National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior	USS Arizona Memorial Pearl Harbor, Hawaii	1 Arizona Memorial Place Honolulu, Hawaii 96818 808 422 - 2771 phone 808 483 - 8608 fax

FACT SHEET

Overview

The USS Arizona Memorial, a National Park Service site, spans more than 10.5 acres and is located on the Pearl Harbor Navy Base on Oahu. The Park consists of a Visitor Center, which houses several self-guided exhibits and attractions, including a museum, bookstore, a waterfront exhibit allowing visitors to visualize the events of December 7, a remembrance exhibit, and two theaters where visitors can see a 23-minute documentary on the attack of Pearl Harbor. The Visitor Center front desk is also where visitors pick up their free tickets for the USS Arizona Memorial tour.

The USS Arizona, which is the final resting place for the majority of the ship's 1,177 crewmen who lost their lives during the Pearl Harbor attack, and the Memorial are located 3/4 miles from the Visitor Center. The Memorial is accessible only by boat.

Significance

The USS Arizona Memorial was constructed to honor American servicemen and civilians who lost their lives during the attack on Pearl Harbor, Oahu, on December 7, 1941. This attack is one of the most well remembered and significant events in the history of our nation. Six military sites on Oahu were attacked, killing 2,390 Americans; over 320 aircraft were destroyed or damaged and 21 vessels were sunk or damaged. The Pearl Harbor attack acted as a catalyst in bringing the U.S. fully and actively into World War II and served as a rallying cry to unify the country in that cause. Because the USS Arizona accounted for almost half of those casualties, it has become the central symbol of commemoration.

Administrator

The National Park Service has operated the Park since 1980, under a congressional agreement with the U.S. Navy. Its responsibility includes the Memorial and shore side Visitor Center. The National Park Service is committed to preserving and interpreting both the tangible and intangible historical resources and the memories, attitudes and traditions associated with the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Hours of Operation: 7:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., daily except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day. Tours to the USS Arizona Memorial begin every 15 minutes, with the last program starting at 3 p.m. Visitors should plan to arrive by 1 p.m. to ensure space availability. The entire program takes approximately one hour and 15 minutes. Admission is free and tours are given on a first-come, first-serve basis. No reservations are accepted.

Location

1 Arizona Memorial Place, Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii, 96818-3145.

The USS Arizona Memorial Visitor Center is located adjacent to Kamehameha Highway, near the Aloha Stadium, between Ford Island Bridge and Pearl Harbor's Makalapa Gate. To reach the USS Arizona Memorial from Waikiki, take the H-1 Freeway to the Airport Viaduct and follow the signs to the Arizona Memorial Exit 15A.

Information

To access park information, call (808) 422-0561.

To reach a National Park Service representative, call (808) 422-2771

The web site address for the USS Arizona Memorial is www.nps.gov/usar.

Park Facilities

Visitor Center
The Visitor Center is the first stop for visitors planning to tour the Memorial. Located within the Center are two theaters, where visitors view a 23-minute documentary film on the Pearl Harbor attack prior to visiting the Memorial.

Museum
The museum brings visitors closer to the sights and sounds of the December 7, 1941 attack on Oahu, with personal memorabilia, dramatic photographs, artifacts of the battle and other exhibits.

Bookstore
The Bookstore is filled with over 120 book titles relating to the attack on Pearl Harbor as well as the Pacific War effort. There are over 50 videos relating to the subjects, audio tapes, posters and other mementos of the USS Arizona, the Pearl Harbor Attack and War in the Pacific that visitors can purchase as a reminder of their visit and to further educate themselves on the subject. The Arizona Memorial Museum Association, a non-profit organization whose purpose is to provide educational and interpretive materials, operates the bookstore and provides products related to the USS Arizona and the Pearl Harbor Attack. All proceeds from the bookstore go directly to the interpretive operation of the USS Arizona Memorial.

Exhibits
Near the water's edge, the Interpretive Exhibit Panels invite visitors to imagine the experience of that tragic day, by superimposing descriptive images of Pearl Harbor as it was in 1941 across the panorama of the busy port as it appears today. Near the panels is the Remembrance Exhibit, which pays tribute to the men, women and children, military personnel and civilians who were not on the USS Arizona that fateful morning, but whose lives were extinguished during the attack.

Beyond the structural elements of the Visitor Center, there is a rich human subtext. Most days, one or more Pearl Harbor survivors can be found at the Visitor Center sharing stories and remembrances with visitors.

Interpretive Programs

When guests enter the Visitor Center, they are asked to line up for a numbered ticket, which provides free admission to the Memorial tour. While waiting for the tour to begin, many visitors take a self-tour of the Visitor Center and its many attractions. When the number that appears on their ticket is called, visitors are asked to assemble at the entrance to the theaters in preparation for the tour to begin.

The guided tour of the USS Arizona Memorial includes a 23-minute documentary film depicting the attack on Pearl Harbor, a short boat trip and a self-guided exploration of the Memorial. Within the Memorial itself, visitors will see three distinct areas:

The Entry Room holds flags of the nine states for whom the eight great battleships and the USS Utah were named. Today, the USS Utah still rests in Pearl Harbor.

The Assembly Room is an open area where ceremonies are held and visitors may reflect and more closely examine the shadowy remains of the Arizona below.

The Shrine Room holds the great marble plaque with the names of the 1,177 sailors and marines that perished on the Arizona. The Shrine Room also honors the USS Arizona survivors who have chosen to be interred along with their shipmates.

