Pearl Harbor Day Attack

Army privates running the opana radar station are suddenly startled by blips on the screen, 50 planes headed for Oahu. Immediately, they report the sightings to the army operation center. They dismissed as U.S. planes coming from the mainland. Aircraft designated for the second wave of the attack take off. Now there is an air almada of 350 planes in flight to Pearl Harbor. While many people in Hawaii, military and civilian alike, it's a sleep in Sunday morning. But church bells are already being run for early morning services. And some servicemen who managed to get up on time attend an outdoor mass, said by their chaplain. Messenger boy to fuchigami picks up general Marshall's virgin cable for delivery to general short. He takes his time, it hasn't been marked urgent, although first priority. Commander fuchida's first wave Amara is on course. Below, in the clear sunlit air, lay battleship row. In a clarion voice for chira sings out the words Torah, Torah. Torah. Tiger, Tiger, Tiger. Sleepy eyed savings and marias, your breakfast getting cold, mistake the attack for some crazy kind of air raid drill. They think the planes are American. One of the men shouts, this is the best damn drill in the air force ever put on. When they catch sight of the rising suns in the wings, they begin feverishly defending themselves. But none of the anti aircraft batteries has ammunition ready. The superbly coordinated attack goes off like clockwork. At 7 55 a.m., dive bombers get hickam and weird airfields. Two minutes later, torpedo planes start their run on battleship row. Three minutes later, zero strafe, other air bases. At 8 O 5, high level bombers target the battleships. Through the thunder of attack, commercial radio announcements are alerting civilians. Stay at home. Get off the roads and stay off. Don't block traffic. Shattered men, many in agony are rushed to hospitals. The air is thick with the stench of burned flesh. Doctors and nurses work frantically. It is fuchida's first wave of aircraft that hits the Arizona, which erupts like a volcano. Flames first 500 feet into the air. General short sets aside Sunday mornings for golf. When an aide breathlessly informs him that Pearl Harbor is being bombed, the general snaps that is ridiculous. Machida's Debbie first waves sinks the West Virginia. Now the Oklahoma, a battle wagon moored outboard of the USS Maryland shutters with torpedo hits. She begins listing and capsizes. The men below decks are trapped. More torpedoes rip into the battleships California and Nevada. Humiliated by their tardiness, Kurosawa and ambassador Nomura are an hour and 20 minutes late in presenting Tokyo's long decoded message. Painstakingly tight the Secretary of State called el Ho. Hall peruses the note as though he didn't know its contents. But he treats the two Japanese with icy contempt. At the same time, at Pearl Harbor, bombers are swarming on the USS Nevada, releasing torrents of destruction. On the other side of fort island, high level bombers are dropping bombs from 10,000 feet. A stray Japanese bullet breaks through a window and grazes admiral Kimmel's chest. He's unhurt, but the emerald says it would have been merciful and it killed me. Now the second wave made up of bombers and fighters arrives to attack. But this time, anti aircraft batteries are well manned and fully loaded. Dive bombers rain down on the Pennsylvania, which is in Brighton. The Tennessee takes two hits. Second wave planes scream down over near air base to complete its destruction. But the vital element of surprise is lacking and Americans are fighting back. After the last bomb is dropped, the United States of America virtually has a Pacific fleet. No longer. 8 battleships. Three cruisers. Three destroyers and four auxiliary ships are some cool damaged. Some 350 planes are damaged or destroyed. In just 110 minutes, Japan kills more than 3000 Americans. The Japanese lost 29 planes and fewer than 200 men. By mid afternoon, the Western Union messenger delivers general Marshals, urchins, top secret warning. The army and navy spends the rest of Sunday putting on fires. The Arizona alone will burn for three days. With each new message, the president shakes his head with stunned incredulity. Throughout America, in the waning winter light, people gather. Strangers for sure each other in low whispers. We'll whack them off the face of the earth. Some people feel shame. Others, just stare, solemnly. Deeply. And say nothing. America is bleeding. I ask that the Congress declare a state of war. Has existed between the United States and the Japanese empire. The resolution passes with only one dissenting vote.