The USS Utah was a Florida Class battleship
completed in 1911. She was modernized in
1926-28, and served until 1931. In January
of that year she was reclassified as AG-16
and converted into a radio controlled target
ship. Her armament was removed, and she was
used to train pilots, gunners, and torpedo
men. In the years right before WWII, she
was used as an anti-aircraft gunnery training
ship, and was fitted with heavy timbers on
her decks as protection against practice
bombs. On December 7, 1941, she was moored
at Pearl Harbor and was struck by multiple
Japanese torpedoes just moments after the
attack began. The ship rolled over to port,
and 58 sailors lost their lives, and are
presumed to be still entombed in the hull.
The ship was a total loss, and no salvage
effort was made until 1943. The wreck partially
blocked the shipping channel, so it was decided
to use giant winches to roll the ship over,
then attempt to refloat it. Braces were welded
to the hull, and the upperworks were cut
away to lighten the ship. The preparations
took until 1944, but when the righting attempt
was made the ship's hull failed to grip the
bottom of the harbor. The ship righted to
a 38-degree angle, but then stated to slide
towards shore. The work was abandoned, and
the hull left in place.
Interest in removing the wreck surfaced in
1956, but the needed salvage equipment had
been sold off. With a price tag of 4 million
dollars and an expected time frame of two
and a half years, the proposal was rejected.
The Chief of naval Operations declared her
to be a grave site, ending the issue once
and for all.
In 1972 a simple memorial was dedicated.
Though only a half-mile from the Arizona
and her million-plus visitors a year, the
Utah memorial is rarely visited. Boat tours
circle the wreck, but diving or boarding
is prohibited.
USS Utah as AG-16 in 1935.
The USS Utah on Dec 12, 1941
The Utah being partially broken up after
a failed attempt to right her..
The wreck of the Utah today, with a plaque
added in 1970.
The USS Utah memorial, with the wreck behind.
BACK
