Day of infamy

USS Utah (BB-31) seen from her memorial
She was hit by two torpedoes and sunk during the attack
(click image to enlarge) 

On the morning of December 7, 1941, I had relieved the watch in the port engine room [of the USS Utah]. I had been on watch about 20 minutes when the first torpedo hit the ship on the port side. It was about 5 or 8 minutes before I could hear someone hollering that the Japanese were attacking us.

I ran up the ladder to the third deck. On the port side was our sleeping quarters, and water was already washing over my bunk. I went to the starboard side of the ship, went up to the second deck to our locker room and mess hall. There were several other men there. One asked if he should take his dress blue uniform with him. I told him he wouldn't be needing that for a good while.

I grabbed an extra pair of dungarees, a carton of cigarettes, and went on topside. A friend and I sat down on the side of the ship and slid into the water. We swam to Ford Island where we were picked up by a party. They took us to the USS California to unload ammunition. That evening, we were taken to an ammunition ship that was tied up at the docks in the shipyard. We spent the night there. -- Cecil Camp

 

Day of Infamy

Log Entry for the USS Cummings:

4 to 8.

• Moored as before.
• 0400 Received the following fresh provisions for use in the General Mess: from Dairymen's Association, Ltd., 15 gallons of milk, 7 gallons of ice cream. Inspected as to quantity by Lt. (jg) J.B. CARROLL, USN, and as to quality by R.G. VLIET, CPhM, USN. 
• 0629 Secured the special security watch. 
• 0630 Received the following fresh provisions for use in the General Mess: from Oahu Ice and Cold Storage Co., 300 pounds of ice. 
• 0758 Air Raid. Japanese planes commenced torpedo attack on battleships in Pearl Harbor. Sounded General Quarters.

[signature]
J.B. CARROLL
Lieutenant (jg), U.S. Navy.

8 to 12.

• Moored as before. Manning battery at General Quarters. 
• 0803 After machine guns opened fire on Japanese Torpedo Planes. 
• 0808 Opened fire on horizontal bombers with main battery. 
• 0810 Commenced preparations for getting underway in accordance with signal flying on signal tower. 
• 0811 Opened fire on dive bombers with main battery. 
• 0820 Lull in air attack. Ceased fire. 
• 0840 Opened fire to repel straffing attack. 
• 0842 Following machine gun fire from after machine guns, glide bomber was observed veer away from ship with smoke trailing from it; it passed over Planning shop and disappeared in cloud of smoke issuing from Drydock #1. 
• 0900 Sighted twelve scattered planes over Ford Island. 
• 0903 Air raid resumed. Opened fire with main battery. 
• 0910 Dive bombers attacked ships at Pier 19, bombs fell in water near ship, ahead and astern, within 25 yards if ship. As a result of bomb fragments, three casualties occurred as follows; the first two of which were subsequently transferred to the Naval Hospital, Pearl Harbor for further treatment, following first aid treatment by R.G. VLIET, CPhM, USN: GROUND, Orla L., 372 12 45 f3c, USN, suffered a wound, left lower lef #2576, condition not serious; MOORE, Grover C., Jr. 256 33 15, Seal, USN, suffered a lacerated wound in the left scapular region #2563, condition not serious; Smith, Fred A., 310 84 65, GMlc, USN, suffered a superficial wound in the right thigh #2576, condition favorable. Commander L.P. LOVETTE, USN. Commander Destroyer Division FIVE reported aboard to Commander Destroyer Squadron THREE for temporary duty, the CASSIN, flagship, Destroyer Division FIVE having been destroyed in drydock by bombing. 
• 0920 A Karigane Fighter Plane was observed to break into heavy smoke as it veered in direction of West Loch. 
• 1000 Opened fire to repel horizontal bomber attack from southward. 
• 1002 Gunfire from main battery knocked wing off horizontal bomber. 
• 1015 . . . officers from U.S.S. Case, unable to return to their own ship, reported on board to Commander Destroyer Squadron THREE for temporary duty. SHED, J.W., CRM (AA), USN reported on board for temporary duty from U.S.S. PREBLE. 
• 1040 Underway in accordance with general signal directing sortie and verbal orders of Commander Destroyer Squadron THREE, proceeding out of harbor on various courses at various speeds on boilers #1 and #2; Captain at the conn Navigator on the bridge. Standard speed 15 knots. 
• 1102 Passed channel buoy #1 a beam to starboard, and commenced observing International Rules of the Road. 
• 1120 Changed speed to 10 knots; changed course to 200°T, distant about 1700 yards. Maneuvered to attack. 
• 1127 Dropped three depth charges. Maneuvered to make second.

