USS Arizona was the only U.S. battleship at Pearl Harbor completely destroyed by the attack.
A Japanese armor-piercing bomb penetrated Arizona’s forward deck and ignited ammunition in the ship’s forward magazine. The resulting explosion tore the battleship apart and caused the greatest loss of life aboard any ship attacked that morning. Arizona sank rapidly and was never returned to service.
Other battleships suffered catastrophic damage but were salvaged, repaired, or returned to service. USS Oklahoma capsized and was later salvaged, while USS West Virginia and USS California were raised or repaired. Arizona’s wreck remains in the harbor, and the USS Arizona Memorial spans the ship’s hull. Oil that continues to seep from the wreck is popularly called the ship’s “black tears,” although the memorial site is primarily a historical and commemorative location.