7 December 1941 - the Air Force Story

Bellows AFS

Wheeler AFB

Hickam AFB

Leatrice R. Arakaki and John R. Kuborn

Pacific Air Forces Office of History Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii 1991

PHO/PM72

Chapter I -Hawaiian

Air Force: Before the Attack

commanded

nonaviation

functions

through

Department. Thus, controlled the airfields, over the antiaircraft defend the

them.

General

island's

Air

with

and

Hawaiian

although Martin he lacked control units assigned to Martin

Defense

became operational, controlled the radar center

personnel the

would control

Center

after

3

worked

his

ranks World

but General Short units that supplied the

information.

As the

Third

chief

Army's

of

insuring

that

Hawaiian

Air

accomplish

Islands

Com-

was responsible

General Force

their

Hawaiian

Department

Short

Martin

for

and

the

had the capability

to

primary and

job, defending the

Navy's

to several

staff

training

He attended both and the Army Leavenworth,

Hawaiian

General

through

officer

the time

the

role.

of the attack,

there.

command

spent

two

In addition

assignments

Bureau

of Insular

Affairs.

was an infantryman

he

DC, at the

General

through

With

a philosophy

skills for Hawaiian involved in flying.

for

and later

Line Fort

Short

and through.'

the

Pacific

Training

made up most of his career.

of the

in Germany.

four years in Washington

was

suited

charge

worked

experience, General training in the basic

well

officer

the School of the War College at

Kansas, other

in

program

Fleet facilities from air attack. Training was the key to this task, and General Short assignments

the

Corps automatic weapons school in France in 1917, and after the war he served as the

years as a staff mander,

up

by solid, dependable work. During War I, he helped organize the First

assistant it

way

At

he was 61 and had

Hawaiian

Department

that Short infantry

reflected

demanded duties and

Air Force personnel To accomplish this, published

his

not the

a standing

Senior military officials at Hawaiian Department Headquarters, circa 1941. Front row (len to right): Lt Gen Walter C. Short, Commanding General, Hawaiian Department; a visiting Capt Louis Mountbatten, RN; and Adm Husband E. Kimmel, Commander in Chief, US Pacific Fleet. Top row: Maj Gen Frederick L. Martin, Commanding General, Hawaiian Air Force; and RAdm Patrick N. L. Bellinger, Commander, Naval Base Defense Air Force.

4

£I: w ~

~

~ ~ 0) ~

m ~

-,

:5 "2:

~ (/) I::

lJJ

~ w

w

(.)

c r---

z

~

I

I

w (/) c: ::I 0 u ... -J O (:J ::I ~ ::I :1: < ~

-01)

1Z 6 Q. < Z w ~

~ ~~ °d ~ ~

~ « « « ~

Chapter

<

z a F

w< :r:1aw wa: z« ~-J

~ Z

I -Hawaiian

1C/) (§ (.) lJJ ~ ~ ~

Air

Force:

(/) z

a. >a: < t:

~

(/) LU

the Attack

O --I I;;c -I -I ~ (/)

z

..

~

Zc °
c

0< ~o 0< """

ow
Before

w (/) c u.a: od

(/) (/) o w « t: o(/)Z-l a:a:-~ ~ ~ ««a:o ~a:«z

: ~

~

Chapter I -Hawaiian

--~

Air Force: Before the Attack

9

~ ~~ -~ ~~~

-~ -~

~-

--

Above, B-18s in formation over Oahu, 6 April 1940. (W. Bruce Harlow). Below, B-18 at Hickam Field with winged death's head insignia of the Sth Bombardment Group on its nose.

10

Chapter I -Hawaiian

detailed

B-17 aircraft

flying

over the main gate at Hickam Field, circa 1941

how a possible

attack

could occur,

but also necessary stated

Air Force: Before the Attack

outlined what steps would be to prevent its success. The report

that

the primary

defense

against

a

Force

providing

short-range

coverage.

On

paper

this

workable

arrangement.

(20 miles sounded

out)

like

a

Unfortunately

attack

would

be

long-range

Admiral Kimmel had decided that he needed the flying boats to provide long-range

reconnaissance.

To

be

effective,

coverage

sneak

reconnaissance would have to be conducted in a 360- degree arc around the island and

patrol

extend

would

out at least a thousand

officers

realized

available long,

so

this they

implementation

that

could

12 B -17D

the

not

Both

equipment

not be carried

did until

The Hawaiian and

with

miles.

out for

recommend

its

war was imminent.9 Air

aircraft

B -18s were old and their

operate

in the areas where the

when

the

actual

keep

all

the

Kimmel

then

on the

belief

possessions scale attack

range was so short

they would be of little value for patrol duty. As a result the Navy (which had over 60 long-range PBY Flying Boats) accepted the responsibility for long -range reconnaissance in the Hawaii area, with the Hawaiian Air

war.*

If

and war

not began.

that

capable

In addition,

manned.

a calculated the of

on Hawaii

they

available

replacement

aircraft took

be

to

used to

area, he reasoned,

there were insufficient

assigned,

the

during

deteriorate

Force had 33 B -18 but

fleet

the Hawaiian

he planned

crews to Admiral

risk,

nearest

based

Japanese

supporting were located

a fullsouth

~

Chapter

I -Hawaiian

Air

Force:

Before

the Attack

II

necessary. option,

The Navy

Hawaii

could

warning. Martin

not

exercised

that

with

without

only

fighter

picture.

aircraft better

status

with

7 December.

addition,

P-36A

aircraft

Although

on Oahu

the

bomber

had 87 P-40B

12 P- 40C aircraft, In

some

assistance.10

than

The command

on

12 aircraft,

could lend only limited

somewhat

this

an attack

occur

Besides,

The was

never

since it believed

and

55 in commission

with

there

20

Washington

in

on

were

39

commission.

considered

the

P-36

outmoded compared to European aircraft, and even the P-40 was not considered the most modern plane, they were the best the United States had at the time. Washington had received Japanese fighter, flying

qualities

Commander

from

discounted arriving August

1941

Tigers

this information

fighter number of flying boats patrol in that direction. the attack, flying

which

boats

came from

were

area.

The belief

come

from

after

the attack

reconnaissance

the north,

patrolling

that

the

for anti -submarine So, the morning of the

an attack

south

patrolled the southern the enemy carriers.

could only

was so strong

began, the first aircraft

Air

to get airborne area trying

the

opposite that

Arnold

aircraft

pilots

had

A

proviso

called

in

force

anything major

the

stationed

to

provide

Martin-

the

held that

Oahu,

Japanese

in Hawaii

if somewhat

for use against

might

factor

the

for

have. the

was their

The

fighters

short

combat

range, and they needed a strong control system to maximize their efficiency. 11

ground combat

also

The Air Defense System

to locate

Bellinger

if the N avy was unable

reconnaissance

Martin

Force

for the Navy to go to the Air

Force for assistance

defending

limiting

numbers,

as they became available.

The key to the Hawaiian the

had been

promised

small, was at least adequate

defense report

officials

and never sent

New fighter

The consensus in Washington and began using a minimum

volunteer

on the island in increasing

and General additional

of the islands,

Chennault,

but senior military

it to the field. over Oahu

Gen Claire

of the Flying

force in China,

P.40 formation (Gene Taylor)

information about the A6M2 Zero, and its superb

coverage

consisting center, Wheeler. warning

was the air warning of and

radar the

units, 14th

As the heart center

Islands

air

system (AWS), an air

Pursuit

warning Wing

at

of the A WS, the air

contained

an information

12

Chapter I -Hawaiian

P.36 aircraft

center,

fighter

aircraft/

director,

antiaircraft

The

information

data

about

center

incoming

needed

aircraft,

lined up at Wheeler Field.

and

weapon control

an

system.

to receive either

from

long -range reconnaissance, units stationed on the outer islands, surface ship contact, or radar in order to operate. Aircraft plotters marked

the

where

flight

the

paths

director,

with

on a table liaison

Air Force: Before the Attack

map

officers

it

work

or

cooperation units and

who

After

the

Signal

as either

friendly

used in Hawaii

unknown,

the

interceptors

launched,

controller's

direction,

was how the British warning

If marked

ordered under

the

fighter aircraft

to investigate. operated

system, and in theory

their

aircraft

had in place

In actuality

the system used

Hawaii

bore

little

resemblance

to

at the

system.12

Air

the Army

set

personnel, Force.

air

Signal

up

the

control

Contrary

warning

to

system

on 7 December

Army

Corps,

as

1941 was

Corps,

not

the

Force.13 A. Powell,

was in charge

warning system Powell in setting operational Gen Howard Commander,

The whole

the

Lt Col Carroll

this was what

Department

British

the

Hawaiian

Fort in

The

military was far

This

the Hawaiian Shafter.

belief,

had

the

pass to the Air

popular under

Corps

and trained

would

or unknown.

it.

were the first units developed for the A WS, the Army Signal Corps took initial control.

from the bomber and fighter commands, the aviation, identified them director

control

greater than anything anybody realized at the time. Because the mobile radar systems

system

N avy , and civilian

should

needed among various government agencies

A WS idea was so new to

Squadron

that no one was sure how to make

Bergquist.

of the

Army

Signal

Hawaiian

air

that morning. To help up the system and to take

control

upon its completion,

C. Davidson, selected Commander, Although

14th Pursuit the Capt

Bergquist

44th

Brig Wing

Pursuit

Kenneth

P.

was known

Chapter I -Hawaiian

as a troubleshooter

Air Force: Before the Attack

and had a reputation

for

getting the job done, the task of making the air warning system work before 7 December would

prove

to be too much

for

even his

abilities.14

13

After completing center construction

units Even

the

wanted

simplest

coordination

job

Oahu

Government-owned mobile

radar

be used, approval

from

the

National

Department

before

abounded

units;

but

of

it could

Lt

for

training

Park

Service More

and

than

had to intervene

the once,

to get the

approval process moving. Cooperation within the Army was no better. Captain Bergquist to

be

placed

used

by

a requisition personnel

control

center,

by the

Quartermaster

latter

authorized

operating

the

only to have it disapproved

thought

organization

for headsets

the in

Corps Signal

charge

to request

because

Corps and,

items.15

warning Shafter,

William

radar

warning with

USN,

would

be

Capt

Corps, and

controllers,

assigned to the system during

center

on incoming

Signal

Taylor,

who

the

Bergquist, Army

of directors,

personnel

air

the reports

Captain

Cmdr

operate

at the

H. Tetley,

suitable

a site

to

in tracking

aircraft. Wilfred

US

before

required

and those

involved

with

had to be obtained

of Interior.

Short

the act.

months

locations

could

General

took

and frustration

be completed. the

to get into

at

air Fort

personnel needed to be trained to operate it. The Signal Corps handled training for the personnel

Everyone

the

managed and those

temporarily exercises

and

wartime operations. Tetley and Taylor were detached from their respective units and in no way represented Navy

during

this

the Signal training

Corps or the

phase.

In other

words, the Signal Corps trained part of the personnel and the Hawaiian Air Force the rest,

with

complete

no

one

in

command

of

the

training.16

the

was the therefore,

During with

the Navy

smaller

the

two

main

exercises

in 1941 and during

exercises

conducted

by the

held

several center

Capt Wilfred H. Tetley (left) of the Army Signal Corps and Capt Kenneth P. Bergquist of the 14th Pursuit Wing, pictured with members of the radar site survey team, in 1941. (US Army Museum of Hawaii)

CHAPTER II ASSIGNMENT

PARADISE:

"Hickam

Field.

..this

destined

to

when

important

be,

unit

Department,

of

BOMBER

magnificent

COMMAND

air

base, which

completed,

not

only

defense

within

the

aerial

but the largest

airdrome

the

is

most

Hawaiian

in this broad land of

ours."

Capt H. B. Nurse, Quartermaster Corps (Air Corps News Letter, 1 July 1938)

During the 1930s, the thousands of young men who joined the military service and sailed to the Hawaiian Islands for duty

potential power the feeling that

considered

spent.2

themselves

receive

such

enjoyed

the beautiful

and

fortunate

a choice

year-round

characterized first

States.

line

climate

Paradise

but, at the same time, the

of

they

also served

defense

Hawaii

for

played

a

defense plans for the Pacific; Forces personnel Oahu

supported

either

the

command

that

of the Pacific"

Because of its strategic

location,

to

stationed

the

as

United

geographical key

role

and Army

of

in the Hawaiian

Air

its

Before

Hickam's

construction,

Constructed its

in 1918, Luke Field,

isolation,

soon

had

post exchanges

Army

from Luke Field Pearl Harbor. one

of

because of the

most

in the territory,

Air

those plans as members or

with

and left with had been well

in of

command

impressed

and beauty, their money

flying activities operated on Ford Island in

complete

on the island

bomber

were

They

beaches, lush foliage, pleasant

"the

indeed

assignment.

installation

fighter

Force.'

