Maintenance Of The USS Arizona Memorial
The USS Arizona Memorial Needs Constant Maintenance Due to Salt Water and High Visitor Traffic
Since the USS Arizona Memorial is surrounded by salt water, the entire structure is subject to constant corrosion. The wear and tear due to millions of visitors going in and out of the Memorial also add to the maintenance challenge.
The Arizona Memorial Monument at Pearl Harbor as seen from the US Navy shuttle boat.
The assembly room on the USS Arizona Memorial. From here you can get a good view of Pearl Harbor.
The US Navy and the National Park Service’s goal is for the USS Arizona Memorial always to look clean and immaculate; after all, it is one of our nation’s most treasured destinations. Thus, the walls, flooring, electrical wiring, and roof of the Memorial need ongoing repairs.
The boat dock at the battleship USS Arizona Memorial has been completely replaced twice in the past ten years, costing millions. In addition, over the years, the shuttle boat dock at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center has been neglected and needs funds for repair.
The boat dock on the Arizona Memorial Monument, where visitors cross from the shuttle boat to the USS Arizona Memorial entrance.
T-shirts are on display for purchase at the Arizona Memorial Museum Store. Proceeds from the store go to fund the Arizona Memorial Monument.
The maintenance schedule is mapped out years in advance so money can be appropriated by the National Park Service or fundraised by Pacific Historic Parks. Many individuals donate their money to Pacific Historic Parks and designate that their funds can only be used to restore the USS Arizona Memorial.
The saltwater has even corroded the marble wall that displays the fallen service members’ names in the USS Arizona Memorial’s Shrine Room. This marble wall has been replaced three times since the Memorial was created. When replacing the wall, the National Park Services shredded the old marble into little pieces, taking them far out into the ocean so no one could use them as a souvenir.
The shrine room on the USS Arizona Memorial. The open structure of the Arizona Memorial Monument allows a lot of sea spray into the structure.
The Arizona Memorial’s maintenance also requires monitoring the Battleship Arizona hull. Oil is still leaking from the sunken Battleship Arizona after 81 years, and about a quart of oil slowly rises to the water’s surface throughout the day and can easily be seen by its visitors. Locals refer to this as “the black tears of Arizona.” There is a concern that the battleship’s oil tanks could corrode in the salt water, releasing an environmental crisis for Pearl Harbor. The National Park Service divers are constantly monitoring the situation to ensure this does not happen.
If you wish to donate to the maintenance of the USS Arizona Memorial, contact the president of Pacific Historic Parks, Mrs. Aileen Utterdyke, by phone at 808-954-8760.
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