The Battleship Arizona Memorial
Lt. Commander Takahashi's Aichi D3A1 Type 99 "Val" Dive bomber rolls in on Hangar 6 on the southern tip of Ford Island. By accident, Takahashi was the first to drop his ordnance because of a mistake in interpreting the signal flares beginning the attack. Takahashi's bomb struck the water's edge in front of hangar 6 located at the bottom this depiction of Ford island. Battleship Row is seen in serene repose in the last moments before the Japanese wreak havoc and devastation on the unsuspecting American sailors.
When the first Japanese attack wave arrived over Pearl Harbor seven of their primary targets, the U.S. battleships, were moored along "Battleship Row", on the eastern side of Ford Island. Another battleship was in drydock in the nearby Navy Yard. Other moorings which the Japanese believed might include battleships, or the equally important aircraft carriers, were at the Navy Yard's 1010 Dock and along Ford Island's western side.
The Japanese initially hit airfields, including that on Ford Island. Dive bombers attacked there at about 7:55 AM, destroying many aircraft, among them PBY patrol planes at the island's southern tip. This attack prompted the dispatch of the famous message "Air raid, Pearl Harbor -- this is no drill", the outside World's first indication that war had come to the Pacific.
Within a few moments, torpedo planes attacked from east and west, with one of the latter torpedoing the USS Helena at 1010 dock. Others, from the same direction, hit USS Utah and USS Raleigh, off the western side of Ford Island.
The great majority of the torpedo planes came in from the east, flying up the waterway between Pearl Harbor Navy Yard and the Submarine Base to hit the ships on that side of Ford Island. They put two "fish" into USS California, at the southern end of the row. At the northern end, another struck USS Nevada. The outboard ships in the center of "Battleship Row", USS Oklahoma and West Virginia, each had their port sides torn open by many torpedoes.
As the torpedo planes were completing their work, horizontal bombers swept up "Battleship Row", dropping armor-piercing bombs. Several ships were hit. One received a death blow, as USS Arizona blew up with a tremendous explosion.
Planes of the second attack wave revisited some of the ships already hit, and also spread destruction in the Navy Yard, where they bombed the drydocked battleship Pennsylvania and three destroyers. Other dive bombers went after the Nevada, which had left her berth and was trying to get to sea. Very heavy anti-aircraft gunfire greeted these aircraft, whose losses were significantly greater than those of the first attack wave.
Dec. 7th. 1941, a Japanese "Kate" from the Akagi launches a torpedo against the U.S.S. West Virginia.
The raiders had no opportunity to hit American aircraft carriers, all of which were at sea, and did not target fuel storage, most cruisers and destroyers, submarines and most maintenance facilities. However, in just under two hours they had wrecked the U.S. Pacific Fleet's battleship force, ensuring that it would not interfere with Japan's plans for conquest.
The Japanese fleet arrived to within 275 miles of Oahu and sent its first attack wave into the air at 6:00 AM. This force, composed of 49 bombers, 40 torpedo planes, 51 dive bombers, and 43 fighters, arrived at Pearl at 7:55 AM (1:50 PM Washington time) and continued the assault until 9:45 AM. Shortly after the completion of the first attack, the second wave of 54 bombers, 78 dive bombers, and 36 fighters arrived. In the end, nineteen ships were either disabled or sunk, including all eight American battleships. In addition, 164 U.S. planes were destroyed and 128 damaged while 2,335 American sailors, soldiers, and marines were killed along with 68 civilians and 1,178 were wounded. Although Yamamoto's plan called for a third attack wave to destroy the 4.5 million gallons of fuel oil and support facilities, Nagumo felt that the threat of a counter attack was too great, so he ordered the fleet to turn towards home.
Todays classic warship, USS Arizona (BB-39)
Pennsylvania class battleship
Displacement 31,400
Lenght 608'
Beam 97'1"
Draft 28'10"
Speed 21 k.
Armament 12 14" 22 5"
Laid down 16 March 1914
Launched 19 June 1915
Commissioned on 17 October 1916
USS Arizona was built at the New York Navy Yard, Brooklyn, New York, was commissioned in October 1916. After shakedown off the east coast and in the Caribbean, she operated out of Norfolk, Virginia, until November 1918, when she made a brief cruise to France. She made a second cruise to European waters in April-June 1919, proceeding as far east as Turkey. During much of 1920-21, the battleship was in the western Atlantic and Caribbean areas, but paid two visits to Peru in 1921 in her first excursions into the Pacific. From August 1921 until 1929, Arizona was based in Southern California, making occasional cruises to the Caribbean or Hawaii during major U.S. Fleet exercises.