Hickam Field

named

Hickam Field, the bomber base, was in honor of Lt Col Horace Meek

Hickam, a distinguished and highly esteemed Army Air Corps officer who died at Fort Crockett, Texas, in an aircraft acci dent

on

nation's

5 November largest

showplace

of

1934.

It

was

the

air base at the time and the the

Hawaiian

Department.

Army officials, congressmen, and ordinary taxpayers who visited this modern

Lt Cot Horace

Meek Hickam

(1885-1934)

a

18

Chapter

large

and well

of the

equipped

best gymnasiums

hangars,

a theater,

club, one

on Oahu,

tennis

courts, family quarters, buildings. Shared by installations, overcrowded

officers' and

several handball

and many Army and

other N avy

Ford Island became in the mid-1930s; to solve the

II -Assignment

birds.

Paradise:

Along

channel,

Bomber

Command

the shore of the Pearl

the plantation

village

of Watertown

spread its shacks among scattered royal

poinciana Capt

Harbor

palm and

trees.4

Howard

Quartermaster

B.

Nurse

Corps planned,

of

the

designed, and

problem, the Navy took over the entire island, including Luke Field, and the War

supervised the construction of Hickam Field, which was to be the home station of not

Department

only a bombardment wing but also an air depot capable of accomplishing all the

found

a nearby

tract

for Army

aviation.3

major The site selected Field coral

consisted of 2,200 acres of reef, covered by a thin layer

located mountain

between Oahu's Waianae ranges.

marked

its

Harbor

naval

its

to become

northern

Airport

providing

boundary,

reservation perimeter, A tangled

and sugar

ancient of soil,

confronting demolishing

channel

with

stretching J ohn

to the east, and Fort

on the south. (kiawe)

western

Forces

and Koolau

The Pearl Harbor

jungle

required

Hawaii.

Next, and

contracts

other

land

and sea, and the air

the

noise

of algaroba area,

a haven for mongooses and mynah

mammoth

of thud

riveting of

construction

let

for of

pouring and

drivers.

project

in by with the This

extended

several years and gave employment

and of

tons

soon filled

hammers pile

task

the land shanties were

began

Air

first

buildings,

construction

rhythmic

material

by Army

The

him was clearing the decrepit

Watertown. hangars

work in

Pearl

Rodgers

the

units

along

Kamehameha

cane covered

overhaul

Hickam

over

to many

people.5

Luke Field on Ford Island, 30 October 1930, with Keystone LB -5 bombers on the right and Thomas Morse 0-19 observation planes to the left.

Chapter

II -Assignment

Paradise:

Bomber

Command

19

Aerial view of what was originally known as Tracts A and B, acquired a cost of $1,095,543.78 for the construction of Hickam Field.

While progress,

an initial

commanded from

construction

Warren

Field

forming

with

Group,

furnishing

Warren,

Hickam first

men, four

unit

expansion station Corps

units

commanding

Hawaiian

as the 17th Air

October

1939, Luke Air

18th

the first

Wing,

Air

Corps

Wing) , at Fort

to relocate

(former

Shafter

to Hickam.

Then

on short the

last

Field

Depot,

1940 when

All

of the Luke

air

Army

Air

notice. for

remained

the new air

at Hickam.7

Navy's

troops

except

which

completed

could possibly The

the forced

1935 at

depot

By had the until was

for

base services and support.6

18th Composite

for

Island

to leave

31 October departed

responsible

program on Ford

Lieutenant

his men the nucleus

designated

the

in

moved

with

1937.

became Hickam's

of what was later Base

to

on 1 September

officer,

still

cadre of 12 enlisted

by 1st Lt Robert

Luke

airplanes

was

on 3 April

Field

facilities

that

be moved were transported

to

was

Hickam. Even the gym and basketball court were dismantled and transferred in sections,

the

as were supply

huts,

the noncommissioned

exodus of people and aircraft began from Luke Field. Initial plans called for personnel to move as new buildings were

officers' club, chapel, theater, and housing units for enlisted personnel. They were loaded on the ferry Manuwai, carried across

completed for them at Hickam; however, the sudden transfer of part of the Pacific Fleet

the Pearl Harbor to crews at

to

reconstruction.8

Hawaii

and

approval

of

a $2,800,000

channel, Hickam

and turned Field

over for

Chapter

II -Assignment

Paradise:

On 1 November of the Hawaiian

1940, with

Air

bombardment

and

Bomber Command

activation

17th 19th

Bombardment

L. Martin

became known

units

assumed

became

headquarters

from

Fort

1941.

which

to Hickam

were

the

Sth

72d

Bomb

Reconnaissance

in July wing

and

at

11th

with the 23d,

Squadrons

Squadron

later

relocated

Field

Groups (Heavy),

of

Air Force."

of the bombardment

Bombardment and

Force,

subsequently

Shafter

Units

Hickam 31st,

Air

command

as the "Pineapple

The

Base

Force at Fort Shafter,

Field and the 14th Pursuit Wing at Wheeler. The next day, on 2 November 1940, Maj Gen the new Hawaiian

Air

pursuit

organized into separate wings-the 18th Bombardment Wing (Heavy) at Hickam

Frederick

21

and

assigned

4th

to the

Transport

were

showers. kitchen,

In addition,

there

and modernistic

to

the

as

service

erected near the tents had wooden steel

last of these replete

assigned

Other

well

various

with

mess hall,

Squadron

included

and

58th

as

under the canvas roofs

equipped

temporary

11th.

companies

sides and floors

were

Field

and

(Light),

temporary "Tent City" hangar line. The large

SOth the

Squadron,

Depot,

Pending the completion of barracks under construction at Hickam Field, enlisted personnel lived in 50- man tents in a

and

at Hickam

Air

detachments.9

Squadrons organizations

Hawaiian

Squadron

maintenance

Sth Bomb Group and the 26th and 42d Bomb Reconnaissance

Group,

relatively

and

were separate

and dayroom with radios,

smoking

and

lockers tents,

the

easy chairs,

stands.

The men

comfortable

in

accommodations

these

but

looked

forward to moving into permanent buildings. A dispute in 1938, however, between the Air Corps

and

the

Quartermaster

Hawaiian

Department's

Construction

Division

over

design of Hickam Field's barracks work on the urgently needed troop

delayed housing.

The Air

barracks

Corps

wanted

spread throughout

individual

the area, while

the Quar-

termaster Corps, to save construction wished to build one huge structure.

costs, In the

end, the Quartermaster Corps won, and construction finally began early in 1939.10 The submitted

Robert

E.

McKee

the massive new multi -winged faced

Company

a low bid of $1,039,000

the parade

reinforced

concrete

ground.

barracks

The

structure

moving

January

in

1940 while

to

their

that

three-story

was designed

to house 3,200 men, and Hickam began

to build

new

construction

personnel home

in

was still

in

progress. By the time the ~ast coat of white paint had been applied and the project announced that "Pineapple Soldier" 1942. (Allan Gunn)

at Hickam

Field,

June

same

occupied.

as completed year,

the

on 30 September barracks

It was the largest

was

fully

single structure

22

Chapter II -Assignment

Paradise:

Bomber Command

Above, Tent City as seen from the control tower at Hickam Field in 1939. Here the troops lived until permanent barracks could be constructed for them. (Clifford E. Hotchkiss) Below, Hickam Field's huge new million-dollar background, 22 October 1940.

barracks,

with

Hangars

3-5 and 7-9 in the

Chapter

II

-Assignment

Paradise:

Bomber

Command

1.3

Above, an interior view of the new barracks (sometimes referred Hotel-under management of Uncle Sam"). Open bay sleeping quarters of neat, orderly bunks made up with "white collars" for inspection. Below, this huge mess hall, thousands of hungry enlisted

located in the men daily.

center

of

the

to as the "Hickam contained long lines

consolidated

barracks,

fed

Chapter

II -Assignment

Above, the wooden Tysen) Below,

family

Paradise:

barracks

quarters

Bomber

of "Splinter

at Hickam

Field,

Command

City"

25

at Hickam

1940-1941.

Field,

(Bernard

1940-1941.

C. Tysen)

(Bernard

C.

~

26

Chapter II -Assignment

Paradise:

Hickam's beautiful moorish-style water tower, at the base of which thousands of tree seedlings and shrubs were propagated to beautify

Bomber Command

was a nursery the post.

where

Chapter II -Assignment

Paradise:

In the operational

center

five immense double hangars a paved modified nearly

Bomber Command

of the base,

lined

up along

landing mat that looked like a letter " A " stretching its length for a mile.

hangars connected

was

Along

street

by the

railroad

track

which

Field

the busy port

a

Hickam

the with

Navy

27

in This

applied

Man's

to Hickam's

and the 28 enlisted Although

bottom

sailors

(light

blue

dungarees)

was the

men who operated

they were all Army

men resembled uniforms

Army"

term

fleet of five crash boats them.

personnel,

the

because of their

duty

shirts

bell-

which

and blue

were very similar

of Honolulu nine miles away. The railway and street extended past the huge air depot

to the Navy's but looked like a strange hybrid with their Army stripes and insignia.

building

rows

Nautical

on a

these Army

of

and shops, continuing

warehouses

concrete freighters supplies. boathouse

dock

and

ending

where

large

discharged On

one

sheltered

beyond abruptly

oceangoing

their

side

of

high-speed

cargo the

of

dock,

a

experience sailors,

was a requirement who trained

until

for they

could board their vessels and get under way within three minutes after the boathouse siren sounded an alarm.15

power boats

used on rescue missions that included anything from Army or Navy planes forced

More conventional jobs at Hickam Field ran the gamut from those of the Com-

down

manding

in the ocean to capsized

or private

fishing

boats.

"The

commercial Biggest Little

General,

his senior staff,

Hawaiian

to pilots,

Air

Force, and

engineers,

medical

Bishop Point dock at Hickam Field, which not only handled supplies off -loaded by oceangoing freighters but also had a pipeline through which deep-Iaden tank ships pumped fuel to distant underground storage tanks. Railroad tracks are visible at left,. with a boathouse for rescue vessels on the right.

28

Chapter

II -Assignment

Hickam

Paradise:

Bomber

and Wheeler

Command

Fields

in 1939.

specialized

in

The

personnel, firemen, mechanics, photographers, clerks, drivers, strikers (enlisted aides) , and many others. Assigned

school

personnel reported to the various headquarters and support units which carried out the

Wheeler school provided radio instruction and clerical studies. Hickam later set up a

detailed bomber

clerical

work of operating base like Hickam.

command Wing)

headquarters

had

the

a complicated The bomber

(18th Bombardment

tactical

responsibility

of

at

aviation

Hickam

mechanics

school

and armorers,

of

mounting

demand

personnel increased

to handle paperwork.

its

own for

training while

to

meet

the

the

"white-collar"

the Army's vastly For the hundreds of

launching aircraft on patrol and alert missions, while the post headquarters of the 17th Air Base Group commander handled

young men who received technological education at these schools, it was an

administrative

School standards

supervision and other

requirements

flying

Because skilled

provided

for the mechanics, shop workers, personnel who insured the safe

and efficient

mainland

and

of the big bombers.16

technical

were unable specialists

greatly

expanding

military

officials

schools

to provide

on

the

sufficient

to meet the needs of the Hawaiian established

Post headquarters

Air

Force,

opportunity

to

difficult,

with

percent.

For

"earn

while

you

a failure those

rate

of

completing

requirements, graduation day event, with each man anxiously receive that

the he

required standards

parchment

had

learn."

were high and the courses

attained

diploma "the

by the United of achievement."17

about all

25

course

was a big waiting to certifying proficiency

States

schools at both

at Hickam Field, 1940-1941. (Bernard C. Tysen)

Army

30

Chapter

At School,

the

Hickam

located

Field

Technical

in one of the hangars,

week brought

II -Assignment

Paradise:

scheduled

each

a new class of 23 students

to

inspections,

work-reconditioning, modifications, and

daily lectures, averaged two hours of study each night, then took oral and written tests

assigned aircraft equipment was Hickam's Hawaiian

they

day's

received

lecture.

practical

experience

working as actual members and combat crews before weeks from also

instruction and instruments,

armorers,

and

schooling

proved

schedules

other

courses

worth and

Hawaiian

or

in propellers, for crew chiefs,

mechanics.

its

increased the

The school

refresher

specialized hydraulics,

by

of maintenance graduating 12

the date of entry.

provided

joined

In addition,

more Air

flying

airplanes

Force's

air

armada.18

the work or

coveralls

Hickam smeared

were a familiar

flight with

line,

sight

in gray-green

grease,

performing

hired

recruited

number

repairs Major

and aeronautical the responsibility of Air Depot. Col Harry G.

