On December 7, 1941, the USS Arizona sank in less than nine minutes during the attack on Pearl Harbor, taking 1,177 crew members with it. For over 80 years, the submerged battleship has served as a hallowed war grave and a national memorial that draws over two million visitors annually. It is also the source of one of the longest-running oil spills in U.S. history.
Droplets of oil, often called the “Black Tears of the Arizona,” continuously rise from the wreck, creating a visible sheen on the water’s surface. While many visitors see this as a poignant symbol of an ongoing tragedy, it is also a persistent environmental problem. The ship’s hull, which still contains an estimated 500,000 gallons of fuel, has been leaking for decades and is projected to continue doing so for another 500 years. This situation creates a direct and complex conflict between preserving a sacred historical site and addressing a chronic environmental hazard that affects the waters of Pearl Harbor.
The Source of the “Black Tears”
The day before the attack, the USS Arizona was loaded to its maximum capacity with nearly 1.5 million gallons of “Bunker C” fuel oil. While the initial explosion and fire consumed a large portion of the fuel, a significant amount remained trapped in the ship’s tanks. Currently, the wreck leaks between two and nine quarts of this oil into Pearl Harbor every day. Since 1941, the total amount released is estimated to be over 50,000 gallons.
Bunker C is not like gasoline or diesel. It is a thick, heavy, tar-like residual fuel, the dense material left over after lighter products are refined from crude oil. It is so viscous that it had to be preheated to over 220°F just to be fluid enough to power the battleship’s engines. This high viscosity is a primary reason the leak has been so slow and steady. A lighter fuel would likely have burned off completely in the fire or leaked out much more rapidly in the years following. Instead, the tar-like consistency of Bunker C has paradoxically prevented a short-term, large-scale disaster, but in its place has created a chronic, centuries-long issue, releasing a slow but steady stream of pollutants into the harbor.
The Ecological Cost of a Historic Wound
The “Black Tears” are more than just a visual phenomenon; they are a continuous release of hazardous material into the marine environment. Bunker C fuel oil is a complex mixture of toxic compounds with documented risks to both environmental and human health.
The most concerning components are Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), a class of chemicals that includes known carcinogens like Benzo[a]pyrene. Many PAHs are mutagenic (causing DNA damage) and teratogenic (causing birth defects). These compounds do not dissolve easily in water, instead attaching to sediment on the harbor floor where they can persist for decades, creating a long-term toxic reservoir.
This contamination poses a direct threat to the local food web. Marine organisms can absorb these toxins, which then become more concentrated in larger fish that consume them in a process called biomagnification. To prevent human exposure through this pathway, the Hawaii Department of Health has maintained a “catch-and-release” only policy for all fishing in Pearl Harbor since 1998. The advisory explicitly states that fish and shellfish from the harbor should not be eaten due to potential chemical contamination.
Ecologically, the wreck presents a paradox. It has transformed into a productive artificial reef, its steel structure providing a habitat for corals, sponges, and fish. However, the very structure that supports this life is simultaneously exposing it to chronic, low-level pollution. This creates a dangerous feedback loop: some oil-eating microbes that help break down the fuel also accelerate the corrosion of the battleship’s steel hull, potentially speeding up its decay and increasing the risk of a larger, more sudden oil release in the future.
Why Hasn’t It Been Cleaned Up?
Given the clear environmental hazard, a logical question is why the oil hasn’t been removed. The answer involves two major barriers: one ethical and one technical, both of which are considered insurmountable at present.
First, the USS Arizona is an active military cemetery and the final resting place for more than 900 crewmen whose remains were never recovered. It is a sacred site for veterans, families, and the nation. Any action that would physically disturb the wreck, such as drilling or cutting into the hull, is viewed by the National Park Service, the U.S. Navy, and veterans’ groups as a desecration of a war grave.
Second, removing the oil would be an extremely difficult, invasive, and dangerous operation. The fuel is not in a single, accessible tank. It is distributed across more than 200 separate, compartmentalized bunkers located across three different deck levels and within the double bottom of the hull. Compounding the challenge, the ship has settled deep into the harbor sediment, meaning most of these fuel-containing structures are now buried beneath the mudline. Attempting to drill into the fragile, corroded 80-year-old steel hull risks triggering a catastrophic collapse. Such a failure would release the remaining 500,000 gallons of oil all at once—the exact disaster that any cleanup effort would aim to prevent.
Small Steps for a Cleaner Environment
While the public cannot directly solve the USS Arizona oil leak, this situation highlights the long-term impact of pollutants on our waterways. You can take concrete steps to protect your local environment from similar, albeit smaller-scale, contamination.
- Properly Dispose of Hazardous Waste: Never pour automotive fluids like used motor oil, antifreeze, or gasoline down storm drains, as they often lead directly to local waterways without any treatment. A single quart of oil can contaminate up to a million gallons of water. Always use designated local collection centers for hazardous waste.
- Use Chemicals Responsibly: Minimize the use of pesticides, herbicides, and harsh cleaning products, which can be washed into the water supply. When you do use them, follow the instructions carefully and avoid application before heavy rainfall to prevent chemical runoff into local rivers and lakes.
- Maintain Your Vehicles: Regularly check your cars and boats for oil or fluid leaks. A small, persistent drip from a vehicle can release a significant amount of pollution over time, contributing to the contamination of groundwater and local streams. Prompt repairs protect both your vehicle and the environment.
- Participate in Local Cleanups: Join or organize community events to clean up local rivers, beaches, or wetlands. Removing trash and debris not only improves the appearance of these areas but also prevents harmful materials from breaking down and polluting the water and soil, improving habitats for local wildlife.
- Report Pollution: Be a vigilant observer in your community. If you see signs of illegal dumping or a potential oil or chemical spill, report it to your local environmental protection agency or public works department. Timely reporting can help contain a spill before it causes widespread damage.
Balancing an Honored Past with a Healthy Future
The USS Arizona represents a unique and difficult challenge, forcing a continual negotiation between honoring the past and protecting the future. The “Black Tears” are a powerful reminder of human loss, but they are also a persistent environmental threat that cannot be ignored.
The responsible agencies, the National Park Service and the U.S. Navy, have adopted a strategy of intensive scientific monitoring. This is not a passive “wait and see” approach. It involves using advanced tools like Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) to inspect the ship’s flooded interior and collecting corrosion data to feed into sophisticated computer models. These models aim to predict how and when the wreck’s structure might fail, allowing for proactive planning. This approach of informed vigilance is currently the only viable path forward.
The ultimate lesson from the USS Arizona is the profound and lasting consequences our actions can have on the environment. It calls for a commitment to responsible stewardship, whether managing a national monument or protecting our local waterways, to ensure that we honor our history without sacrificing the health of our planet for future generations.
