The Active Historian

Hey, friend! Welcome back to another post. Today, I want to show the historical marker for the USS Oklahoma Anchor in Oklahoma City. Let’s get started!

Historical Marker Transcription

(Front of historical marker)

USS Oklahoma Anchor

“This anchor was one of three that were added during the Navy’s modernization of the USS Oklahoma in 1927. Manufactured in 1919 by Baldt Anchor Company in Chester, Pennsylvania, the anchor weighs 19,860 pounds.

Thanks to the efforts of Rear Admiral John E. Kirkpatrick, USNR, Ret., The USS Oklahoma anchor has had a home in Oklahoma City since 1960.

Originally located near the Civic Center at Couch Drive and Robinson Avenue, new construction resulted in the anchor’s move to Meridian at Park Avenue and Broadway Avenue in 1980. In December 2005, the anchor was moved to its current location.”

(Back of historical marker)

“Commissioned in 1916, the USS Oklahoma was revered as one of the great naval vessels of its time. The USS Oklahoma had the distinction of being the first ship in the history of the U.S. Navy to be christened for peace and not for war. After seeing limited action toward the end of World War I, the USS Oklahoma escorted President Woodrow Wilson on his voyages to France for the peace negotiations. Following an extensive modernization in 1927, the great ship was assigned to various locations around the globe before its final assignment to Pearl Harbor in 1940.

On December 7, 1941 the USS Oklahoma was hit in the first wave of Japan’s surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. Struck by four torpedoes exploding at 15-second intervals, the Oklahoma quickly capsized, trapping the crew below while some were able to escape, 429 men were trapped and died.

In 1943, the Navy began an extension salvage effort to raise the Oklahoma, which had sunk to the harbor floor. Caught in thick mud, the Navy had to seal the torpedo holes in the hull and then force air into the interior to give the ship buoyancy. Once afloat, the Navy attached 21 cables, each powered by an electric motor, and slowly pulled the ship upright, a process that took more than 100 hours. The USS Oklahoma was decommissioned on September 1, 1944 and stripped of its guns and superstructure such as its anchors. While it was sold to a scrap metal company in 1946, the USS Oklahoma did not have to endure such an undignified ending. Instead, while being towed to California, the great ship sunk 540 miles East of Pearl Harbor in 3,000 feet of water where it rests to this day.”

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1320 N Broadway Ave.

Oklahoma City, OK 73103