Siege of Battleship Oklahoma at Pearl Harbor

by R.T. Foster

On December 5, 1941, the battleship Oklahoma and the Battle Fleet of the U.S. Pacific Fleet were ordered back to Pearl Harbor as conditions with the Imperial Government of Japan continued to deteriorate.

On that Sunday, December 7, 1941, the Battle Fleet was at its mooring in Pearl Harbor. The Oklahoma was preparing for an Admiral's Inspection scheduled for Monday, December 8th. Therefore, all hatches were open and all guns had been broken down for cleaning. The ship was moored outboard of the battleship Maryland. During the attack, the Oklahoma took between three to seven torpedoes to her side. Due to the hatches being open, the ship started to take on water and capsized in less than ten minutes. Over 400 men were either killed instantly or drowned. Rescue attempts started at once following the attack and 32 sailors were saved. The crew compliment consisted of 83 officers, 1215 enlisted navy, 3 U.S. Marine officers, and 64 enlisted Marines, for a total of 1,365.

Following the attack, the Navy decided to right the Oklahoma as it was blocking the sea channel. Bodies that were found were removed and interned at the "Punchbowl National Cemetery" in Hawaii. The once proud ship was stripped and sold for scrap at a price of $46,000. While under tow, the Oklahoma developed a list about mid-point between Pearl Harbor and San Francisco and plunged to the bottom of the Pacific Ocean.

The Oklahoma was authorized by Congress in 1911 and the keel was laid in 1912, at the New York Ship Building Yard. Miss Lorena Cruce, daughter of Oklahoma Governor Lee Cruce, christened the Oklahoma at Camden, New Jersey, on the 23rd of March. In 1917, the Oklahoma was commissioned, at a cost of approximately $15 million, as a ship in the United States Naval Service. It joined the fleet in 1918 and escorted Allied shipping to Europe. It never fired its guns in wartime. After the war, the Oklahoma was escort to President Woodrow Wilson back from France following the Treaty of Versailles.

Siege of Battleship Oklahoma at Pearl Harbor by R. T. Foster was dedicated on February 26, 2003. The commission was managed by the Oklahoma State Senate Historical Preservation Fund, Inc. The painting is located inside the South hallway of the Oklahoma State House of Representatives wing on the fifth floor of the Oklahoma State Capitol and can be viewed daily from 8:30-5:30 when the House is not in session.

The Artist

R. T. Foster, winner of Oklahoman's 1987 and 1991 Waterfowl stamp, is known for his acrylic, pencil and watercolor paintings. The wide-ranging subjects of his paintings vary from historical aviation, Civil War battle scenes to North American wildlife and much more.

The versatile self-taught artist began his professional career by doing freelance artwork and is currently employed as a visual information specialist at Tinker Air Force Base. Some of his larger aviation murals are on permanent exhibit at Warner Robins AFB, Wright Patterson Air Logistics Headquarters, the Oklahoma Air and Space Museum and Tinker AFB. In 1995, he was proud to be selected to design and draw the Arts Festival of Oklahoma poster.

Foster's tribute to President George Bush's Air Group 51, "The Last Full Measure," as well as a B-29 tribute "Night Over Nagoya" are in several aviation museums across the country, including the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, the San Diego Museum and others. Foster served 2-1/2 tours in Vietnam, one with the First Marine Air Wing. He lives in Oklahoma City with his wife and three daughters.