On a quiet Sunday morning in December 1941, the USS Arizona lay peacefully moored at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The massive battleship, commissioned in 1916, had no inkling of the devastation that was about to unfold. At 7:48 AM local time, Japanese aircraft descended upon the harbor, unleashing a barrage of bombs and torpedoes that would forever change the course of history.
The USS Arizona, weighing over 31,400 metric tons, was one of the primary targets during the surprise attack. At approximately 8:10 AM, a 1,760-pound armor-piercing bomb penetrated the ship's deck, igniting its forward ammunition magazine. The resulting explosion was catastrophic, ripping the battleship apart and sending it to the harbor floor in a matter of minutes. Of the 1,512 crew members aboard, 1,177 lost their lives in the attack, accounting for nearly half of the total American casualties at Pearl Harbor that day.
In the aftermath of the attack, salvage efforts were made on many of the damaged and sunken ships at Pearl Harbor. However, due to the extensive damage and loss of life aboard the USS Arizona, it was decided to leave the ship where it lay. Over time, the sunken battleship became a powerful symbol of the attack on Pearl Harbor and America's subsequent entry into World War II.
Recognizing the historical significance of the site, the U.S. government took steps to preserve the USS Arizona as a memorial. In 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed legislation to create the USS Arizona Memorial. The National Park Service, in conjunction with the U.S. Navy, began construction of a striking white structure that would straddle the sunken ship without touching it. The memorial was dedicated on Memorial Day, May 30, 1962, and opened to the public.
Today, the USS Arizona Memorial serves as a solemn reminder of the lives lost during the attack on Pearl Harbor. The 184-foot-long structure floats above the sunken battleship, with its ends sitting on pilings. The memorial consists of three main sections: the entry room, the assembly room, and the shrine room. The shrine room features a marble wall inscribed with the names of all those who perished aboard the USS Arizona. Perhaps most poignantly, small amounts of oil continue to seep from the wreckage, creating what visitors often refer to as "black tears" or "tears of the Arizona."
Preservation efforts for the USS Arizona are ongoing. The National Park Service, in collaboration with the U.S. Navy, conducts regular surveys and assessments of the sunken ship's condition. Concerns about the potential environmental impact of the remaining fuel oil in the ship's tanks have led to discussions about the possibility of defueling the wreck. However, such efforts must be balanced against the site's status as a war grave and its historical significance.
The USS Arizona Memorial has become one of Hawaii's most visited tourist attractions, drawing over 1.8 million visitors annually. As part of the World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument, it continues to educate future generations about the events of December 7, 1941, and honors the memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice. The sunken battleship, once a mighty warship, now serves as a permanent reminder of the cost of war and the importance of peace.
