Seventy years ago on Sept. 2, World War II officially ended with a surrender ceremony aboard the USS Missouri. Today, the storied, retired battleship sits in Pearl Harbor as a historic icon and memorial, as well as an educational museum. On Wednesday, it will be the site of an end-of-WWII commemoration ceremony, which will reflect on that profound past, the progress of today and lessons for the future.

Attending will be a host of dignataries, including speakers U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawaii and Adm. Scott Swift, commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, as well as a congressional contingent. Today, three expected attendees reflect on the occasion: as with any event as momentous as the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII, intriguing stories big and small abound, as does optimism for diplomacy in ever-complex global relations.