Meet our Volunteers

Our Amazing Volunteers at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center!

At the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center, our incredible volunteers play a vital role in enhancing the visitor experience and preserving the legacy of Pearl Harbor. These dedicated individuals bring a wealth of knowledge and passion to their work, helping to connect visitors with the rich history of this site.

From assisting guests with information and guiding tours to supporting educational programs, our volunteers are at the heart of what we do. They are committed to sharing stories of bravery, sacrifice, and resilience, ensuring that the memories of those who served are honored and remembered.

Join us in celebrating our amazing volunteers who contribute their time and talents to make the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center a welcoming and educational place for all!

 

 

Vounteer Ann Marie P. Yager greets a visitor.

NPS photo.

Volunteer Spotlight: Ann Marie P. Yager

Following her Air Force husband, Ann Marie P. Yager moved to Hawaii in the summer of 2017.

“My husband and I were married in the Great Smoky National Park and had our honeymoon in Acadia [National Park],” she said. “We both love the National Park Service and its mission."

In November 2017, Ann Marie began volunteering at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center, helping at the front desk by "demystifying" the visitor experience. She takes great personal satisfaction in ensuring that visitors make the most of their time at the monument.

Hands down, she says, the highlight of any volunteer day is the swearing-in of a National Park Service Junior Ranger. "The kids embrace the exercises and are beginning to develop their own love for one of our country’s greatest gifts – the National Park Service," she said.

Ann Marie also enjoys working with the career park staff. “It is a privilege to work with so many committed professionals who have dedicated their careers to preserving and sharing the history of this special place,” she said.

 

Volunteer Tony Stewart assists guests at the visitor center ticket desk.

NPS photo.

Volunteer Spotlight: Tony Stewart

“I wear this volunteer uniform with pride, just like I did when I was on active duty in the United States Marine Corps.”

Whether it’s assisting visitors at the theater, handing out tickets, or giving briefings and directing people to the bathrooms, VALR volunteer Tony Stewart says his role has given him a sense of purpose.

"I get to interact with so many people," he said. "I love dealing with different individuals, especially from all cultures and walks of life. It’s very gratifying, and it’s very humbling, as well."

Originally from North Carolina, Tony was stationed in Oahu in 2004. After retiring from the Marine Corps, he never left the island. He started volunteering at Pearl Harbor, drawn in part by his interest in history.

"I’ve always had a passion to know more about World War II and how it started," he said. “This is where we got into the war, and this is where the ship [is] that the peace treaty was signed on. On top of that, I served on the USS Missouri, so I have connections from a military standpoint."

Tony expresses gratitude for being part of the team at VALR. "Everybody has that one thing, which is that they care," he said. "And that’s rare. I haven’t met one person that wasn’t compassionate or concerned about the welfare of our guests."

 

Outside the theater, Ann gives visitors information about their program.

NPS photo.

Volunteer Spotlight: Ann

Park Volunteer Ann retired from Pearl Harbor as a Department of Defense civil servant several years ago. She’s also a retired U.S. Army Reservist and has lived in Hawaii for 20 years.

“When I worked at Pearl Harbor, I would look out the window at the Arizona Memorial and knew I wanted to help people understand what happened there, and that those men need to continue to be honored,” she said. “If by volunteering I could achieve that, then that's how I would do it.”

Ann has volunteered at VALR for three years. It’s the continuing need to educate visitors about December 7 that keeps her coming back.

“The best part of my volunteer day is being in the Shrine Room and telling people about the men within the Arizona—those who've been there for 75 years and those who chose to return to rejoin their shipmates,” she said. “Another favorite thing to do is talk with folks. You never know what you can learn from them.”

Thank you, Ann, for your hard work and dedication!

 

Rick in the USS Arizona Memorial Shrine Room with visitors.

NPS photo.

Volunteer Spotlight: Rick

“Safety is first out here. After that, once everyone’s aboard and nobody’s leaning over the rails, you can start talking to people.”

Park Volunteer Rick smiles as he says it, but it’s clear he’s serious about visitor safety on the USS Arizona Memorial. He volunteers here two times a week, spending five to six hours each day helping park rangers answer questions, giving talks about the USS Arizona and her crew, and escorting visitors on and off the memorial.

