A couple of years ago there was an email circulating as "Photos found in an old Brownie," and these photos were of Pearl Harbor on that fateful day. Well, the pictures are the official Naval shots of that day rather than from one lone sailor. Either way the photos are quite powerful. So much for that Urban Legend.
The history of the Attack on Pearl Harbor most people know. It was 7:53 A.M. Hawaiian time:
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, 364 WIA.
USN: 2,008 KIA, 710 WIA.
USMC: 109 KIA, 69 WIA.
Civilians: 68 KIA, 35 WIA.
TOTAL: 2,403 KIA, 1,178 WIA.
-----------------------------------------
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.
-----------------------------------------
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.
------------------------------------------
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.
------------------------------------------
Minelayer
USS Ogala (CM-4) - Sunk but later raised and repaired.
------------------------------------------
Seaplane Tender
USS Curtiss (AV-4) - Severely damaged but later repaired. ------------------------------------------
Repair Ship
USS Vestal (AR-4) - Severely damaged but later repaired.
------------------------------------------
Harbor Tug
USS Sotoyomo (YT-9) - Sunk but later raised and repaired.
------------------------------------------
Aircraft
188 Aircraft destroyed (92 USN and 92 U.S. Army Air Corps.)
That day was 67 years ago, but it still tugs at the heart and soul imagining the turmoil and fear that those present in the harbor and all over the island must have felt. Here are some of the photos taken on that day that left many Americans bewildered, stunned and yet resolute in their understanding of what had to be done. We understood all too well that we would have to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps and get to work. No government bailout or money from the Chinese would be forth coming: it was time to fight or perish. We couldn't quibble about war anymore. The war had come to us.
No comments:
Post a Comment