Pennsylvania-class Battleship, USS Arizona (BB-39)

USS Arizona (BB-39), the second vessel of the Pennsylvania-class battleships, was constructed at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in New York and commissioned in October 1916, shortly after the outbreak of World War I. It saw no active combat during WWI, remaining in U.S. coastal waters to conduct training and coastal patrols. During peacetime, it was mainly tasked with dignitary escort duties and fleet training, including escorting President Woodrow Wilson to the Paris Peace Conference. Despite its non-combat role, it underwent regular upgrades, most notably a comprehensive modernization in the 1920s–1931 that enhanced its propulsion, fire control, and anti-aircraft systems. Most of its service was with the U.S. Pacific Fleet, homeported at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. On December 7, 1941, it was hit by multiple bombs during the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor; an armor-piercing bomb detonated its forward ammunition magazines, sinking it instantly and killing 1,177 crew members (over 90% of its complement). Its wreck remains a permanent war memorial, dedicated in 1962.

As a Pennsylvania-class battleship, it had a standard displacement of 31,400 long tons, an overall length of 608 feet, and a top speed of 21 knots. Its main armament included 12 14-inch caliber guns, supported by 5-inch secondary guns, and it was equipped with heavy protective armor to ensure defense. After modernization, its performance was further improved, and it had a standard crew complement of 1,385 officers and enlisted men.