Dec 7th being a few days away ...

[Mark Allen M]

... I know it's not directly about warbirds but rather a battleship, (there are a couple OS2U photos) but if you need a connection? well perhaps we wouldn't have as many warbirds, or even any at all, if it weren't for the sinking of the USS Arizona? just a thought ... Photo source: All the posted photos in this thread, unless stated otherwise, came from commons-Wikimedia.org

So I hope ya all don't mind a thread to once again remember the Arizona, the veterans and Pearl Harbor day. The PH veterans earned it. All of them did.
So here's some interesting photos showing the USS Arizona from festive beginning to tragic end. Most have a bit of info to go along with them.

USS Arizona Navy Yard New York c 1915










































USS Arizona at Guantanamo c 1920


USS Arizona in 1927


USS Arizona in 1930


USS Arizona after 1931 modernization










OS2U-3 1-0-1 USS Arizona Sept 1941


OS2U-31-0-3 USS Arizona Sept 1941


OS2U-31-0-3 USS Arizona Sept 1941


















Aerial view of the hull of the battleship Arizona (BB 39) taken during the 1950s prior to the construction of the USS Arizona Memorial.


View of the early stages of construction of the USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor taken during the 1950s.

Last edited by Mark Allen M on Fri Dec 05, 2014 3:51 pm, edited 2 times in total.

[JOHN MILLER]

Fantastic Mark. I have never seen those before. It is a part of history, Thanks for sharing.

[Matt Gunsch]

Here is the USS Arizona Memorial located to the east of the State Capitol building in Phoenix.
The distance for the Flag poles to the markers to the west approximate the lengths of the USS Arizona and the USS Missouri.
Approaching the Memorial from the Parking lot, looking East

Standing next to the Anchor looking West, the 16in main gun from the USS Missouri is on the right, the 14in gun from the USS Arizona is on the left

Placards for the USS Missouri







Signal Mast from the USS Arizona, it was located at the top of the Aft Mast tower, it is located in the approximate location from the bow.



14in Gun from the USS Arizona, on Dec 7, this gun was mounted on the USS Nevada, it was originally fitted on the Arizona and removed for overhaul before being installed on the Nevada.


16in gun from the USS Missouri


Placards about the USS Arizona






The Anchor from the USS Arizona

[Pathfinder]

No "slack" here....this thread has already posted more information about this significant date than will be shown on all the major American news outlets on the date itself....CARRY ON!

[mlenoch]

Is it true that Elvis Presley privately paid for the current Arizona Memorial atop the hull?
VL

[Matt Gunsch]

He did a concert that the money raised went to build the memorial.

[Pathfinder]

The answer to your question is answered in detail here:

http://www.elvispresleymusic.com.au/pic ... 3vxU2.dpbs

In short his 1961 concert raised a little over 10% of the necessary 500k required. He did not perform "on the hull".

[SaxMan]

Interesting pictures of Arizona I hadn't seen before - thanks Mark! FDR is in there as the Asst. Sec of the Navy.

One of the USS Arizona's bells is in the bell tower at the University of Arizona, which is rung every December 7. I attended a few of the events when I was a student there.

I'm planning to meet with Col. Robert Thacker this Sunday to do a video interview. He was flying one of B-17E's that flew into Pearl Harbor that fateful morning. He flew 49 missions in the Pacific and 31 more in the 8thAF, 384th Bomb Group as the group's Deputy CO.
Chris

Wow. I had first read about Thacker in Dale Smith's memoirs "Screaming Eagle"...I'm sure you have a copy. It's probably well within my top 10 favorite books on World War II and then learned he was also on the flight of B-17s that literally stumbled right into the middle of a war. Hope your interview goes well and would love to see the completed product.

Mark: Thanks again for digging up some real unique gems. I think most of us here are pretty well versed on the topic and have seen most of the previously published pictures at one point or another. It's definitely a real thrill to see something new and different.

[Mark Allen M]

Always welcome fellas. It's a pleasure to try to post rare and/or unique stuff. I was hesitant to post 'boat pics' on a 'plane site' ... But just had to do it as the 7th of December is always a special date for many of us regardless of passions for boats or planes. It's a day to honor and remember them both and those who manned them.

I have some more good stuff coming ....

[Zachary]

Speaking of Dec. 7 - any other WIXers share a Dec. 7 birthday? Having a birthday on Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day is one of the reasons I first became interested in WWII history.

Keep those pics coming, Mark!

[wendovertom]

great stuff - there are a lot of photos I had not seen before of the aftermath and reclamation of the Arizona.

Tom P.

[sandiego89]

Great shots, appraciated. I work less than a mile from the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth VA, so especially appreciated the shots from that shipyard in 1931. I can see the Wisconsin from my office window. Some of the ways, buildings and water towers at the shipyard are still there and look exactly the same. Large cranes have been swapped out, but they are currently debating what to do with the giant, very distinctive hammerhead crane (not pictured). Was used for major turret assemblies such as barrels etc in WWII. Some want a historical designation, others say scrap it.

[jollyrogerf14]

Thanks Mark!

V.

[goshikisen]

Speaking of Dec. 7 - any other WIXers share a Dec. 7 birthday? Having a birthday on Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day is one of the reasons I first became interested in WWII history.

Keep those pics coming, Mark!

My eldest son's birthday is on the 7th of December and my youngest's is June 6th. I have no excuse for forgetting their birthdays.

Great pictures Mark!

[Mark Allen M]

USS Oklahoma

Last edited by Mark Allen M on Wed Dec 03, 2014 1:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.