The USS Arizona was
launched from New York Navy Yard in June 1915. Due to a scarcity of
oil, she did not join other battleships in European waters
during World War I, but following the
armistice of November 1918 carried President Woodrow Wilson to the Paris Peace Conference.
Arizona saw many assignments and refittings over the next 20+ years.
Following a night
firing exercise with division mates USS Nevada and USS
Oklahoma, all three moored along Ford Island on December 5, 1941.
Shortly before 8:00 AM Hawaii time on Sunday, December 7, aircraft from six
Japanese
carriers attacked the Pacific Fleet as it lay in port at Pearl Harbor.
Arizona is believed to have been hit by eight bombs, the most devastating of
which penetrated the deck to explode in the black powder magazine, which
then ignited adjacent smokeless powder magazines. A cataclysmic explosion ripped
through the forward part of the ship, touching off fires that burned
for two days.
The blast sank Arizona at her berth and took the lives of 1,177 men — over
half of the casualties suffered by the entire fleet that day.
Salvage work began almost immediately, at first for removal of the dead
(about 100 were recovered), then for removal of ammunition and projectiles.
Most of the 14-inch guns were removed and given to the Army for use as coastal defense guns.
One such site was completed and a test firing took place four days before
the surrender of Japan. From July to August 1942, the toppled foremast
and mainmast were cut away and removed, leaving the mostly submerged wreck
which can be seen above.
Two
of
the ship's bells from the Arizona were salvaged in 1941.
One was delivered to the University of Arizona in 1946 and has resided in
two consecutive student union buildings there. The preservation of
this bell is dedicated to the memory of the men who lost their lives on the
battleship Arizona in the attack on Pearl Harbor. The other original
bell is on display at the USS Arizona Memorial in Hawaii. To hear one
of the bells, click here.
The Memorial
Initial recognition of memorial status came in 1950 when Adm. Arthur
Radford, Commander in Chief, Pacific (CINCPAC), ordered that a flagpole be
erected over the sunken battleship. On the ninth anniversary of the attack,
a commemorative plaque was placed at the base
of the flagpole.
Legislation during the Eisenhower and Kennedy administrations designated the
wreck a national shrine.
In 1958, legislation was passed authorizing the Navy to erect a memorial and accept donations
for that purpose. Construction began in 1960, using public funds
appropriated by Congress and private donations; dedication took place on Memorial Day
in 1962.
The memorial structure lays across the wreck, perpendicular to its length.
It is 185 feet long with a width of 27 and 36 feet, respectively, at the
ends, to 14 feet at the center. An assembly area holds 200 people; a
shrine has a marble wall on which are inscribed the
names
of the men who were lost on the USS Arizona. The memorial is reached by boat.
According to its architect, Alfred Preis, the design of the Memorial,
Wherein the structure sags in the center but stands strong and vigorous at
the ends, expresses initial defeat and ultimate victory....The overall
effect is one of serenity. Overtones of sadness have been omitted to permit
the individual to contemplate his own personal responses...his innermost
feelings.
The US Navy considers those who were trapped in the Arizona to have been
buried at sea. A number of survivors of the attack have been interred with their shipmates.
Recommended Resources
| Websites | |
| University of Arizona information about their original ship's bell, with more background info | Website |
| Some impressive videos about the attack and the USS Arizona and memorial |
Go to Arizona Videos page - Video with extensive scenes of the USS Arizona Memorial - Tribute to the USS Arizona (images and music) - Brief video about the attack on Pearl Harbor, mostly about USS Arizona - Destruction of the USS Arizona. Shows where the bomb hit and the results. |
| National Park Service page for the USS Arizona Memorial | Website |
| US Navy pages for USS Arizona, with history and many official photos | 1 2 |
| USS Arizona ship info/specs | Website |
| USS Arizona Casualty List | 1 2 |
| Images of the ship as it lies | 1 2 |
| Books and Other Media | ||||
| VHS: USS Utah & USS Arizona Revisited | Scale Model of USS Arizona | Book on Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial | Poster | T-Shirt |
| Other Sites of Potential Interest (content selected automatically) |
Test Your Knowledge
This test covers the information in this article. Read each question and decide in your head what the answer is. Click the empty cell in the last column to see the correct answer.
| USS Arizona Memorial | How long was the USS Arizona afloat (from launch to sinking)? | Launched in 1915, sunk in 1941 -> 26 years |
| How many men are said to have died on the Arizona? | 1,177 | |
| Where are the two ship's bells? | 1) USS Arizona Memorial 2) Univ. of Arizona | |
| Not counting natural processes, the Arizona today is the same as when it was sunk. True or False? | False - among other things, foremast and mainmast were visible above the waters of Peral Harbor until cut away in 1942 | |
| Where was the USS Arizona built? | New York Navy Yard | |
| Is the USS Arizona Memorial reached by tunnel, boat, or helicopter? | By boat |
Click Here to go to the "Test Your Knowledge" page covering all articles included in this week's theme on DailyUSHistory.com.
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