Flagship of the Fleet
The first ‘Arizona’ was an iron-hulled, side-wheel steamer completed in 1859; the second Arizona launched in 1865 and named the Neshaminy, her name was changed to Arizona on May 15, 1869. The keel of the third ‘Arizona’ (Battleship No. 39) was laid on the morning of March 16, 1914 with Assistant Secretary of the Navy Franklin Delano Roosevelt in attendance. She was commissioned on October 17, 1916, and went on a shakedown cruise.
Arizona carried twelve 14-inch guns in triple gun turrets. She had a history of serving as flag ship for different Admirals across different oceans (the flag ship carries the commander of a group of ships.) For the next decade and a half, Arizona served as flagship for Battleship Divisions 2, 3 or 4. On December 7, 1941, Arizona’s air raid alarm went off about 7:55 and the ship went to general quarters. Shortly after 08:00, the ship was attacked. The last bomb hit at 08:06 in the vicinity of Turret II.