U.S.S. Arizona Signal Mast

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.<br><br> 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.<br><br> 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.<br><br> "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<br><br> U.S.S. Arizona Signal Mast Committee Robert Manzetti - Earl Field James Walker - Calvin Brice - Michael Aicone<br><br> 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<br><br> Governor Rose Mofford