USS Arizona: The Sunken Battleship That Never Stopped Mourning

On December 7, 1941, a Japanese armor-piercing bomb punched through the USS Arizona's deck and detonated her forward ammunition magazine. The ship sank in nine minutes. Of the 1,177 sailors and Marines who died on board that morning, approximately 900 are still there — entombed in the hull resting on the floor of Pearl Harbor. The U.S. Navy declared the wreck a war grave. No salvage. No disturbance. The Arizona would be their final resting place.

More than 80 years later, the ship still leaks oil. Roughly 1 to 2 quarts seep upward from the hull each day — thin rainbow slicks that spread across the harbor surface. The Navy calls them the "black tears" of the Arizona. Scientists estimate that several hundred thousand gallons of fuel oil remain sealed inside the hull, enough to continue seeping for generations.

No other site in Hawaii carries the same weight. About 1.8 million people visit the Pearl Harbor National Memorial each year, making it the most-visited historic site in the state. The white concrete memorial spanning the sunken hull — dedicated in 1962 — is not a monument to a battle. It is an active military cemetery.

The Morning of December 7, 1941

The attack began just before 8:00 a.m. on a Sunday. Most of the crew were at morning colors or still below decks. The Arizona had fueled the day before — a full load, roughly 1.5 million gallons — because she was scheduled to depart for the mainland the following week.

At 8:06 a.m., a bomb dropped from a Japanese high-altitude bomber pierced the forward deck and reached the ammunition magazine. The resulting explosion was catastrophic. The blast lifted the bow of the ship out of the water and sent a fireball hundreds of feet into the air. The Arizona sank in minutes, taking nearly half of all Americans who died in the Pearl Harbor attack.

The attack lasted roughly two hours. Eight battleships were damaged or sunk, along with three cruisers, three destroyers, and 188 aircraft. In total, 2,403 Americans were killed. The Arizona accounted for 1,177 of them.

The Memorial: Spanning the Hull

The USS Arizona Memorial was designed by Honolulu architect Alfred Preis and dedicated on May 30, 1962. The white concrete structure — 184 feet long — spans the sunken hull without touching it, supported by two piers at either end. The design intentionally sags in the middle and rises at both ends, representing initial defeat, followed by ultimate victory.

Inside the memorial, three sections serve distinct purposes. The entry room holds a shrine alcove. The middle section has open cutouts in the floor and sides, allowing visitors to look down at the oil-stained water and the ghostly outline of the hull just beneath the surface. The far end is a white marble Wall of Honor, inscribed with the names of all 1,177 who died aboard the Arizona.

You cannot enter the wreck. The Navy does not permit diving on the Arizona out of respect for those still entombed inside. The hull is approximately 40 feet below the surface — visible on calm days as a dark shadow through the water.

The Black Tears

One of the most striking and sobering experiences at the memorial is watching the oil. It rises in small droplets from the hull, spreads across the surface, and catches the light in thin rainbow sheens. On still days, the slicks are clearly visible from the memorial structure.

The Arizona had been freshly fueled the day before the attack. She loaded a full complement of fuel oil because she was preparing to depart for the U.S. mainland. Much of that fuel was consumed in the explosion and fire that followed the bombing. But a substantial portion remained sealed in undamaged tanks within the hull. Scientists studying the leak estimate that several hundred thousand gallons may still remain — and that the seepage could continue for decades to come.

The Navy and the National Park Service monitor the oil carefully. The concern is environmental: if the hull were to rust through in a critical section, a sudden release of oil could contaminate Pearl Harbor significantly. So far, structural integrity has held. The Arizona leaks slowly, steadily, as it has for more than 80 years.

Crew Members Who Return

Among the most moving traditions at the Arizona Memorial: survivors of the attack who served on the Arizona can request to have their cremated remains interred in the wreck after they die. Navy divers place the urns in the barbette — the cylindrical gun turret base — of Turret No. 4. As of the early 2020s, only a handful of Arizona survivors remained alive. Several have already been reunited with their shipmates in this way.

The last known Arizona survivor to have his ashes interred in the ship was Lou Conter, who died in April 2024 at age 102, having served as a naval aviator and later a flight instructor after Pearl Harbor. His remains were returned to the ship in a Navy ceremony.

Beyond the Memorial: The Full Pearl Harbor Site

The USS Arizona Memorial is one of four sites in the Pearl Harbor National Memorial. Adjacent attractions include the Battleship Missouri Memorial (the "Mighty Mo," where Japan signed the formal surrender on September 2, 1945), the USS Bowfin submarine museum (a WWII-era attack sub open for tours), and the Pacific Aviation Museum on Ford Island. Most visitors who come for the Arizona spend the better part of a day moving through all four sites.

The USS Missouri and USS Bowfin require separate admission tickets. The Arizona Memorial boat shuttle is free, but passes must be reserved. The Pacific Aviation Museum has its own admission. A "passport" ticket combining multiple sites is available for those wanting to see everything.

What Visiting Feels Like

First-time visitors often remark on how quiet it gets. The boat ride out to the memorial takes only a few minutes — long enough for the harbor to open up around you and for the context to set in. On the memorial itself, the combination of the names on the wall, the oil on the water, and the outline of the hull below tends to produce a genuine stillness. People lower their voices. Children are quieter than usual.

There's a reason this is not merely a tourist attraction. It is a functioning military cemetery, and visitors consistently report that it feels like one. The experience is not cheerful or triumphant. It is solemn, and appropriately so.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many sailors are still inside the USS Arizona?

Approximately 900 of the 1,177 who died on the Arizona remain entombed in the hull. The Navy designated the wreck a war grave and does not permit disturbance of the site.

Why does the USS Arizona still leak oil?

The ship was fully fueled the day before the attack. A substantial portion of that oil remains sealed in intact tanks within the hull and seeps out at roughly 1–2 quarts per day. These slicks are visible on the surface and are called the "black tears" of the Arizona.

Can you go inside the USS Arizona Memorial?

The white memorial structure spans the hull and is open to visitors. You can look down at the hull through floor openings and read the 1,177 names on the Wall of Honor. You cannot enter the wreck itself — it remains a sealed war grave.

How do I get to the USS Arizona Memorial?

A free Navy shuttle boat departs from the Pearl Harbor visitor center. Timed passes fill quickly — reserve in advance online or arrive early. Most guided Pearl Harbor tours from Waikiki include transport and priority access.