USS Arizona?

Question

hi there

i recently visited the USS Arizona memorial and the USS MIssouri and loved it

one of the things i found most fascinating was the fact that oil is still leaking form the arizona, i was wondering if anyone knows the approx date people expect the oil to stop leaking from the ship

pearl harbour and hawaii were both fantastic places

thanks again

all answers much appreciated

Answer 1

Well, the oil leaking from her hull has been named the arizona's "tears" by some veterans.

There's no way to tell exactly how long it will take before the leaking stops. At present, she bleeds off about 1 to 2 quarts of oil a day... though her hull was pretty wrecked meaning that the oil inside could be mostly gone or still hundreds of thousands of gallons there. More or less, it's impossible to tell how much oil is still trapped inside her reckage without breaking her open and therefore releasing the rest in the process.

The age old myth, however, is that the day the last veteran of pearl harbor dies is the day the Arizona will stop crying for them.

Answer 2

The oil will probably still be leaking when your grandchildren's grandchildren go see it.

Strange thing was that I found a name on the memorial wall of a family member that I didn't realize was on the Arizona. I have an unusual last name and back in the 1940's there were very few people with my last name in the US so it was strange to see it on the wall.

Answer 3

USS Arizona was destroyed and sank due to a magazine explosion in B turret magazine after being hit by a Japanese armor-piercing bomb. A ship sunk in battle is considered a war grave and a proper burial. Since the ship was not to be re-floated those men whose remains remained in areas of the ship not accessed during salvage operations to remove tophamper were interred in the ship permanently. This is why recreational diving is forbidden on the wreck.

Answer 4

No one knows for sure, the ship had 500,000 gallons, estimated to be leaking a quart or two per day. That would last thousads of years. The ship is expected to rust and collapse sooner. One group says 10 or 20 years, another says "If our research is correct, there are decades, if not centuries, before major structural collapse becomes likely," Russell said. "There's no urgency to move forward, to remove the oil or alter the state of the ship."

Answer 5

Well if you have a Crystal ball, then you might get a date by gazing into it.

As the ships tanks were full with oil and depending on the size of the leaks this effect will remain for hundreds of years.

Answer 6

The oil tanks on the Arizona were full when she went down. It will be several more years before they are completely filled with water.

Answer 7

and before anybody asks why we don't just go in there and take it out.. we don't because there are men still manning their stations. It literally is a National Cemetery and until it becomes a serious biohazard, we will leave them to Rest in Peace.

Answer 8

i dont think anyone knows that answer...i had cold chills the entire time i was out on the memorial..i too found that fascinating..its a beautiful memorial though