In 1929-31, Arizona was modernized at the Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia, emerging with a radically altered appearance and major improvements to her armament and protection. In March 1931, she transported President Herbert Hoover and his party to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. In August of that year, Arizona returned to the Pacific, continuing her operations with the Battle Fleet during the next decade. From 1940, she, and the other Pacific Fleet battleships, were based at Pearl Harbor on the orders of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
USS Arizona after modernization.
Arizona was moored in Pearl Harbor's "Battleship Row" on the morning of 7 December 1941, when Japanese carrier aircraft attacked. She was hit by several bombs, one of which penetrated her forecastle and detonated her forward ammunition magazines. The resulting massive explosion totally wrecked the ship's forward hull, collapsing her forward superstructure and causing her to sink, with the loss of over 1100 of her crewmen. In the following months, much of her armament and topside structure was removed, with the two after triple 14" gun turrets being transferred to the Army for emplacement as coast defense batteries on Oahu.
USS Arizona (BB-39) ablaze, immediately following the explosion of her forward magazines, 7 December 1941. Frame clipped from a color motion picture taken from on board USS Solace (AH-5).
The wrecked battleship's hull remained where she sank, a tomb for many of those lost with her. In 1950, she began to be used as a site for memorial ceremonies, and, in the early 1960s a handsome memorial structure was constructed over her midships hull. This USS Arizona Memorial, operated by the National Park Service, is a permanent shrine to those Americans who lost their lives in the attack on Pearl Harbor and in the great Pacific War that began there.
USS Arizona earned one Battle Star for WWII.
Indeed! What a testimony to the mettle those guys were made of.
Nell Thoza
Date: 04 Dec 1997
I was 23, and in a TB hospital in Santa Rosa, California.
The radio was our contact with the outside world, and after the initial announcement that day, there was nothing on but news of the attack. We all listened to the same reports over and over wondering what it would mean to us personally.
Being in California, there was some fear that the Japanese would go so far as to attack us.
My dad was already 51, so old enough not to go, but I had two brothers, one 26 and one 20, that were eligible. The 20 year old did go, and was an Army Medic in the Pacific, mostly Borneo.
When we heard the news, we never dreamed it would last so long. We thought it would be a matter of months.
I later married a fella who went to Africa with the Tank Corps and was gone for 2 1/2 years.
To this day when I hear - Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree - Have I Told You Lately That I Love You - Coming in on a Wing and a Prayer - You are My Sunshine, they take me back to a time of rationing, black and white news clips of "Our Boys," and, of course, loneliness for my soldier overseas.
Thanks Nell, from all of us...
Carlo
Phil Harvey
Date: 05 Dec 1997
Comments
My father was Chief Electrician at the Spencer-Kellogg plant on Terminal Island, which was located in the Long Beach or Los Angeles harbor as I recall. I was 7 years old at the time.
Soon after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, an anti-aircraft gun was placed on top of the tallest building at the plant - to protect the harbor and ships, military and commercial, I presume.
Some time later, my father had to go back to work one night after supper - just to check on some equipment, to make sure it was running OK. I went with him, hoping to see the anti-aircraft gun. Dad was showing me how copra was processed when we suddenly heard air-raid sirens. Then all the lights were turned out and some men went scrambling to the anti-aircraft gun. Search-lights came on in several places and began searching the skies. I was there with my dad, up on the gun tower, watching everything, feeling like I was in the middle of the war.
It turned out to be a false alarm - just a civilian plane, not a bombing raid. I was glad of that, but a little disappointed too, that I didn't get to see an enemy plane shot down.
Thanks Phil, from all of us. We will remember you brave dad with you and pass your words down to our children, so they are never forgotten..You have My Word!
