USS Arizona
USS Arizona (BB-39) was a Pennsylvania-class battleship of the United States Navy, commissioned in 1916 and best known for being sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941.
USS Arizona (BB-39) was a Pennsylvania-class battleship of the United States Navy, commissioned in 1916 and best known for being sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. The wreck remains at Pearl Harbor as a war grave, and the USS Arizona Memorial was built above it to honour those killed in the attack. The ship is primarily significant to Canadian readers as part of the broader Pacific war history and the Pearl Harbor attack that led the United States into World War II, affecting Canada’s wartime alliance and Pacific theatre context.
Design and construction
USS Arizona was built at the New York Navy Yard and named for the 48th state, Arizona. It was launched in 1915 and commissioned in 1916 as the second ship of the Pennsylvania class.
Service before Pearl Harbor
Before 1941, Arizona served with the U.S. Atlantic Fleet and later the Pacific Fleet. It underwent modernization in the late 1920s and early 1930s before being based at Pearl Harbor.
Attack and sinking
During the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Arizona was hit by armor-piercing bombs that ignited the forward ammunition magazines. The resulting explosion destroyed the ship and killed 1,177 crew members.
Memorial and wreck site
Arizona was not repaired after the attack, and the wreck remains at Pearl Harbor as a historic site and war grave. The USS Arizona Memorial was built over the wreck and serves as a place of remembrance.
Key facts
- USS Arizona was a Pennsylvania-class battleship commissioned in 1916.
- It was sunk on 7 December 1941 during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, killing 1,177 crew members.
- The wreck was not salvaged and remains at Pearl Harbor as a war grave.
- The USS Arizona Memorial, completed in 1962, sits above the sunken wreck and is operated by the National Park Service.
- The ship's destruction is part of the broader World War II history relevant to Canada's wartime alliance.
The ship is primarily significant to Canadian readers as part of the broader Pacific war history and the Pearl Harbor attack that led the United States into World War II, affecting Canada’s wartime alliance and Pacific theatre context.
Frequently asked questions
What was USS Arizona?
When was USS Arizona sunk?
How many people died on USS Arizona?
Is USS Arizona still at Pearl Harbor?
What is the USS Arizona Memorial?
References
- Pearl Harbor — https://pearlharbor.org/blog/story-uss-arizona/Supports: Basic history, casualty figure, and memorial context.
- USS Arizona — https://www.ussarizona.org/history-statistics/uss-arizona-historySupports: Construction, launch, commissioning, and class details.
- National Park Service — https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/usar/scrs/scrs2f.htmSupports: Construction timeline, naming, and class details.
- U.S. Navy History and Heritage Command — https://www.history.navy.mil/research/underwater-archaeology/sites-and-projects/ship-wrecksites/uss-arizona-bb-39.htmlSupports: Commissioning, Pearl Harbor attack, and wreck site context.
- U.S. Navy History and Heritage Command — https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/museums/nmusn/explore/photography/ships-us/ships-usn-a/uss-arizona-bb-39.htmlSupports: Service history, attack details, casualty count, and memorial description.
- National Park Service — https://www.nps.gov/valr/learn/historyculture/uss-arizona.htmSupports: Memorial purpose and the ship's role as a resting place for the dead.
- Pearl Harbor — https://pearlharbor.org/memorials/uss-arizona-memorial/Supports: Memorial location and visitor context.