DENVER — A piece of history from the attacks on Pearl Harbor now has a new home in Aurora. On Tuesday morning, a United Airlines flight arrived to Denver International Airport from Hawaii with a steel piece of the USS Arizona on-board, symbolically bringing Coloradans lost in Pearl Harbor home.
The relic, dating back to WWII, has ties to Colorado since 32 service member from the state are entombed on it, and 41 Coloradans died in the Pearl Harbor attacks.
The United flight arrived to a water cannon salute and once parked at the gate, a service member draped a flag on the brown colored crate. Soon after, service members lifted the crate off of the pallet and it was gently placed into a black SUV.
As the ceremony came to an end, the SUV drove away from the airport in a convoy escorted by police officers.
The eventual home of the steel relic will be at the Colorado Freedom Memorial Center in Aurora, but it will remain in storage until construction at the site is complete, according to the memorial leaders.
For those who may want to pay their respects, you will have a chance to look at the relic on Veteran's Day weekend. Be sure to stay connected to their website for updates.