In trained

the

addition

to

technicians, smooth

plus

a

members.19

the

skilled

the

labor

detail"

operation

work of

of

enlisted

was essential of

the

to

base.

jobs such as post maintenance

lawns

trimmed,

etc.) and the always in this category, their

consisting

mainland,

enlisted

members on "fatigue the

force

from the local community

from

of former

Unappealing

The mechanics

engine

overhaul, changes-on

technical

of an all- civilian

of personnel

(keeping on the

checks,

Montgomery, the depot commander, had a small staff of officers to help him manage

This

as

daily

Command

changes, and all but the most major to airplanes and their engines.

the mechanics course and every other week a new class of 13 armorers. They attended

on the previous

Bomber

buildings

unpopular

and assigned

best to avoid

Members of Aircraft Mechanics Graduation Class 2A pose in front Hickam Field, 5 June 1940. (Herbert J. Kelly)

them.

cleaned,

KP duty fell personnel

First

did

sergeants

of a Douglas. B -18 at

32

Chapter

II

Above is the Army and Navy YMCA on Hotel Street in downtown Honolulu, patronized by military personnel of all services; and directly across from the YMCA was the Black Cat Cafe (below) , where many military members spent their off-duty time enjoying good food at low cost. (Charles L. Tona) Military men pose for a souvenir photo with a hula girl at the Black Cat Cafe (right) .The bandage on the arm of the man on the left could indicate that he had just frequented one of the tat to parlors along Hotel Street. (William T. Faulk)

-Assignment

Paradise:

Bomber

Command

34

Chapter

II

Right is the famous "Crossroads of the Pacific" sign at Kau Kau Corner on Kalakaua Avenue, at the entrance to Waikiki, circa 1941. (llth Bombardment Group Association) Above, the popular Waikiki Theater in 1941, with a rainbow over the stage, flanked by coconut trees and other tropical flora. (Edward J. White) Below, the Waikiki area and Diamond Head, as photographed on 18 January 1934. (Arthur C. Snodgrass)

-Assignment

Paradise:

Bomber

Command

36

Chapter"

The sports program at Hickam

Field

activity.

In

sports

with

many

was

for

a

a week during

from

"Bomberland"

times

called)

Hawaiian

hours.

program,

winning

many

competitions.

The

set in motion

basketball

Sector Navy three months

was somein the

by

local

several Athletes

mark

Department

last man had vacated first

personnel

(as Hickam

and

in

scheduled

soon made their

interservice athletic

participation

duty

before

the

old Luke Field, had its

team

competing

League before old. In the first

in

the

Hickam was two years of

participation in service sports within the Hawaiian Department, Hickam Field teams won seven major and basketball.26 Sports Hickam

titles

coverage

News the

initial

published

issue

message

in track,

was

(later

Highlights),

baseball,

a major

part

renamed

base

from

Bomber Command

off- duty

regularly

assigned

times

Paradise:

the men

yet another units,

also

requirement

provided

-Assignment

of

pages or the base paper.

Hickam

newspaper.

In

on 15 March

1940,

Chaplain

James

C.

Irrepressible Joe Brimm, Hickam Field artist, obviously took great delight in his work, which vexed the chaplain but endeared him to his buddies. (Toni Gunn Rafferty)

the a

Bean

personal

touch

or

drawings

or

cartoons,

along

including

known

incurred Hats off

to our efficient

[intelligence

officer]

for

foresight

and initiative

what

field

this

who repeatedly

Base 8-2 having

to complain

the

morals

to see that

with

No matter

what they print,

long as it is news, it will acquaintance

with

that

the seductive

commendation

All

form

the

was not fun and games, however,

and blessing

PFC W. J. (Joe) Brimm

assumed duty as art editor, buxom, appearing

scantily on the

clad covers

that

an

in Europe had made it

immediate

expansion

of

American air power was vitally needed; and this affected air activity in the Hawaiian

of the Base Chaplain.27 When talented

liked

of the

evident

official

the

he and his rriends

other.

letter

This

base chaplain,

on the base. Joe would

for the war situation

this

wahines

in Hawaiian).

or the

his

Joe was corrupting

or personnel

field, the current situation of this war, and our acquaintance with each Let

in

went to the base commander

the kind or art that best.28

as

add to our

the set-up

wrath

men

then put a rew more clothes on the women ror a while but invariably drirted back to

needed most next to

a good five cent cigar is a good news sheet.

the

recognizable

enlisted

(the word ror "women"

stated:

He also added the

later

his drawings

of

Islands.

In

allocation

of

bombers

women

began

any

and many

inside

indication

the

spring

a greater

to the Hawaiian

other

overseas of

growing

of

number Air

1941, of

Force than

garrison concern

the

heavy to

was

an

.over

the

CHAPTER

ASSIGNMENT

" Actually There

PARADISE:

Hawaii

was

turned

a nice

social

III

FIGHTER

COMMAND

out to be a great

assignment.

life,

had

your ground

and

if

you

sergeant

to handle

morning

and be on the beach in the afternoon.

messed up the whole

a good

duties you could fly in the War really

thing."

2d Lt Charles E. Taylor, 6th Pursuit Squadron (The Pineapple Air Force, 1990)

Just as Hickam Field was the Hawaiian Air Force's bomber base, Wheeler

of the time;

Field

Periodically,

and

would

Originally called the Hawaiian Divisional Air Service Flying Field, this airdrome at

was its

fighter

assigned aviators

base.

and aircraft

to Bellows

Field in Waimanalo

Field

the

on

north

deploy

or to Haleiwa

shore

for

gunnery

handle

Schofield E.

Wheeler

Field

in honor

former

of Maj

commander

who died in a plane crash

Sheldon

of Luke

old

bounded

Department.

17th

Schofield

Cavalry

Barracks

became

on the north and

day

been

in honor 1922. the that

built.

of Major

Maj George first

post

construction

H.

1921,

established

It was located drill

in

grounds

central

at

Oahu,

by the Oahu Railway,

on the east by the main Barracks,

was renamed

Stratemeyer

1923, hangars

had

on 11 November

aircraft

Field

on 13 July

was the second air station

in the Hawaiian on the

tanks

commander on the commenced.2

Named Wheeler,

slow and light

and by 30 June

storage

Wheeler

training.

this

the relatively

on the

road west

to Schofield and

south

by

gulches.' Construction

of Wheeler

Field

began

on 6 February

1922 under

1st Lt William

T. Agee of the 4th Squadron

(Observation) with

,

who

departed

20 men to start clearing

undergrowth. completed

Within a

landing

the direction Luke

Field

away trees and

a month, strip

of

they

had

sufficient

to

Maj Sheldon Harley Wheeler (1889-1921)

40

Chapter III

-Assignment

Paradise:

Fighter Command

Above, Wheeler Field, before completion of permanent hangars, when it was still part of Schofield Barracks (circa 1922-1923). And, below, Wheeler, with hangars in place, as well as barracks, family housing, and other buildings (23 J anuary 1936) .

Chapter III

-Assignment

Paradise:

Fighter Command

43

Chapter

III

-Assignment

Paradise:

PFC Edward

shop, was highly

respected.

shop was unique work

that

airfield

normally

sheet

Snodgrass, mechanic learning

known

they

corporal, attained lost the pay.

those

private,

concern pride

born

interested

in

first

stripes.

When

of their their

a new apprentice

and saying,

"Oh,

asked,

hanging

Field,

isn't

"Would

on that

good

enough

1940.

it's good enough." you want

repair

When he answered,

in This

of whether

private

to these

Shop at Wheeler

"No,"

enough

for anyone

you're

He was your

life

making?"

he was told, "If

for

you,

it's

either-fix

not

it

good

it right.""

anything,"

sheet metal.

regardless

The maintenance

recalled

natural

mechanics; and their them to the same pay

or sergeant

great

an

Sergeant

class,

the rank of staff sergeant, AM rating but received the

of prime took

of

45

quickly

and

but those who attended

sergeant,

wore

"a

for

qualified as aircraft " AM rating" entitled as a staff

above

do almost

aircraft

was not compulsory,

far

shop.

as

a school about

Wheeler

expected

metal

[who] could

conducted

The

there,

Command

in Sheet Metal

because of the depot-level

accomplished

beyond

J. White

Fighter

planes

men,

completing

have their ways

enlisted

about

their

work

were but

life

more

to

ingenious

comfortable

In 1940 for example,

the big Thanksgiving personnel, held in

extremely

managed

share of fun and found

to make

themselves.

troops

for

following

dinner for enlisted the final assembly

they

hangar,

they same

had been hit hard for this lavish feast and they could expect only sparse meals for the

was

and they

work.

The serious

White a job

next

the men knew

few days.

that

Unwilling

cruel fate, they raided

the mess fund

to suffer

the hangar

such a and took

the leftover food to the sheet metal shop, keeping it refrigerated in a containe~ that

46

Chapter III

-Assignment

Paradise:

Fighter Command

Left, Thanksgiving feast in the final assembly hangar at Wheeler Field, 21 November 1940 (Edward J. White). Below, the dinner menu, with "Cigars" and "Cigarettes" listed right after the desserts. (Donated by W. W. Collins and Douglas Van Valkenburgh)

Chapter III

held

-Assignment

Dry

instead

Ice. of

heated in

the

degrees they

for

the

next

few

days,

to

the

mess hall,

they

shop heat

placed

aluminum,

system a

turkey

on

a

shoving

an

alloy,

piece the

of oven

the turkey

in for it out.

worked

well, third,

and

the

and

men fourth

year.12

their

off- duty

enjoyed

the

time,

same

Wheeler

recreational

activities and places of interest as their counterparts at Hickam Field. In addition, they patronized bars in nearby

47

1200

to ten, then pulling

that

During personnel

at

aluminum

second,

Thanksgiving

Using set

one man raising

of eight

enjoyed

was

treating

door and another a count

turkey.

that

the

with

Fighter Command

For

going

and ate the roast

oven

The

Paradise:

many of the restaurants and Wahiawa, Hawaii's second

Dance

held

Wheeler Base (W.

in

the

Field, Group,

circa

Bruce

consolidated

sponsored

mess

by

the

at

18th

Air

1940-1941.

Harlow)

largest city. Especially popular was Kemoo Farm Restaurant located across the street from

Schofield

Barracks'

was a common

sight

people

to dine

waiting

framed On

building

Sundays,

alike

would

Funston

to see long in the

overlooking buck

line

Gate.

door for a home-style

Honolulu;

of

and trophies, an aerial demonstration, an all-star baseball game. Incredibly,

eucalyptusLake

privates

up outside

lines

It

and

Wilson. generals

was invited

occasion, against

the restaurant

breakfast

public

of pancakes

presentation

cameras.

Morimura"

Pacific and

war

clouds

gathered

and the intensity other

Hawaii's

training

military

maintained continued usual

a to

activities

community

operate

months

before

a big

"GALADA

On

increased,

as a whole still mentality

with

to

and

a business- as-

7 August,

the blitz, y"

the

of alerts, exercises,

peacetime

attitude.

over

Wheeler

just Field

commemorate

Wheeler the were things

held

fact

that

then

office

retained

P. Lino,

Postmaster

of

flight,

fast"

On

Wheeler

who

and

their

the

his

duty from

tactical

that

pilots'

took

"flight such

direction and the

off

observations

at once, when

he

consulate.14

1941, as

or

"they

and width,

aircraft

October

Field

the

He watched

of hangars,

to the Japanese 27

a

around

He noted

length

three

assumed

was

freely

observing

skillful."

recorded

dedication of the Wheeler Field airdrome and post office. The program included a welcome by General Davidson, 14th Pursuit Wing commander; presentation to the wing commander of the key to the new post

Flood

Yoshikawa,

agent

as the number

four

a ban

top spy) took advantage

most

of runways,

the

or Takeo

and wandered

very

technique

for this

for

Field, missing nothing.

returned

by Mr. Albert

Navy's

p- 40s in

and the

N eedless to say, "Tadashi

(alias

the invitation

awards

Wheeler

except

intelligence

Japanese As

to visit

unrestricted

trained

and waffles.13

or athletic

post

General

Col

William

commander Davidson,

responsibilities

J. of who as

48

Chapter III

-Assignment

Paradise:

Fighter Command

Active participants in Wheeler's sports program: Members of the 46th Pursuit Squadron's championship basketball team, pictured here with Athletic Officer Lt Bill Southerland, circa 1940-1941. (Clarence Kindl)

commander the

of the 14th Pursuit

buildup

Hawaiian

of Air

men Force,

and

Wing.

planes

a housing

With in

the

shortage

surfaced. A wooden barracks was hastily erected for junior bachelor officers, and many

enlisted

located flight

men were

between

Hangars

other was

Japanese

and

instructed

to

base briefed

the

asked

from if

front

bunkers for

be suitably air

attack.

perimeter

One

for

had been about

125

dispersed Colonel

keep the aircraft

Short disapproved

his

6 December, parade, received

of the hangars.

was at Haleiwa Waimanalo

he could

but General

tactical message and

Wheeler

the

around

the of the

following

a

all but essential the weekend off.