The Day of Infamy

Above is amateur 8mm color film footage taken during the Pearl Harbor attack by Technical Sergeant Harold S. Oberg and his wife Eda. You can read a detailed account of their filming at the Warfare History Network's article Recording the Pearl Harbor Attack.

 

The Day of Infamy

Click image to enlarge

On the morning of December 7, 1941, I had relieved the watch in the port engine room [of the USS Utah]. I had been on watch about 20 minutes when the first torpedo hit the ship on the port side. It was about 5 or 8 minutes before I could hear someone hollering that the Japanese were attacking us.

I ran up the ladder to the third deck. On the port side was our sleeping quarters, and water was already washing over my bunk. I went to the starboard side of the ship, went up to the second deck to our locker room and mess hall. There were several other men there. One asked if he should take his dress blue uniform with him. I told him he wouldn't be needing that for a good while.

I grabbed an extra pair of dungarees, a carton of cigarettes, and went on top side. A friend and I sat down on the side of the ship and slid into the water. We swam to Ford Island where we were picked up by a party. They took us to the USS California to unload ammunition. That evening we were taken to an ammunition ship that was tied up at the docks in the shipyard. We spend the night there. - Cecil Camp (source)

The Day of Infamy -- a wife's worries

Below is a letter written by Beth Slingerland on the day Pearl Harbor was attacked. Her husband john was at the base and she wrote the letter describing what she saw of the attack as well as her fears for her husbands safety. The letter is from the Smithsonian digital archives and I discovered her story, and the images used in this post at Eyewitness to a "Day of Infamy": Commemorating Pearl Harbor which also has more details about the couple. The formatting is mine.

Dearest Mother and Dad,

How can I write at such a time? I have to do something because I can see the smoke pouring up into the air from Pearl Harbor and the sound of the guns and the bombs bursting in the water right before us keeps me in such a nervous state that I must do something. John is at Pearl Harbor. He left early this morning because he was supposed to go today – they have been rushing so. I know they have hit places there because I see so much, much smoke.   

The guns began some time ago but I thought they were our own usual gun fire. Then I just got nervous and went out to take a better look to discover all the smoke and just then great spouts of water began rising out of the ocean –two of which were right in front of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. The great spouts rose all about some of our battle ships and I thought that very strange to be firing so close even for practice. I just knew something was wrong so I turned on the radio just in time to hear that we were under attack by “the Enemy”.  

All I can think of is John down there where they are attackin[.]  How do people face bravely the fact that their husbands are in places where they may be killed any day and I can’t get any news, of course, and I do not know how long it will be before I shall know anything. I love him so I can’t look into the future without him.

Later in the morning.

Another attack came and I watched it. My only comfort is being up here where I can see so much. Eight Japanese planes flew over the house on to Waikiki and out to sea. Their big red circles showed up so plainly. Lots of planes were high and the anti-aircraft tracer bullets are all over Pearl Harbor. The forts directly below us are quiet as to gun fire for the attack seems to be directed at Pearl Harbor and probably at Schoffield [Schofield] Barracks. I can see our ships guarding the entrance to the Honolulu Harbor. At times the bombs fall about these ships. Right now things are more quiet but I can still feel the jar of the big guns.  The radio gives us directions and what reports they can every few minutes. We are ordered to stay off the streets and not to use the telephone at all. All emergency units have been called together[.]   

We are urged to keep radios on and to stay calm. I feel much better in hand than I did. Strange as it may seem, I am not afraid to be here – only I am sick inside at the thought of what John is experiencing and praying all the time that he is experiencing something.  It is very, very windy and the clouds are traveling fast through the sky. Showers will come every few minutes in some sections of the island. But the smoke keeps rising from Pearl Harbor.  I wonder what you are hearing and I hope you won’t be too worried. I do not think that any bombs will fall around this house because they will not waste bombs on places of no strategic value. Were we living at Waikiki where forts are or near other forts and airports we would be in more danger.   

