Black Tears:
On December 6, 1941, the USS Arizona took on a full load of fuel—nearly 1.5 million gallons, in preparation for its scheduled trip to the mainland later that month. The next day, much of it fed the explosion and subsequent fires that destroyed the ship following its attack by Japanese bombers. However, despite the raging fire and ravages of time, some 500,000 gallons are still slowly seeping out of the ship's submerged wreckage. Nearly 70 years after its demise, Arizona continues to spill up to 9 quarts of oil into the harbor each day. In the mid-1990s, environmental concerns led the National Park Service (NPS) to commission a series of site studies to determine the long-term effects of the oil leakage.
Some scientists have warned of a possible catastrophic eruption of oil from the wreckage, which they believe would cause extensive damage to the Hawaiian shoreline and disrupt U.S. naval functions in the area. The NPS and other government agencies continue to monitor the deterioration of the wreck site but are reluctant to perform extensive repairs or modifications due to Arizona's role as a war grave. The oil that often coats the surface of the water surrounding the ship has added an emotional gravity for many who visit the memorial—sometimes referred to as the 'tears of the Arizona' or 'black tears.'