The aircraft of all but two squadrons, however, remained lined up on the ramp in

States,

earthen

so they would

Flood along

United

around

Flood

On Saturday,

the 44th

Earlier,

protected

and on a

Alert

on the ramp,

guards

and around

the

implement

together

the

field.16

between

built

dispersed,

aircraft

relations

sabotage. aircraft

increased

had all the aircraft

in tents

late November, Colonel to General Martin's office,

the strained

all

in and parked

then

classic peacetime Wheeler personnel

with the commanders, outlining

He therefore

pulled

2 and 3 along the

line.15

In reported

and

billeted

request.

officers

Field on the north

Squadron for

gunnery

to Wheeler partying Honolulu.17

the

Field

practice.

fill

Officers'

in The and

of the primitive

lost no time heading

for a hot shower at

shore and

men at Haleiwa

who had their

conditions,

Squadron

was at Bellows

and enlisted

Bellows, living

The 47th

back

and a night Club

or

of in

Chapter

III

-Assignment

Above, Tent City, located (Harry P. Kilpatrick) .

Paradise:

Fighter

between

Hangars

Below, Cpl William H. Roach, Wheeler's hangar row.

45th

Pursuit

49

Command

2 and 3, along the Wheeler

Squadron,

in front

Field

of his tent

flight

quarters

line.

on

So

Chapter III

Bellows Field

-Assignment

southwest

Paradise:

as a

solid

wall

with

rich

sugar

reservatiou, Originally Military

called

Reservation

Presidential Bellows

when

Executive

who

Order

Mihiel,

killed

France.

on the

five

miles

called

the Kaneohe and

action of

south

Bay

perimeter southwest.

in

coast

about

by 1917,

a World

This 1,500-acre

southeast

Waimanalo

in

and some marshland

in 1933 in honor

B. Bellows,

was

Waimanalo

established

Field was renamed

of 2d Lt Franklin hero

the

Naval

near

what Air

was

its

the

not

a

steep

problem

despite

had

eastern the its

first,

Bellows

Bellows Field occupied a stretch of coral sand and rock that varied from

boundary, the

and

Approximately Koolau

formed three

Mountains

the

strong

a central

of

target practice and a strafing

area for the Coast Artillery, and bombing practice range

for the Army

Air

Forces.

Sugar

cane and

guava bushes covered the land except where areas and slept while

training. runway,

for at

There was 75 feet wide

and only 983 feet long (later

lengthened

3,800 feet) , and a wooden air traffic

to

control

tower.20

Near the northern

a rise of volcanic

sea

the

Wheeler Field and served as a training camp, providing a bivouac area for the Infantry, a

Bellows for gunnery also a single asphalt

about 55 feet high.

or

and dust

was a satellite

above.18

knoll

slopes

the

winds.19

cleared away for training tents in which the men

10 to 20 feet above sea level, with

the

between

was abundant,

northern boundary along the seacoast, with the sugar mill village of Lanikai extending

white

or

cane acreage

stretching

Rainfall

prevailing At

was then

town to marked

and

back

St.

located

Station,

bordering

Waimanalo Wailea Point

shore

mountains.

installation

Oahu,

of

War I

sandy

Fighter Command

miles ran

rock jutted Wailea from

into Point.

shore, the

northeast

to

In

early

enlisted installation Base

1941,

men

small

at

Wheeler

Salvatore

group

maintained

were members

Group

service at Bellows, TSgt

the

who

under Torre,

of the but

18th

Air

on detached

the supervision the

of the

first

of

Bellows

camp commander. They were primarily responsible for base maintenance, which included range,

upkeep and

of

strafing

the

rifle

targets.

pits, In

they monitored the use of barbecue shelters along the beach.21 The beach at Bellows finest ground

on the

island

and swimming

legality 2d Lt Franklin Barney (Wilmette Historical

Bellows Museum,

(1896-1918) Illinois)

pits and

was one of the

and a favorite spot where

and Wheeler Field personnel spent their free time. There reports beach

pistol

addition,

picnic Hickam

frequently were also

of "good pheasant hunting from to the mountains" (although of

mentioned) .22

this

activity

was

the the

never

Chapter III

-Assignment

Paradise:

Aerial

As the commanding

Fighter Command

view of Bellows

officer,

installation

at the time.

personnel frames with

palm

about tents

lived

in

located

facing

perhaps

tents

in a flat

trees.

30 tents,

The other

There with

each

At

the

wooden duty

south building

end

was

which

as the dayroom.

of tents was a latrine

as a combination

by area.

mess hall,

also served Behind

a

double

the west row

and shower

Bellows

to the flight radio

was

at the bottom line.

the of

It served

room and armament

.23

facility,

March

of

to the

open space

formation the

facility

wooden

at located

area lined

and separated

was used as the squadron

shack

the hill adjacent

on

This

activities

operations

assigned

entrances

feet.

of

1941

which on the

were two rows

the

other

a hundred

set grassy

27 October

point

Sergeant

Torre lived in a small stone building, was the only permanent structure

Field,

51

a

many

1941 marked

changes

at Bellows. Andrews

On 23 March,

succeeded

commander. 86th

the beginning

and a program Sergeant

During

Observation

the

Squadron

Lt

Col W. V.

Torre

as camp

month, with

both

aircraft

and the 58th Bombardment B -18s moved from Wheeler

Bellows.

A month

58th Bomb Squadron Field, because its

officers' club. A small two-room shack nearby served as the dispensary. The focal

the facilities

aircraft

could

not existing

later,

the

its O-47B

ron with

little further north was the guard house, and on top of "Headquarters Hill" was the

of

of expansion

SquadField to

on 29 April,

the

transferred to Hickam newly assigned A -20 be accommodated at Bellows.

with

Sguadron

52

Chapter III

Below,

headquarters

building

-Assignment

at Bellows

in 1941.

Paradise:

Fighter Command

(Jean K. Lambert)

Chapter III

-Assignment

Paradise:

Operations shack at Bellows, to the flight line.

personnel station

at

first

hated

at Bellows.

located

their

personal belongings siderable damage

at the bottom

new

The tents which

them were old and rotten,

duty

housed

so equipment

and

sometimes suffered conduring heavy rainfall.

Hordes of mosquitoes ditches

Fighter Command

that bred in cane field

around the camp made life miserable

and caused Colonel on 26 March retreat

reveille

the

however, duty

hours

of Waimanalo,

limited use of gymnasium. competitions and with

members

of

between much

Despite the

men

Bellows 86th

discomfort remained

gradually

began

assignment. Observation

"living excellent

was quite

to

Squadron pleasant,

Honolulu

Transportation

a 30-40 minute when

you

was scarce

high enjoy

Cpl Chuck

most

and enlisted

enjoyed

holiday

observed

Hawaii;

and

that

good food,

and walking,

Orders

maintained A unique

Kamehameha

No.5

Bellows Bellows

activities

suspended

and police

a good one- time

personnel

on 11

in memory

This

was a legal

the

Territory

published

proclaiming

for

own

a fine

day off I.

by

a holiday guard

sported

by Bellows

of King

time;

beach in their

personnel

and their

had

leisure

an outstanding

and

Fry of the found

with

beach for swimming

and perhaps in

the morale

they

officers

June 1941 was an extra inconveniences,

where

of their

suntan and generally physical condition. benefit

off -

the tennis courts and the Participation in sports

men also filled backyard,

headnet."24

and adjacent

on the base or in the adjacent

community

"between the

Hill"

so the men spent most of their

that

on post, will wear the campaign

hat and mosquito

of "Headquarters

to issue orders

Andrews

1941 decreeing

and

guard, while

53

Kamehameha Field

except

of

General Day

also, "with for

all

necessary

duties."25

ride to Waikiki were

off. duty ."

in those

days,

Members Squadron

bore

of the

the

86th

brunt

Observation of

guaJ"d

and

54

Chapter III

-Assignment

Paradise:

Fighter Command

fatigue duties at Bellows Field during the summer and fall of 1941. With pick-and-

On 22 July 1941, Bellows Field became a separate permanent military post under

shovel

the jurisdiction

labor,

level off

they

moved

tons

several shoulders

operations.

of coral

to

of land for field

Hawaiian

communications

was relieved

The squadron's

personnel laid several miles of telephone wire for the base system, but grass cutters

for

continually severed these wires, adding to the headaches of the communicators. The primary

function

Squadron, work,

of the

however,

and

86th

assigned

personnel

commendations

cooperation

and

ground

forces'

observation

requirement participate

to

at radio,

photography,

schools,

while

mechanics Field.26

and armament

An O.47B aircraft E. Simshauser)

others

fill

a

observers to maneuvers.

Several squadron members, on the hand, went to Wheeler Field for training

commanding

responsibility days

Andrews' camp

Field

later,

on

official

title

commander

to

base

officer.27

other their

and clerical attended

the

schools at Hickam

construction

A contractor

tent billeting

the

to the squadron

for trained in forthcoming

from

began.

their

On 14 June 1941,

training,

Colonel

changed

further Three

An accelerated

received

supporting

reported

of any

operation.

25 July,

liaison

for

in

maneuvers.

seven new officers for

spirit

its

General,

and Wheeler

Observation

was air-ground

numerous

of the Commanding

Department;

barracks

program

moved in south

area to build two -story

around

a large

oval

of the wooden

area,

orderly

rooms

and

buildings

located

in the center

Bachelor

officer

quarters

structures and work

seemed to spring up overnight, also started on a new and bigger

runway. finished into first

supply

with

and

other

of that

oval.

and many

The barracks facilities first, and assigned personnel

them

in the

week

of

fall

of 1941.

December,

contractor began work install a sanitary system.

other

were moved

During a

the

civilian

on a project to Using a trenching

of the 86th Observation Squadron at Bellows Field in 1941

(William

Chapter

III

-Assignment

Paradise:

Fighter

Command

57

Below, one of two 0-49 aircraft at Bellows Field in 1941. This was the type of plane used to bring Santa Claus by air to the children of Honolulu for the first time in November 1941. (John J. Lennon)

60

Chapter

IV -7 December

1941:

A Day That

Will

Live in Infamy

To the left is the Japanese carrier Akagi, flagship of V Adm Chuichi Nagumo, who headed the task force which attacked military installations on Oahu. Above, a Nakajima BSN (Kate) bomber heading toward Pearl Harbor with its deadly load of bombs; and below, a Mitsubishi A6M2 (Zero) fighter launching from a carrier deck as the ship's crew waves and yells "Banzai!"

64

Chapter

IV -7 December

1941:

A Day That

Will

Live in Infamy

Wheeler Field in 1941, with hangar row at extreme left across from the concrete barracks that housed pursuit squadron enlisted personnel. The Waianae mountain range is in background, and the deep cut is Kolekole Pass. This natural cleft took its name from a large stone which Hawaiian legend depicted as a beneficial guardian of the pass to whom offerings of flowers and maile were made by travelers. (Harry P. Kilpatrick)

The

Japanese

took

Wheeler

completely by surprise. The first dive bombers lined up on the paralleling

the

Releasing

their

aircraft

parking

hits

on Hangars

and additional

buildings

in that

bomb

the

Pursuit

barracks, their

6th

destroying

bomb

strafing

runs,

passes

on

realized

Americans

completely

be no fighter

the fighters

it.

the

Once Itaya would

wave of hangars area.

bombs from 500 to 1000 feet,

they scored direct struck

Field

After

pilots the

1 and 3

area.

One

Squadron

parked

from their

manner, quickly

and a thick covered

aircraft. the

and there he released

role of protector

and

Aircraft Wheeler

during the strafing runs, the Japanese had loaded their machine gun ammunition in the following order: two armor- piercing, tracer; two armor- piercing, one tracer;

one two

armor- piercing,

this

would

From

smoke

the air it

the

attack.

trained

The pilots to

ammunition

waste

on insignificant

With

puncture

things

resulted

a deliberate

at of

bombs

and

targets.