USS Arizona Memorial

The USS Arizona is the final resting-place for the majority of the ship's 1,177 crewmen who lost their lives on December 7, 1941. The 184-foot Memorial structure, spanning the mid-portion of the sunken battleship, was built to honor not only the fallen crewmembers of the USS Arizona, but the 1,211 other servicemen and civilians who also died as a result of the Pearl Harbor attack.

The USS Arizona Memorial is one of America's most revered, sacred sites. It's a place of quiet contemplation, where visitors can reflect on the great sacrifice made by those who gave their lives to defend our freedom.

From the soaring beauty of the Memorial, to the aching reality of the men entombed in the ship that lies beneath, visitors from around the world experience a pervasive sense of loss along with an enormous surge of gratitude and pride.

Architect/Design

Concept
Renowned architect Alfred Preis designed the Memorial. The gleaming white Memorial straddles, but does not touch the Arizona. The concave silhouette symbolizes America's initial defeat and ultimate victory in World War II. The one feature purposely designed into the structure is the Tree of Life, a universal symbol of renewal which also graces the entryway of the Visitor Center.

Design Specifications
The structure is 184 feet long, 36 feet wide and 21 feet high at the ends, tapering to 27 feet wide and 14 feet high at the center.

Cost
$532,000

Construction of Memorial
The first formal recognition of the USS Arizona, after the attack, came on March 7, 1950, when Admiral Arthur Radford ordered that the American flag fly over the sunken battleship. The Pacific War Memorial Commission wrestled with concerns over the message and the appropriateness of the proposed Memorial for years before settling on the final design. Construction on the Memorial then began in 1960.

The Memorial was designed to give the appearance of floating gracefully over the Arizona. In truth, two 250-ton steel girders and 36 concrete pilings driven deep into the bed of the harbor support the building. This solid and unwavering foundation is an apt metaphor for our remembrance of the attack on Pearl Harbor, which rests on the patriotism, bravery, honor and duty of all that served here.

Dedication Ceremony
The soaring structure was dedicated on Memorial Day, May 30, 1962. "Upon this sacred spot, we honor the specific heroes who surrendered their lives ... While they were in full bloom, so that we could have our full share of tomorrows." — Olin F. Teague, Chairman, Veterans Affairs Committee.

Attack on Pearl Harbor

The Attack
Japanese forces arrived undetected just 230 miles north of the Hawaiian Islands. At dawn, the six carriers launched their planes in two waves. The first wave of bombers and fighters struck Pearl Harbor at 7:55 a.m. For two hours, the planes roared overhead raining a torrent of bombs and torpedoes on the unsuspecting American forces. The ignition of the forward magazine by an Ariel bomb on the USS Arizona was so devastating; she sank to the bottom in just nine minutes.

Japanese Forces
Six battle-ready aircraft carriers and 25 support vessels made up the task force. The carriers launched a total of 350 aircraft to participate in the attack.

American Forces
Twenty-one vessels, including all eight first-line battle ships, were sunk or damaged. One hundred seventy aircraft were destroyed and one hundred fifty were damaged.

Casualties of the Attack
On the American side, 2,388 servicemen and civilians were killed, including 1,177 on the USS Arizona. Only 337 of the Arizona crewmen survived. Twenty-nine Japanese aircraft were shot down. Fifty-five airmen were killed. Four midget submarines were sunk, one captured, and nine crewmembers were killed.

Visitor Statistical Information

Number of Visitors
Since the Memorial opened, visitation has increased by more than 1,000 percent. In 1962, more than 122,000 people came to see the Memorial. Today, more than 1.4 million people from around the world visit the Memorial each year. It is one of the most visited sites in Hawaii.

Visitor Breakdown
Approximately 30% are international visitors. The remaining 70% are visitors from the United States.

Average Length of Stay
Two hours

Peak Months
June, July and August and Holidays

Arizona Memorial Museum Association

Date of Incorporation
September 22, 1979

Purpose
The Arizona Memorial Museum Association was formed to give the public an opportunity to provide ongoing support for the USS Arizona Memorial National Park. Many charter members of the Association had been involved in the fundraising for the construction of the Visitor Center. The Association grew out of their desire to continue to support this historical landmark and to ensure visitors have a full appreciation and understanding of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Since 1979, the Arizona Memorial Museum Association has provided more than $9 million to assist the Park with its interpretive operations. In addition to supporting the interpretive operation at the USS Arizona Memorial, the organization is also dedicated to preserving the history of World War II in other places as well. Through a program of visitor services, publications and membership activities, the Arizona Memorial Museum Association also supports Kalaupapa National Historical Park on the island of Molokai, and the War in the Pacific National Historic Park on Guam.

Membership
The Arizona Memorial Museum Association is a public membership organization whose purpose is to support the National Park Service in it's interpretive and educational efforts at the USS Arizona Memorial, Kalaupapa National Historic Park on Molokai, Hawaii, and War in the Pacific Memorial on Guam. Memberships are available for annual dues ranging from individual memberships for $20.00 annually to $70.00 for a family contributing memberships, which entitles the family to two member shirts. Members receive our informative quarterly newsletter as well as 15% discounts at the bookstore at all three locations. Membership dues help with the interpretive efforts of the National Park Service at all three locations. For more membership information inquire at the USS Arizona Memorial Visitor Center, phone (808) 422-2771 or visit our web site at www.arizonamemorial.org.