World War II: Valor in the Pacific National Monument 

Pearl Harbor Unit 

Museum Scope of Collection Statement 

Department of the Interior 

National Park Service 

World War II Valor In The Pacific National Monument 

2015 
World War II: Valor in the Pacific National Monument 

Pearl Harbor Unit 

Museum Scope of Collection Statement 

Prepared by: 

\. 

Scott Pawlowski, Chief of Cultural and a I Resources Date 

World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument - Pearl Harbor Unit 

Recommended by: 

' l 

Scott Pawlowski, Chief of Cultural and Natural Resources 

World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument- Pearl Harbor Unit 

Rhonda oh, Superintendent Date 

World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument - Pearl Harbor Unit 
Table of Contents 

Executive Summary....................................................................................................... 1 

Introduction.................................................................................................................... 3 

Types of Collections .................................................................................................... 11 

Cultural Collection........................................................................................................ 11 

History Collection......................................................................................................... 12 

Art Collection .... ....... ............... ......... .. . ......... ....... ...... ...... ....... ...... .. ........ .......... ... . ..... ... 13 

Archeology Collection.................................................................................................. 13 

Archival Collection . . . ........ ... . ... ... ...... .......... .. ....... ...... ...... ...... ....... ...... .... .... . ... . ......... .... 15 

Natural Science Collection........................................................................................... 16 

Other Types of Collections Not Represented in the Museum Collection ... .................. 19 

Museum Collections Subject to NAGPRA ... .. ...... ....... .............. ...... ........ ................. .... 21 

Acquisition of Collections............................................................................................. 22 

Uses of Museum Collections ....................................................................................... 23 

Restrictions.................................................................................................................. 24 

Management Actions ................................................................................................... 25 

Select Bibliography...................................................................................................... 26 

Executive Summary 

Director's Order #24: NPS Museum Collections Management, requires each park to 

possess an up-to-date Scope of Collection Statement to" ... to identify the scope of 

collecting activities and define the purpose of the collection." This stand-alone museum 

planning document succinctly defines the scope of the park's museum collection 

holdings; at present and for the future. It is derived from the park's mission and 

geographical location, as well as applicable laws and regulations pertaining to museum 

collections. The Scope of Collection Statement is the critical basis for managing 

museum collections-detailing what the park should collect, how many, and why. 

An up-to-date Scope of Collection Statement helps to ensure that the park's museum 

collection is relevant to, and supportive of the park's mission, resource management 

goals and objectives, and public service and stewardship responsibilities. It guides the 

park in the acquisition and management of those museum objects that contribute 

directly to the park's mission, as well as those additional collections that the Service is 

legally mandated to preserve. This guidance is particularly important as the USS 

Arizona Memorial transitions into its role as the primary administrative entity for the 

portions of the World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument (VALA) located in 

Hawaii. At present, the collections located at the USS Arizona Memorial Collections 

Facility include 994 accessions, resulting in holdings of over 62,000 objects and 

archives. Up to this point, the collections have been narrowly focused on the earlier 

events of the Pacific War, from the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor through 

the battle of Midway. Major cultural collections include large photograph collections 

from the 14th Naval District and the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard; the Pearl Harbor 

Survivors Association Collection; objects collected from military and civilian personnel in 

the Pacific campaign; and over 500 oral histories. A small natural history collection of 

biofouling organisms related to the sunken USS Arizona superstructure is also included. 

The presidential proclamation incorporating the USS Arizona Memorial into the World 

War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument opens the door for these collections to 

increase significantly as this park unit considers expansion of its interpretive scope. 

Without the guidance of an General Management Plan or an Interpretive Plan, formation 

of a Collections Advisory Committee is recommended to guide the park's collecting 

activities. 

Introduction 

Purpose of the Scope of Collection Statement 

This Scope of Collection Statement defines the scope of present and future museum 

collection holdings of World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument (VALR) that 

contribute directly to the understanding and interpretation of the park's purpose, themes 

and resources, as well as those objects that the Service is legally mandated to 

preserve. It is designed to ensure that the museum collection is clearly relevant to the 

park and protect against the arbitrary growth of the collection. 

The objectives of the Scope of Collection Statement are to: 

• define the purpose of the park's museum collection 

• set agreed upon limits that specify the subject matter, geographical location, and 

time period{s) to which the collection must relate 

• evolve from legislation and planning documents specific to the park, and from 

laws, regulations, and NPS policies governing research and specimen collection 

conducted within park boundaries 

• state what types of objects will be acquired to fulfill the park's mission 

• consider collection use, restrictions, and the ability of the park to provide a level 

of care consistent with NPS and accepted museum standards 

Although mandated by Director's Order #24, an up-to-date Scope of Collection 

Statement is not simply just another Servicewide requirement-it is also a critical 

management tool-possession of which by an institution is an accepted worldwide 

museum standard. NPS museum collections are distinguished in two ways from 

standard museum collections. They are notably site-specific, usually pertaining directly 

to the history and environment of the specific NPS unit. The NPS Museum 

Management Handbook notes that "the vast majority of holdings in NPS museums are 

derived either from within the park boundaries or from areas intimately associated with 

the parks." The other unique characteristic of NPS museums is that they are part of the 

larger NPS museum system. Taken as a whole, the National Park Service's museum 

collection is a broad and diverse representation of the natural and cultural heritage of 

the American people. Museum holdings are accessioned with the intent to care for 

these items in perpetuity. Maintaining a relevant and appropriate Scope of Collection 

Statement is therefore a necessity for each park unit, both to direct collecting activities 

toward meeting the park's needs and to ensure that the park is able to meet its public 

trust obligations by adequately caring for its collection. 

