USS Arizona Memorial Gardens At Salt River - Mesa, AZ - World War II Memorials / Monuments on Waymarking.com

The USS Arizona Memorial Gardens at Salt River is located in Scottsdale, next to the Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, next to Great Wolf Lodge. The Salt River Indian Community funded the project, secured ownership of part of the original boathouse,and build this memorial for the community. Dozens of informational signs hang around the boathouse, detailing the attack on Pearl Harbor, Elvis Presley's contribution to the memorial at Pearl Harbor, Survivor stories, statistics about the battleship, a timeline of the first 85 minutes and more. The memorial is lit up at night, showing the impressive outline and dimensions of the USS Arizona. Around the boathouse are several thin columns that hold dog tags honoring those who served aboard the battleship.

From the National Park Service:

Of the 2,341 service members that died on Dec. 7, 1941, almost half died on the USS Arizona, a total of 1,177. There were 38 sets of brothers on board USS Arizona, including three sets of three brothers.

According to ict news:

The USS Arizona’s boat house represents the largest — and only — piece of the memorial to ever be given to a tribal community.

Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community President Martin Harvier to note: “It is a great honor that the land of the O’odham, or Pima, and Piipaash, or Maricopa, will be the final resting place of the Boat House relic.”


Text on plaque facing the water and flags:

Dedicated to the Eternal Memory of our gallant shipmates in the USS Arizona who gave their lives in action.
7 December 1941

"From today on the USS Arizona will again fly our country's flag just as proudly as she did on the morning of 7 December 1941. I am sure the Arizona's crew will know and appreciate what we are doing."
Admiral A.W. Radford, USN
7 March 1950

May God make his face to shine upon them and grant them peace

Text on one of the informational signs:

The columns that outline this memorial mark each of the 1512 individuals serving aboard the USS Arizona Battleship on December 7, 1941 when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor.
Together, the columns at the outer edges mark the ship's perimeter spanning its 608 feet in length and 97 feet wide.
Columns within the gardens represent the expanse of personnel a battleship requires to function.
You will also see breaks between some 335 lit columns. These unlit columns symbolize those who survived the attack and were able to tell the stories of that day, lest we forget their sacrifice.
The varying column heights symbolize the distinct nature of individuals, different in as many ways as they are similar.
It is these differences that strengthen the whole as each unique skill and perspective, when set to a common purpose can accomplish endeavors beyond numbers.
Each column stands at attention as do personnel aboard U.S. Naval ships that pass by the USS Arizona Pearl Harbor Memorial, extending respect to those who perished in the attack so many years ago.

Date of Dedication: 02/22/2020 Property Permission: Public Access instructions: FREE parking to the memorial that is located next to the Salt River Fields Website for Waymark: [Web Link] Location of waymark: 7455 North Pima Road Scottsdale, Arizona USA 85258 Commemoration: The lives lost on the USS Arizona when it sank in Pearl Harbor in 1941 Access times: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
Include a photo containing, at minimum, the monument and your GPSr. We'd prefer a photo containing YOU at the monument, but we understand that some people are camera-shy.
Also include a bit about your visit here.

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