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USS Arizona BB-39

The USS Arizona was a battleship commissioned in 1916. The ship was a part of the US Navy in World War I. Despite her wartime efforts, the USS Arizona is best known for what happened to her in port. She is the ship sunk during the attack on Pearl Harbor, that led to the loss of over 1,100 lives and thrust the United States into World War II. Although she is best known for her involvement in World War II, the USS Arizona was a marvelous battleship in her own right. She was 608 feet long, and travel at speeds of up to 21 knots. The ship carried over 1,000 men and was known as a super-dreadnought, one of only two built by the navy. She earned this classification for the size and number of guns that she carried.

The USS Arizona completed her training runs along the Virginia coast before joining Battleship Division 8. During World War I, the USS Arizona served as a gunnery training ship along the eastern seaboard. She traveled along the Virginia coast and as far south as Guantanamo Bay. She left for England after Armistice Day, and was part of the group of ships that transported President Wilson to the Paris Peace Conference. While her role in the peace envoy was largely ceremonial, her trip home was not. As part of the "magic carpet" she provided transportation for members of the military. On her trip back to the United States, she brought over 230 veterans home.

With the war over, the USS Arizona returned to training missions and brief periods of active duty. She spent time at the port of Smyrna, and offered protection for the American consulate in Greece. She served as the flagship of Rear Admiral Earle for a time. These periods of training and action were interrupted with trips to navy yards for repair and upkeep. Eventually her base of operations moved to San Pedro, where she remained for over a decade.

Over the summer of 1941, the USS Arizona was based at Pearl Harbor. Recently overhauled and modernized, she participated in aggressive training exercises. She was a member of many "Fleet Problems". complicated war games that are used as training exercises. On the night of December 4th, 1941, she conducted night training duties with the USS Nevada and the USS Oklahoma. This would prove to be her last training maneuver. On December 6th, the USS Arizona and the Vestal, a repair ship were moored together. On Sunday morning, aircraft from the Japanese attacked the Pacific Fleet. The attack caught everyone off guard, as the entire fleet was moored peaceably. An air raid warning arrived around five minutes before the first bomb struck the USS Arizona.

There were multiple waves of attacks on the ships, but the major damage to the Arizona occurred when a bomb hit the ship between its two of its turrets. This set off an explosion, fueled by black powder that was on the ship, that caused devastating damage. The ship burned for two days after the explosion. The damage led to the sinking of the USS Arizona, and with her 1,177 men. There were 1,400 men on board the ship at the time of the attack. She remains at the bottom of the ocean where she settled after the bombing. To this day it is uncertain how the bomb caused such extensive damage. Was a door left open that allowed the bomb to penetrate to the area where the black powder was stored? Was black powder stacked outside of the storage area? We will never know.

The remains of the USS Arizona are considered a memorial to all who died that day. Two presidents, Eisenhower and Kennedy, declared the ship's remains a national shrine. Because the water is shallow in the harbor, the design for the memorial constructed uses part of the structure. A shrine room spans what is left of the ship, and the names of all 1,177 of the crew that were lost that day are etched on a marble wall. Part of one of the turrets remains visible above the water. The memorial is a powerful one, and many military ships from other countries salute the USS Arizona as they pass through the harbor.

The USS Arizona received one battle star for her role in the second World War, and she was named a National Historic Landmark in 1989.

While we will never forget the heroic actions of all those on board the USS Arizona that day in December, all members of the navy are heroes. Unfortunately, anyone who spent time working in or on a navy ship may have been exposed to asbestos. If you were exposed to asbestos while serving on the USS Arizona BB-39, or have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, Asbestos.com offers a free packet with more information. Enter your contact information in the form in the right column and we'll send a copy immediately.

Battleships Index

USS Alabama USS Arizona BB 39 USS Arkansas BB 33 USS California BB 44 USS Colorado BB 45 USS Idaho BB 42 USS Indiana USS Iowa BB 61 USS Maryland BB 46

USS Massachusetts BB 59 USS Mississippi BB 41 USS Missouri BB 63 USS Nevada BB 36 USS New Jersey BB 62 USS New Mexico BB 40 USS New York BB 34 USS North Carolina BB 55 USS Oklahoma BB 37

USS Pennsylvania BB 38 USS South Dakota BB 57 USS Tennessee BB 43 USS Texas-BB 35 USS Utah BB 31 USS Washington BB 56 USS West Virginia BB 48 USS Wisconsin BB 64

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