3 
Park History, Purpose, and Significance 

On December 5, 2008, President George W. Bush issued a Presidential Proclamation 

8327 with the purpose of establishing World War II Valor in the Pacific National 

Monument. The proclamation identified the mission of the memorial as "promote 

understanding of related resources, encourage continuing research, present interpretive 

opportunities and programs for visitors to understand and honor the sacrifices borne by 

the Greatest Generation, and tell the story from Pearl Harbor to Peace." The memorial 

includes nine sites managed by multiple agencies. Five sites are in the Pearl Harbor 

area on the Hawaiian island of O'ahu and were chosen for their connection to the 

December 7, 1941 attack by the Japanese Navy on the American fleet stationed at 

Pearl Harbor on the island of O'ahu, Hawaii. These include the USS Arizona Memorial 

and Visitor Center, the USS Utah Memorial, the USS Oklahoma Memorial, the six Chief 

Petty Officer Bungalows on Ford Island, and mooring quays F6, F7, and F8. Three sites 

are located in the Aleutian Islands off the coast of Alaska, chosen for their relevance to 

the Japanese occupation of the Aleutian Islands during World War II. These include the 

crash site of a Consolidated B-24D Liberator bomber on Atka Island; the site of Imperial 

Japan's occupation of Kiska Island; and the battle site on Attu Island. The ninth site 

was chosen to "bring increased understanding of the high price paid by some 

Americans on the home front." This Northern California site includes the Tule Lake 

Segregation Center National Historic Landmark and nearby Camp Tule Lake, both 

chosen for their significance in relation to the wartime relocation and segregation of 

Japanese Americans. 

The proclamation assigns responsibility for managing the monument to the National 

Park Service with two specific exceptions. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is 

responsible for administering "the portions of the national monument that are within a 

national wildlife refuge." This currently includes the sites in the Aleutian Islands, which 

are wholly contained within the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. Pearl Harbor 

Wildlife Refuge is not mentioned within the proclamation but is relevant due to its close 

geographical location to the Pearl Harbor sites. The second exception refers to the 

actual vessels of the USS Arizona and USS Utah, which remain property of the 

Department of Defense (Navy). 

This Scope of Collection Statement is designed specifically to advise the collecting 

activities of the administrative unit of the national monument located in Pearl Harbor. 

The Tule Lake unit is currently administered by the superintendant and staff of Lava 

Beds National Monument, which holds the collecting mandate for artifacts and materials 

pertaining to the Tule Lake unit. Artifacts and materials from the Aleutian Islands sites 

fall under the collecting mandate of the Fish and Wildlife Museum Property Program. 

The Pearl Harbor sites are managed by the park administration at the USS Arizona 

Memorial, which is the primary visitor contact facility for VALA in Hawaii. The inclusion 

of the USS Arizona in a monument dedicated to valor and sacrifice is particularly fitting, 

as the ship represents the greatest loss of life on a military vessel in American naval 

history. The sunken hulk of the ship remains in place, and its 1,177 casualties 

4 
accounted for almost half of all the casualties sustained in the December 7, 1941 attack 

on Pearl Harbor. Those who were trapped and died inside the ship have been left at 

rest by the Navy and declared buried at sea, thereby increasing the solemnity of the 

memorial. 

Despite this emotional power, the USS Arizona Memorial was one of the few park units 

lacking specific authorizing legislation until its incorporation in VALA in 2008. The 

original memorial consisted of a simple wooden platform which allowed for the daily 

raising and striking of colors over the sunken ship, a procedure initiated by order of 

Admiral Arthur W. Radford and carried out by Navy personnel. On March 15, 1958, 

Congress passed Public Law 85-344, officially authorizing the creation of a memorial. 

However, the bill did not authorize federal funding for the memorial, a task which was 

left to the Pacific War Memorial Commission. After a three year fundraising campaign, 

the original law was amended by Public Law 87-201 (September 6, 1961), which 

authorized the appropriation of $150,000 for use toward the construction of a United 

States War Memorial to be "maintained in honor and commemoration of the members of 

the Armed Forces of the United States who gave their lives during the attack on Pearl 

Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941 ." The memorial design included removal of 

some of the wreckage to allow for the construction of the memorial's structure; this 

removed portion now sits on Waipio Peninsula under Navy jurisdiction. On March 21 , 

1980, the Navy authorized the NPS to operate the USS Arizona Memorial and 

associated shoreline facilities through a Use Agreement. Approximately 11 acres of 

Navy-owned property were transferred for use by the NPS. In 2007, another 6.4 acres 

were transferred from the Navy to the NPS through Amendment No. 1 of the Use 

Agreement. The memorial continues to function with the support of the Navy, which 

ferries visitors across the harbor to the floating structure, which consists of an open-air 

viewing platform and a memorial wall inscribed with the names of the lost crew 

members. The NPS performs interment of the ashes of survivors who wish to be buried 

with their crew; their names are also inscribed on the memorial. 

Like the USS Arizona, the USS Oklahoma was sunk during the December 7 attack, with 

429 personnel killed or missing. Heroic efforts on the part of crewmen and civilians 

resulted in the rescue of 32 sailors. Though sustaining significant damage, the ship was 

later salvaged and towed into drydock for repairs. It was decommissioned in 1944, but 

then sank while being towed to a California salvage company in 1946. The men killed 

aboard the ship were buried in anonymous graves in Punchbowl Cemetery. On 

January 6, 2006, Public Law 109-163 (Section 1017) was passed, enabling the 

establishment of the USS Oklahoma Memorial on Pearl Harbor Naval Base under the 

management of the National Park Service (specifically assigned as part of the USS 

Arizona Memorial administrative duties). The memorial was constructed on Ford Island 

close to the USS Oklahoma's mooring on December 7, and consists of 429 pillars of 

white marble inscribed with the names of crew members, surrounded by black marble 

slabs etched with additional text. 

