Navy successfully completes Arizona Project

A bit late for December 7. The Navy has been working on a project  to extend the lifespan of the USS Arizona Monument.

The Navy, in coordination with the Pearl Harbor National Memorial, successfully completed the removal of significant portions of two World War II-era mooring platforms from the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Oct. 3.

At the completion of the project, the team effectively reduced the weight bearing on the Arizona’s deck with only minimal portions remaining on both platforms to avoid disturbance or damage to the structure of the ship, including features of the ship that are believed to be embedded in the concrete.

The two platforms were installed in WWII to aid in the salvage of guns, ammunition, etc. from the Pennsylvania-class battleship. (If the class name doesn’t ring  bell, there were only two – the Pennsylvania and Arizona – the Pennsylvania was in dry-dock at the time of he Japanese attack and sustained little damage.)  Weight was over 150 tons, so getting any of them off the Arizona’s deck should go a long way in preventing hull collapse as the ship’s structure ages. I suspect these would be two of the smaller items flanking the memorial itself?

With the aid of a crane barge and a diamond wire saw, the sailors, War Department civilians and contractors safely removed the concrete portions. Salvage unit sailors methodically made cuts in the concrete, and contractors used the crane to lift the concrete segments from Pearl Harbor onto the barge.

“Our No. 1 priority was to protect the USS Arizona for the future,” said Navy Cmdr. Matthew Englehart, U.S. Pacific Fleet diving and salvage officer. “As the ship’s historic structure continues to age, the sheer weight of these concrete platforms posed a significant threat of collapsing through the decks. This proactive operation successfully removed over 100 tons of that burden, relieving the stress on the memorial and preserving its integrity while honoring the sanctity of the site. It was a privilege to lead this effort and safeguard this vital piece of American history.”

“I’m very proud of the combined team,” said Navy Capt. Lee Shannon, commander of Task Force Arizona. “A great deal of effort from dozens of subject matter experts, both on and off the water, resulted in a successful salvage operation, which included [crews] working 12 to 14 hours every day to complete the [mission].”War.gov

Think we all can be proud of such an effort!  H/t to my former Army linguist wife for this one.

Category: We Remember, WWII