HONOLULU (KHON2) — On Wednesday, Sept. 3, the United States Navy worked with the Pearl Harbor National Memorial to begin removing two mooring platforms from the USS Arizona.
This removal work will help preserve the memorial and protect the environment, officials said.
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The USS Arizona sunk during the Dec. 7, 1941 Pearl Harbor attack; its memorial marks the resting place for over 900 sailors and marines.
The two concrete platforms were not part of the battleship when it sank. They were added in 1942 for salvage operations of the Pennsylvania-class battleship’s ammunition and equipment.
They were only meant to be temporary but have remained attached to the ship for over 80 years.
“The removal of the platforms will be conducted in a manner that respects the ship’s historic importance to the nation, its sacred war grave status, marine life and the local community,” said Bill Manley, Navy Region Hawaii environmental director.
The memorial, built in 1962, is 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.
“This salvage operation will help preserve the Arizona for generations to come and assist in the safety of the more than 1.7 million visitors the Pearl Harbor National Memorial receives annually,” said Rear Adm. Brad Collins, Navy Region Hawaii commander.
Tours to the memorial will be first-come, first-served until the removal is complete.
On Oct. 26, 2023, during a routine inspection, park rangers came across a partially collapsed platform. The Navy decided to remove the platforms as a safety precaution to the USS Arizona, its memorial and the environment.
You can expect business as usual at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center while these safety operations take place. However, advanced reservations for the USS Arizona Memorial have been suspended by the National Park Service.
Once complete, the park will return to its routine procedures for reservations. Tour reservations will be released 56 days in advance and the day before each tour date.
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Updates about the USS Arizona’s platforms will be available on the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service website.