The USS Utah is the third battleship sunk during the December 7 attack whose 

memorial is included in the national monument proclamation. Fifty-eight men were lost, 

5 
some trapped inside the capsizing ship and others killed by aircraft fire. The ship was 

declared temporarily out of service while survey and salvage work took place. In March 

1944, salvage efforts were halted and the ship was left to rest. Public Law 91-456 

(October 16, 1970) authorized fund appropriation for the creation, operation and 

maintenance of a flagpole over the sunken ship. The memorial consists of a 40 by 15 

foot platform with a flagpole and memorial plaque which is connected to the northwest 

side of Ford Island by a 70 foot walkway. 

Mooring quays F6, F7, and F8 are included in the monument because of their historic 

significance as part of Battleship Row, the area along the south side of Ford Island 

where eight battleships were closely anchored during the December 7 attack. Four 

were sunk, including the USS Arizona and the USS Oklahoma. The three quays were 

built in 1935 and were occupied on the morning of December 7, 1941 as follows: F5 

inboard USS Tennessee (BB-43), outboard USS West Virginia (BB-48); F6 inboard 

USS Arizona (BB-39), outboard USS Vestal (AR-4); F8 USS Nevada (BB-36). 

The designated Pearl Harbor sites also include the six Chief Petty Officer Bungalows on 

Ford Island (Buildings 28, 29, 31 , 32, 68, 90). The National Monument Assessment 

jointly prepared by the Department of Defense and the National Park Service notes that 

"the bungalows were built as part of Ford Island's residential area, reflecting the island's 

role in supporting nearby naval air station operations. Located near Battleship Row, the 

structures (and their residents) were on the front lines of the December i h attack on 

ships like the USS Arizona." 

Significance and History of the Museum Collection 

The collections facility currently associated with the Pearl Harbor unit of VALA has 

grown over time in its status as the repository for the USS Arizona Memorial. The USS 

Arizona Memorial has received numerous donations of artifacts and archival materials 

from Pearl Harbor survivors, as well as considerable organizational and financial 

support from the Arizona Memorial Museum Association. The collection also includes 

significant photographic documentation of the history of the U.S. Navy's presence in 

Hawaii and the Pacific, including the construction and expansion of the Pearl Harbor 

Naval Base during the early decades of the 20th century. The USS Arizona Memorial 

has also supported an active oral history program documenting the firsthand 

experiences of military and civilian witnesses to the attack on Pearl Harbor and other 

World War II events, resulting in a collection of almost 600 oral histories. Taken as a 

whole, the collection provides critical documentation of a pivotal event in American 

history that resulted in the United States' entrance into World War II. It also provides 

evidence of American responses to these events by documenting both wartime 

activities and later memorialization efforts. 

6 
Relevant Planning Documents 

A Scope of Collection Statement normally depends on a park's General Management 

Plan and Interpretive Plan for guidance as to the primary mandates and themes to 

guide selection of items for the park's collection. The park currently lacks these 

essential documents. Proclamation 8327 mandates preparation of a GMP by 

December 2011 but the National Park Service has decided not to do a traditional GMP 

for VALA and instead create a "portfolio" of documents to guide park managers. 

The National Monument Assessment Brief prepared to inform the President prior to the 

national monument designation identifies three major interpretive themes for the 

monument: 

• Engagement 

• Homefront 

• Valor and Peace 

The story of the Pacific Theater in World War II is the subject of a large body of 

research, art and literature. The conflict involved not only Japan and the United States 

but Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Canada, China France and 

the Soviet Union. Much of the war was fought on the Pacific Islands, whose people 

found themselves caught in the middle of the conflict. Millions fought and died in land, 

sea and air campaigns. The American home front also saw valor and sacrifice in 

massive mobilization campaigns and the restriction of civil rights. The Assessment Brief 

identifies a number of related historic sites for each theme which are not designated 

within the memorial but may warrant cooperative interpretive efforts. 

Each of the major identified themes for the national monument can be linked to the 

more specific themes currently identified by resource management and interpretive staff 

as compelling needs for the collection. These include: 

• Biographies and oral histories of eyewitnesses to World War II in the Pacific 

• Impact of World War II on Hawaiian civilian population 

• Impact of World War II on O'ahu's natural resources 

• Development of the memorials 

• Agency growth and partnerships 

The NPS Museum Management Handbook recommends development of a park 

Collections Advisory Committee to guide museum acquisitions. In light of the absence 

of the normal planning documents to guide the park's collecting activities, such a 

committee would provide important guidance in developing the current museum 

collection to meet the new mandate provided by Proclamation 8327 while ensuring that 

the park is able to adequately care for its holdings. The committee should be chaired by 

the Chief of Cultural and Natural Resources and include park staff from relevant 

disciplines and external stakeholders if appropriate. 

7 
Period of Significance 

The primary period of significance identified by Proclamation 8327 is "Pearl Harbor to 

Peace," specifically December 7, 1941 to September 2, 1945. Valid collections may 

be identified beyond this period, as the construction of Pearl Harbor Naval Base dates 

to 1908 and the USS Utah, oldest of the included ships, was built in 1909. It may also 

be argued that the definition of "Peace" stretches beyond the signing of surrender 

documents to include active post-war reconciliation between Japan and the United 

States. 

Cooperation with Similarly Themed Park Units and non-NPS 

Repositories 

VALA shares overlapping mandates with its sister park units, War in the Pacific National 

Historical Park and American Memorial Park. While some duplication may exist 

between collections, park staff should bear in mind that all objects are the property of 

the National Park Service and exist as part of a larger effort to document the national 

heritage. Each park's collecting activities should focus on documenting the resource 

and meeting specific park interpretive needs, with the intent to develop complementary 

collections containing minimal duplication. 

