USS Arizona

A sudden hush fell over the bustling shipyard on that June morning in 1915. The USS Arizona, a behemoth of steel and promise, slid gracefully into the waters of New York Harbor. Little did anyone know, the USS Arizona’s journey would lead her to a fateful December morning in Pearl Harbor. The USS Arizona was a Pennsylvania-class battleship, the third ship to bear the name Arizona. She was commissioned in 1916, a symbol of American naval might. She served in World War I, escorting President Woodrow Wilson to the Paris Peace Conference. In the interwar years, she became a familiar presence in the Pacific Fleet, participating in training exercises and Fleet Problems. The USS Arizona even played a role in Hollywood, appearing in the 1934 film “Here Comes the Navy.” But her story took a tragic turn on December 7, 1941. The surprise attack on Pearl Harbor found the USS Arizona moored alongside Ford Island. Japanese bombers targeted the battleship. Several bombs struck the ship. One triggered a catastrophic explosion in the forward magazine. The resulting devastation claimed the lives of 1,177 officers and crewmen. The USS Arizona sank to the harbor floor, a poignant symbol of the attack’s devastating toll. Unlike many other ships damaged that day, the USS Arizona was too severely damaged to be salvaged. Today, the USS Arizona rests where she fell, a submerged monument to the lives lost. The USS Arizona Memorial, built over the ship’s remains, stands as a testament to their sacrifice and a reminder of the day that changed the course of history. Visitors can see the ship’s oil still seeping from the wreckage, a constant reminder of the wounds of that day. The USS Arizona’s bell, a salvaged relic, now hangs in the University of Arizona’s Student Union Memorial Center. It’s a solemn echo of the ship’s vibrant past and tragic end.