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The USS Arizona was hit during the first wave of Japanese attackers, scored by high altitude bombers. A direct hit on the Arizona's boat deck between the No. 4 and No. 6 guns tore open the Arizona like a can, another went into the No. 4 turret. The resulting fires could not be fought because there was no water pressure. (As the Arizona settled on the bottom, she ruptured an underground water pipe.) She was hit forward by another high altitude bomb at approximately 8:10 A.M., near the No. 2 turret. It ignited the forward magazines, a gigantic explosion occurred, sealing the doom of over 1,000 crewmen.
The force of the Arizona explosion blew Commander Cassin Young, Captain of the repair ship Vestal (AR-4), (which had been moored portside to the Arizona) off the Vestal and into the oily and flaming waters of Pearl Harbor. He swam back to his ship.
The Arizona's Captain, Franklin Van Valkenburg as well as Rear Admiral Isaac Kidd, Commander of Battleship Divison One were among the 1,177 killed. It took nine minutes to sink.
The battleship Arizona was dead. |