Orders have just come in every strong language to keep off the streets and to keep all cars off streets. The army is getting angry about people’s slowness to respond about cars. Ambulances have been called out – trucks, certain motor boat operators, auto drivers and various other units. All policeman and fireman are being mobilized and all officers in all branches of the government have been called together. Orders keep coming over the radio.. I write right on while I listen to them. One announcement just now said all Pearl Harbor Workers called out a little time ago need not come if they have not already gone. This does not apply to John because he left hours ago before any of this started. The Japanese maid is home with me. She and I sat beside each other on the lanai and watched the last attack.

Enemy airplanes have been shot down we have just been told. They call it a sporadic attack. From now on I suppose we shall stay in a state of emergency. Autos are to stay off the roads. I wonder how John will get home if he is allowed to come home.  I wonder if we shall have school and if we do what a lot of responsibilit each one of us must assume when we won’t know just what is going to happen. John and I will have to steel ourselves not to worry about each other because we may both have jobs to do that will keep us apart. I don’t plan to sit at home and take care of myself alone if things get out of hand and help is needed.

I can see lots of smoke in back of the big hangers at Hickom [Hickam] Field. The big hangers do not seem to be on fire. I have to climb up onto the back part of our yard to see that much. I can only see a little from the front. I can’t actually see Pearl Harbor because it sets too far back and part of a mountain slope cuts it off but I can see where it should be and where the smoke comes from.

10:30 Am

People are being told in no uncertain terms to drive cars up onto the lawns but to get off the streets.  All hardware and medical supply dealers are being ordered to their places of business. That sickens me.  Where I sit to write this I can look out all over the sea so I watch and write at the same time. No planes are in the sky right now. Lots of submarines seem to be going out. The sea looks rough.  The governor has declared us to be in a state of emergency which means the army issues the orders.  Injured are being taken to the Tripler Hospital now and certain doctors are being called for now. So many many doctors are being called! It frightens me. They must have such a lot of injured. They keep reading lists of doctors.   

What I thought were submarines seem to be cruisers and destroyers. The water is breaking high over them.  Now ammunition workers are being called up. Trucks are picking them up in designated places. All trucks and motorcycles are being called out.  I shall stop writing for awhile. I must find some work to do because all I think about is what is happening to John. I know our army and navy will handle things. We can’t lose. This will really unite people. I am so glad I am here. If I were on the mainland, I should go crazy being so far away from home.  All those Japanese planes that flew over the house came from in back of our house which means they came from the San Francisco side.  Now things are very quiet. There seems to be no life at all up here on our hill. I can see through the glasses that the streets are pretty well deserted. Only a few cars are moving. The report says everything is under control and that we are to continue to stay calm! I could be, if John were here.   

12:30   

More enemy planes have come since I wrote last. They must have dropped incendiary bombs (They were real bombs) because big fires burst out below and are still raging with great flames shooting up into the air. What I cannot understand is why we do not see all our own planes. I hope Hickum [Hickam] Field was not too severly damaged. We hear planes and then we see the tracer smoke puffs of the anti aircraft being fired from Pearl Harbor. The smoke has lessened from down there.  All civilian workers have now been called to come to Pearl Harbor. They report that the roads are opened. So, even if John were home he would not be able to stay. However, he was there during the heavy attack and that is what is keeping me so keyed up.  Friends and neighbors up on this hill have come to ask me to stay with them but I cannot. I must stay here in case any word comes to me. I am too nervous to adjust myself to another household. Jane is here, so I shall not be alone. I have filled containers with water in case anything happens to the water. I have fixed flash lights for tonight because of course all will be blacked out from now on, I guess. We really are not prepared for that.

