The battleships of WWII at Pearl Harbor were the pride of the U.S. Pacific Fleet on December 7, 1941 — eight steel giants along Battleship Row, plus a ninth former battleship across Ford Island. By afternoon, every one had been damaged, sunk, or capsized. Yet six of the eight were raised, rebuilt, and sent back to war, and several later sank a Japanese battleship in history’s last battleship duel. Today you can stand on a battleship’s deck, look across at the sunken USS Arizona, and see the beginning and the end of World War II in one view. This guide covers every battleship that was there — which ships they were, where each was moored, what happened to them, and where to see them today.
Key Highlights
- Eight battleships were at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 — seven along Battleship Row, the eighth (Pennsylvania) in dry dock — plus the former battleship Utah, converted to a target ship in the 1930s.
- The Arizona (1,177 killed) and Utah (58 killed) were never raised and remain as memorials. The Oklahoma (429 killed) was righted but sank at sea in 1947 under tow to a scrapyard.
- The other six — California, Nevada, West Virginia, Tennessee, Maryland, Pennsylvania — returned to service; five sank the Japanese battleship Yamashiro at Surigao Strait in 1944.
- Visitable today: the USS Arizona Memorial (free, reservation required), the Battleship Missouri — where Japan surrendered in 1945 — and the Oklahoma and Utah memorials on Ford Island.
- National Memorial grounds and museums are free; Missouri admission is about $44.99/$19.99 (verify at ussmissouri.org); no bags site-wide; Ford Island is shuttle-only from the Visitor Center.
The battleships present on December 7, 1941
Nearly half of America’s battleships were in one harbor: USS Arizona (BB-39), USS Oklahoma (BB-37), USS West Virginia (BB-48), USS California (BB-44), USS Nevada (BB-36), USS Tennessee (BB-43), USS Maryland (BB-46), and USS Pennsylvania (BB-38), the Pacific Fleet flagship. The ninth ship was the USS Utah (AG-16), built as battleship BB-31 in 1911 but converted to a target ship under the 1930 naval treaty. She still looked like a battleship — and Japanese pilots chose targets largely by appearance.
Battleship Row: where each ship was moored
Battleship Row ran along Ford Island’s southeast side, where ships tied up in pairs — one inboard, one outboard. North to south: the Nevada rode alone at the north end; the Arizona lay inboard with the repair ship Vestal alongside; the Tennessee was inboard with the West Virginia outboard; the Maryland was inboard with the Oklahoma outboard; and the California rode alone at the south end. The Pennsylvania was in Dry Dock No. 1, and the Utah was on the west side of Ford Island — which is why she is often left out of Battleship Row accounts.
The four classes of battleships at Pearl Harbor
All eight were WWI-vintage “standard-type” battleships. The Nevada class (Nevada, Oklahoma) pioneered all-or-nothing armor, with ten 14-inch guns. The Pennsylvania class (Pennsylvania, Arizona) carried twelve 14-inch guns with heavier armor. The Tennessee class (Tennessee, California) had twelve 14-inch guns and better underwater protection. The Colorado class (Maryland, West Virginia) was newest, with eight 16-inch guns — the biggest rifles in the harbor that morning. All three Pacific Fleet carriers, notably, were at sea.
What happened to each battleship
Below is the fate of every battleship, ship by ship. (For the full story of the attack itself, see our account of the attack on Pearl Harbor.)
USS Arizona (BB-39)
A 1,760-pound bomb detonated her forward magazines; she exploded and sank within minutes, taking 1,177 sailors and Marines. Never raised, she remains where she sank — oil still seeps from her bunkers, the “tears of the Arizona.”
USS Oklahoma (BB-37)
Torpedo hits capsized her in minutes; 429 were killed. Righting her was the war’s largest salvage job — 21 winches brought her upright in 1943. Too damaged to rebuild, she was decommissioned in 1944 and sank at sea in 1947 under tow.
USS California (BB-44)
Two torpedoes and two bombs sank her upright into the harbor mud. Refloated and modernized, she returned to the war by January 1944 — including Surigao Strait.
