The attack on Pearl Harbor was one of the most sobering moments in United States history. Until that day, the United States had managed to stay out of the conflict happening overseas. The immense destruction and loss of life that occurred on December 7, 1941, finally spurred the country to join the fight.
Many of the lives lost on that day belonged to sailors who served on a battleship called the USS Arizona. They’re considered among the first American casualties of World War II. For anyone who wants to know more about the tragic story and historic fate of the USS Arizona and its crew, let’s look at what this ship went through, from the time it was built to today.
The USS Arizona was a Pennsylvania-class battleship, which the United States Navy commissioned in 1916. It was the second and last of its class. The name “Arizona” was chosen to honor the 48th state’s recent admission into the union. At the time of its launch, it was one of the most powerful warships in the world.
The ship’s construction began in March 1914 at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Over the next two years, thousands of workers built its massive steel hull. The finished ship was over 600 feet long and displaced more than 31,000 tons. It was a formidable vessel, armed with twelve 14-inch guns and a host of smaller cannons.
The USS Arizona didn’t see combat in World War I. Instead, its initial years were spent on training exercises and patrols along the East Coast. In 1918, it was one of the ships that escorted President Woodrow Wilson to the Paris Peace Conference. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, the ship continued to serve as a symbol of American naval power. During this period, it underwent modernizations that updated its technology and weaponry.
In 1940, as tensions with Japan grew, the USS Arizona was moved to its new home base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. It became part of the Pacific Fleet. The ship’s crew, a company of over 1,500 sailors and Marines, settled into their new routine. They were unaware of the historic events that would soon unfold.
On the morning of December 7, 1941, the USS Arizona was moored on “Battleship Row” in Pearl Harbor. It sat alongside other battleships of the Pacific Fleet. The day started like any other Sunday. Crew members were preparing for a day of light duty and recreation.
Just before 8:00 AM, the first wave of Japanese aircraft appeared in the sky. The surprise attack began. The attackers targeted the airfields and the ships docked in the harbor. Chaos erupted as bombs and torpedoes rained down.
The USS Arizona was a prime target. It was hit by several bombs. The final, fatal blow came from a 1,760-pound armor-piercing bomb. It pierced the ship’s armored deck near the forward ammunition magazines. The resulting explosion was catastrophic. It lifted the massive battleship out of the water and created a fireball that engulfed the forward part of the ship.
The explosion and the fires that followed were devastating. The blast killed 1,177 crewmen instantly. This number accounted for almost half of the total casualties at Pearl Harbor that day. The ship sank in just nine minutes, its burning wreckage a horrifying testament to the attack’s brutality. For many, the image of the crippled USS Arizona became a symbol of the tragedy.
In the aftermath, the Navy faced the question of what to do with the sunken battleship. The damage seemed too severe for salvage and repair. The ship was declared a total loss. However, they did manage to salvage some parts of the USS Arizona later on. The Navy removed the ship’s superstructure, which remained above the water, and surviving gun turrets and other equipment to repurpose for use on other vessels. This left the submerged hull as the main remnant of the once-mighty warship, a final resting place for the more than 900 men entombed within.
For 20 years after the attack on Pearl Harbor, there was little to honor the USS Arizona and its loss beyond a simple flagpole erected on the wreckage. It was Admiral Arthur W. Radford, the Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific Fleet, who put up and maintained this flagpole. Not long after, a temporary memorial was also placed on what remained of the deckhouse, but it was often damaged by the elements and needed frequent repairs.
Eventually, efforts were made to create a more fitting tribute. In the late 1950s, Admiral Radford and other military and civilian leaders spearheaded the push to build a memorial, recognizing the need to honor the 1,177 crew members who perished. In 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower approved the project.
The USS Arizona Memorial was designed by Alfred Preis, a Honolulu-based architect. It was built over the sunken hull of the ship in 1962. The stark white structure straddles the midsection of the ship without touching it. It serves as a solemn tribute to the crew who lost their lives.
The memorial receives over 1.8 million visitors each year. It’s a place of reflection, where people can pay their respects and remember the events of that day. The names of all 1,177 fallen crewmen are inscribed on a marble wall in the shrine room. Oil, often called the “tears of the Arizona,” still leaks from the ship’s hull, a constant reminder of the disaster and the lives lost in it.
The loss of the USS Arizona and its crew is a tragic story. The historic fate of the ship didn’t end there, though. Today, the USS Arizona Memorial shares the tale of the battleship and what it went through on December 7, 1941.
If you’re interested in visiting this historic site, Pearlharbortours.org offers USS Arizona Memorial Pearl Harbor tours. Our tour guides will take you through the memorial and other historic locations. Book your tour today to see this piece of American history and pay respects to the brave men who lost their lives on the ship during the attack on Pearl Harbor.