Cold War Veterans Blog

Pearl Harbor

Dear Gentlemen,

Pearl Harbor Day is near. Let us remember the sacrifices and lessons learned from that

tragic day, lest we forget and be doomed to repeat the mistakes, and be forced to re-learn

a lesson that cost so many lives. Thank you to the honorable men and women who served

at Pearl Harbor and the surrounding air fields and barracks that were also attacked. Thank

you for bouncing back from such a tragedy to help win the war and keep us free.

David Clevenger

Director - Northeast Zone

Cold War Veterans Association

Pearl Harbor Photos found in an old Brownie Camera stored in a foot locker.

THESE PHOTOS ARE FROM A SAILOR WHO, WAS ON THE USS QUAPAW ATF-11O.

INTERESTING , I THINK THEY'RE SPECTACULAR.

PEARL HARBOR
December 7th, 1941

On Sunday, December 7th, 1941 the Japanese launched a surprise attack against the U.S. Forces stationed at Pearl Harbor , Hawaii By planning his attack on a Sunday, the Japanese commander Admiral Nagumo, hoped to catch the entire fleet in port. As luck would have it, the Aircraft Carriers and one of the Battleships were not in port. (The USS Enterprise was returning from Wake Island , where it had just delivered some aircraft. The USS Lexingtonwas ferrying aircraft to Midway, and the USS Saratoga and USS Colorado were under going repairs in the United States .)

In spite of the latest intelligence reports about the missing a aircraft carriers (his most important targets), Admiral Nagumo decided to continue the attack with his force of six carriers and 423 aircraft. At a range of 230 miles north of Oahu , he launched the first wave of a two-wave attack. Beginning at 0600 hours his first wave consisted of 183 fighters and torpedo bombers which struck at the fleet in Pearl Harbor and the airfields in Hickam, Kaneoheand Ewa. The second strike, launched at 0715 hours, consisted of 167 aircraft, which again struck at the same targets.

At 0753 hours the first wave consisting of 40 Nakajima B5N2 "Kate" torpedo bombers, 51 Aichi D3A1 "Val" dive bombers, 50 high altitude bombers and 43 Zeros struck airfields and Pearl Harbor Within the next hour, the second wave arrived and continued the attack.

When it was over, the U.S.losses were:

Casualties:
USA : 218 KIA (Killed In Action), 364 WIA. (Wounded In Action).
USN: 2,008 KIA, 710 WIA.
USMC: 109 KIA, 69 WIA.
Civilians: 68 KIA, 35 WIA.
TOTAL: 2,403 KIA, 1,178 WIA.
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Battleships:
USS Arizona (BB-39) - total loss when a bomb hit her magazine.
USS Oklahoma (BB-37) - Total loss when she capsized and sunk in the harbor.
USS California (BB-44) - Sunk at her berth. Later raised and repaired.
USS West Virginia (BB-48) - Sunk at her berth. Later raised and repaired.
USS Nevada - (BB-36) Beached to prevent sinking. Later repaired.
USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) - Light damage.
USS Maryland (BB-46) - Light damage.
USS Tennessee (BB-43) - Light damage.
USS Utah (AG-16) - (former battleship used as a target) - Sunk.

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Cruisers:
USS New Orleans (CA-32) - Light Damage.
USS San Francisco (CA38) - Light Damage.
USS Detroit (CL-8) - Light Damage.
USS Raleigh (CL-7) - Heavily damaged but repaired.
USS Helena (CL-50) - Light Damage.
USS Honolulu (CL-48) - Light Damage.
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Destroyers:
USS Downes (DD-375) - Destroyed. Parts salvaged.
USS Cassin (DD-37 2) - Destroyed. Parts salvaged.
USS Shaw (DD-373) - Very heavy damage.
USS Helm (DD-388) - Light Damage.
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Minelayer:
USS Ogala (CM-4) - Sunk but later raised and repaired.
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Seaplane Tender:
USS Curtiss (AV-4) - Severely damaged but later repaired.
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Repair Ship:
USS Vestal (AR-4) - Severely damaged but later repaired.
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Harbor Tug:
USS Sotoyomo (YT-9) - Sunk but later raised and repaired.
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Aircraft:
188 Aircraft destroyed - (92 USN and 92 U.S. Army Air Corps).

Pearl Harbor Photos found in an old Brownie Camera stored in a foot locker.

These photos are from a sailor who was on the USS Quapaw ATF-110 - December 7th, 1941

Go Directly to Pictures

They Must be viewed in full size to appreciate how spectacular they are.