The radios are now off – orders from the army so we are getting no news whatsoever. I have not been able to do any work yet.  I can see many navy craft circling about all over the sea. Sometimes they cover themselves with smoke.  3PM  Still no real news only we are getting all kinds of rumors. I know nothing about John. Things seem fairly quiet but tonight things will not be so good possibly. We have seen no planes except Japanese planes and that is what bothers me. We have heard that the air fields have been pretty badly done up – both on this side of the island and on the other side of the island. A big Japanese fleet is supposed to be some miles off the island. Word came that some troops have landed. Also we have been told to store water so I have ever container I have filled. The bathtub is filled too.  People are so nice about coming in and wanting me to go home with them but I just cannot do it. I feel much better here. So I am going to stay home. John always wanted me to do that anyway because we feel our house is so much more comfortable in an emergency. We like our stoney basement.   

I wonder what you are hearing. You are probably dreadfully worried and wishing we were not over here. I do not feel that way. I cannot believe that such a thing as capture is possible – only I do not like the absence of our planes. We have not heard any guns for a long time. Our land guns have not gone into action – the ones at the forts in the city below. I can see three forts from here. But neither did any land guns fire at the Japanese planes that flew over and that bothers me. 

I have eaten some soup. I don’t feel hungry but I knew I should eat because I was beginning to feel faint. Now I feel better.  3:20 PM  Thank goodness – someone who just got in from Pearl Harbor telephoned me to say that John is all right and that he will come home tonight. He is to be allowed to leave at 7 tonight. Now I can really rest a while in peace. I can see, too that the fires are stopped down that way and there has not been any sound of guns for quite a spell. Nothing matters about tonight if he only gets home safely. That may be hard to do because everything will be blacked out.

4:20 PM

I am still breathing sighs of relief and the neighbors are all so glad too that John is safe. They have come over so often. The men on the hill are organizing to work in shifts tonight as watchers. They stopped by to tell me when they knew I was going to be alone. The caught some parachutists on St. Louis Heights so they will watch for that tonight and for incendiary bombs. I fixed up a little supply of things in case anything should happen that meant I would have to leave this house. Now I am so relieved to know John will be coming home. But I shall begin worrying again when he is due and it is dark and I shall be afraid he is having difficulty getting home in the dark. I am not afraid for myself and hav not been at any time, even if that sounds untrue. My eyes have never felt so dry and I could not have shed a tear to save my life.

Much love and more later --Beth

John and Beth Slingerland circa 1980

Day of Infamy

Click any image to enlarge

“Before we’re through with them, the Japanese language will be spoken only in Hell.” – Vice Admiral William F. “Bull” Halsey

“I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve.” – Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto

Pearl Harbor

Click image to enlarge

Recollections of Hickam Field during the attack on Pearl Harbor by Joseph A. Pesek, Technical Sergeant, United States Army Air Corps, 5th Bomber Group (source).

On the morning of December 7, 1941, I got up shortly after 6 A.M. and walked to the NCO club for breakfast which was adjacent to the Pearl Harbor Naval Base. At the time I was a Tech Sergeant in the 5th Bomber Group and sharing half of a duplex government house with Joe Barrett, 4th Recon. Squadron. After breakfast, I headed for the bus stop to wait for the 8:05 bus to take me to Honolulu where I was to play golf at the Wai Lai Golf Course.

While sitting there on a bench, I noticed a large flight of aircraft approaching from the northwest flying at an altitude of about 15,000 feet and at a distance which made identification impossible. I had seen similar flights come in preceding the arrival of U.S. aircraft carriers and just assumed another of our carriers was coming into port at Pearl Harbor. They approached at a point almost due north of where I was sitting and suddenly began to peal off in steep dives into the harbor. I watched a large torpedo-shaped bomb drop from the first plane followed by a huge explosion.

As one after the other dropped their torpedoes, terrific explosions and flames were plainly visible. At the time, I thought it strange but possible that the Navy was conducting some sort of exercise and possibly destroying something over in the west locks where the target ship Utah and other old ships were moored. As the first plane pulled up only several hundred feet to my left with machine guns blazing, I saw the Rising Sun insignia on the wings and knew we were under attack.

He was flying over Hickam Air Field at an altitude of approximately 150 ft. A young boy was waiting at the bus stop with me and I told him to get home as fast as he could. By that time, clouds of black smoke were rising over the Harbor and planes were pulling up across Hickam toward the flight line with machine guns firing. When I got back to my quarters, Joe Barret was just getting up to see what all the noise was about. I yelled to him to move it as we were under attack.

