Second Place
BOSTON ASHE, Nordstrom Elementary, 3rd Grade, Mrs. Lefevre
T
here are 2,500 National Historic Landmarks in the United States. If I
had to choose to visit one, I would pick Pearl Harbor . Pearl Harbor
was the site of the surprise attack by Japan during WWII. On Decem-
ber 7, 1941, almost 2,500 people died during the battle of Pearl Harbor.
Many people have forgotten about the attack, but I never want to forget.
When I visit Pearl Harbor, I want to educate myself about the history of
the attack, understand the damage and destruction caused by the battle,
and honor the memory of the people who died during the attack.
The history behind the attack is very interesting to me. On December
7th, 1941, we were attacked by Japan at Pearl Harbor. The United States had not declared war on Japan before
the attack. To many of the soldiers, it was just a normal day in beautiful Hawaii. All of a sudden, the soldiers
heard bombing. The attack left almost 2,500 people dead. Franklin D. Roosevelt was the President of the
United States and made a speech about the battle. He described it as “A day that would live in infamy.” I looked
up the word “Infamy” in the dictionary. It means that the attack will be remembered for how bad it was.
The damage caused by the attack at Pearl Harbor was very bad. 20 war ships and 350 airplanes were
heavily damaged or destroyed. If you go to Pearl Harbor today, you can see two memorials dedicated to the
USS Arizona and USS Utah. Both ships were destroyed in the battle and are both at the bottom of the sea. If I
visited Pearl Harbor and saw these two big ships at the bottom of the ocean, it would help me understand the
damage caused by the attack. 1,102 soldiers are still inside the USS Arizona. The ships leaks oil into the sea.
The leaking oil is called “The black tears of the Arizona.”
Almost 2,500 soldiers died during the attack at Pearl Harbor. Even though the president said the day would
live in infamy, many people have forgotten about the attack. I feel sad and a little mad that people forget about
the Battle of Pearl Harbor. If we forget the attack, we are not honoring the soldiers who died there. Visiting
Pearl Harbor will help me honor the soldiers’ sacrifice.
It is important not to forget Pearl Harbor. The National Historic Monument at Pearl Harbor helps us to
remember the history behind the attack, the damage and destruction caused by the battle, and to honor the
people who died while fighting. I hope to go to Pearl Harbor someday. For now, I will pray to honor them.
Third Place
MACKENZIE PARENTE, P.A. Walsh STEAM Academy
3rd Grade, Mr. Hjelm
I
f I could travel to any National Monument,
I would choose the White House because
I really think the White House is interesting
and cool. Most of the presidents have lived there
and it’s a part of history.
First of all, the White House was built in Washington D.C. The White House
was built in the year 1792, October 13th. Furthermore, there are 132 rooms,
35 bathrooms, 412 doors, 147 windows, 28 fireplaces, and 3 elevators.
Most people think that the White House was always in good condition, but,
how could something so old survive for such a long time? The original White
House burned down in the year 1814, August 24th, so technically there have
been two White Houses. Thankfully, the “new” one has not burned down.
I chose this national monument because I dream of being the world’s first
woman U.S. President, and because I love learning all about history and the
White House is part of history. That is why I want to go to the White House.
America’s NATIONAL PARKS H Morgan Hill Freedom Fest 2017
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