USS Nevada (BB-36)
The only battleship to get underway during the attack. After taking a torpedo and several bombs, her captain deliberately beached her off Hospital Point rather than block the harbor channel. Refloated within months, she bombarded Normandy on D-Day, survived the Bikini atomic tests, and was sunk as a target in 1948.
USS West Virginia (BB-48)
Two bombs and seven torpedo hits sank her upright; 106 were killed. Raised and modernized, she rejoined the fleet in July 1944 and fought at Leyte Gulf.
USS Tennessee (BB-43)
Shielded from torpedoes by the outboard West Virginia, she took two armor-piercing bombs that failed to detonate, plus burning debris from the Arizona. Five were killed; she served in the Aleutians and at Surigao Strait.
USS Maryland (BB-46)
Two bomb hits, four killed; Japanese pilots wrongly reported her sunk. Repaired quickly, she fought at Midway in 1942 and at Surigao Strait in 1944.
USS Pennsylvania (BB-38)
In dry dock, the flagship took one bomb hit and lost nine men. After repairs she fought in the Aleutians and at Surigao Strait, survived the Bikini tests, and was scuttled off Kwajalein in 1948.
USS Utah (AG-16)
The forgotten ninth ship. Torpedoed around 8:01 a.m. during morning colors, she capsized in minutes. Six officers and 52 sailors — 58 men, per the U.S. Navy — were lost. Never righted, her rusting hull still breaks the surface beside her memorial.
The salvage: how six battleships came back to fight
The harbor is only about 40 feet deep where the battleships sank, so divers, pumps, and cofferdams could reach them. The Nevada, California, and West Virginia were raised; the Tennessee, Maryland, and Pennsylvania repaired — all modernized with radar and new guns. On October 24–25, 1944, at Surigao Strait, five of the resurrected ships sank the Japanese battleship Yamashiro — history’s last battleship duel.
Where to see the battleships at Pearl Harbor today
Two wrecks still rest in the harbor, and two memorials plus one famous museum ship tell their story. For the harbor’s full set of historic sites, see our Pearl Harbor historic sites overview.
USS Arizona Memorial — the wreck itself
The white memorial spans the sunken hull at her berth, reached by Navy boat from the Visitor Center as part of the free NPS program, which opens with a 23-minute film. The shrine room lists the 1,177 killed, and it remains an active military cemetery. Free, but reserve a timed ticket on recreation.gov ($1 fee). Our USS Arizona Memorial guide covers the full experience, and the narrated tour option adds expert commentary.
Battleship Missouri — the bookend of the war
The USS Missouri (BB-63) was not at Pearl Harbor during the attack — she was launched in 1944. Japan signed the surrender on her deck in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945. Moored on Ford Island with her bow pointed at the Arizona Memorial, she served in WWII, Korea, and Desert Storm before opening as a museum in 1999. Admission (about $44.99/$19.99 — verify at ussmissouri.org) includes a 35-minute guided tour, plus self-guided routes. Open daily 8 a.m.–4 p.m.; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. See our Battleship Missouri Memorial guide for deck-by-deck details.
USS Oklahoma Memorial — Ford Island
Steps from the Missouri shuttle stop: a black granite base representing the overturned hull, with 429 white marble pillars — one per man lost. Free, open daily 7:30 a.m.–5 p.m.
USS Utah Memorial — the quiet side of Ford Island
A simple white walkway on the island’s northwest shore faces the Utah‘s rusting, partially exposed hull. Dedicated in 1972, it is the least-visited memorial — on an active base, so access requires a military ID or an escorted bus tour.
Planning note: the Missouri, Oklahoma Memorial, and Aviation Museum are all on Ford Island — shuttle-only from the Visitor Center.
How to get to Pearl Harbor
The Visitor Center is at 1 Arizona Memorial Place, Honolulu, HI 96818 — searching just “Pearl Harbor” can send your GPS to the base gate. From Waikiki or Ko Olina it is roughly a 30-minute drive; parking is $7 per day. Without a car, TheBus #42 stops at the Visitor Center, from which the Arizona boat and the Ford Island shuttle both depart. See our ultimate guide to visiting Pearl Harbor for full itineraries.