After throwing on a pair of coveralls over my civies, we took off running toward the consolidated barracks and flight line. By this time, things were hectic and we had to hit the ground every few minutes due to low-flying strafing planes. As we were crossing the parade ground headed for the hangar line, we ran into Dave Jacobson and three other guys trying to set up an old WWI water-cooled machine gun and they were having problems with the tripod

Joe and I both had prior hitches in the Infantry so we had it assembled and in operational order quickly. I believe that had there not been a lull in the strafing, we would have stayed right there, but I guess it was not to be.

It wasn't long after we left that Dave and his crew took a direct hit that blew them to bits. The only way they identified Dave was by finding a section of his finger with his ring still in place. Pg. 83- '7 Dec 41 "The Air Force Story" states that Dave was hit while changing a tire on the flight line. This may be so if he left the parade ground after I saw him there, but I doubt it. I know the gun we set up took a direct hit and those around it were killed instantly.

As we ran toward the hangar, we stayed close to the barracks so we wouldn't be out in the open as the planes were again overhead. There I saw another friend of mine, George Bolan lying face up, undoubtedly killed by concussion as there was no blood or signs of cuts that I could see. Yet his face was turning dark, possibly from broken blood vessels. When we got to the hangar, Joe went to his plane and I went into Hangar 7. They were passing out rifles from the armament room so I got in line thinking at least it may be some protection later on. By the time I reached the head of the line, all rifles and helmets had been given out. I then started to carry canisters of 50 caliber ammo out of the armament room so they could be loaded into any of the aircraft still in commission. Several minutes later, I was returning for another canister when someone coming out said all the ammo was out, so I turned around and headed out the large sliding doors. Just then the hangar took a hit from a large bomb dropped from a high altitude flight. It felt as though the whole hangar was lifted from the ground. The next thing I knew, I was picking myself up off the ramp between hangars 7 and 11, my back covered with white plaster blown out from the hangar.

Someone ran up to me and handed me a pint of whiskey. I took a gulp holding the bottle with both hands and although I don't remember being scared, my hands shook so much I almost dropped the bottle before giving it back. Next, I went to the adjacent Hangar 9 where Ed Caton, Freddie Lewis and JP Bock were. For a little while, there was another lull so we just sat and talked. I remember JP smoking a cigarette so fast it was like a fuse burning with a flame at the end of it. In about 15 minutes, the planes were back and Ed and Freddie were kneeling on the flight line side of the hangar, firing at them as they flew along the row of hangars. Once they passed, I took off across the runway toward the John Rogers Airport which was located where the present Honolulu International Airport is now. Before I got to the middle of the runway, I saw low-flying aircraft approaching from the east and I hit the ground again. While waiting for them to pass, someone hit the ground next to me and said, "Where are you headed, soldier?" I looked up and it was Brig. Gen. Jacob H. Rudolph, commander of the Eighteenth Bombardment Wing. I said, "I'm not sure where I'm going, but I know it's away from the hangars."

I got up and started to run again and almost made the edge of the runway when three more planes came at me. They were so low that I could see the ground kicking up where their machine-gun bullets were hitting. I hit the ground again covering my head with my hands. It seemed as though a thousand things passed through my mind mostly of home and my family. I could not believe it when those three planes passed right over without hitting me.

I looked up as they passed and thought the sky never looked bluer. I didn't even notice it at the time, but I tore my fingernails down until they were bleeding, trying to make a hole in the runway, I guess. Across the runway, I found a hole about 4 feet deep and 10 feet across which I dove into and, for the first time since the bombing began, I felt like I had made it. I was in the pit, which I learned later was dug for a base perimeter security exercise, for no more than five minutes when one of our large refueling trucks pulled up and stopped with one of his tires flat from being hit by one of the strafers. I could just picture another strafer hitting the truck and filling my hole with flaming fuel. I jumped from my security blanket and was out in the open again.