After 23 years in the U.S. Marine Corps and 21 years teaching at Hawaii Pacific University, Rick retired from the workforce in 2011. About three years ago, he started volunteering at VALR after he visited the memorial again with his grandson.

“I hadn’t been out here for a while, and all of a sudden I said, ‘Wow, this is a very special place.’ I saw a volunteer out here and the rangers doing their professional work, so I inquired.”

His favorite part of volunteering at the memorial?

“You get a lot of questions. You can see the thirst that people have for more information. Once they come out here and set their eyes on this, it’s a joy to explain to them the significance of this place,” he said. “I want them to take something back that’s not necessarily in their cameras, but in their head and their heart. When you speak to them about the place, you can tell that they are absorbing it. It’s gratifying that they are getting as much as they can out of the experience here.”

Thank you, Rick, for all you do! We are so grateful to you and all our volunteers for the hard work you put in each and every day.

 

Jimmy working with ParkEDU Specialist Lau on a distance learning program.

NPS photo.

Volunteer Spotlight: Jimmy

“I thought I’d just take it easy, but life in retirement gets pretty boring!”

That’s what Park Volunteer Jimmy, 87, said about leaving the workforce in 1998. To stay active, he began volunteering with Pacific Historic Parks, the Pacific Aviation Museum, and with disabled veterans at Tripler Army Medical Center. He also dedicates 10-30 hours a week to volunteering at Valor, primarily in the education program (ParkEDU).

Jimmy has a deeply personal reason for volunteering at Valor. He was a civilian witness to the Pearl Harbor attack. Only 11 years old on December 7, 1941, Jimmy watched the attack unfold from the railroad tracks near his house, which happened to be along the shores of Pearl Harbor. He vividly recalls seeing the planes coming in and dropping torpedoes.

Now, he gives tours at the visitor center, talks with visitors, and helps develop educational programs with ParkEDU.

“I’ve had the opportunity not only to meet people from all over the world, but I was able to share, from the young to the old, a little bit of history,” he said. “I talk to and visit students in school. Getting out with the schools with the ParkEDU team has been the greatest and best experience that I’ve had.”

Thank you, Jimmy, for your dedication and for sharing your incredible story with visitors and students alike!

 

Bob listens to a visitor at the USS Arizona Memorial.

NPS photo.

Volunteer Spotlight: Uncle Bob

Park Volunteer Bob, known as “Uncle Bob,” began volunteering at Valor about three years ago, dedicating around 10 hours a week at the USS Arizona Memorial. Here, he engages with visitors, sharing the history of what happened on December 7, 1941.

“I’m a big fan of American history. I was in the Navy for a couple of years, so I have that experience,” he said. “I like learning more and sharing what I know.”

Having lived in Hawaii for 51 years, Uncle Bob also volunteers at the Cancer Society and helps new businesses start up in Waianae, Hawaii. Before volunteering at Valor, he was a tour guide on the USS Missouri for 13 years.

The best part of volunteering at the memorial, according to Uncle Bob, is that the visitors genuinely want to be there.

“None of our visitors have to come out here,” he said. “This is all voluntary on their part. They still come out, 4,000 plus a day, 75 years after the event, which I think speaks very well for the people that want to come out here. Most of them weren’t around at that time. They know a little bit about what happened at Pearl Harbor, but they don’t know the details of it so much, so that’s our job, to fill in the details. And I enjoy doing that.”

Thank you, Uncle Bob, for everything you do for the park, staff, and visitors!

 

Mack at the USS Arizona Memorial ticket desk.

NPS photo.

Volunteer Spotlight: Mack

Park Volunteer Mack has been a dedicated volunteer at Valor since 2012. After retiring from the FAA in 2008, Mack’s passion for HAM radio led him to the USS Missouri, where a fellow operator encouraged him to volunteer at Valor. He’s been with us ever since, coming in twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays and averaging about 750 volunteer hours per year!

Mack is a familiar face at the front desk, always making visitors and rangers laugh. He’s often heard using his signature phrase, “super duper good,” when asked how he’s doing. His love for people is what keeps him coming back. When asked why he continues to volunteer, his simple response is, “I like people.”

Thank you, Mack, for all you do for the park, your fellow volunteers and staff members, and our visitors!