Battleship Row facts for kids
Battleship Row was a special place in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. It was where eight big U.S. battleships were lined up when the Japanese attacked on December 7, 1941. These powerful ships took the main force of the attack. They were tied up right next to Ford Island when the surprise attack began.
The battleships in Battleship Row were:
A repair ship, the Vestal, was also there. It was moored next to the Arizona.
Why Battleship Row Was Created
In 1919, the United States Navy decided to build a large naval base at Pearl Harbor. They chose the southeastern side of Ford Island for the battleships. This area was perfect because the water was very deep. It also allowed ships to move around easily. Because of this, the coast of Ford Island became the main spot for the Pacific Fleet's battleships. It soon became known as "Battleship Row."
The Attack and What Happened Next
During the attack, four battleships were sunk: the Arizona, California, Oklahoma, and West Virginia. The Arizona was hit very badly. An explosion in its front ammunition storage broke the ship in half. This caused the most deaths. The West Virginia and Nevada also suffered serious damage. The Pennsylvania was in a special dry dock, which made it harder to hit. Because of this, it was not badly damaged. The Vestal repair ship was also damaged.
Right after the attack, efforts began to fix and refloat the damaged ships. The Nevada was the first to be ready for service again, in April 1942. By the end of the war, all but the Arizona and Oklahoma were back in action. The six battleships that survived helped in the Pacific during the island hopping campaign. The Nevada also fought in the Atlantic and helped with the invasion of Normandy.
All six surviving battleships were taken out of service after the war. The Nevada and Pennsylvania were later used in atomic bomb tests. The others were taken apart for scrap metal in the late 1950s. The Oklahoma was refloated but never repaired. It sank again while being pulled to the mainland for scrapping. The hull of the Arizona remains in Pearl Harbor as a memorial. It is a very popular place for visitors.
The Utah was also at Pearl Harbor during the attack. However, it was not with the other battleships. It had been changed into a target ship. Even so, it was sunk within minutes of the attack.
Ships Attacked in Battleship Row
Here are the ships that were attacked and what happened to them:
- Arizona: This ship was the main ship for Battleship Division One. It was hit by a bomb that went through its armor. The ship exploded and was completely destroyed. 1,177 people died.
- Oklahoma: This ship was hit by five torpedoes and turned over. It was a total loss. 429 people died. It was refloated in November 1943. But it turned over and sank again in May 1947 while being pulled to the mainland.
- West Virginia: This ship was hit by two bombs and seven torpedoes and sank. It was fixed and returned to service in July 1944. 106 people died.
- California: This ship was hit by two bombs and two torpedoes and sank. It was fixed and returned to service in January 1944. 100 people died.
- Nevada: This ship was hit by six bombs and one torpedo. It was beached (moved to shallow water to prevent sinking). It was fixed and returned to service in October 1942. 60 people died.
- Tennessee: This ship was hit by two bombs. It was fixed and returned to service in February 1942. 5 people died.
- Maryland: This ship was hit by two bombs. It was fixed and returned to service in February 1942. 4 people died.
- Pennsylvania: This ship was the main ship for the U.S. Pacific Fleet. It was in a dry dock with two other ships. It was hit by one bomb and some debris from another ship. It stayed in service. 9 people died.
- Utah: This ship was hit by two torpedoes and turned over. It was a total loss. 64 people died. At the time of the attack, it was a target ship. It was docked on the west side of Ford Island, across from Battleship Row.
