December 7th, 1941

[RustyCanteen]

The photos speak for themselves, where needed I have added commentery/captions to relate additional information.

 

For those unfamiliar with the harbor as it appeared prior to the attack:

 

In the center of the photo is Ford Island, a former Army airfield which had been transferred to the Navy. On the left side of the island is the mooring berths known forever as 'battleship row'.

 

At the top of the photo is the harbor entrance, protected by anti-submarine nets. USS Ward, DD-139 was patrolling the mouth just outside the harbor that fateful morning when it was alerted to the presence of an unidentified submarine operating within the security zone. Ward's CO, Captain Outerbridge brought the ship in position where her gunner scored a clean shot which sank the mystery submarine. This was over an hour before the attack began, but the report was not acted on.

 

Ward's Gun crew which made the shot (posed post attack).

 

 

An overhead view of Ford Island taken less than a month prior to the attack. The top of the photo shows the 'battleship row' moorings while the bottom shows the mooring quays used by Raleigh, Tangier, Utah.

[RustyCanteen]

USS Utah, AG-16. Former battleship converted into aerial gunnery training ship. Moored on north side of Ford Island NAS. The ship was topedoed by a Japanese plane who reportedly mistook it for an aircraft carrier due to the heavy wooden planks stored on the deck.

 

 

The ship capsized trapping men below her decks. 64 men were killed.

 

The overturned hull.

 

Nearby, a bomb narrowly misses the seaplane tender Tangier:

[RustyCanteen]

Battleship row, as seen by the attacking planes.

 

The ships from left to right: Nevada, Arizona with Vestal alongside, West Virginia and Tennessee, Oklahoma (with severe list) and Maryland, oiler Neosho, and California.

 

Another view, you can see the effect of the torpedo hits in the water.

 

 

The USS Arizona BB-39, moored just ahead of USS Nevada (BB-36) and with USS Vestal, a repair ship, alongside.

 

1,147 men were killed either in the inital explosion or resulting fires/sinking.

 

 

 

 

 

[RustyCanteen]

Battleship row, the ship to the left is the Nevada, and the smoke just ahead of it is the Arizona.

 

[RustyCanteen]

The California was counterflooded to prevent capsizing, but had to be abandoned due to the raging fires from the burning oil on the water.

 

You can see the fires to the right of the ship.

 

West Virginia was torpedoed. (Seen with Tennessee shortly after the attack)

 

 

[RustyCanteen]

The Oklahoma soon capsized from multiple torpedoe hits, trapping men inside. Casualties on the Oklahoma number over 400.

 

Maryland with the upturned hull of Oklahoma to the right.

[RustyCanteen]

The destroyer Shaw was in a floating drydock and took a direct hit which set off the forward magazine destroying the bow.

 

 

Seen from Ford Island.

 

 

[RustyCanteen]

Views from Hickam Army Air Field, and other air bases.

 

 

 

 

[RustyCanteen]

Continued:

 

 

[RustyCanteen]

Nevada during sortie attempt, bomb damage and flooding led to the beaching of Nevada.

 

Pennsylvania was in drydock, along with destroyers Cassin and Downes.

 

 

 

 

[RustyCanteen]

NAS Kanaehoe Bay:

 

 

 

 

[RustyCanteen]

Views of the aftermath:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

View of the channel south of Ford Island showing the oil in the water, this was on December 10th.

[RustyCanteen]

The charred remains of the USS Arizona.

 

 

 

 

 

The rallying cry:

 

And the memorial listing the names of those killed aboard the Arizona.

 

 

[Wharfmaster]

After all these years, the Arizona still bleeds Bunker Fuel.

 

 

We remember.

 

 

W

[cutiger83]

Amazing thread! I have never seen the picture with all of the oil in the water. Seeing the timeline with the devastation to the area is a reminder of the many lives lost on that day. So many future generations were lost in the blink of an eye.

 

....Kat

[RustyCanteen]

Of the two ships still present at PH, the Utah was built and launched 104 years ago, and the USS Arizona was laid down 100 years ago next March.

 

RC

[m1ashooter]

Thank you so very much for this posting today. The attack happened many years ago but I'm a bit agitated just looking at the pictures. The world certainly changed that day.

[RustyCanteen]

There aren't many photos of the Oklahoma until after it capsized, but in this photo of the Arizona you can see the mainmast of Oklahoma as it is capsizing.

 

 

[cutiger83]

I don't understand why a thread showing an item from Pearl Harbor gets response after response.

And a great thread like this that shows the devastation and history of that fateful day gets only three responses.

Are people more interested in the item than the history?

[m151mp]

my wife's late father was an army pearl harbor survivor, and spent much of the war island hopping. when congress authorized medallions for pearl harbor survivors, he left his to me, as i'm a vet. he was a great guy, and got to enjoy a lot of years after the war. RIP w.a.hamm, you earned it.

[sigsaye]

<y uncle, Hubert James Hesson was at Pearl harbor. Dec 7 1941 was his 21st birthday. He was serving aboard USS Sunnadin (AT-28) as Ships Cook Third Class (SC3/c). His ship got underway (it was diesel) and cruised through the harbor picking Sailors and Marines out of the water. He survived the war and remained in the Navy until his retirement in 1960 as Chief Commissary Steward (CSC). He passed in 2004.

[auggie]

Rusty,

What incredible photos many of which I had not previously seen.

Thank you for paying tribute to those brave men and women.

Auggie

[doinworkinvans]

Thanks RC - I have never seen many of these before. These men will never be forgotten. What a sad and tragic day in our history. Thank you for keeping it alive for all of us!

[namvet]

 

most surviving vets on both sides have made peace with each other. other went to their gave still hating.

 

[Redfin 1]

USS ARIZONA MEMORIAL