Laws, Regulations, and Conventions Related to National Park Service 

Museum Collections 

A number of Federal statutes, Departmental regulations, and Servicewide policies 

require and/or authorize parks to maintain and manage museum collections. For 

example, Federal law states that archeological collections and retained natural 

science specimens recovered from within park boundaries remain property of the 

United States Government, to be managed by the National Park Service ( 43 CFR 7 .13 

and 36 CFR 2.5g). However, this does not pertain to items subject to the Native 

American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990 (NAGPRA). 

Likewise, several international treaties, which have been signed and ratified by the 

United States Government and subsequently codified into Federal law, are applicable 

to NPS museum collections as well. 

For additional information, refer to the NPS Museum Handbook, Part I, Appendix A, 

which includes a detailed listing of the various laws, regulations, and conventions 

related to NPS museum collections. 

8 
Special Unit Designations 

Pearl Harbor National Historic Landmark was designated on January 29, 1964. It was 

simultaneously entered in the National Register of Historic Places as a National 

Historic District. Additional documentation supplementing the 1964 NHL designation 

was accepted on June 7, 1974 and February 13, 1979. (NRIS# 66000940) 

The USS Arizona was mentioned in the Pearl Harbor National Historic Landmark 

nomination but was not independently designated a National Historic Landmark until 

May 5, 1989. (NRIS# 890001083) The USS Utah was also designated as a National 

Historic Landmark on May 5, 1989. (NRIS# 89001084) 

The USS Arizona Memorial was listed in the National Register of Historic Places by 

virtue of its designation as a historic unit of the National Park Service system on 

September 9, 1980. (NRIS# 66000944). 

9 
10 
Types of 

Collections 

The park's museum collection includes both cultural and natural science collections. 

Historic and archival collections form the bulk of the park's holdings, with the 

remainder comprised of small representations of archeological materials, biological 

specimens and artwork. Specific discussions of the effect of the new mandate 

resulting from the national monument designation are included with the section 

addressing each type of collection. 

Cultural Collection 

The purpose of these collections are to increase knowledge and inspiration among 

present and future generations through exhibits, research, and interpretive programs; 

support research, resource management and education; provide baseline data of park 

cultural resources; document changes these resources are undergoing because of 

internal park conditions and external effects; to guarantee the protection of important 

objects whose in-situ preservation cannot be assured. 

Objects and archival collections to be acquired for the museum collection must possess 

a direct association to the park. Items which lack such association will not be acquired; 

nonetheless, the park will attempt to assist the potential donor in locating a more 

suitable institution to receive his/her gift. 

The cultural collection must support these goals. This will ensure that only relevant 

objects and archival materials are accessioned into the collection. Future growth of the 

collection should be restricted to items related to: 

1. Interpretive and/or research needs identified in the park's General Management 

Plan, Long-Range Interpretive Plan, historic furnishings reports, exhibit plans, 

and other applicable park planning documents and resource studies. 

2. Enhancing understanding of and promoting increased stewardship of the park's 

cultural resources. 

3. Cultural resources baselines/inventorying and monitoring activities. 

4. Regulatory and compliance activities such as those mandated by Federal law 

and NPS policies. (see Museum Handbook, Part I, Appendix A, for a listing of all 

laws, regulations, and policies relevant to NPS museum collections) 

11 
The cultural collection is subdivided into four disciplines: history, art, archeology, and 

archives. The following list identifies, by discipline, object types appropriate to the park's 

museum collection and, as needed, notes current representation. 

History Collection 

The historical collection currently contains 9705 objects relating to the history of Pearl 

Harbor Naval Base, the events of December 7, 1941, the Pacific Theater of World War 

II, and the geographical locations of the national monument. (3275 objects have not yet 

been cataloged.} A significant portion of the collection is objects collected or owned by 

former USS Arizona crewmen, including bombs, projectiles, medals and uniforms. 

Notable accessions include the Fred P. Neff Collection (materials dating from 1918-

1921 ); the Paxton Carter Collection (photographs, uniform, medals, scrapbooks); and 

the Shimezu Collection (items from a Japanese casualty of December 7, 1941 ). 

Accessions to the history collection have largely focused on the military history of Pearl 

Harbor. While this remains an important part of the park's focus, the historical collection 

is expected to expand not only through additional military material related to the Pacific 

Theater of World War 11 but also through accessions of items that will allow the park to 

better tell the civilian story of this era in America's history. The inclusion of historic 

houses in the park's administrative purview creates another area of collecting activity 

that is anticipated to include both historic preservation material and appropriate 

furnishings (with the guidance of a formal furnishing plan). 

Prior to the presidential designation of VALR, the park focused its interpretive activities 

on the earlier period of American involvement in the Pacific theater of World War II, 

specifically on the period from Pearl Harbor to Midway. The re-designation of the USS 

Arizona unit specifically mandates interpreting a World War II narrative "from Pearl 

Harbor to Peace." This mandate opens the park's collecting activities to a much wider 

purview. This newly expanded scope requires considerable care to ensure that the 

collection will remain relevant and meaningful. The following criteria should be applied: 

1. Biography and personal memory. The ideal object for the collection is one 

which comes with a story. Stories imbed objects with meaning and help 

visitors connect to historical experiences. Donor stories should be recorded 

and linked through the collections database to ensure continuity. 

2. Provenance. Even if an object does not have associated personal 

information from the donor, the park must be able to establish provenance 

and authenticity for the item. 

3. Object condition. The massive homefront mobilization effort during World 

War II relied on mass production technique to equipment a large number of 

personnel. As a result, there are numerous examples of uniforms and 

equipment available. If an object does not carry a specific story, it must be in 

excellent condition and not duplicate items already within the collection. 

