U.S.S. Arizona Signal Mast
In Memory of the Crew of the U.S.S. Arizona (BB39)
The upper 26 feet of the mast before you is the top
portion of the main mast of the USS Arizona and is
known as the signal mast or "pigsticker"
The battleship USS Arizona (BB 39) was sunk at Pearl
Harbor on December 7, 1941. The superstructure above
the waterline was removed soon after the attack.
Admiral Earnest H. King, Chief of Naval Opertations,
sent the signal mast to his hometown of Lorain, Ohio.
Commander Edwin C. Keyes, a close friend of Adm. King
commanded tht naval armory in Lorain. He had the
mast modified and erected at the armory to be used
for training purposes. The Navy added the yards
(cross pieces). Allen Permach of Lorain Steel
Fabricators, made the other modifications including
the 36 ft. length added to the botton of the
Arizona's original 26 ft. mast. The vertical shaft
represents the 1177 crewmen who gave their lives on
the "Day of Infamy." The yard stands for all those
who served aboard.
The Arizona's modified signamal mast was used until
the armory was razed in 1980. It was offered to the
city of Lorain, but was refused. In order to save
the mast from destruction, Cdr. Keyes obtained
authorization from the Navy for Brenne H. Donofrio, a
naval engineer to take possession of it. Nick A.
Donofrio, the father of of Brenne H. Donofrio was a
close friend of Adm. King and Cdr. Keyes, and had
been honored by the Secretary of State and the
Secretary of the Navy for having donated several
important inventions to the Navy during World War II.
The mast was moved to Brenne H. Donofrio's property
where it was stored for 10 years.
Robert Manzetti, a retired rairoad engineer from
Ohio, learned of the mast while visiting his daughter
who lived near Lorain. Mr. Manzetti and Dr. Earl L.
Field, a professor at Arizona College of the Bible
and both residents of Glendale, Arizona formed the
U.S.S. Arizona Signal Mast Committee. The Committee
purchased the mast, transported it to Arizona and
erected it here in Wesley Bolin Plaza. It was
dedicated and donated to the State of Arizona on
Decembver 7, 1990. All funds and work on the mast
came from private donations.
"I was told to be very careful in its installation as
it was valuable to the men who gave their lives
defending it" Allen A. Perhach
U.S.S. Arizona Signal Mast Committee
Robert Manzetti - Earl Field
James Walker - Calvin Brice - Michael Aicone
Grateful Acknowledgement to
Adobe Sandblasting - Almond & Stephens Architects -
The Arizona Republic (newspaper)
Arizona College of the Bible - Arizona Sign Assoc. -
Central Arizona Trophy Dealers Assoc. - Karsten
Manufacturing Corp. KTSP-TV Ch. 10 - Martin Bergan - Port-A-Fab Wielding - Snow & Assoc. Engineering
R.J. Carli Engineering - Swift Transportation Co. -
Thos. Manzetti Painting
Humana - Arizona Skilled Building Trade Unions and
Apprentices
Governor Rose Mofford
Marker can be reached from West Washington Street.
Courtesy hmdb.org