One

yard of a house,

from

attack

At times there

targets

had been too well their

bomb did land in the front than

facilities

were the primary

area.*

one incendiary.

of black

and maintenance

Field

considerable damage to ground targets. To increase the amount of damage caused

bullets

pall

the area.

on the ground.6

but it probably

the

and

rounds would explode or set them They started many fires in this

they began strafing ground targets. The 20mm cannons of the Zero fighters would do

loading

and then the tracer

appeared that they had severely damaged the base and had destroyed all the aircraft

making

that they had taken opposition,

incendiary on fire.

tanks,

completing

began

by surprise

like gasoline

a miss rather

on the

housing

were over 30 fighters

Chapter

IV -7 December

1941:

A Day That

Will

65

Live in Infamy

Above, burning hangars and aircraft at Wheeler Field, as photographed by a J apanese pilot participating in the attack. The thick black smoke that covered the area served to conceal some of the parked aircraft from the Japanese attackers.

Below, bomb crater in the front yard of family quarters street from the Wheeler flight line. (Joe K. Harding)

at 540 Wright

Avenue,

across the

66

Chapter

and dive bombers every direction. target

attacking

IV -7 December

Wheeler

In the confusion

or a long

strafing

run

from

a missed was

to

be

1941:

A Day That

Will

Live in Infamy

Kaneohe, Lt Tadashi Kaneko flew made a single strafing pass over Field

then rejoined

his unit.

expected. Schofield Barracks, located next to Wheeler Field, also appeared to be under

this

lone

attack

attack

target

with

all

area; however,

the

aircraft

flying

in the

because Bellows

struck

specifically

Schofield.7

indication

target

The dive Hickam

attack.

bombers Ewa.

making Lt Akira

several strafing Sakamoto

south to the Marine

The righters

continued

and then left

for other

were attacking

Wheeler

dive bombers

and righters

continued

attacks

led the dive Corps base at a little

targets.

While

longer they

Field, the remaining or the first

wave

south, where they again split and

headed

for

Station Harbor

or the areas.

A Nakajima

not

known,

Field was not on the initial

list for his group.8

attack or two, on targets the J apanese did not

After

Why he made is

other than a possible isolated

individual strafing of opportunity,

on Wheeler,

strafing

off and Bellows

either

Kaneohe

Hickam During

BSN

(Kate)

Field the

Naval

Air

and Pearl attack on

horizontal

bomber

bombers and fighters Field were not the

that

personnel

When

some of

bombers hit Pearl Harbor, over

Hickam

on their

there

that first

had of the

Murata's

torpedo

they flew directly way

out

from

the

targets. Before anyone had a chance to react to the noise coming from Pearl Harbor or identify

the low flying

bombers and fighters

aircraft,

Wheeler Field, the first targets in and around the hangar area. then

widened

to include

the consolidated the

flying

base

over

barracks

chapel,

Hickam's

the dive

were upon them.

the

were those The attack

supply

buildings,

and dining

enlisted

burning

As at

men's

flight

line.

hall, beer

Chapter

IV -7 December

garden,

and the guardhouse

first

few minutes.

This

machine

gun

attacks

bombers

and

the

minutes

the

fires,

base was

and the Americans

locate

aircraft

the attacking

the

was in addition

to

both

righters

and personnel

to

A Day That

all in just

by

aircraft

launching

1941:

on

the

dive

approached Kaneohe Island.

bombing

in the area.

Within

Pearl

Harbor

with

many

Hickam

lost any chance of

Ewa.10

attack

or

30 minutes

later

the

under Egusa,

attack. Roughly ten miles east of Point, the second wave split into

the command banked

The

dive bombers,

of Lt Cmdr

slightly

to

the

the

west

group,

for

after

of Ford

completing

runs over Ford Island

and the

area,

runs

made strafing

and the Marine

on

Corps base at

Lt Cmdr Shigekazu Shimazaki's horizontal bombers split into three groups, with 18 aircraft coming straight in to hit Kaneohe Diamond over the

This group also approached but was several miles east of

groups.

to

directly

quickly

coast of Oahu. from the north

attack

this

Field

groups

various

just

heading

Later,

their

second wave of 35 fighters, 54 horizontal bombers, and 78 dive bombers sighted the

the first Kahuku

Oahu Bay,

visible

ablaze

67

Live in Infamy

all

carriers.9

Approximately

Will

Air

Station. flying

The other south,

two

passing

Head to the east and circling out ocean, where 27 struck Hickam

Field and the remaining 9 hit Ford Island. Several individuals on the ground spotted this

group

Takashige

south,

right

carriers

and

Naval

continued

approaching

reinforcing lay

to

Hickam

rumors the

south

that of

from the the

the

enemy island.

A B-24,serial number 40-237,en route to the Philippines from the 44th Bomb Group, was caught on the ground and destroyed by the Japanese during the attack. (Denver D. Gray, US Army Military History Institute)

70

Chapter

IV -7 December

Above, an oscilloscope display at Opana radar site, showing the pip resulting from contact with the island of Kauai 89 miles away. Only distance and relative size of the target could be determined. A large flight of incoming aircraft would have generated a similar picture on the morning of 7 December. To the right, Pvt Joseph LaRue Lockard, the young Signal Corps member who was on duty at the Opana radar site with Pvt George E. Elliott (no photo available) the morning of the attack. Below, temporary information center built on top of Building 307 (a Signal Corps warehouse) at Fort Shafter to coordinate activities of the SCR-270-B radar sites. (All three photos courtesy of the US Army Museum of Hawaii)

1941:

A Day That

Will

Live in Infamy

74

Chapter

IV -7 December

1941:

A Day That

Will

Live in Infamy

Above, two Aichi D3A (Val) dive bombers photographed over Hickam Field by SSgt Lee R. Embree, a combat photographer aboard one of the 38th Reconnaissance Squadron B -17Es that arrived from California in the middle of the attack. Below, the wreckage of Captain Swenson's Japanese Zero hit its flare storage box.

B-17C

which

burned

in two after

a strafing

Chapter

IV -7 December

1941:

A Day That

Will

Live in Infamy

75

Closeup view of front half of the burned B -17C. In left foreground is a straw helmet which identifies this as a picture taken by well- known photographer Tai Sing Loo, Pearl Harbor's main cameraman from 1918 to 1948.

Japanese attacks.

The sixth

aircraft's

route

was a bit more confusing.23 The 88th and met

38th

Carmichael

arrived shortly after the a similar fate. Capt

and

later

Ist

Chaffin

passed up Hickam

Wheeler

and landed

auxiliary

field

Bostrom

attempted

Hickam,

only

the Japanese, Point part

their

attacked

the

Harold

Field,

flew

to be attacked flew where

Golf Course.

Bostrom

landed

aircraft

from

Hickam

Field, timing

in commission

(see

each time

by

accounts) .They

to the northern he

was

General

Two

the 88th eventually landings

a B -17E landed Chapter

VI

stopping

to land

General

Davidson

Martin

the pilot

why

the

replied

more

landed

at

between

pilot

General

at Wheeler

for

the

Field

eyewitness

how the aircraft

over the

along the width

Wheeler,

Field.

Wells Lawrence,

described

came in cross-wind landed

again

including

and 2d Lt Henry

claimed

over to Barbers

at Hickam

several eyewitnesses,

Davidson

P.

there.

their

Still,

88th

at

had planned to build an emergency air strip in that area, but it had not been completed when

Field the

landings

by the Japanese and forced

at the Kahuku

over

Ist Lt Frank

several

so he headed island

N.

B-17s at the small

at Haleiwa.

and eventually of

Lt

The maintenance records for Hickam on that day show three aircraft from

highway

and

of the grass field

just short

at

of the hangars.

stated that when he asked

he landed that

at Wheeler

by then

all

Field, he was

looking for was a flat piece of land to set the aircraft down. Lt Lawrence described the aircraft perfectly he came down from

and added that when his mission later that

78

Chapter

could

find

them,

damaging

more. Welch, meanwhile, Ewa and got a confirmed Japanese, four.

bringing

Samuel defense.

the runway. the

Field,

2d Lt

was hit

and crashed

just

but

before

altitude,

several Zeros attacked into

killed

instantly,

wounded While

this

ocean. but

Bishop

and managed

gain

to swim

was going on, Haleiwa

was

was only

and headed

damaged one aircraft,

confirm

a kill.

started

one retreating

but, like Moore,

spot,

and

Rogers

started

returned

mission

mission

to Haleiwa

this their

for

Point,

where

they

engaged

their

away.

on fuel, he took

in a P-36.

so he off

Dains

on also

and got off on a second

time the Japanese had attack and were returning

carriers

coordination additional

got

in a P- 40.

By completed to

low

where

ship

could not hit

aircraft

to run

to Haleiwa

his second

the

but failed

the smoking

a vital

Field

out to Kahuku

opened up on

aircraft

spotted

by two

As the action

Moore

J apanese

Point,

into the fight,

and also fired

launched

Brown and Rogers headed

but

but could not

plowed

down,

Brown

aircraft

P-36s.

At Kaena

down one attacker.

Wheeler

also flying

kills,

Rogers was cornered

to wind

to down it.

returned

the fight,

west.

and Brown

Moore and Othneil

entered

any confirmed

Webster

Brown and Robert Rogers each took off in P -36s. From Wheeler Field, Lts Malcolm Norris

Live in Infamy

Webster

to shore.

aircraft as fast as pilots showed up. Lts John Dains and John Webster both got off at different times in P-40s, while Lts Harry

Will

Rogers damaged one enemy aircraft. From there they joined up with Moore and

shooting

him, and he

Whiteman

the enemy without

A. the

to get his P-40 could

A Day That

Japanese;

the end of

he

1941:

Lt

as he cleared

crashed

the

Ist

George

off

Bishop managed air;

one

for the day to

to take off to join

Whiteman

the ground into

and

attempted

least

headed back to kill on another

at Bellows

W. Bishop

Whiteman

at

his total

Meanwhile,

IV -7 December

as fast

as they

and Haleiwa the

next

or direction combat

with

kept hour

could.

launching with

for the pilots. the

little No

J apanese

Five Army Air Forces pilots from Wheeler Field who downed a total of nine Japanese planes the morning of 7 December 1941. Left to right: 2d Lt Harry W. Brown, 2d Lt Philip M. Rasmussen, 2d Lt Kenneth M. Taylor, 2d Lt George S. Welch, 1st Lt Lewis M. Sanders.

Chapter

IV -7 December

occurred.

One

concerning air that

at the station shoot

that

positive

engine. the

Kaawa

action

a P-40 the

operators

were

action area.

pilots

that

remembered The

was unaccounted

79

flight, Dains.

killing

explanations. First, the radar could have been mistaken in what

plane as the ground

pilot

whose

was Lt

John

personnel

The Japanese

from

ten of those losses with

fought

American

by himself.

time,

he switched

with

George

N either

After

landing

for

spotted

the second

a third

anything

of twenty -nine

and

to a P-36 and joined

Welch

pilot

fighters

and

up

mission.

because

by

two

Japanese

Dains'

kill

comes

out

destroyed

to

four American

Japanese located master

plane next sergeant

to

shot

down

Wheeler at

the

by

Field. time

Lt

George

Photo he

took

by this

Welch, CWO picture.

crashed Joe

K.

at

concede the loss

from

all causes that

Air

Force claimed

to the

eleven

Neal

a loss of

were flown

Street, Retired.

If score

aircraft

with

Bishop,

USAF,

the

J apanese

planes, which

711

damaged. list,

combat

Sterling,

Harding,

and

his story.

four more probables

in air-to-air

Whiteman,

Field.

pilot was

observed

aircraft

is added

so they decided

to Wheeler

aircraft

The Hawaiian

that time the Japanese had cleared the area, to return

P-40 and

to tell

would

morning.

other

were three

other plane

never got the chance

Dains, who flew two missions that morning in a P-40. Both times he was separated the

There

unaware where the action occurred; or third, we suspect that Dains did get the enemy just

for

guns at

up on the two

aircraft,

survived

only

opened

plausible operators

flying

in

antiaircraft

Barracks

they saw; second, some downed the Japanese

was a P- 40,

it both from its and the sound of its

N one of the

morning's

Schofield

operators during

aircraft

identified silhouette

that

Zero

Live in Infamy

On the return

in the

watched

The

the American

and they distinctive

Radar

a Japanese

Will

remains

occurred

morning.

of the battle.

A Day That

still

at Kaaawa

down

height

mystery

the action

Sunday

1941:

and

by

Dains.

Wahiawa, He

was

a

CHAPTER V HELL IN PARADISE:

BOMBER

COMMAND

"As a member of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association, I am often asked what ship I was on. When I reply that I wasn't

on a ship but was stationed

usually asked, 'Where is J apanese certainly knew!" Former

Master

400th

Hickam

Signal

Hickam

Field

where

Wheeler

and

was, they Bellows

located, because land-based Oahu were priority targets 1941.

The Japanese

also knew Fields

were

US planes on on 7 December

intended

to destroy

as

Thomas

Company,

from

Field,

Field?'

