The U.S.S. Arizona Memorial is dedicated to the 1,177 lives that were lost in the early morning hours on December 7, 194l, when the Japanese launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. The replica of the Arizona reflects the initial, unforgettable defeat, the sad decline of the war, and the rising strength and final victory by the United States. The American flag was placed over the site of the sunken battleship in 1950 by Admiral Radford, Commander in Chief of the Pacific forces, along with a plaque at the base of the flagpole. In 1958 President Eisenhower approved the creation of a permanent memorial and with Congressional appropriations and private donations, it was completed in 1961.  The Memorial, designed by architect Alfred Preis, was dedicated in 1962 and receives over 4,000 visitors a day.