12 
4. Ability to care for an artifact. The park should only acquire materials to the 

extent that it has adequate facilities and staffing to care for such objects. 

The park has also identified the following specific categories of desired additions to the 

historic collection: 

• Evidence of the impact of World War II on Hawaii's civilian population. Possible 

materials include items related to civilian preparedness, homefront support 

efforts and Japanese-American internment camps. 

• Historic fabric from the Chief Petty Officer Bungalows. When original fabric is 

removed from a historic structure during a preservation or repair project, a 

representative portion of the fabric will be preserved and accessioned into the 

museum collection, along with any associated documentation. Once a historic 

furnishings plan has been completed, the park will begin acquiring furniture and 

household items for the bungalows. 

Potential donors of historic objects that do not meet the park's collecting criteria should 

be referred to another repository. See Appendix A for a list of World War II repositories. 

Art Collection 

The art collection is currently comprised of 117 paintings and drawings. Two have been 

accessioned but are not yet cataloged. Artists represented include Arthur Beaumont, 

Oliver Houston, John Charles Roach and Kipp Soldwedel. 

Future Collections Activity. Artwork for the museum collection must be considered on 

a case-by-case basis. 

Archeology Collection 

Archeological collections are generated in response to cultural resource management 

requirements related to legal mandates, development of park facilities, preservationrelated activities, research requirements, and interpretive needs. Archeological 

research projects and the park dive monitoring program may result in the collection of 

artifacts, ecofacts, and archival material. Current park policy supports monitoring the 

sites and associated artifacts for condition, movement caused by tidal action, and theft 

while leaving the artifacts in-situ. 

Though the archeology collection currently only contains artifacts recovered from 

submerged resources, there is a record of human occupation in Pearl Harbor that 

extends before European settlement. As per 43 CFR Part 7, any archeological 

materials discovered within the park (except inalienable and communal property, as 

defined by NAGPRA) are the property of the United States and will be maintained as a 

13 
part of the park's museum collection. Archeological materials from the USS Arizona 

and USS Utah maybe recovered only by NPS archeologists or archeologists with 

approved institutions, with express permission of the U.S. Navy and in compliance with 

the Antiquities Act (34 Stat. 225), ARPA (Pub Law 96-95 and relevant NPS policies. 

Artifacts and Specimens 

The park's archeological collection currently contains 62 artifacts. Two have been 

cataloged and the remaining 60 are in backlog. No formal archeological excavation has 

ever occurred at the USS Arizona or the USS Utah. In May 1991, a number of artifacts 

relating to the December 7, 1941 attack were recovered during harbor dredging 

operations. These items were accessioned and include a Japanese aerial torpedo, an 

ammunition locker from the USS Oklahoma and wreckage from the USS Oklahoma's 

floatplane. 

Park staff and visitors should not pick up surface artifacts. Surface artifacts should be 

left in-situ and their location documented. If materials are collected and brought to park 

staff, appropriate measures must be taken to ensure that the visitor collects no more 

material, that precise provenience information is recorded, if possible, and that the 

objects/data are promptly given to the museum staff upon receipt by staff members. 

Confiscated Archeological Objects 

These are objects recovered from unauthorized and illegal activities, primarily violations 

of the Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 (ARPA). Such items may 

include unearthed artifacts, ecofacts, and human remains illegally excavated or 

uncontrolled surface collecting by unauthorized individuals within the park boundaries. 

When such collections are encountered, the museum curator should be consulted as 

soon as possible to ensure proper handling and transportation of the materials. Such 

objects might be held temporarily as evidence if legal action is to be taken, but should 

be formally turned over to the museum curator as soon as possible. Once all legal 

questions are resolved, the objects and all associated documentation will be added to 

the museum collection. . 

Associated Field Records 

All original records associated with archeological collections are retained as part of the 

museum collection. These records include field notes and catalogs, daily journals, 

drawings and maps, photographs and negatives, slides, sound recordings, raw data 

sheets, instrument charts, remote sensing materials, collection inventories, analytical 

study data, conservation treatment records, computer documentation and data, as well 

as any other documents generated through archeological activity. 

14 
Archival Collection 

The park's archival collection is the largest holding in the museum collection with 51, 

874 accessioned items (19,399 in backlog catalog). The archives include over 600 oral 

histories as well as numerous letters, documents, photographs and memorabilia 

collected by crewmembers of the USS Arizona, members of the U.S. Armed Forces and 

civilian employees stationed on O'ahu and residents of the Territory of Hawaii from circa 

1914 through the Battle of Midway. The archives also contain a number of materials 

concerning post-war memorialization, including papers from the Pacific War Memorial 

Commission, the Arizona Memorial Museum Foundation and the Pearl Harbor Survivors 

Association. 

Oral History Collection 

Personal stories and remembrances from the members of the U.S. Armed Forces and 

civilians that are relevant to the park's mission are an essential tool for research and 

interpretation and form an integral part of the park's memorial activities. The park 

currently holds 575 World War II-related oral histories. Approximately 450 were 

conducted with Pearl Harbor survivors, including members of the armed forces of the 

United States and Japan as well as civilians residing in the Hawaiian Islands. 

All of the oral histories currently held by the park have been transcribed and digitized. 

80% of the transcribed histories have been finalized, with the remaining 20% awaiting 

editing and finalization. The digital copies of the audio and video interview footage are 

scheduled to be consolidated onto a single hard drive and transferred to the park's 

server. A second copy of this digital library will be kept at the Technical Information 

Center in Denver. The original analog copies are kept in the park's archive. The 

official accession for each oral history should include the master tape and the edited 

final transcript. A use copy should be provided for the park's library. 

