Guests at the Oklahoma Aquarium got a special treat Saturday as Navy Divers suited up in the name of history.
Not only did kids get to see life under the sea, but they saw how those animals are cared for by those who know the ocean waters best. This is the first time many kids and parents saw a real deep-sea diver in the flesh.
"My dad's in the Navy. He's on the ships but he never told me about scuba divers." said one spectator.
These men are U.S. Navy Divers stationed at Pearl Harbor. With them, they bring historic uniforms and a lasting legacy of sacrifice.
"Honestly, it's an honor for me to sit in this uniform suit and show the public what we got," said Navy Diver Chief Donald Acker.
Traveling all the way from Hawaii, these men taught guests about their historical base and their relationship with the sea.
"It's been amazing. It's been an honor to not only represent the Navy but Navy deep sea diving," said Acker.
For some of the crew, the trip is special. Hospital Corpsman Chief Ryan Gilbert is from Oklahoma City and says he loves teaching right here at home.
"Hopefully we can expose kids that have an interest in the water or things in the water that they can't see on a day-to-day basis," he said. "So it's really rewarding to give that to them and spark some interest in the younger kids."
The Pearl Harbor crew was in Oklahoma as part of navy week at the Oklahoma State Fair. They say they jumped at the chance to check out the Oklahoma Aquarium and help feed the fish before they left.
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