#85
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Community Rank: Explorer 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Ottawa, Ontario
Posts: 13,817
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Re: Aloha Kana and Pila – Part 1
Amazing photographs. Thank you so much for sharing these.
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06-18-2006, 07:15 PM
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#86
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Community Rank: Jetsetter 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Wishing I was at WDW
Posts: 2,384
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Re: Aloha Kana and Pila – Part 1
You take the most amazing photos.
You have such a gift.
More pls!!!!!
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06-18-2006, 07:53 PM
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#87
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Community Rank: Legend 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Newtown Square, PA
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 23,859
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Re: Aloha Kana and Pila – Part 1
Bill, what a great report so far and absolutely gorgeous pictures! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/love.gif[/img]
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06-19-2006, 02:29 AM
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#88
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Community Rank: Explorer
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Fort Smith, Arkansas
Posts: 10,721
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Re: Aloha Kana and Pila – Part 1
Another superb update!
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06-19-2006, 11:27 AM
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#89
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Facebook Addict
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Philadelphia
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 39,682
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Re: Aloha Kana and Pila – Part 1
Excellent pictures of the Bowfin, Bill!
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06-19-2006, 07:27 PM
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#90
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The Original BagMan
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Shalimar, FL
Concierge Level: 6
Posts: 22,002
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Re: Aloha Kana and Pila – Part 1
[b] The U.S.S. Missouri
Before we start with the photos, here some facts about the Missouri…
Remember, this ship is about the same size as the Arizona laying on the bottom close by…
Length: 887’ 3”
Beam: 108’ 3”
Height: 209’ 8”
Weight: 58,000 TONS fully loaded
45,000 TONS empty
Keel Laid: 6 Jan, 1941
Launched: 29 Jan, 1944
Commissioned: 11 Jun, 1944
Operational: 14 Dec, 1944
Decommissioned: 26 Feb, 1955
Recommissioned: 10 May, 1986
Decommissioned: 31 Mar, 1992
Removed from the Navy Registry in 1995
Moved to Pearl Harbor 22 Jun, 1998
Open to the public: 29 Jan, 1999 on the 54th anniversary of her launching…
This battleship is the fourth ship and the second battleship to be named after the “show me” state. This was the last battleship commissioned by the U.S. and in 1992 was the world’s last operational battleship.
After being in mothballs for 30 years, she was pulled out of mothballs, refitted and did an “around the world” shakedown cruise, the first battleship to do this since 1909…
In 1987, the Missouri was sent to the Persian Gulf to protect American Flagged oil tankers. In 1988 she participated in an exercise off the coast of the Hawaiian Islands. In 1991, she re-deployed to the Persian Gulf. When she was recommissioned, she was fitted with Tomahawk Cruise missiles and during this deployment she launched them, as well as using her 16 inch guns to pound Iraqi positions…
More detailed history can be found here:
http://ussmissouri.org/History_More.aspx
And complete information on the Memorial and Memorial Organization can be found here:
http://ussmissouri.org/
Now, on with the photos/report…
We hop on a shuttle/street car to head across the bridge to Ford Island to tour the U.S.S. Missouri. Security on military installations there is quite high, in fact on the naval installations if they see you taking photos on base, they’ll stop the vehicle and confiscate the cameras… So, until we got inside the gate at the dock the Missouri was tied up on, we “couldn’t” take any photos, and I didn’t push that this time [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]
Once on the docks, the picture taking began. Now, when we bought out tickets for the tour, we didn’t pay extra for the “guided tour”. But, when we got to the dock, we were again offered the guided tour and paid the extra for it. One of the benefits of the guided tour is that we got to fly in one of those simulators that “simulated” flying a WW2 aircraft on a mission off a battleship… It was okay..
The Simulator…
Another benefit of the guided tour is the tour guide, you’ll see pics of her as we go through and she was a lot of fun, and informative too [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/roflmao.gif[/img]
Preparing to board…
The Arizona Memorial from the dock by the Missouri…
Big Bullets, Little Bullets…
On Deck…
Wood Decks…
Each gun turret has the number of rounds fired from it during their tours in the Persian Gulf…
The radio antennas on the bow…
The anchor chains… Each anchor weighs about 31,000 pounds and there is nearly 1200 feet of anchor chain. Each link of the chain weighs 110 pounds [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img]
Our guide!!!
Looking back towards Ford Island… Does the tower look familiar???
She’s around 5’ 2”
Unlike the Bowfin, these folks had R O O M [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/rofl2.gif[/img]
Full Bath [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/roflmao.gif[/img]
Enlisted Bunks…
A cutaway view of a gun turret
Photos of a burial at sea. The person being buried is a Japanese Kamikaze pilot that flew his plane into the side of the Missouri. The Captain felt that the pilot was just carrying out his duties, as the American sailors were, and deserved a decent and proper funeral for dying while performing those duties…
From the aft deck
There’s Ford Island and that tower again…
Tomahawk Cruise Missile and Harpoon Anti-Surface Missile launchers…
Command Center (some of the items had to be removed as they are still used by the navy on their current war ships)…
I used to use one of these radar scopes as an Air Force air traffic controller…
The Surrender Deck…
Copies of the signed document…
A dedication plaque on one of the gun turrets…
Inside one of the turrets….
Formal dining room…
The Arizona Memorial from the Top of the Missouri…
Refinished wood flooring…
The Bridge…
Leaving the ship…
Jan’s Pictures…
My fat head, and our cute guide…
The aft deck…
Lights in combat mode in the Command and Control room…
The Canteen [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/roflmao.gif[/img]
Our Picture from the Missouri…
NEXT: Back to the house and the rest of our day… |
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