Carlo
Bill Fenley
07 Dec 1997
I was only a little kid at the time. Just 3 1\2 years old. I can remember it just as plain as day though. We were living on a farm in Tioga, Texas (Gene Autry's home town by the way). I was down in the field with Dad. He was gathering some left over corn with the old John Deere and a trailer, and I was riding in the trailer. I remember seeing Mom come running down from the house with the news. The rest of the day was spent glued to the radio. We lived somewhat near Perrin AFB, and I can remember many nights, hearing airplanes go overhead and sneaking out of bed, climbing out the window onto the back porch to watch their lights blinking red and green overhead. My Dad tried to enlist, but was turned down, as he was farming, and also had just one kidney. Two of his younger brothers did enlist, one in the Air Corps and one in the Infantry. Both survived to tell about the great war.
Thanks Bill,
People like your father, and the families like yours all over America, made our wonderful country safe for everyone else. He may not have served in the services, but he raised a fine family that love this nation. You with him, and your mother, Made America what it is today, THE GREATEST NATION ON EARTH.
Carlo
As a native of Arizona and the granddaughter of a WWII Vet, the Arizona holds a special place in my heart.
For more information on the USS Arizona, click---> Here
Thank you....GG
Thank you for your research and for posting this. I have a feeling it will take me all day to get through this thread.
"Yesterday, December 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.
The United States was at peace with that nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its Government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific. Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in Oahu, the Japanese Ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to the Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. While this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or armed attack.
It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time the Japanese Government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.
The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. Very many American lives have been lost. In addition American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.
Yesterday the Japanese Government also launched an attack against Malaya. Last night Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong. Last night Japanese forces attacked Guam. Last night Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands. Last night the Japanese attacked Wake Island. This morning the Japanese attacked Midway Island.
Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation.
As Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense.
Always will we remember the character of the onslaught against us. No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.
I believe I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make very certain that this form of treachery shall never endanger us again.
Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger.
With confidence in our armed forces - with the unbounded determination of our people - we will gain the inevitable triumph - so help us God.
I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December seventh, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire."
--President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, December 8, 1941.
They expressed their account more by what they did not say than what they were willing to say. They simply said it was the most shocking, terrifying, and horrible event one could imagine. Modesty prevented them from saying that after attack, they gave themselves no time to indulge in grief. My uncle as any good sailor would do, received his orders and did his duty. My aunt spent her days helping families who had been devastated by the attack. They both lived into their nineties, and lived a happy and full life. They returned to Hawaii many times for visits. I know their experiences weighed heavy on them both every day of their lives but they did not define themselves by this experience, although every time I was with them I revered them both for their service to this country.
I fear there are many today who view December 7th and June 6th as a movie. My grandfather who served in WWI, refused to watch any movie or television program about war. He said that he had seen more war than he had wanted to see first hand.
The legacy of the sacrifices made by so many cannot be done justice by what Hollywood captures on film. These WWII veterans who survive are precious treasure, give them respect, ask for their stories. I will spend much of this day with my father, a WWII veteran of six years who was a turret gunner on a B-24.
Dec 7 is also my birthday. (1954)
Several years after the war Fuchida became acquainted with some Christian missionaries in Japan, and was converted to Christianity. Back in 1967 when I was only 10 years old he spoke at the Southern Baptist church that my family was attending in Garden Grove, California. He gave testimony as to how Christ had changed his life.
I remeber him as a modest and humble man, sincere in his beliefs. He wrote my mother a short note in her Bible, she still has it. Fuchida died on May 30, 1976 (read his obituary). But his life after the war, and his testimony of God's work in his heart is still fresh in my mind. I think about it every time that I think I've crossed that line of no return with God, or feel that someone has crossed it with me. I look at Fuchida, and see what kind of man he was during the war, a man that could lead others to inflict such pain, death, and destruction on others, and compare it to the kind of man he was after, and realize that if God can forgive him for being the merchant of thousands of deaths, and make him a tool for his work, he can do it in me or anyone else and, if God can forgive such a grievous act, who am I to hold a grudge.
I am not saying all of this to detract from the remebrance of the attack, it's everlasting effect on our country, or the sacrifices of our valiant countrymen who gave the "last full measure of devotion" on that day, but as testimony that God has a way of bringing victory from defeat, and accomplishing his will his way, using people that we would never expect to be his instruments.
The events of December 7, 1941 will live forever in the hearts and minds of true Americans, it was perceived as a low mark in our history, but it provided the impetus to that great American spirit that will not die, and was perhaps one of the greatest single events that has made this country the greatest the world has ever seen. Once again, victory has risen from defeat. Today we are ngaged in a similar struggle after a similar attack, who says lightning doesn't strike twice.
God bless our veterans.