Arizona Memorial

Arizona Memorial
DoD photo by: PH3(AW/SW) JAYME PASTORIC, USN · Public domain · source
Name	Arizona Memorial
Location	Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii
Coordinates	21.3656°N 157.9500°W
Architect	Alfred Preis
Completed	1962
Owner	National Park Service
Type	Memorial

Arizona Memorial

The Arizona Memorial is a national memorial located at Pearl Harbor on the island of Oʻahu, honoring the 1,177 crewmen lost aboard the battleship USS Arizona (BB-39) during the Attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The memorial, sited above the sunken hull, serves as a focal point for commemoration linked to World War II, the United States Navy, and the ensuing Pacific War. It is administered within the World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument framework by the National Park Service.

History

The concept for a memorial emerged in the aftermath of the Attack on Pearl Harbor as veterans' groups, families of the deceased, and civic organizations such as the American Legion and the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association advocated commemoration. Early proposals intersected with debates involving the United States Congress, the Territory of Hawaii legislature, and veterans from the Battleship Division 1 and Pacific Fleet. In 1946, legislative actions by representatives and senators from Hawaii and mainland states, including support from the House Committee on Naval Affairs, propelled planning. Architect Alfred Preis won a design competition in the late 1950s; construction was delayed by funding issues, World War II veteran lobbying, and negotiations with the Navy, which retained ownership of the wreck. The memorial was dedicated in 1962 with attendance by officials from the Department of the Navy and representatives of President John F. Kennedy's administration.

Design and Construction

Designed by Alfred Preis, the memorial's concept reflected modernist influences and memorial traditions seen in projects by architects such as Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis Kahn. Preis's plan incorporated a horizontal white structure that contrasts with naval forms found at Naval Base Pearl Harbor. Construction involved contractors experienced with maritime projects and coordination with the United States Navy for pier access and environmental considerations. Engineering hurdles included spanning the sunken hull without disturbing the remains, coordinating with Civil Defense-era regulations, and integrating visitor circulation consistent with preservation standards advocated by the National Park Service and consultants from the Smithsonian Institution. The final installed structure opened following ceremonies with dignitaries from the Department of Defense, veterans' organizations, and Hawaiian political leaders.

USS Arizona and the Attack on Pearl Harbor

The battleship USS Arizona (BB-39) was a Pennsylvania-class battleship commissioned in 1916 and assigned to the Pacific Fleet. During the Attack on Pearl Harbor by the Imperial Japanese Navy carrier strike force under Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto and operational commanders from the Combined Fleet, Arizona suffered catastrophic magazine explosions after aerial bombing and strafing. The ship's loss became emblematic of American entry into World War II, prompting declarations and legislative responses in the United States Congress and actions by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Casualties included sailors and marines; survivors later formed organizations such as the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association to commemorate the event. The wreck remained submerged in Ford Island Channel and was at times proposed for salvage before decisions favored preservation in situ as a tomb and memorial.

Memorial Structure and Features

The memorial is a white, open-air structure that spans the sunken battleship and features a central assembly room with an engraved list of names of the deceased, echoing conventions found in memorials like the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial in terms of contemplative space. Exterior elements include viewing apertures aligned to the wreck, a shrine room with commemorative plaques installed by groups including the American Battle Monuments Commission and veterans' associations, and interpretive exhibits coordinated with the Pearl Harbor National Memorial complex. The site integrates engineering features to protect structural integrity while allowing the wreck to remain visible; mooring, decking, and wave attenuation measures were implemented in collaboration with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers specialists.

Visitor Experience and Access

Access to the memorial is managed through visitor services at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center with transport ferries operated under agreements among the National Park Service, the United States Navy, and licensed concessioners. Programs include ranger-led talks by National Park Service staff, interpretive films produced with input from historians at institutions such as the University of Hawaii and the Naval History and Heritage Command, and ceremonies on anniversaries of the Attack on Pearl Harbor. The site attracts veterans, family members, school groups affiliated with curricula from Department of Education, State of Hawaii, and international visitors. Logistics address security and safety protocols coordinated with Naval Base Pearl Harbor, parking at facilities near Ford Island, and seasonal visitation peaks requiring timed entry.

Conservation and Preservation

Preservation of the wreck and the memorial involves corrosion monitoring, oil leakage mitigation from remaining bunker oil, and structural maintenance guided by conservation sciences practiced at agencies like the National Park Service and research units at the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology. Interagency partnerships include the U.S. Navy, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and academic laboratories at University of Hawaii at Manoa for monitoring salinity, biofouling, and metal fatigue. Legal protections derive from federal statutes administered by the National Park Service and policy guidance from the Department of the Interior while commemorative stewardship engages veterans' groups, indigenous Hawaiian cultural advisors, and conservation specialists to balance access with reverence.

Cultural Impact and Memorialization

The memorial has become a symbol invoked in popular culture, appearing in documentaries produced by Ken Burns-style filmmakers, referenced in films dealing with World War II themes, and serving as a site for diplomatic gestures between the United States and nations such as Japan. Annual observances mark Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day with participation from presidential representatives, members of the United States Congress, foreign dignitaries, and service branches including the United States Marine Corps and the United States Coast Guard. Scholarly work published by historians at institutions like the Smithsonian Institution and Yale University analyzes the memorial's role in collective memory, while descendants' organizations and museums including the Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor contribute to continuing education and remembrance.

Category:Monuments and memorials in Hawaii Category:National Memorials of the United States