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A fuel oil leak adds solemnity.
VISITORS TO THE USS ARIZONA MEMORIAL AT PEARL HARBOR are often fascinated by the fact that fuel oil continues to leak from the sunken ship. The iridescent plumes suggest that the ship is still "bleeding" from its wounds, and some have referred to them as "black tears" or the "tears of the Arizona."
On Dec. 6, 1941, the day before the attack, the USS Arizona took on 4.5 million liters (1.2 million gallons) of Number 6 fuel oil, known by the Navy specification of Bunker C or simply called "Navy Heavy." This fueling filled the ship's 4,630-ton, 5.7-million liter (1.5 million gallon) tanks to capacity.
Shortly before 8 a.m. on Dec. 7, Japanese aircraft began their surprise attack. The Arizona's air raid siren went off at 7:55 a.m., calling all 1,512 men to their battle stations. Within a few minutes, the first wave of attacks tallied four hits and three near misses from 10 Japanese torpedo bombers. At...