USS Utah was the second and final member of the Florida class of dreadnought battleships. The first ship of the United States Navy named after the state of Utah, she had one sister ship, Florida. Utah was built by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation, laid down in March 1909 and launched in December of that year.
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USS Oklahoma (BB-37) Memorial
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Ford Island Control Tower
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My son and I did the Ford Island tour of the USS Oklahoma and the USS Utah. I am truly glad we did and feel fortunate we were able to get tickets. The national park staff were fantastic in sharing their knowledge of Ford Island, it's history as well as the stories and history of the USS Oklahoma and the USS Utah. I particularly wanted to go to see and honor the remains of the USS Utah. It makes me feel so sad that it is thought of as the forgotten ship of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Yet entombed on the USS Utah are brave men that served and died for their country the same as the far more famous USS Arizona. I had read some reviews that have said that the tour wasn't really worth the trouble compared to seeing the USS Arizona memorial. It's true that where the USS Utah rests is not nearly as flashy as the Arizona memorial. But how can one say it isn't worth it to honor and pay your respects to men that died...
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The USS Utah (BB-31/AG-16) started its career in 1911 as a proud battleship, flexing its muscles in World War I without ever firing a shot in anger. By the 1930s, she was demoted to target ship duty—basically a floating bullseye for practice runs. But on December 7, 1941, during the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Utah took two torpedoes from Japanese bombers, capsizing in minutes.
Ironically, a ship used for target practice became a real target. Today, her rusting hull rests off Ford Island, a silent reminder of that fateful morning. While the USS Utah Memorial doesn’t get as much fanfare as her more famous neighbor, the Arizona, visitors can park nearby and walk up to pay their respects. It’s a quiet, humbling spot—a place where history lingers, just waiting for...
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An under-visited memorial on the west side of Ford Island. While not as famous as the USS Arizona or USS Missouri, this is still an excellent memorial to visit as it is quiet, out of the way and not as trafficked. The memorial is nice, well done and it is customary to leave a coin when you visit (I suggest you do).
As opposed to the Arizona, there is more left of the ship to see. It is the rusted, hulking underside of the ship. You can see it rusting away but you can also see where cuts were made to (try to) extract Sailors and Marines. Please visit but be mindful as this is the resting place for the dead. And remember to bring coins to leave on at the base of the flagpole, as...
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