A Soldier assigned to the 9th Infantry Brigade, 6th Division, Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), looks through a periscope at the World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on July 23, 2016. The 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 2...

Soldiers assigned to the 9th Infantry Brigade, 6th Division, Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), reads a display inside the U.S. Army Museum of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, on July 23, 2016. The 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, hosted a cultur...

Soldiers assigned to the 9th Infantry Brigade, 6th Division, Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), takes the seat at 3 inch/50 naval gun display at the World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on July 23, 2016. The 3rd Bri...

Soldiers assigned to the 9th Infantry Brigade, 6th Division, Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), reads a display of a 7-inch coastal defense gun for former Battery Randolph at the U.S. Army Museum of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, on July 23, 2016. The 3rd Brig...

A Soldier assigned to the 9th Infantry Brigade, 6th Division, Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), takes a picture of Fort DeRussy's former coastal defense batteries inside the U.S. Army Museum of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, on July 23, 2016. The 3rd Brigade ...

Sgt. 1st Class Rick Tabuyo (right), 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division interacts with a Soldier assigned to the 9th Infantry Brigade, 6th Division, Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), at the U.S. Army Museum of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, on Jul...

A Soldier assigned to the 9th Infantry Brigade, 6th Division, Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), takes a photo of the smoke stack of the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on July 23, 2016. The 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, hosted a c...

Soldiers assigned to the 9th Infantry Brigade, 6th Division, Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), listen to a USS Arizona Memorial park ranger while looking at the center of the sunken battleship, on July 23, 2016. The 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry...

A Soldier assigned to the 9th Infantry Brigade, 6th Division, Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), takes a photo of the USS Arizona's memorial wall at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on July 23, 2016. The 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, hosted a cult...

Soldiers assigned to the 9th Infantry Brigade, 6th Division, Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), visited USS Arizona's memorial wall at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on July 23, 2016. The 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, hosted a cultural day for t...

SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii — The 3rd Brigade Combat Team "Broncos," 25th Infantry Division, hosted a cultural exchange day with members of the 9th Inf. Bde., 6th Div., Singapore Armed Forces, on the islands of Oahu and Hawaii, July 23.

The cultural exchange gave a much-needed break in the middle of the two-week long bilateral exercise taking place here, Waimanalo and Pohakuloa Training Area.

Almost a hundred SAF troops and a dozen staff members of the Bronco brigade were together during the cultural exchange at Oahu, said 1st Lt. James Newsome, environmental science officer, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd BCT.

"It's a great responsibility and honor to be able to show them what America and Hawaii has to offer from a military aspect," Newsome said. "For some of them it's their first time here in Hawaii, so it's good to show them around."

Newsome said the Bronco brigade took their Singapore partners to the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor, the U.S. Army Museum of Hawaii at Fort DeRussy Military Reservation, and the sites and beach of Waikiki.

The USS Arizona Memorial tour was the first on the itinerary for the SAF troops to visit.

Maj. Garick Bay, assigned to the 9th Inf. Bde., 6th Div., SAF, said he had only passing knowledge of the attack prior to his visit to the Arizona Memorial.

"We heard about it and seen it in movies, but up close and personal to the thing itself it's quite an enriching experience itself," Bay said. "It gives a bit goosebumps when you are there."

The Singaporeans were awestruck at visiting the battleship memorial that had become a symbol of perseverance during the Second World War.

The Empire of Japan simultaneously struck both the U.S. and Singapore, albeit technically on different days due to the international dateline, at the beginning of the Pacific War.

Another SAF soldier, 1st Warrant Officer Shawn Maniam, said it was quite interesting how the U.S. preserved the Arizona, and leaving the remains of the fallen Sailors and Marines who lost their lives during the Pearl Harbor raid.

"The sunken ship became the tomb for the dead men and whatever happens on top is what the future of the U.S. is," Maniam said. "So it was quite an interesting metaphorical message."

On the big island of Hawaii, the 3rd BCT's 2-27 Inf. Regt. "Wolfhounds" hosted their SAF partners to sightseeing and capping off the evening with a luau at Kona.

The Wolfhounds had to adjust their cultural day by cancelling their visit to the town of Volcano on the eastern side of the island due heavily rainfall wrought by Tropical Storm Darby.

However, weather didn't dampen the spirit and magic of Hawaii as the Singaporeans enjoyed their mid-exercise break on the leeward side of the island.

"It was a privilege to experience the Hawaiian culture with the SAF," said 2nd Lt. Adam Scheenstra, HHC, 2-27th Inf. Regt. "Their excitement and reception of the experience was very positive," "I believe they thoroughly enjoyed it, as did I."

Lance Cpl. Teo Wei Jun, SAF, enjoyed his cultural experience after a day of seeing the sites of Hawaii.

"Americans are very friendly," Teo said. "We had lots of fun in Hawaii, it's definitely warmer with much more beautiful scenery and awesome blue water."

(Note: Spc. Patrick Kirby, 3rd BCT Public Affairs, contributed to the story.)