News Item
Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Opening of the USS Arizona Memorial
May 25, 2012
To commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the USS Arizona Memorial's opening on Memorial Day, WWII Valor in the Pacific National Monument will be hosting a number of
special events and Elvis.com is now featuring a
photo gallery and
video of Elvis' 1961 benefit concert for the memorial.
Special events at the 50th anniversary celebration include the
USS Arizona Memorial Fundraiser 2012 Golf Event, the Marine Corps Honor Guard, a special floral tribute, and the Golden Anniversary Pearl Harbor boat tours.
In 1960, initial fundraising efforts to build the memorial had stalled, with only half of the funds raised. In an effort to re-energize the campaign, Hawaii journalists sent out an appeal to newspaper editors across the country asking for editorial support. Elvis Presley and his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, read about the effort to raise funds and decided to do a benefit concert in Hawaii. The concert raised over $62,000 and created awareness for the memorial around the world.
In honor of the 50th anniversary of the USS Arizona Memorial, we have posted photos and video on Elvis.com. Check out
photos from Elvis' benefit concert and
see video of Elvis' arrival in Honolulu plus his 1968 return visit.
Hawaii was very important to Elvis both to perform and as his own
personal vacation destination. Elvis Presley Enterprises recently
announced the
Aloha from Hawaii 40th Anniversary Celebration,
taking place January 10 – January 15, 2013. The celebration will host a
number of events in Hawaii including a special tour of the
USS Arizona Memorial.
For more information on the 50th anniversary events visit
www.nps.gov/valror or call 808-954-8778. Also, learn more about our Aloha from Hawaii 40th Celebration vacation packages at
www.elvis.com/aloha.