Original Items: One-of-a-kind set. Well this is definitely something really interesting and special! On December 7, 1941, the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service launched a surprise, preemptive military strike on the U.S. Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, "a date which will live in infamy." The attack unfortunately resulted in destruction of numerous ships, as well as airfields and planes on the ground.

Probably the most famous loss during the attack was the U.S.S. Arizona, which sustained a bomb hit near turret II, which resulted in the forward magazine detonating, effectively destroying the ship. The bombs during the attack and subsequent explosion killed 1,177 of the 1,512 crewmen on board at the time, approximately half of the lives lost during the attack. The Arizona was not salvaged, and 15 years later a memorial was built over the sunken remains of the ship, which is now this bit of history got out of the water.

The metal fragment is nicely mounted inside of a compartment in the frame, underneath a picture of the U.S.S. Arizona (BB-39) in New York City's East River, with the Brooklyn Bridge in the background. This famous picture was taken in 1916, after outfitting and commissioning at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. In the picture she is in the original WWI Configuration. In 1929-1930 she was modernized at Norfolk Naval Yard. To the right of the fragment is the label ORIGINAL FRAGMENT FROM THE BATTLESHIP U.S.S. ARIZONA. This is all covered with glass, in a metal frame.

At the bottom of the frame, there is a label outside of the glass that reads:

THE FRAGMENT WAS RECOVERED
FROM PARTS OF THE WRECKAGE
REMOVED DURING CONSTRUCTION
OF THE MEMORIAL STRUCTURE IN
1960. IT IS A PORTION OF A RAISED
AREA JUST FORWARD OF THE
NUMBER THREE TURRET USED TO
STORE VEGETABLES AND POTATOES

It measures about 16 1/4" x 14 1/4" x 7/8", and is in wonderful display condition. A great piece of WWII memorabilia from the Attack on Pearl Harbor. Ready to display!