Darkness the new norm for isles under martial law
A 6 p.m. curfew and blackout was perhaps the most dramatic of the many changes in daily life for all Hawaii residents after the attack on Pearl Harbor left the islands under martial law. Read more
Pearl Harbor 75th Anniversary
World War I left many leery of another “Old World” conflict
In the run-up to America’s involvement in World War II, a nation wracked by the Great Depression felt it had been duped into sending its sons to fight and die in the bloody European “Great War” in 1917 and didn’t want to be caught up in such “Old World” conflicts again. Read more
Fuel, ammo not loaded on fighters
A dozen P-40 Warhawk fighters were parked wing to wing at the edge of Bellows Field’s runway on Dec. 7, 1941. All were low on fuel and some had their guns removed. Read more
Utah still holds remains of men who died aboard
The USS Utah was no longer serving as a battleship at the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor and not considered a prized target by the Japanese, but its sunken remains still play an important part in memorializing Dec. 7, 1941, and the men who died that day. Read more
A pre-emptive hit devastates Kaneohe Bay
Minutes before the attack on Pearl Harbor’s ships, Japanese fighter pilots attacked planes parked at Kaneohe Naval Air Station, a major Navy patrol seaplane base. Read more
Air support limited by hit on 2 bases
During the first wave of the attack, 25 dive-bombers dropped about 35 bombs on Wheeler’s hangars. The planes returned to strafe the fight line, touching off a blazing fire at the headquarters for the 14th Pursuit Wing and the 15th and 18th Pursuit Groups and about 90 aircraft. Read more
Crew fights valiantly to get USS Nevada to sea
The USS Nevada crew’s valiant but doomed efforts to get their battleship out to sea on Dec. 7 foreshadowed the relentless determination of America’s fighting force under fire that ultimately led the Greatest Generation to victory in World War II. Read more
‘Errors of judgment’
The Roberts Commission in early 1942 found “dereliction of duty” on the part of Adm. Husband E. Kimmel and Lt. Gen. Walter C. Short at Pearl Harbor, while an official inquiry 53 years later concluded that the commanders made “errors of judgment.” Read more
Roosevelt’s war goals called into question
Did President Franklin D. Roosevelt goad the Japanese into attacking U.S. interests so the country would be drawn into World War II? Read more
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USS Oklahoma: Ship was righted and patched but later sank
As early as May 1942 the Navy indicated that it wanted to salvage the battleship USS Oklahoma, according to the writings of retired Vice Adm. Homer N. Wallin, who was charged with the fleet salvage as a Navy captain. Read more
Civilians are subject to curfews, censorship and more
By late afternoon on Dec. 7, 1941, Gov. Joseph B. Poindexter had declared martial law throughout the Territory of Hawaii, putting the military in control over almost every facet of public and private life. Read more
Life behind barbed wire
The worst fear of military leaders was that the considerable Japanese population of Hawaii would join forces with Japan in a land invasion of the islands or aid the enemy through acts of espionage or sabotage. Read more
Eyewitness: ‘Too innocent to know’
We lived up in Kahala Heights, so we had a good view of the ocean off Kahala, from Diamond Head to Koko Head. Read more
Eyewitness: ‘Disregard for his own … safety’
“I was the head corpsman on duty on Dec. 6, 1941, and was to be relieved at 0800 on Sunday, Dec. 7.” Read more
Eyewitness: ‘In sinking condition’
“I entered the main radio spaces and prepared to take over duties as supervisor for the first time.” Read more
Pearl Harbor attack survivors share their stories
Three of the heroes of Pearl Harbor took on the aura of stars as the survivors recounted some of their Dec. 7, 1941, experiences at the USS Arizona Memorial visitor center Tuesday and as the much-anticipated 75th anniversary of the landmark attack draws closer. Read more
‘Air raid, Pearl Harbor. This is not a drill.’
At about 5:50 a.m. on Dec. 7, 1941, six Japanese aircraft carriers 220 miles north of Oahu turned into the wind in high swells, preparing to unleash an aerial attack on America that would change the course of world history. Read more
Eyewitness: ‘We fired at strafing planes’
“The attack came at 7:55 a.m. … I was in my cot in the barracks, reading the Sunday paper.” Read more
Eyewitness: ‘No way of escaping’
“Our emergency lights went out two minutes after we reached our battle station.” Read more
Eyewitness: ‘You could see the pilot’s teeth as he was grinning’
“I turned to my left, and I could see a cloud of black smoke billowing from the USS California.” Read more
A spy lurks among the Honolulu consulate
One day before the Dec. 7, 1941, attack, Japan had a pretty good idea what ships were, and weren’t, in Pearl Harbor — because an Imperial Japanese Navy spy in the Japanese Consulate in Honolulu was dutifully reporting the fleet’s status. Read more
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