USS Arizona Preservation

The U.S. Navy and the Pearl Harbor National Memorial will begin placing containment buoys and anchors in the waters surrounding the USS Arizona Memorial site May 19 as a precautionary measure and in preparation for the upcoming removal of the two mooring platforms constructed on the hull of the sunken battleship.

After a year of focused planning and analysis, the installation of this mooring system is a necessary precaution to ensure environmental protection ahead of removing the platforms later this year. Additionally, this action supports the platform removal emergency response plan"

The mooring platforms, visible above the water to millions of visitors since the monument was opened in May 1962, were not part of the battleship when it was sunk. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, the U.S. Navy attached the platforms to the vessel in 1942 to facilitate salvage operations of the Arizona’s main guns and other equipment needed for the war effort.

Though not intended to be in place long-term, the platforms have remained connected to the ship for more than 80 years.

After platform 1 partially collapsed in October 2023, Navy divers assigned to Mobile Diving Salvage Unit One and the National Park Service’s Submerged Resources Center conducted numerous site investigations to document and assess the condition of both platforms and the ship’s hull. Ultimately, the Navy decided to remove the historic platforms to prevent possible damage to the USS Arizona, its memorial and the environment.

In preparation for platform removal, the U.S. Navy and Pearl Harbor National Memorial personnel have conducted preservation planning while coordinating compliance with stakeholders, including the State of Hawaii. The plan that has been developed ensures compliance with relevant laws, regulations, and policies. The U.S. Navy has implemented ongoing oil spill monitoring and response protocols and has conducted exercises to improve existing processes and enhance effectiveness.

Additionally, all efforts will be coordinated with the Pearl Harbor National Memorial and local officials to ensure the platform removal fully respects the ship’s historic importance to the nation and its sacred status as a war grave.

The removal of the platforms will symbolize the completion of a salvage operation that began more than 80 years ago, involving the efforts of the U.S. Navy’s diving and salvage force, and thousands of contractors and shipyard workers drawn from the people of Hawaii and many different local communities.

The USS Arizona Memorial is located at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Hawaii, and honors the 1,177 crewmen who died in the attack. The ship’s hull remains a tomb for more than 900 Sailors and Marines, as well as survivors of the attack who were later interred. The memorial was built in 1962 and is visited by more than 2 million people each year. Accessible only by boat, it rests above the sunken remains of the battleship without touching it. Since 1980, the National Park Service has managed the memorial. 

For more information about the USS Arizona Memorial, visit https://www.nps.gov/perl/index.htm.
For the official history of the vessel, visit https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/a/arizona-battleship-no-39-ii.html.
To see photos of the preservation work, visit https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/PreservingArizona

Google Translation Disclaimer

Google Translate, a third party service provided by Google, performs all translations directly and dynamically.
Commander, Navy Region Hawaii, cnrh.cnic.navy.mil has no control over the features, functions, or performance of the Google Translate service.
The automated translations should not be considered exact and should be used only as an approximation of the original English language content.
This service is meant solely for the assistance of limited English-speaking users of the website.
Commander, Navy Region Hawaii, cnrh.cnic.navy.mil does not warrant the accuracy, reliability, or timeliness of any information translated.
Some items cannot be translated, including but not limited to image buttons, drop down menus, graphics, photos, or portable document formats (pdfs).
Commander, Navy Region Hawaii, cnrh.cnic.navy.mil does not directly endorse Google Translate or imply that it is the only language translation solution available to users.
All site visitors may choose to use similar tools for their translation needs. Any individuals or parties that use Commander, Navy Region Hawaii, cnrh.cnic.navy.mil content in translated form, whether by Google Translate or by any other translation services, do so at their own risk.
IE users: Please note that Google Translate may not render correctly when using Internet Explorer. Users are advised to use MS Edge, Safari, Chrome, or Firefox browser to take full advantage of the Google Translate feature.
The official text of content on this site is the English version found on this website. If any questions arise related to the accuracy of the information contained in translated text, refer to the English version on this website, it is the official version.