Future Collections Activity. The park expects to receive copies of oral histories 

gathered through IDIQ Contract #C1143090039 with Aperture Films. The contract is 

managed by Harpers Ferry Center and will result in materials for the new visitor center 

exhibit. The park historian continues to actively collect oral histories. 

Photographic Collection 

The park's photographic collection includes over 25,000 images including official Navy 

and Army documents as well as ~ersonal collections. The bulk of the photographic 

collection is comprised of the 141 Naval District Photographic Collection (10,200 images 

documenting the U.S. Navy's presence in Hawaii and the Pacific from 1880 through 

1980) and the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard Collection (10,500 images from 191 O 

through the early 1940s). 

Future Collections Activity. Future collections activity in this area should be limited to 

photographs related to the park's mission that have copyright transferrable to the park 

15 
or that exist in the public domain. Photographs of uncertain copyright should not be 

accessioned into the museum collection. 

Resource Management Records 

In accordance with Director's Order #19: Records Management and the NPS Records 

Disposition Schedule, the park's Chief of Resources examines all current park files 

before disposal or transfer to the National Archives and Records Administration in order 

to ensure the retention of copies of important official records in the park. Other 

materials to be retained include materials related to scientific studies and resource 

management activities; oral histories, historic resource studies, and similar reports; 

photographs, blueprints, specifications and other items documenting facility 

development. Retained materials are managed as part of the museum collection. 

Future Collections Activity. An archival survey of the park's resource management 

records has not been conducted to date. This survey is likely to identify a large number 

of materials that are considered museum collections which will result in 

recommendations for their accession into the collection. Such materials include park 

resource management documents, photographs, manuscript materials, maps, reports, 

drawings, blueprints, aerial photographs, slides and various construction documents. 

Natural Science Collection 

The purpose of the park's natural science collections is to support scientific research 

and resource management; ensure quality environmental education opportunities for 

park visitors (especially schoolchildren), researchers, and the general public; provide 

baseline data of park natural resources; document changes these resources are 

undergoing because of internal park conditions and external effects; provide a 

database for researchers concerned with resources use by the park's prehistoric 

occupants; preserve important or locally significant species collected in response to 

specific research or interpretive needs; guarantee the protection of important 

paleontological specimens whose in-situ preservation cannot be assured. 

The park's natural science collections must support these goals; this will ensure that 

only well-documented and appropriate specimens are retained. The future growth of 

these collections will be restricted to specimens and associated records generated 

through: 

1. Authorized scholarly research and selective acquisition based on: 

• Needs identified in the park's General Management Plan, Resource 

Management Plan, and other applicable park planning documents and 

resource studies 

• Servicewide initiatives such as the Natural Resource Challenge 

16 
• Enhancing understanding of and promoting increased stewardship of the 

park's ecosystem 

• Scientific research conducted within park boundaries, as authorized 

through the use of the NPS Research Permit and Reporting System 

2. Inventorying and Monitoring Activities 

3. Regulatory and compliance activities such as those mandated by the National 

Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA}, as amended 

Scholarly research may be conducted by park or non-park scientists. All collecting 

activities must be in compliance with 36 CFR 2.5, the Research Permit and Reporting 

System, Director's Order #77: Natural Resource Protection (under development), and 

NPS Natural Resources Management Guideline (1991 ). All researchers must comply 

with applicable state and Federal laws regulating collecting, documenting collections, 

and other associated activities. No collector (including park staff) can work in the 

park without first obtaining a signed permit. The collections section of the permit 

application must be completed, documenting where collections of specimens and 

associated records will be housed. Questions related to collecting within the park 

should be addressed to the park's Research Coordinator. 

Note: Director's Order #24: NPS Museum Collections Management requires that all 

project budgets include funding for the basic management of collections that are 

project-generated. Collections management includes cataloging; labeling; 

conservation examination and treatment (including specimen preparation); initial 

storage of objects and specimens; and organization and storage of project 

documentation, including appraisal, arrangement, description, finding aid production, 

and appropriate archival housing. 

Natural science specimens collected outside the park boundaries will not be included 

in the collection unless the specimens are required to illustrate interpretive exhibits, to 

augment specific park-related research projects, or to demonstrate effects on park 

resources. Written permission from landowners or appropriate officials must be 

obtained whenever collecting occurs on such private lands. This documentation or 

copies must become part of the museum collection's accession file. 

Taxidermy "mounts" and freeze-dried specimens will be obtained only when a specific 

need (such as for an exhibit) is identified. Specialty collections such as frozen or other 

types of tissue samples are beyond the capability of the park to preserve. If they are 

collected and held by other repositories, they will be accessioned and cataloged in the 

park's collection. Soils and other environmental monitoring samples will only be added 

to the museum collection if retained (not totally consumed in analysis). Such samples 

must result from an authorized park research project. 

17 
Organization of Natural Science Collections 

The park's collection currently holds a small biological collection. There are currently no 

geological or paleontological collections. 

Biology Collection 

Biofouling Specimens. The park's biological collection currently contain 739 

specimens (4 in backlog catalog status). The natural biofouling process resulting 

from the marine coral reef ecosystem present in Pearl Harbor has significantly 

contributed to the preservation of the ship. In 1993, Dr. Julie Brock of the University 

of Hawaii Zoology Department conducted a preservation project that resulted in the 

collection of 735 natural history specimens from the USS Arizona. These were 

accessioned along with cultural resource preservation monitoring documents. 

Future collections activity. Future collections activity will be limited to the 

acquisition of retained specimens collected during park resource management 

activities including submerged resources surveys, inventory and monitoring, and 

other authorized scientific research projects. Specimens of encrusting corals and 

coralline algal deposits are desired in order to track changes in the composition of the 

tropical marine environment which may impact submerged resources. Biofouling 

specimens from the USS Utah are also desirable additions to the collection. 

