Collection: Beginning and End

The USS Arizona (BB-39) was a battleship of the United States Navy that served from 1916 until its sinking in the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. The ship was named after the 48th state of the United States and was commissioned on October 17, 1916. It was one of the largest and most powerful battleships of its time.

On December 7, 1941, the USS Arizona was moored at Pearl Harbor when the Japanese launched a surprise attack on the US Pacific Fleet. the ship was hit by four bombs and a torpedo, which caused a massive explosion and fire. The explosion ignited the ship's ammunition stores, causing a second, larger explosion that sank the ship and killed 1177 sailors and Marines.

Today, the USS Arizona remains at the bottom of Pearl Harbor and serves as a memorial to the sailors and Marines who lost their lives in the attack.