The USS Arizona (BB-39) was a Pennsylvania-class battleship built for the U.S. Navy in the mid-1910s and named after the 48th state to join the Union. She served for many years before her tragic fate during the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Japanese bombs hit the Arizona, causing a huge explosion that sank the ship and killed more than 1,000 officers and crew members.
In a powerful act of remembrance, surviving crew members were later given the chance to have their remains placed with their fallen shipmates. This allowed those who served on the Arizona to be laid to rest alongside their comrades, forever together in the ship’s final resting place under the waters of Pearl Harbor.
Arizona was the second and last of the Pennsylvania class of “super-dreadnought” battleships. While commissioned in 1916, she remained stateside during the First World War. Besides a comprehensive modernization from 1929–31, the vessel was regularly used for training exercises during the interwar period, including annual “Fleet Problem” exercises. When an earthquake hit Long Long Beach, California, in 1933, Arizona’s crew provided aid to the survivors.
In 1940, the battleship and the rest of the Pacific Fleet were transferred from California to Pearl Harbor, to serve as deterrents to Japanese imperialism. During the deadly attack on Pearl Harbor on the morning of December 7, 1941, Arizona was bombed. She exploded and sank, taking the lives of 1,177 officers and crewmen with her.
Unlike many of the other ships that sank or were damaged that day, Arizona couldn’t be fully salvaged. That being said, the Navy did remove parts of the vessel for reuse.
The wreck of the USS Arizona still rests at the bottom of Pearl Harbor, standing as a powerful and solemn reminder of the lives lost during the Japanese attack on December 7, 1941. Above it sits the USS Arizona Memorial, which was dedicated on May 30, 1962. While millions of people visit the memorial each year, few know about a touching and deeply personal ritual that used to take place there after hours.
Many survivors of the Arizona continued serving in the military or moved on to civilian life. When they eventually passed away, a special tradition gave them the chance to be reunited with their fallen shipmates. For these veterans, it was a final homecoming that meant a great deal to them and their families.
After being cremated, the veteran’s ashes were placed in an urn. Once the memorial closed to the public for the day, family members and a military honor guard would gather for a quiet, private ceremony. As “Taps” played across the water, Navy divers would carefully take the urn and place it within the wreck, near the #4 gun turret—allowing the veteran to rest forever alongside the comrades they had lost in 1941.
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It was a truly touching tribute to those who served in defense of the United States. Sadly, the last Arizona survivor, Lou Conter, passed away on April 1, 2024, at the age of 102.