Natural Science Collections Associated Records 

All original records (or archival copies thereof) associated with retained natural 

science specimens will be accessioned into the museum collection. Archival 

collections of this nature supplement future researchers' understanding of these 

specimens. Such records include field notes; daily journals; maps and drawings; 

photographic negatives, prints, and slides; videotapes; sound recordings; raw data 

sheets; remote sensing data; copies of contracts; correspondence; repository 

agreements; specialists' reports and analyses; reports and manuscripts; specimens 

inventories and field catalogs; analytical study data; computer documentation and 

data; tabulations and lists; reports on all scientific samples lost through destructive 

analysis. 

18 
Other Types of Collections Not Represented in the Museum Collection 

Ethnology Collection 

The park does not possess an ethnology collection. Acquisition of ethnology objects is 

not anticipated, unless such objects are required in order to fulfill a future interpretive 

need, as identified by an exhibit plan or other interpretive planning document. 

Paleontology Collection 

The park does not possess a paleontology collection. Acquisition of paleontological 

objects is not anticipated. 

Geology Collection 

The park does not possess a geology collection. Acquisition of geological specimens is 

not anticipated, but may result from resource management activities. 

Library Materials 

The park's library material, though valuable, will not be included in the museum 

collection and will continue to be managed under the park's library management plan. 

There are books in the museum collection cataloged as artifacts due to their history and 

provenance. 

Teaching Collection 

The park currently does not have a teaching collection. However, the interpretive 

division intends to begin collecting materials for educational use. This collection will be 

managed for consumptive use by the Division of Interpretation and Resources 

Management and will not be considered part of the museum collection. The park also 

plans to include a piece of one of the non-submerged remnants of the ship in the new 

visitor center exhibit that visitors will be encouraged to touch. This object should be 

considered part of the teaching collection and not accessioned into the museum 

collection. 

19 

Museum Collections Subject to the 

Native American Graves Protection 

and Repatriation Act of 1990 

The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990 (NAGPRA), 25 

USC 3001-13, requires, in addition to other actions, a written summary of unassociated 

funerary objects, sacred objects, and objects of cultural patrimony. NAGPRA required a 

written, item-by-item inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects to be 

completed no later than November 16, 1995. The park has no human remains and 

associated funerary objects subject to NAGPRA in its museum collection. 

21 
Acquisition of Collections 

The park acquires objects for its museum collections by gift, purchase, exchange, 

transfer, field collection, and loan. Museum objects must be acquired, accessioned, 

and cataloged in accordance with NPS Museum Handbook, Part II, Museum Records. 

Acquisition of museum objects is governed by the park's ability to manage, preserve, 

and provide access to them according to NPS Management Policies (2006); as well as 

the various standards for managing museum objects in Director's Order #28: Cultural 

Resource Management, Director's Order #24: NPS Museum Collections Management, 

and the NPS Museum Handbook. 

In accordance with NPS policy, the park will prohibit the acquisition of gifts with 

restrictions or limiting conditions. Such restrictions include copyrights; the park will 

acquire copyrights to all incoming accessions. Incoming loans will be acquired only for 

a particular purpose such as research or exhibition, and for a specified period of time. 

The park will not be a partner to, or encourage in any way, the trafficking in illicitly 

collected materials. All acquisitions must be collected, exported, imported, transported, 

or otherwise obtained and possessed in full compliance with the laws and regulations of 

the country of origin, the United States Federal government (including NAGPRA), and 

the individual states of the United States of America. 

The acquisition of firearms included on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms 

(ATF} list of prohibited/restricted weapons requires concurrent review by the Regional 

Curator and the Regional Chief Ranger. 

The Superintendent, by delegation, represents the Director of the National Park Service 

and the Secretary of the Interior in accepting title to and responsibility for museum 

objects. The Superintendent will ensure that all collections acquired are in keeping with 

this Scope of Collection Statement before accepting the items as part of the permanent 

collection. The Superintendent bears the ultimate responsibility for the acquisition and 

proper care and management of the museum collection. The Superintendent has 

delegated the day to day care of the collection to the Museum Curator. 

All acquisitions must receive formal approval from the Superintendent before they can 

be accepted into the museum collection. Upon receipt, all newly acquired objects and 

related documentation must be turned over to the Museum Curator. The Museum 

Curator prepares, for the Superintendent's signature, all instruments of conveyance, 

and letters of thanks, acceptance, or rejection, and transmits them as appropriate, to the 

donor, lender, vendor, or other source of acquisition. 

22 
Uses of 

Museum Collections 

The park's museum collection may be used for exhibits, interpretive programs, 

research, publications, or other interpretive media. The primary considerations for the 

use of museum objects are the preservation of each object in question and of the 

collection as a whole. 

Researchers and other specialists may examine objects and archival materials under 

the conditions and procedures outlined in Director's Order #24: NPS Museum 

Collections Management, Director's Order #28: Cultural Resource Management, 

Cultural Resource Management Guideline (1997), and in the park's written "Museum 

Collections Access Procedures." Outside researchers must submit a research 

proposal to the Superintendent for review by the park's Research Coordinator and 

other staff as appropriate. 

Any interpretive use defined as consumptive must be authorized in advance, as 

outlined in Director's Order #24 and Director's Order #28. The use of reproductions is 

preferred to the consumptive use of original objects. 

Destructive analysis is a legitimate use of museum collections for approved research 

purposes when the impact is minor or when the object is common, in which case 

approval by the Superintendent is required. If an object is rare or significant, a 

request for destructive analysis should be reviewed by the Regional Curator and must 

be approved by the Regional Director. 

