Question

why did the U.S. navy never authorize the salvage of the uss arizona

Answer 1

USS Arizona was destroyed and sank due to a magazine explosion in B turret magazine after being hit by a Japanese armor piercing bomb. A ship sunk in battle is considered a war grave and a proper burial. Since the ship was not to be re - floated those men whose remains remained in areas of the ship not accessed during salvage operations to remove tophamper were interred in the ship permanently. This is why recreational diving is forbidden in the wreck

Answer 2

USS Arizona was considered as a crown of US navy’s Battle ships in the early 1900’s. It had served the United states for many year even after the end of World War I. Later in 1940, USS Arizona was sent to serve in Peal Harbor,the time in which Japanese Imperialism flew violently over the pacific theater.

Arizona was attacked by the Japanese war planes at the coasts of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Arizona sunk into the pacific along with 1,177 officers and crew that results in the death of 1,102 crew members and marines..  

US thought that Arizona will not taken in to the service even she was salvaged completely. So they decided to make it as a war grave. Hence,United States had built a war memorial for USS Arizona.