USS Arizona Twitter Live Tweets Pearl Harbor Attack, Ceremony

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It’s been 72 years since the Day of Infamy, and a Twitter account posting as the USS Arizona commemorates this by live tweeting Pearl Harbor’s past and present. 

The account has been mixing live tweets of today’s 72nd annual remembrances, and tweeting in present tense as if the attack is happening now. 

It’s becoming a regular practice for many Twitter accounts. Most recently, the History Channel live tweeted President John F. Kennedy’s assassination, from his arrival in Dallas and beyond. 

If the practice seems  macabre, the USS Arizona keeps it grounded in reality by interspersing tweets of today’s ceremonies, including photos of the survivors. There were about 50 of them attending today’s events. 

The feed began with tweets of preparations in Japan as they began the attack. 

The tweets became all the more chilling. This tweet was posted at 7:55 a.m., just as participants in today’s events fell into a moment of silence to mark the beginning of the attack. 

At 8:05 a.m., the USS Arizona herself was under attack, eventually leading to the deaths of 1,177 crewmen. 

USS Oklahoma survivor Paul Goodyear once again attended this year’s ceremonies. I had the honor and pleasure of meeting him in 2007, when I covered the Pearl Harbor ceremonies for the late Honolulu Star-Bulletin. It warms my heart to know he’s returned. 

Twitter is often used these days to document disasters and wars, and no doubt such an attack would be hitting the feeds today.

But as memories of the attack fade as the number of survivors dwindle, today’s feed is also a showcase on how social media can continue to educate on this day of remembrance, and infamy. 

Photo courtesy of USS Arizona Memorial

— Gene Park

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