Objects may be loaned out to qualified institutions for approved purposes in 

accordance with NPS Museum Handbook, Part II, Chapter 5: Outgoing Loans. 

Institutions must meet accepted museum standards for security, handling, and 

exhibition of NPS museum objects. Sensitive materials may require additional 

conditions prior to a loan commitment. Expenses related to loans of museum objects, 

including shipping and insurance, will normally be assumed by the borrower. 

Photographs of museum objects are made available to the public to provide an 

indirect use of the museum collection through publications and exhibits (including 

exhibits on the park website). 

All exhibits containing museum objects must have proper security, appropriate 

environmental controls, and proper mounts to ensure the long-term preservation and 

protection of the objects. 

23 
Restrictions 

Restrictions related to the museum collection (in addition to those noted above under 

"Use of Museum Collections") are as follows: 

In accordance with NPS Management Policies (2006) and Director's Order #24, 

curatorial staff should consult with traditionally associated peoples and other cultural 

and community groups for whom the collection has significance. Archeological 

objects in the museum collection shall be made available to persons for use in 

religious rituals or spiritual activities in accordance with 36 CFR 79, Section 79.1 0(c), 

"Curation of Federally-owned and Administered Archeological Collections." Requests 

to borrow non-archeological material for religious ritual or spiritual activities will be 

addressed on a case-by-case basis. 

The park will not approve research on human remains and associated funerary 

objects without the consent of the affected group(s). 

In accordance with applicable Federal law and Servicewide policy, the park may 

withhold from the public sensitive information concerning: rare, threatened, or 

endangered species; commercially valuable resources; minerals; paleontological 

resources; archeological and other cultural resources; objects of cultural patrimony 

and sensitive ethnographic information; information provided by individuals who wish 

the information to remain confidential; the identities of individuals who wish to remain 

anonymous. Inquiries of this nature will be referred to the Regional Freedom of 

Information Act (FOIA) and Privacy Act Officer for consultation and possible review. 

Restrictions may be placed on the publication of images or manuscripts in the museum 

collection if these materials are subject to copyright, and the National Park Service does 

not hold the copyright. 

All endangered, threatened, or rare plants and vertebrate and invertebrate animals 

will be collected only when accidentally killed or when dead from natural causes. The 

collection of threatened, endangered, or rare plant and animal species will comply 

with NPS policies, the Endangered Species Act of 1973, and will be strictly limited 

according to the applicable rules of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 

Final disposition of type specimens will be determined at the Servicewide level and 

will adhere to recognized conventions established for specific disciplines. 

The park will not knowingly be a partner to or encourage in any way the trafficking in 

illicitly collected materials. 

24 
Management Actions 

This Scope of Collection Statement must be reviewed every two years, and be 

revised when necessary, to remain supportive of and consistent with any changes in 

the park's mission. Any revision to this document requires the approval of the 

Superintendent. 

The park's Museum Management Plan was approved on August 26, 2000. 

Formation of a Collections Advisory Committee is recommended to guide collections 

activity in the absence of a General Management Plan and Interpretive Plan. 

The park is currently formulating a General Management Plan which is scheduled for 

completion by December 2011. 

The park lacks a Long-Range Interpretive Plan and needs to seek funding for this 

planning document. This plan will impact the SOCS ,which should be revised as soon 

as new interpretive themes are established. 

An archival assessment of the park's resource management records remains an 

important priority due to the dispersed nature of the records in the historian's office, 

interpretation, administrative and maintenance offices. 

The park has obtained funding for a Museum Preventive Maintenance Plan to be 

completed in FY2010. Other museum planning documents to be prioritized for future 

funding include a Key Control Plan, Emergency Operations Plan, Integrated Pest 

Management Plan, and an Acquisition Plan. 

Current Loans and Off-Site Storage 

The State of Arizona, the Arizona Capitol Museum, is currently borrowing five items for 

exhibits: coin (USAR 136), boatswain's pipe (USAR 357), life ring (USAR 4314), 

novelty mailing tag (USAR 4483) and teapot (USAR4547). The USS Lexington Museum 

is borrowing 47 historic objects for exhibit. 

The majority of the park's nitrate, acetate and glass plate negatives are housed at the 

Western Archeological and Conservation Center in Tucson (WACC) for proper 

storage and preservation. 

25 
Select Bibliograp y 

Lenihan, Daniel. Submerged Cultural Resources Study: USS Arizona Memorial and 

Pearl Harbor National Historic Landmark. Santa Fe, New Mexico: National Park 

Service, Submerged Cultural Resources Unit, 2001. 

NPS Museum Management Program. Museum Handbook, Part I: Museum Collections. 

Washington, DC: National Park Service. Available on the World-wide Web at: 

http://www.nps.gov/history/museum/publications/handbook.html. 

NPS Museum Management Program. Museum Handbook, Part II: Museum Records. 

Washington, DC: National Park Service. Available on the World-wide Web at: 

http://www.nps.gov/history/museum/publications/handbook.html. 

Proclamation No. 8327, 73 FR 75293 (December 5, 2008) Establishment of the World 

War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument. 

Spencer Architects. USS Arizona Memorial Administrative History. Honolulu, Hawaii: 

Spencer Architects, 2004. 

Statement for Interpretation: USS Arizona Memorial. Honolulu, HI: National Park 

Service, 1993. 

Statement for Management: USS Arizona Memorial. Honolulu, HI: National Park 

Service, 1992. 

USS Arizona Memorial Museum Management Plan. Seattle, Washington: National Park 

Service, Pacific West Region, 1999. 

World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument Assessment Brief. Joint 

memorandum to the President from the Secretaries of the Department of the Interior 

and Department of Defense, December 5, 2008. 

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