Battleships: Past & Present #6; USS Arizona Quiz

Answer: Pennsylvania Class

Launched in 1913 and commissioned in 1916 prior to the U.S. entry into WWI, the USS Arizona (BB-39) was the second of a two ship class named for the USS Pennsylvania. The HMS Dreadnought was still the template for the world's battleship designers and USS Pennsylvania and USS Arizona were simply given more and bigger of everything based on that standard. USS Pennsylvania was sunk during atomic bomb tests in 1948 having survived WWII with 8 battle stars!

Answer: All of these

USS Arizona and her sister ship were 608 feet long, had four propellers driven by four steam turbines and were armed with four triple turrets housing three 14" naval guns each. All these were marked improvements over the Nevada Class ships which were only one class removed from our old friend the USS Texas.

Answer: False

USS Arizona (BB-39) was indeed the third ship named "Arizona" but the first named after Arizona became the last state in the continental U.S. to join the union, in 1912, just one year before she was laid down in 1913. The other two ships were named for the Arizona Territory and were a Civil War Side Wheel steamer and a post Civil War Steam Frigate. No other ship will ever bear the name USS Arizona.

Answer: She was oil-fired and fuel oil was scarce in England

Although she was too late for the Battle of Jutland and may not, in hindsight have been needed, she was plenty fast for the Grand Fleet and quite reliable. She was indeed one of the first oil-fired battleships and that was not that common a fuel in England and was plenty scarce.

She could have refueled there for a return Trans Atlantic trip but not operated there on a continuous basis. Most ships were coal-fired at the time.

Answer: She carried returning veterans home to America.

In a very small example of the huge Operation Magic Carpet following WWII, USS Arizona embarked 238 veterans bound for home in December 1918. She arrived off Ambrose light on Christmas afternoon and the next day, passed in review before Secretary of the Navy Daniels, who was aboard the Presidential yacht Mayflower anchored off the Statue of Liberty, before entering New York Harbor beginning the great homecoming celebrations for the Doughboys.

Answer: Admiral Chester Nimitz

Rear Admiral Chester Nimitz hoisted his flag over his first fleet command in the USS Arizona late in 1938 before rising to CINCPAC shortly following the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. In the rarefied days of WWII, Chester Nimitz went from no stars to two stars to four stars to five stars in eight years skipping the rank of Vice Admiral all together.

At that time the U.S. Navy did not have a one star Rear Admiral's rank.

Answer: Built over the sunken hull amidships

One of the most impressive aspects of the Arizona Memorial is that you can stand on the floor and look directly down on the sunken hull atop which it was built. Approved by President Eisenhower, the memorial building is open on both sides so that you can look, bow to stern, at what remains of the hull beneath the water, and one exposed turret barbette (#3).

The flagpole bearing the Stars and Stripes is attached to the remains of the main mast of the ship. It is truly a solemn and sacred place. I was fortunate to visit in 1976 and am humbled by the memory to this day.

Answer: False

She is no longer in commission, contrary to popular belief. The USS Arizona is classified as a National Memorial Cemetery. All U.S. Navy, Coast Guard, and Merchant Marine ships, and many foreign naval vessels, that pass the USS Arizona Memorial "render honors" by manning the rails in salute to their fallen comrades.

Answer: The fortunes of the war for the U.S.

The unique "sagging" shape of the roof of the USS Arizona Memorial signifies the pride of a nation and the fortunes of war that were high at the beginning and end of the 3 1/2 year war but were staggered low for a time after the attack. The defiance of the American people however never failed and one of the battle cries throughout the war was "Remember Pearl Harbor".

Some critics of the memorial say it looks like a "sagging milk carton". How Rude!

Answer: Every survivor has died

Survivors have stated and many really believe that the oil will stop on its own when the last one of their number dies. The National Park Service, respecting the wreck as a War Cemetery, has taken no action to stem the leaks and plans none till the last survivor indeed dies. The leak is relatively minor from an environmental point of view at only a few pints per day.

I hope you enjoyed the USS Arizona quiz. Next is the USS Utah, just across Ford Island and yes the Utah is older than the Arizona. I did them out of age order intentionally. Look for the new quiz to see why.