Best time to visit
Honolulu is warm year-round, so pick the time of day: book one of the first Arizona programs, beat the midday heat and crowds, then cross to Ford Island for the Missouri in the afternoon. December 7 brings moving anniversary events — and the year’s biggest crowds.
Tickets and tours: what the battleship sites cost
- Pearl Harbor National Memorial (Visitor Center, museums, Arizona program): free, per the National Park Service. The Arizona boat program needs a timed reservation at recreation.gov ($1 booking fee); book early — tickets sell out.
- Battleship Missouri Memorial: about $44.99/$19.99 (verify at ussmissouri.org), including the 35-minute guided tour; premium tours cost extra (~$32).
- Oklahoma and Utah memorials: free (Utah needs escorted access via the Ford Island bus tour or a military ID).
- Passport to Pearl Harbor: about $99.99/$49.99 for the Missouri, Bowfin, and Aviation Museum (not the Arizona — free anyway).
Nearby things to do at Pearl Harbor
- USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park (about $25.99): tour the “Pearl Harbor Avenger,” launched a year after the attack.
- Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum (about $29.99): WWII aircraft plus the Ford Island Control Tower tour.
- Visitor Center museums (free): the “Road to War” and “Attack” galleries give the full context of December 7 — allow 45 minutes.
- Battleship Row mooring quays: from the shoreline you can see the white quays marking where each battleship lay, inscribed with name and hull number.
Practical tips for visiting the battleships of Pearl Harbor
- No bags, period. The NPS prohibits all bags site-wide — wallets, phones, cameras, and clear stadium bags only. Paid storage ($7/$10) is near the entrance.
- Reserve the Arizona first. It is the only part needing a reservation, and standby is unreliable — lock in your boat time, then plan the Missouri around it.
- Half day for the battleship pair, full day for everything. Arizona plus museums: 2–2.5 hours; add 2 hours for the Missouri, plus shuttle time.
- Dress for a working ship. The Missouri means steep ladders and low overheads — closed-toe shoes with grip.
- Stay for the film. The 23-minute NPS documentary plays at :15 and :45 past the hour.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many battleships were at Pearl Harbor during the attack?
Eight: Arizona, Oklahoma, West Virginia, California, Nevada, Tennessee, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. Seven were on Battleship Row, the Pennsylvania in Dry Dock No. 1. A ninth former battleship, the Utah — converted to a target ship in the 1930s — was also in the harbor and was torpedoed and capsized.
Which battleships are still at Pearl Harbor today?
Two wrecks remain: the USS Arizona at her Battleship Row berth, now spanned by the memorial, and the USS Utah, capsized west of Ford Island with her hull still visible. The Oklahoma was raised but sank at sea in 1947 under tow. The other six were repaired and returned to service; none survive as museum ships.
Can you go aboard the USS Arizona?
No — the Arizona is a sunken war grave. The memorial is built over the wreck, reached by Navy boat from the Visitor Center: you walk above the hull and visit the shrine room listing the 1,177 killed. Free, but a timed recreation.gov reservation is required.
Was the USS Missouri at Pearl Harbor during the attack?
No — the Missouri (BB-63) was launched in 1944. She is a museum ship at Pearl Harbor because Japan signed the surrender on her deck in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945. Her bow points at the Arizona Memorial, so the two form the “bookends” of World War II.
How much does it cost to visit the battleships at Pearl Harbor?
The National Memorial — Visitor Center, museums, and the Arizona boat program — is free (recreation.gov charges a $1 booking fee). The Missouri costs about $44.99/$19.99 (verify at ussmissouri.org). The Oklahoma Memorial is free; the Utah Memorial is free but needs escorted base access. A Passport combo (about $99.99/$49.99) covers the Missouri, Bowfin, and Aviation Museum.
Do I need reservations, and how long should I plan for?
Reserve only the USS Arizona program through recreation.gov — the one part of Pearl Harbor requiring a timed ticket, and standby is unreliable. The Missouri needs no reservation. Plan a half day (4–5 hours) for the Arizona, Missouri, and Oklahoma Memorial, or a full day (6–7 hours) adding Bowfin and the Aviation Museum. Arrive early and travel light — bags are prohibited site-wide.