description USS Oklahoma (BB-37) Overview
USS Oklahoma (BB-37) was a Nevada-class battleship commissioned by the United States Navy during the First World War era. Japanese aircraft struck the ship during the attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, causing it to capsize at its berth and killing 429 crew members. The wreck was later raised in a major salvage operation, but the damaged vessel was not returned to service and sank while being towed to the mainland for scrapping in 1947.
insights Ranking position
USS Oklahoma (BB-37) ranks #52 of 186 in the Shipwreck ranking, behind USS Lexington (CV-2), ahead of Queen Anne's Revenge.
help USS Oklahoma (BB-37) FAQ
Why did USS Oklahoma capsize at Pearl Harbor?
Japanese torpedoes struck Oklahoma's port side during the attack on December 7, 1941, causing severe flooding and a rapid loss of stability. The battleship rolled over at its berth with much of the crew trapped inside.
How many sailors and Marines died aboard USS Oklahoma?
The attack killed 429 members of Oklahoma's crew. This was the second-highest death toll suffered by an individual ship at Pearl Harbor, after USS Arizona.
Were survivors rescued from inside the overturned hull?
Yes, rescuers cut through the exposed hull and freed 32 trapped men in the days after the attack. Other crew members escaped during the capsize by climbing across the hull or swimming through burning and oil-covered water.
What happened to USS Oklahoma after it was raised?
The Navy righted and refloated the wreck in a major salvage operation completed during the war, but decided that returning it to combat was impractical. Oklahoma was sold for scrap and sank in 1947 while being towed from Hawaii to the continental United States.
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