USS Nevada was the U.S. battleship that tried to leave Pearl Harbor during the Japanese attack on December 7, 1941.
Nevada was moored near Ford Island when the attack began. Unlike most of the other battleships in harbor, it was not trapped alongside another ship, allowing its crew to get the vessel underway. The ship moved toward the harbor entrance while Japanese aircraft concentrated on it.
Because Nevada was damaged and threatened to sink in the channel, its crew deliberately beached the battleship near Hospital Point. This prevented the vessel from blocking Pearl Harbor’s entrance. Nevada was later refloated, repaired, and returned to service.
The battleship’s attempted escape is sometimes confused with a successful departure. Nevada did not sail out of Pearl Harbor during the attack; it was grounded to keep the channel open.