USS Arizona (BB 39)
Dimensions:
608' 0" Overall length
600' 0" Waterline length
97' 1/2" Maximum Beam - 1916
106' 2 3/4" Maximum Beam - 1941
Displacement:
31,400 tons Standard - 1916
32,567 tons Full Load - 1916
32,600 tons Standard - 1941
37,654 tons Full Load - 1941
Construction of the ship began on March 6, 1914, and was completed on June 19, 1915. The
Arizona and the
USS Pennsylvania were constructed in response to the British Royal Navy launching the
RMS Dreadnaught.
Entering service of the US Navy in 1916, the
Arizona was used in
WWI as a
gunnery training vessel. This was due to the fact that the
Arizona burned
oil instead of
coal for fuel and that oil was scarce in Europe.
During the
peace between WWI and
WWII, the
Arizona continued to be utilized as a training vessel. In 1920, the
Arizona carried small
airplanes used as
spotters for the ship's guns. Rails and
catapults were installed on the ship to launch the planes into the air. In 1924,
Madeline Blair became a stowaway on the
Arizona, exchanging favors for the free ride to
San Pedro. Her actions resulted in the
court martial of twenty-three
crew members. In 1929, the
Arizona went through a complete modernization. Additional
armor was added to protect against air attacks, and new boilers and
turbines were installed.
Notable people did sail on the
Arizona. Most notable was President
Herbert Hoover when he went on a
Caribbean cruise upon completion of the modernization of the ship. In 1933, the
Arizona was anchored off
Long Beach, and served in the rescue operations after an
earthquake struck the area. In 1934, the
Arizona was used as a filming location for
Here Comes the Navy, starring
James Cagney.
December 7, 1941: The Arizona is sunk
Just shortly after 8:00am,
Japanese aircraft began their assault on
Pearl Harbor. An 800kg
bomb hit the forward part of the ship, causing a huge explosion and detonation of the ship's
munitions. With the ship rapidly sinking, there was little hope for survival of the ship's crew. Among the survivors were Lt. Commander
Samuel G. Fuqua, whom recieved the
Medal of Honor for his leadership in rescuing survivors. In total, 1177 of the total crew members lost their lives in the attack.
On December 1, 1942, the
Arizona was removed from the registry of US Navy vessels. Attempts to recover the dead and the ship's records were also made during the year as well.
Salvage crews were also on-site to recover as much of the
Arizona as possible. The
masts and
superstructure were removed and scrapped. In 1960, Congress authorized the Navy to build the memorial that exists today in Pearl Harbor. Through donations, the memorial was constructed and dedicated on
Memorial Day in 1962. A visitor's center opened up in 1980 and operations of the
Arizona memorial were turned over to the
National Park Service.
source: Arizona State University online resources (http://dizzy.library.arizona.edu/images/USS_Arizona/USS_Arizona.shtml)