U.S. Navy Unveils Strategy to Safeguard the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor

Image Credits: National park Service.

The U.S. Navy has unveiled its plans to preserve the USS Arizona, collaborating closely with the National Park Service on this critically important project.

To kick things off,they’ll be removing outdated mooring platforms that currently threaten the ship’s integrity.

Originally commissioned in 1916, this Pennsylvania-class battleship met a tragic fate during Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. Within minutes of being struck, it sank, taking down 1,177 of its 1,512 crew members with it.

today,it stands as a solemn war grave and the final resting place for nearly 900 sailors and marines who perished during that fateful day. Although submerged beneath the waves, it’s crucial to maintain this site—now home to a national memorial—so future generations can honor those lost.

In response to the attack back in 1942, temporary mooring platforms were installed to assist with salvage operations aimed at retrieving weapons and vital equipment for America’s war efforts after entering World War II.However, these structures were never meant to last indefinitely; now they’re crumbling and pose risks not only to the ship but also to marine life around it.

Just last year in 2023, one of these platforms collapsed entirely—a clear sign that their structural integrity is failing. If left untouched any longer, they could possibly harm the hull of the Arizona or lead to environmental issues due to leaks from oil or fuel residues.

After spending a year analyzing options and planning carefully for this endeavor, Navy officials have decided on a temporary mooring system as an interim solution while they remove those aging platforms. Once that’s done—and before any new systems are put into place—they’ll also dismantle these temporary structures.

As part of their precautionary measures leading up to removal scheduled for late 2025, containment buoys and anchors will be deployed around the area.

However, there’s still some uncertainty about how all this will affect visitors; approximately two million people make their way here each year by boat alone! It’ll be captivating to see how preservation efforts balance past significance with visitor experience moving forward.

References: U.S Navy