Finally, the driver of the truck, who was a kid from my squadron, and I decided things were quieting down. He went back to the motor pool and had them bring out a huge jack and for at least the next hour, I helped him change the wheel. I then went back across the runway to the 5th Bomb. Group Personnel Office where a bunch of guys I knew had gathered. When Mike Kocan saw me, he said that he went by my quarters earlier and thought I had been killed. He told me that a small bomb hit up against the curb in front of my house and blew right through it. When I finally got back to my house (Tuesday PM) I found that my wrist watch, knocked from the top of my dresser into the open drawer, had the only piece of glass in the house that wasn't broken, including the tiles in the bathroom.

No one slept the night of December 7, 1941. I went over to the Operations Building and listened to reports coming in out from the command post that had been set up there. I have read many accounts and talked to a lot of eyewitnesses and survivors and stories differ. Many people were still in bed when the attack first began and saw things a little differently according to where they were at first sightings. One of the few who I know, who was also up and in a good spot to observe things was my Group Commanding Officer, General Farthing. He and I traded experiences later and our stories as to what we saw and what took place in those first few minutes were exactly the same. 

  

The Day of Infamy

The USS Shaw explodes during the attack (click to enlarge)

Today is the 70th anniversary of the Japanese surprise air raid against Pearl Harbor. Marine Corporal E.C. Nightingale was aboard the Arizona on that day, and below are his recollections of the attack:

"At approximately eight o'clock on the morning of December 7, 1941, I was leaving the breakfast table when the ship's siren for air defense sounded. Having no anti-aircraft battle station, I paid little attention to it. Suddenly I heard an explosion. I ran to the port door leading to the quarterdeck and saw a bomb strike a barge of some sort alongside the NEVADA, or in that vicinity. The marine color guard came in at this point saying we were being attacked. I could distinctly hear machine gun fire. I believe at this point our anti-aircraft battery opened up.

"We stood around awaiting orders of some kind. General Quarters sounded and I started for my battle station in secondary aft. As I passed through casement nine I noted the gun was manned and being trained out. The men seemed extremely calm and collected. I reached the boat deck and our anti-aircraft guns were in full action, firing very rapidly. I was about three quarters of the way to the first platform on the mast when it seemed as though a bomb struck our quarterdeck. I could hear shrapnel or fragments whistling past me. As soon as I reached the first platform, I saw Second Lieutenant Simonson lying on his back with blood on his shirt front. I bent over him and taking him by the shoulders asked if there was anything I could do. He was dead, or so nearly so that speech was impossible. Seeing there was nothing I could do for the Lieutenant, I continued to my battle station.

"When I arrived in secondary aft I reported to Major Shapley that Mr. Simonson had been hit and there was nothing to be done for him. There was a lot of talking going on and I shouted for silence which came immediately. I had only been there a short time when a terrible explosion caused the ship to shake violently. I looked at the boat deck and everything seemed aflame forward of the mainmast. I reported to the Major that the ship was aflame, which was rather needless, and after looking about, the Major ordered us to leave.

"I was the last man to leave secondary aft because I looked around and there was no one left. I followed the Major down the port side of the tripod mast. The railings, as we ascended, were very hot and as we reached the boat deck I noted that it was torn up and burned. The bodies of the dead were thick, and badly burned men were heading for the quarterdeck, only to fall apparently dead or badly wounded. The Major and I went between No. 3 and No. 4 turret to the starboard side and found Lieutenant Commander Fuqua ordering the men over the side and assisting the wounded. He seemed exceptionally calm and the Major stopped and they talked for a moment. Charred bodies were everywhere.

"I made my way to the quay and started to remove my shoes when I suddenly found myself in the water. I think the concussion of a bomb threw me in. I started swimming for the pipe line which was about one hundred and fifty feet away. I was about half way when my strength gave out entirely. My clothes and shocked condition sapped my strength, and I was about to go under when Major Shapley started to swim by, and seeing my distress, grasped my shirt and told me to hang to his shoulders while he swam in.

"We were perhaps twenty-five feet from the pipe line when the Major's strength gave out and I saw he was floundering, so I loosened my grip on him and told him to make it alone. He stopped and grabbed me by the shirt and refused to let go. I would have drowned but for the Major. We finally reached the beach where a marine directed us to a bomb shelter, where I was given dry clothes and a place to rest." 

Wreckage of the USS Arizona after the attack (click to enlarge)