Sergeant

The J apanese not only knew precisely where

at Hickam

I am The

J. Pillion

Hickam

Field

The death and devastation resulting the surprise attack transformed the

"Paradise hell on

of the Pacific" into a veritable earth. For Army Air Forces

personnel and others the horrifying sights

stationed in Hawaii, they witnessed that

many American aircraft as possible, preferably on the ground at the outset of the

day were unforgettable.

attack, not only to eliminate air opposition when their bombers struck the fleet at Pearl

Hickam Field

Harbor

To those at Hickam, the seemed to strike in three waves.

but also to preclude

US planes from

following their aircraft back to carriers and bombing the task force.'

The first bombs to strike the hangar line, causing

their

indication

of an attack

Hickam Field were dropped on Hawaiian thick clouds of smoke to billow upward.

Japanese The first

was at 0755 when

Air Depot buildings (John W. Wilson)

and

82

Chapter

nine

enemy

single -engine,

V -Hell

in Paradise:

Bomber

Command

low -wing

monoplanes carrying torpedoes flew southeast of the hangar line toward Pearl Harbor at an altitude

of 50 feet.

Observers

that

they

first

and four in the second.

planes

were in two echelons,

did

bombers

not

the Hawaiian hangar

attack Air

line.

bombers

After

these

Field,

dive

afterward

and hit

buildings

and the

Depot

returned

five in the

Although

Hickam

came in shortly

Doted

a lull,

around

the

Japanese

0825 and struck

again, then once more at about 0900.2 When the attack

began, Hickam's

base

commander, Colonel Farthing, was in the control tower awaiting the arrival of the B-17s from California. With him was Lt Col Cheney L. Bertholf, adjutant general of the Hawaiian Air Force. The tower provided a panoramic and, while

view of watching

the surrounding area; what they believed to

be Navy planes taking Island

and going

Harbor

Naval

off from nearby

around

toward

of airplanes

time.

the Pearl

there

diving

in,

coming from about 10,000 feet." They knew these were not Army planes and thought they

must

be Marines.

down on Pearl Harbor, saw a black with

object

planes

That

upward,

and

insignia

on its wings

he could

Hickam.

and hit

him

and

saw

flew

on, then firing

Capt Gordon operations

A. Blake,

officer,

the operations Ramey

building

was there,

Hawaiian

Air

classmate

and close friend,

turned

and came back

at Colonel

Farthing,

sitting

officer)

Force but mostly

there

Dashing outside, with the rising underside of its

base in Maj in his of the

because his

Maj Truman

H.

the incoming flight of Squadron B -17s. They "chewing

listening to reports when they suddenly

directly Hawaiian

too, partly

as A-3 (operations

Landon, was leading 38th Reconnaissance were

Hickam's

since 0700, preparing

capacity

plane

their

His good friend

Bertholf

Japanese

wave planes'

had been in his office

Colonel

the

first

Japanese

bombs and firing

directly

it on fire, and setting some B -18s at the same time. These aircraft

across the field,

joined in, dropping machine guns.3

Roger

sun

line.

and stayed

of the

other

as it headed

were parked so close together that when one was hit, they all caught fire. The enemy plane

then,

see the

rising

flight

the dirt

the remainder By

for the B -17 arrival.

approaching at about 25 feet, firing all its guns. It hit the No.3 engine of a B -17, setting ablaze

for

hit

plane then zoomed

immediately rushed down from the tower to sound the alarm. Farthing followed right behind

The colonel

attack.

dived

Farthing

leave the first

an explosion.

toward

The

and Colonel

on the Hickam

who was the only person in the area at that

Ford

Base to the east of the island,

they heard "a bunch

8-18 wreckage

the

fat"

and

coming in to the tower heard a loud explosion.

they saw a dive bomber sun of Japan on the wings pulling up almost

overhead after Air Depot.4

bombing

the

84

Chapter V -Hell

in Paradise:

Bomber Command

Above, smoke pouring from Hickam Field's Hawaiian Air Depot shops, which were struck byattacking Japanese planes. Below, rear view of wrecked Hangar 11, with B-18 of the 18th Bombardment Wing on the right. The two men near the hangar are Capt Roland D. Boyer of the Signal Corps and Pvt Elliott C. Mitchell, Jr., SOth Reconnaissance Squadron. This was taken just as a Japanese plane swooped down, machine-gunning the field. Cpl Vincent P. Dargis, another photographer, snapped this picture, then ran for cover. All were safe.

Chapter

V -Hell

in Paradise:

Bomber

Clockwise from top: Closeup view of bullet-riddled walls and twisted window frames of Hangar 11; aircraft wreckage inside Hickam Field hangar, including (at left) a B -18 assigned to the 5th Bombardment Group; and Hangar Avenue, looking makai (toward the sea), with Hangar 35 in background.

Command

85

86

Chapter V -Hell

Hickam's

big

new

consolidated

barracks was a major target. Chase, an aircraft mechanic

insignia.

A

sudden

PFC Robert P . assigned to the

the

of

the

from a deep of exploding

the

23d Bomb Squadron, awoke sleep to the thunderous roar bombs

and

enemy

watched

aircraft

in Paradise:

in utter

disbelief

repeatedly

strafed

barracks. Pvt Ira W. Southern sound of what he thought

as

roar

flying

plane

and

explosion plane

had

window,

a

a huge

the

drowned

overhead.

dropped

tearing

filling

Bomber Command

bomb

hole

barracks

out A

low-

through

in

the

with

floor flying

shrapnel.9

the

got up to the was heavy

milled

Chaos reigned as panic- stricken men around in all directions. More and

artillery gunfire. This was not unusual, since target sleeves were regularly towed

more

earthquake -like

building

as the enemy planes expended

close

bombs.

The racket

to

louder, After

Hickam;

sharper,

but

the

noise

and more erratic

grumbling

that target

seemed

than usual.

practice

deafening.

sometime

other

morning,

he strolled

over to the windows

to

couldn't

He could see a plane, flying

at

He finally

an altitude

a Sunday

of about 500 feet, coming toward

the barracks

but thought

nothing

across the street

engine

work

went

but

to

the combination

got the

locker

supply

seemed to disintegrate.

At

room

ammunition. floor

landing,

wounded

the

was he

the plane. depot

shouting,

to his locker

down

repair

the their

was so nervous,

gas mask across

he knew, there was a terrible the

Southern

his gas mask

headed

The next thing and

from

get

canister

object

explosion,

drop

of explosions,

of it until

he saw a large

rattled

and yelled orders to vacate the barracks

be held

look outside.

than

should

shocks

to the lock.

open,

slung

his shoulder,

stairwell a

toward

to

get

As

he reached

he saw that

gun

and the

and the some

ground

several dying

men had been dragged

his

inside

and the

the same time, he noted with horror that the plane pulling out of the dive was clearly

building for protection. The supply room was locked, so the men broke open the door,

marked

only to find

with

the

J apanese

rising

sun

Hickam Field's big barracks, still burning from the Japanese to the right of Wing D and Wing C at extreme left.

that

the rifles

attack,

with

were all neatly

Hangar .3 visible

Chapter

V -Hell

in Paradise:

Bomber Command

Fiercely burning fires like this one devastated Bomb Group Association)

locked the

in the racks.

locks,

Colt

grabbed

.45

stored

They

automatics,

broke

rifles

found

and

ammunition

in boxes on the shelves, and dragged

several

boxes to the floor.

nearby

were sending

flying

through

room, so they their

somehow

Springfield

Bombs that

fragments

the windows

of the supply

lay on the floor

bandoliers,

then

dashed

barracks

and began firing

bombing,

strafing

hit

of shrapnel while

filling

outside

fruitlessly

the

at the

87

Hickam

Field's

consolidated

TSgt Wilbur

H unt set up twelve

machine

guns

barracks,

then unexpectedly

he needed. of

the

bomb

guardhouse,

.50- caliber near

off

a corner

releasing

all

the

who dashed over to Hunt and said

were

ready

immediately

to

go

to

work.

put them on the guns.

ball diamond, on a tripod

He On the

two men set up a machine between

home plate bombers

gun

and some Suddenly

dropped

their

Sgt

deadly

projectiles

Stanley McLeod, who stood on the parade ground firing a Thompson submachine gun, alongside Cpl William T. Anderson. Both men lost their lives. A soldier, kneeling near

scoring

a direct

some bushes, took potshots

parade ground and the barracks area, guns were set up on the hangar line and even

planes

with

a bolt- action

back included

the

got the gunners

trees along the edge of the field.

enemy planes.10

who fought

(llth

craters

A bomb had blown

prisoners, they

in

a wave of high-Ievel Others

barracks.

at the attacking Springfield

rifle.

right

both men instantly. wave of the attack were

going

full

on the

ball

field,

hit on the gun and killing By the time the third came, ground defenses

blast.

In addition

to the

SSgt Doyle King fired his submachine gun from under a panel truck. MSgt Olef Jensen

around the flagpole at post headquarters. Green troops under fire acted like veterans

of

and displayed

the

72d

emplacement

Bomb

Squadron

of machine

directed

guns, and one of

his crews under SSgt R. R. Mitchell credit

for

shooting

down

the

an enemy

claimed plane.

amazing

sped across the parade a machine

gun that

without

any

courage.

A corporal

ground

to help man

was entirely

protection

in the open whatsoever.

88

Chapter V -Hell

in Paradise:

Bomber Command

Above, gun emplacement (center) on parade ground at Hickam Field, with the big barracks burning in background. Serving today as headquarters of the Pacific Air Forces, this building has been known since 1948 as the Hale -Makai ("Home by the Sea" in Hawaiian).

Below, Old Glory continues to wave over Hickam Field, bearing silent witness to the brutality of the Japanese attack. This same flag later flew above the United Nations charter meeting in San Francisco, over the Big Three conference at Potsdam, and rippled above the White House on 14 August 1945 when the Japanese accepted surrender terms. It was part of a historical display at the Air Force Academy until returned for permanent display at Hickam Air Force Base in 1980.

Chapter

V -Hell

in Paradise:

Bomber

Command

89

Above, damaged post exchange at Hickam Field, looking from the parade ground and consolidated barracks; and below, complete devastation inside the big barracks at Hickam Field. (Denver D. Gray, US Army Military History Institute)

92

Chapter V -Hell

Wing L of Hickam Field's big barracks, with wrecked roof, was devastated by the attack.

inside until vehicle

Melnyk

but then

finally crawled

seat, went out the front walk away.

climbed

into the

most

driver's

shook with

door, and started driver,

he was in shock, began chasing returned injured

to the man

Brummwell

later

With

both

Brummwell Gray

him, yelling

lessen

gave up,

died of his injuries.16 Lieutenants to

He had never felt

of

rendering

during

his

aid to the wounded

the barracks

throughout

consolidated

barracks,

the

bomb

the

center eating

of

fire,"

in and around attack.

reported

The

to be the

possibility

of

explosion, The

-trained

to disperse

to

multiple

deaths

but many

who left

were killed actually

by strafing

or by

concrete-reinforced offered

the

of the big mess hall of the

first

barracks

bomb

breakfast.

splattered survivors

best

located

took

at the

a heavy

toll.

instantly

killed

35 men

Trays,

dishes,

and food

everywhere; and, the injured crawled through the rubble to

safety. More bombs hit and exploded, and the concussion killed all the Chinese cooks who

had

sought

protection

in the

freezer

room.17 Two

."His best" was good enough to win for Lieutenant Gray the Bronze Star Medal, which was awarded by the Decorations Board in Washington, DC, on 26 October 1944.

Oahu,

for what

Infantry

all personnel

fragments.

the roof The

he did

on

protection and was the most resistant to fire. However, bombs that crashed through

so inadequate.

"baptism

the

a single

the building

twice his age, which he felt

he did not have to give. N evertheless, best*

and

Lieutenant

command

from

and

building

an eternity.

ordered

barracks

Cooper

injured, the

Everyone, including airmen looked to him for guidance, his

the

Lieutenant

bombed

walls

the force of explosions

seemed like airmen

and drove

hospital.

seriously

succeeded

squadron.

ambulance,

heavily

believing

He finally

to the

to

Bomber Command

its fire-blackened, bullet-scarred Mess hall is at left.

over the

The ambulance

at him to come back.

in Paradise:

were newly

bombardier

cadets

assigned at Hickam

wore blue cadet uniforms

with

from

Texas

Field.

They

win-g insignia

Chapter

V -Hell

in Paradise:

Bomber

Command

Below, wall-to -wall debris covers the floor of the mess hall following D. Gray, US Army Military History Institute)

93

the attack.

(Denver

94

on

Chapter

their

caps

and

were

soon

to

be

V -Hell

in Paradise:

wooden

barracks

of

Bomber Command

Splinter

City.

