Why Is the USS Oklahoma Still Missing From Pearl Harbor

The USS Oklahoma (BB-37) is "missing" from Pearl Harbor because it was the only battleship salvaged that never returned to service or remained as a local memorial. During the 1941 attack, it capsized after being struck by nine torpedoes. While it was righted and refloated in a massive 1943 salvage operation, the hull was too severely damaged for repair. In 1947, while being towed to San Francisco for scrapping, the ship was caught in a storm. It began taking on water and sank 540 miles northeast of Oahu, where it remains today in the deep Pacific. While a shore-side memorial stands at Ford Island, the ship itself is gone from the harbor's waters.