The Lost Battleships of Hawaii (How Pearl Harbor became a ship Graveyard)

Hawaii is an incredibly unique state within the USA. But Hawaii's place in American history and society often has to do with their geographical location as an archipelago at the halfway point of the Pacific Ocean between the United States and Southeast Asia. Inevitably, Hawaii usually finds themselves as an integral part of American Naval History. There are many physical or cultural markers of American Naval History in Hawaii such as prominent naval bases, the thousands of American sailors who live in the state, or even famous events like the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor which led to the American entry into World War II. One particular indication of the intertwined American-Hawaiian Naval History and culture, which also relates to Pearl Harbor are actually the sunken battleships from that attack, which still reside under Hawaii's waters. During the assault, many American vessels were sunk or damaged including several battleships, many of these ships were able to be repaired and actually went on to serve in the subsequent war but two famous battleships, the USS Arizona and the USS Oklahoma had a much more unfortunate fate and today, both battleships are both submerged deep underwater off the coast of Hawaii. However, each ship has an important story to tell, featuring heartbreak as well as brave heroism, national tragedy but also national triumph and unification. So if that sounds interesting, let's dive deep into Hawaii's waters to explore the history of the famous battleships that still lie there to this day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices