AH-WR-0385

USS Arizona

Battleship · United States · Lost 1941 · The Hawaiian Islands

The battleship whose sinking at Pearl Harbor killed more Americans than any other vessel in the attack, now the centerpiece of a national memorial.

Artistic recreation based on recorded historical documents. See the documented evidence.

Documented Likeness. Drawn from surviving builder's plans or clear photographs of this vessel. See the documented evidence.

The Vessel and Her Loss

USS Arizona was moored at Ford Island when Japanese aircraft attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. A bomb penetrated her forward magazines, causing a massive explosion that sank her within minutes and killed 1,177 of her crew. Her submerged hull remains in place as the centerpiece of the USS Arizona Memorial.

Vessel

Built: 1915
Registry: BB-39
Builder: New York Navy Yard
Yard: Brooklyn, New York
Material: Steel
Length: 608 ft
Beam: 97 ft
Tonnage: Not established
Propulsion: Steam turbine, four screws
Owners: United States Navy

Loss

Date: December 7, 1941
Cause: Enemy action
Location: Berth F-7, off Ford Island, Pearl Harbor
Water: Pearl Harbor
Voyage: Not established
Cargo: Not established
Aboard: 1512
Lives lost: 1177
Master: Franklin Van Valkenburgh

The Wreck Today

Depth: 38 ft
Condition: Submerged and largely intact on the harbor bottom; still slowly releases oil.
Orientation: Not established
Discovered: Not established
Protection: National Historic Landmark; USS Arizona Memorial, Pearl Harbor National Memorial

Position

Coordinates: 21.365° N 157.950° W
Accuracy: Surveyed position
Nearest: Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, Oahu
Region: The Hawaiian Islands

Evidence

Overall confidence: Well documented (98/100)

National Park Service, Pearl Harbor National Memorial
NRHP nomination, casualty figures, location.
Naval History and Heritage Command
Ship history and loss narrative.