He

commissioned as second lieutenants. When the attack began, they had no assigned

thought nothing much about it when he heard the first explosion, because he had

place

become accustomed

to report

but

felt

they

should

"do

toward

the

something,"

so they

headed

consolidated

barracks

to see if they

help. While looked

crossing the baseball

up and saw bombs falling

them; so they hit the ground,

could

field, directly

they

dynamite Navy

from

area.

barracks,

at

around

and the bombs

circling

to the sound of blasting

construction Going

he joined outside

projects

out

the

some

watching

over Pearl

men

Harbor,

sling for awhile and later received a Purple Heart. The other man was not hurt but lost

without wondered.

endangering their Upon seeing the rising

his cadet cap for which they looked high and low after the attack, because he had

wings

another

promised his Texas have the insignia

girl friend she could on it when he was

commissioned.18

practice

so close

of

seem right foreign then

Transport

Squadron

W. Christie lived

of the 19th

in the two- story

could

their

plane

standing planes

the

home

that

Navy

quarters men, he sun on the

dived

lazily

down, dropped a bomb, then pulled away in a right bank, his thought was that it didn't for

power's

When a third PFC Gabriel

How

to

the

then saw one of

them

a bomb.

of

J apanese

exploded close by. Falling debris struck and injured one cadet, who wore his arm in a

drop

in the

back

flew

personnel,

the

plane dived, over

it

Navy

to

be using

emblem in their

finally

they were actually

dropped

Hickam

Field

dawned under

a

war games. a bomb, strafing

on him

hostile

that

attack!19

Members of the Hawaiian Air Force's Headquarters Squadron, 17th Tow Target Squadron, and 23d Materiel Squadron watch Japanese high-Ievel horizontal bombers heading toward Pearl Harbor. (John W. Wilson)

Chapter V -Bell

in Paradise:

Bomber Command

In the chaos that followed,

conflicting

95

yell when they

saw an aircraft

coming.

He

stories emerged as to what happened next. Most of the 19th Squadron personnel

no sooner said that then the enemy aircraft were upon them, and "we lost several men

remembered running guns and ammunition.

because of this." however, the officer

stated

that

when

to the supply room for PFC George J. Gabik they

arrived

there,

the

in the middle

According to Christie, asked them to assemble

of the parade ground

in order

supply sergeant refused to give them anything, so they "just eased him aside with

to distribute .45- caliber ammunition which had been loaded in a small panel truck. He

a little

also asked for a volunteer

force,"

weapons pistols

broke

room,

down the door to the

and

had.

Christie,

.45-caliber

which

was all they

on the other

one of the lieutenants room

when

they

to the parade

grabbed

and ammunition,

hand,

being

got there

were issued .45- caliber

recalled

in the supply and

pistols

said

they

and the few

Thompson

submachine

guns that were avail-

able.

any

the

In

lieutenant"

event,

after

but widely

Identified

as the

differing

"the of

recollections.

squadron

lieutenant

from the University ordered

of

that became the subject

numerous was a first

actions

adjutant,

and ROTC of Hawaii,

who

do so. After lieutenant truck the curb.

ground,

to drive the truck

so Christie

offered

the ammo was distributed, told

Christie

to

stay

to the

with

the

in case he needed it and to drive it off parade

ground

There

and park

were

it

several

along other

the such

references to the lieutenant; and, regardless of which story was the most accurate, he must that

have

been quite

a prominent

day to be remembered

for

figure

his actions

by so many people in so many ways.20

graduate

he

all the troops to assemble

on the parade ground in the direct line of fire, resulting in the loss of

many

men, according First

to

some

sources.

Carlos

F. McCuiston,

on the other

hand,

unaware

the

of

Sergeant lieuten-

ant's order, told men approaching him to scatter, take whatever cover stay

was available, alive.

had he known, would the

not

to that

countermanded order.

individual

reported

lieutenant

called on

try

later

he most certainly

have

lieutenant's

together

and

He stated

the

Another that

the

everyone edge

of

the

parade ground, "made the great statement 'Men we are at war,' as if we did not already know it," posted a couple of men on the east and west sides of the parade ground, and instructed them to

Russell J. Tener (left) and his friend Bill Enos (far right), while on guard duty at this PX warehouse, escaped harm when the building was shattered from the concussion of a bomb which left a crater (partly visible in left foreground) about 20 feet in diameter and 5 feet deep. (Russell J. Tener)

96

Chapter V -Bell

As the their

Japanese

bombing

planes

and strafing

men on the parade

ground

ran

Splinter

back

toward

warehouse area,

vegetable

Christie time

by

couple during

the work

week.

momentarily

paralyzed

with

stared at the approaching then twisted

around

passed the parked

Many

City.

operated

A

PX

fruit

Christie

to stay with,

First

was as

position

he

was

him. dead,

at the

Later,

he

killed

by

had hit him in the back.21

He

blast

he had been

and leaped under

Sergeant

between

McCuiston,

the

street

from

and

his

the

19th

Squadron barracks, heard one explosion after another; and the last was a deafening

enemy planes, but that

Lewis

which

wishing

be like

that

and

a Japanese fear

so calm

his courage,

he could

that

shrapnel

Bomber Command

He looked

envied

that

found

in that

and ran for his life. truck

warehouse.

scattered.

it was a little

stand

PX

runs, most of the

was one of the buildings

and facing

instructed

commenced

in Paradise:

which

ground.

a

hoping

seemed

He jumped

to

lift

him

off

up and turned

to find better

shelter

the

to run,

before

the next

metal sink located at one end of the fruit and vegetable stand. The bomb bursts were

bomb fell. A few feet away, two dead airmen were lying face down. One had both

getting closer and closer, and the concussion from one blast caused the corner of the

legs severed at the buttocks, and his blood had soaked the ground. The other had a

building to collapse over the sink. Looking across the way, he saw that his truck had

massive head wound had passed through

been hit and was burning

temple

to just

brains

were

furiously.

Nearby,

five 55- gallon drums had been perforated shrapnel position

from

exploding

had protected

bombs,

Mangled Headquarters

truck,

lying

still Pacific

and their

him from injury.

then saw PFC James I. Lewis, his squadron,

by

a member

on his back

burning, Air

Forces

under

parked parking

horror

He of the

on

F

on the

of the moment,

notice

that

front

of his shirt

Street .

above the right lying

his own left

wounds which,

lot)

from an object which him from the left

next

to

McCuiston shirt

In the failed

parade

to

sleeve and the

were bloodstained

fortunately,

the

ear, and his

ground.

turned

ground

from

out to be

.(today's

Chapter

V -Hell

Bomber Command

in Paradise:

97

Blood- stained stretchers, awaiting the next load of casualties, of injuries suffered by Army Air Forces personnel at Hickam Army Military History Institute)

minor.

Other

squadron

members

ground

were Private

near the parade Class Gabik,

who was struck

injured First

on his left

leg

by a piece of shrapnel, and SSgt Sidney C. Howe of the radio section, whose left arm was nearly

blown off.

up both men during transported they

An ambulance

them to the base hospital,

received

a shot

of

morphine

going on to Tripler

Hospital

Shafter.

Another

19th

Sgt Jack

0.

personnel

from

Ehrke,

being wounded shrapnel the

picked

a lull in the attack

helped

the parade himself

in his back.

Distinguished

located

Squadron

back

of an ambulance

Army's duty

at

Honolulu

type-bread

wagons, trucks,

commandeered

Armstrong the

in

and everyone

Cross

pieces of

were

awarded

contact

for

making

this

coming

contact

wagons,

hand

cars-were to

augment

the

around

was "tired

wounded volunteered

aircraft,

contact

with

of getting at Hickam

trying

shells that

As they

with

upon

of the

occurred,

were

fuses on the shells, which

they needed vehicles

conceivable

milk

was scrambling down.

to

downtown

attack

to get away from the antiaircraft

every

Hickam

L. Perry

despite

private at

Fort when

first

them

was on temporary

injured

Perry of

PFC Raymond

29th Car Company

exploding

Vehicles

and rushed

carry

by several

wounded

At the parade ground, they stacked the most badly wounded on top of each other in the the hospital.

at Fort

transport

pressed into service to help load the injured.

where

member,

and

personnel to the base hospital; and all available airmen in the immediate area were

before

action.22

carts,

fleet

attest to the severity (Denver D. Gray, US

ground

He was later Service

and

ambulance

grimly Field.

using

were not they

the shot

were

ground. at"

and

to transport

to Tripler, so he quickly to go. Two military policemen

on motorcycles

escorted

their

convoy of five

98

Chapter

trucks

to Hickam

Field; and they proceeded

V -Hell

Bomber Command

in Paradise:

Harbor,

more

explosions

occurred;

then

along Hangar Avenue, past the consolidated barracks, and pulled into the area between

another plane flying in front burst into flames and fell in the water. Only then did

Hangars 9 and 13. With the help of Army Air Forces personnel, they began loading

underway.

wounded

inside,

0845,

men into

someone

their

trucks.

shouted,

again!";

and

closest

hangar

Then

"Here

everyone

took

they cover

doorwell.

demolished.

in

After

explosions and firing subsided, out and found all their trucks

at

come

Captain

Lane realize ran

quarters,

and drove

four

blocks

the

filled

with

away.

to the

about

the

of machine-gun

of exploding

their

hospital whine

was

to stay

behind

By then,

the high. pitched

planes, the chatter the roar

a real attack

to his wife

to his car parked

the

they went completely

that

He called

air

was

of diving fire, and

bombs.24

Of the 17 men they had picked

up, only three were still alive. Earlier, someone had taken a bedsheet, painted a

three

blocks

large red cross on it, and attached

built

of

it to the

top of the center truck; but all it proved be was a target for the attackers.23

to

The

moments

of the attack

hospital,

away from

reinforced

located

the flight

concrete

about

line, was

three

stories

high, with wide, tropical screened porches on three sides. In the back, and connected to

From the first

Hickam

it

with

a ramp,

was

a building

housed

medical

until the close of the day, Hickam's small new hospital, which had opened only a few

kitchen, capacity

and mess hall. The hospital had a of only 40 beds, about 25 of which

weeks before,

were occupied at the beginning of the raid. Seriously ill patients were normally sent to

was the focal point of activity

on the base. Capt Frank hospital commander, Forces flight surgeon wife,

Carmen,

housing the

only

Harbor

before

explosion.

His first

the oil storage from looked

Pearl

distance

boundary.

when

Harbor

Tripler staff

General consisted

Hospital. of

Hickam's

about

seven

hospital medical

from

He

Sunday

awoke

morning

and had just he

thought

tanks

Air his

personnel,

two sons in family

to church

dressing

an Army lived with

a short

0800 that

take his family ished

was who

and their

located

Pearl

shortly

H. Lane, the acting

department

that

heard

to fin-

a

loud

was that one of

on the hill just inland had exploded.

out the bedroom

window,

When he a cloud of

black smoke in that direction seemed to confirm his guess. He ran downstairs and out the back door, just in time to see a small plane marked

with

the rising

sun insignia

of

Japan flying slowly by, slightly above the level of the tops of the two -story houses. He could

plainly

at the time that in Hawaii plane

flew

see the pilot

and thought

a J apanese carrier

on a diplomatic toward

Ford

must be

mission. Island

As the in

Pearl

Hickam's small new 40-bed hospital received its "baptism of fire" on 7 December 1941 when its medical staff treated hundreds of casualties. (Bernard C. Tysen)

a

100

Chapter

One of the more than 200 men killed

door

under

his

own

power

with

V -Hell

on Army

in Paradise:

Bomber Command

Air Forces installations

one arm

on Oahu.

The 31st Bomb Squadron

Commander,

completely gone but waving his remaining arm in greeting, still managing to wear a big

Captain Waldron, the "fireworks"

smile on his face and make a joking

1st Lt

daughter ran into the bedroom where he and his wife were and said, "Dad, they're firing

B -17s

at Fort

The other was a young flight William

R. Schick,

arriving

in the middle

from

one of the

of the raid.

sitting on the stairs leading floor of the hospital and Lane's uniform

remark.

surgeon,

He was

to the second drew Captain

attention because of his winter (which was never worn in Hawaii)

and the insignia

of a medical

officer

on his

and, at first,

litters

on the

floor,

saying

them."

Captain

Lane told

placed

in

next

Tripler.

the

"Take

him he would

ambulance

He was, but

died

General

Schick

occupies

160 acres in the northern Iowa,

going

after

there.

the city of Clinton, in his honor.29

care of

Hospital, was later

next

pulled

on

outside, reaction

exercise

to

it!"

which limits

He

Watching

released

his

and,

by, right

at

sun on it.

He

of foggy"-and

then saw another pants,

ran

one.

downstairs,

and saw more planes. was,

"They're

here, and they

he saw their

going

a rising

was kind

for a moment,

be

arriving

to the racket

her to go on back to bed.

shook his head-"!

looked

on

told

about eye level, with

all right

casualties

He listened

he saw was an airplane

waited

to the

Kam!"*

Then, hearing more explosions, he got up and looked out the window. The first thing

lapels. He had a wound in the face but, when approached for treatment, said he was and pointed

was at his quarters when began. His six -year- old

having

an

never told us about

the planes circling "fish"

His

(big

although

overhead,

torpedoes) Pearl

being Harbor

of

named

base

*This was Fort Kamehameha, to the south of Hickam Field.

the Coast

Artillery

Chapter

V -DelI

couldn't

be seen from

loud explosions nessed a lot upward.

in Paradise:

where

Bomber

Command

he was, heard

from that direction and witof black smoke billowing

Then he realized,

"This

The Japanese are attacking

us!"

101

through that open space on his belly. One of the men running with him was hit by shrapnel, and Waldron never saw him again.

is for real!

He then

He quickly

and was there

went to the squadron when

pulled on his shirt and hat, jumped into his Buick, and headed for the line. The

bombs on the third

aircraft

barracks

were

all parked

there

ducks and, by the time fire.

were on

them

was probably

to stay.

so

wife

crossed

the

couldn't hangar

be moved. line,

planes flying

he

overhead

As he saw

the

and straf-

Waldron's

and

next

thought

was

children,

his quarters

his family

off the base.

to

that

the

place

for

was nothing

thinking

then with

by

he

about his

began

running

the idea of getting He was on foot all

this time, because his car had been hit while parked

ing people in the area.30 Captain

toward

talking

Since there

the rest were hit and damaged they

of them

After

the safest

could do there, he started

or three

room

was hit

he concluded

be

two

severely, Japanese

he arrived,

sitting

supply

wing

floor.

some of his people,

could

Only

dispersed;

like

that

near

the

flight

line.

Passing

base hospital, he saw more bombers overhead and a string

the

high -level of bombs

for his men in the barracks, so he started running in that direction, thinking maybe he

coming down, one of which looked like it had his name on it. So down he went again

should get his people out of there. Crossing through one wing of the consolidated

on his belly, beside the curb by the hospital building. A bomb missed the hospital but

barracks

trying

heard the whistling

to get

to the

second,

sound of falling

he

bombs.

He looked up through the open archways and could see the bombs coming, so he dived

landed

on

the

front

lawn,

shaking

the

ground, and shrapnel flew right over the place where he lay. He then got up, ran on down the road to his quarters,

and found

large group of women and children there.

He

went

out

into

a

gathered

the

street,

commandeered a truck, got everyone aboard, then said to the driver, "Take these women and

children

Honolulu,

to

the

hills

up

back up in the hills

behind

there.

And

God bless you.,,31 On Squadron

the

C-33 aircraft, badly

flight

personnel

line,

19th

one of which

by enemy

Transport

acted to save their

machine-gun

was riddled fire

later acquired the name "Patches." Stoddard received the Silver

so

that

it

Lt L. A. Star for

taxiing that aircraft to the safety revetment while it was being strafed. Looking out toward the flight line from the courtyard between heavily damaged Wing E (left) and Wing D of the big barracks at Hickam Field.

two

of a The

other C -33 was just out of maintenance and had no fuel in its tanks, so PFC Samuel D. Rodibaugh and some other squadron personnel pushed it across the runway to the

102

Chapter V -Hell

Hickam

Field

personnel

Hangars

11-13

and

grass area. than

Japanese

the

field.

but the dirt

making

it difficult

hit the ground

the

meantime,

headed off

had

Arthur

him

the

in

making

his

poured jacket

into

In

the

dropping pro-

was under

Lieutenant

metal

gun To

shot a helmet,

water

on

could be scooped up and small

hole gun.

in This

the

water

permitted

all the ammunition

Sergeant

Roesch later

Star for heroism

Townsend I

out of it, so that

away until

exhausted.

E.

both

they

which

War

of the machine

them to fire was

nearby

between

and machine-gun the far side of the

Sergeant

World

a funnel

the ground

crater

dug

field, where they set up their machine and commenced firing at the Japanese. hole

bomb

so they

they

After

ammunition,

bombardment and reached

cool the weapon,

a

C. Townsend

which

ceede~ across the runway, heavy strafing,

in

get some ammunition

gun, after

of

up

side,

asked 2d Lt John

out to the bunkers.

some

been

and lay motionless.

TSgt

to help

set

done this

pile was on their

a small truck,

and a machine

emplacement

came strafing

to hide behind,

just

Roesch

gun

had they

planes

A ditch

nearby,

obtained

this

Bomber Command

15-17.

No sooner

three

across

man

in Paradise:

Townsend

received

in action.32

and

the Silver

Another gun emplacement, hastily constructed in front of Hangar 5, was manned shortly after the raid by PFC Raymond Perry (left, with binoculars) and Cpl Howard Marquardt of South Dakota. A burned-out aircraft engine, sand bags, table, and debris from the attack made up the construction material for this bunker.

104

Above, smoke pours from burning aircraft and buildings at Hickam Field following the J apanese attack. Right, B -18 wreckage on the Hickam flight line. Below, broken water main on 6th Street at Hickam Field with upended car on the left and tilted lamp post on the right.

Chapter V -Hell

in Paradise:

Bomber Command

106

Chapter V -Bell

Tripler

showed

newspaper prematurely

him

a

clipping announcing

his

a mutual

aid

in Paradise:

Bomber Command

death.37 Under pact,

22

firemen

Honolulu

Fire

companies*

responded

the alarm help

rang,

at

When

when

calling

Hickam they

Hickam's

Field.

main

wave

for

reached

Kamehameha first

from

Department

gate

on

Highway,

the

of

the

attack

was over. The fire fighters saw dead, dying, and wounded everywhere;

bodies the

The Hickam gun fire.

fire station,

lying multi -

story concrete barracks off the main street was burning fiercely; an underground gas main

at the base's

and was spewing

entrance

flame

the air; and aircraft

had been hit

dozens of feet into

hangars

also ablaze. fire station the

They

reported

upon arrival

station

had

shambles.

been

One fire

outside

bombed

engine

Hickam's

were

to the Hickam

but discovered and

and a

had been driven

about 20 feet out onto the ramp, apparently trying

to respond,

and the driver steering

but it was badly

was dead, slumped

wheel.

The other

out of the station. Engines

4

and

stations)

suddenly

strafed over the

engine never got

Thus, the firemen 6

(Palama found

and

themselves

been struck crater

that was

by bombing

from Kalihi to be

.A "company" in fire department terminology was defined as a single specialized operational unit consisting of one or two pieces of apparatus and the personnel who manned the vehicle(s). Companies were designated according to their function; e.g., engine company (to supply water), ladder company (ventilation and salvage), rescue company, etc. In everyday usage, the term "company" was often deleted, so Engine Company 6, for example, was referred to simply as Engine 6. All of Honolulu's engine companies in 1941 were "two-piece companies" consisting of a pumper (or engine) and a hosewagon. Thus, Engine Company 6 consisted of Pumper 6 and Hosewagon 6.

and machine-

the only fire. fighting force available. Shortly afterward, however, Engine 1 from Honolulu's Central station on South Beretania Street arrived to assist.38

and a quarter-

mile long row of planes parked

wrecked

which no

primary

was filling

hydrants

Frederick

from

the

who

Japanese

planes

screamed

at the fire

next 15 minutes, skies

in the

form

to try

quarter

more He

to take

cover,

in all directions. rained

of on

drafting

when

For the

down from the

of whistling

bombs

screaming machine gun bullets, strafing everyone and everything That

Lt

overhead.

fighters

"hell

water,

companies

crater

appeared

and they scattered

with

was in charge

decided

bomb

had

functional.

Fire Department

the scene, had just

main

an enormous

rapidly

were

Kealoha,

the Honolulu water

water

by a bomb, leaving

and

seemingly in sight."

hour seemed to last forever,

as

the firemen tried to make themselves invisible to the Japanese. When the second wave of the attack was finally over, the fire fighters hesitantly emerged from their hiding

places and began to assess the latest

round

of

death

and

destruction.

Capt

Chapter

V -Hell

in Paradise:

Bomber

Command

107

Above, Honolulu Fire Department pumper with suction hose drawing water from bomb crater next to Hangar 7. (Denver D. Gray, US Army Military History Institute) Below, firemen battled these oil flames and numerous other fires around the base.

Chapter

V -Hell

in Paradise:

Bomber Command

dump the bombs, then returned storage area to get 300 pounders, then

loaded

into

the

A-20s.

to the ammo

109

transforming

which

they

young

The

men,

bones and

what

had

once been

man into a bloody flesh.

The

a fine

mass of shattered 58th

Bombardment

fearing more strafing attacks, worked faster than they had ever done before. When the

Squadron subsequently received orders from General Martin to search for and attack a

Japanese planes returned

J apanese carrier

with machine

guns

blazing, everyone ran for the grassy area on the other side of the field and hit the ground. A private first class who was "one

Point.

reported

At 1127, the first

twin- engine bombers

up his back, almost

Hickam

him in two and

of Barbers

four A-20As

led by

Maj William J. Holzapfel, Jr., taxied out and took off. The flight of these Douglas

of the best men on the crew" fell dead right in front of Heydt, a line of bullets running splitting

south

sight

of the morning troops.41

was the most inspiring for

the downtrodden

112

Chapter

VI

-Hell

in Paradise:

Wrecked planes on Wheeler Field flight right) tent quarters where many enlisted

line, with Hangar men were killed.

windows

set

of

buildings,

attempting

them afire. The tent area between 2 and 3 came under heavy attack.3 Around

0700 that

to

Hangars

After

2 in background

eating

breakfast

empty mess hall, time before

Fighter

Burke

church

in still

Command

and (on the

an

unusually

had some spare

so he joined

a group

of

Sunday

morning, Pvt Wilfred D. Burke, an aircraft armorer assigned to the

72d

reluctantly

Pursuit

of the tents He had boss, on the

on the hangar

been awakened

Sgt

resented

Squadron,

got out of bed in one

Forest

Wills,

being disturbed only

sleep late,

morning

line.

by his and

so early he could

even though

he had

promised to go to church Wills. A deeply religious

with man,

"Deacon" Wills had become a good friend and, as Burke put it, "was

sincerely

my spiritual observed that fellow

given

concerned

with

welfare, having I was a worthless to drinking

beer."

Splintered Harding)

building

filled

with

bags of cement.

(Joe K.

Chapter

VI -Hell

men

in

the

middle

the

open

quadrangle

of

"shooting

the

the a

flight

passed

by

to

Wheeler,

heading

Harbor.

"It's

As

to

west

Navy,"

antiaircraft

fire

fill

over

Harbor.

astonishment

soon

stark

when

terror

puffs

of

the

sky Their

turned

to

Japanese directly

began

toward

said were

almost

overhead

Pearl

they black

aircraft

of

toward

see

Pearl

they planes

the

but

surprised

area

of

the

someone;

diving

down

them.4

According

to

some

sources, the first

place hit was

the

dump

gas storage

southwest

corner

bles

such

as gas,

and lacquer

kept.

Hangar

1,

where

the

base

shops were located.

tremendous

blast

skylights to blowout clouds of smoke to upward,

Most

however, reported first bomb struck

engineering The

base,

flamma-

turpentine,

were

witnesses, that the

on the

of the

where all of Wheeler's

making

it

caused .and billow

appear

though the entire hangar lifted off its foundation. electrical, of

113

in

tent

bull."

talked,

Fighter Command

in Paradise:

the

and paint hangar

machine in the

as was The sheet metal,

shops in the front

were

damaged barracks of the 6th Pursuit Squadron, suffered heavy casualties. (Joe K. Harding)

decimated;

half

but

the

and wood shops and the tool room back

concrete

Badly which

were

block,

spared,

dividing

protected

by a

others

quickly

Sgt Mobley the

Headquarters

Group the

new

defense

when

Knowing

from other. weary night

The diving planes released their

bombs

one end of

to the

hangar.

except

still

an all-

doing

the

hangar

No one was in sight guards vigil

who

against

line

at first

had maintained possible

sabotage,

but

18th

housing the

something

Pursuit

everything and

at

explosion.

was

Kemoo

wrong,

he

at the

the bombing

as rapidly enlisted

in

first

drove to his duty station

When he arrived,

to

area

going on and "everybody

Officers

assigned

was at his quarters

he heard

that

immediately

on the scene.

crew chief Squadron,

(Interceptor),

Farms

wall.5

began arriving

L. Hall,

men

was

was there.

..

as possible." alike

were

114

Chapter

Above, Hangar I, devastated by the Japanese left. This saved many of the base engineering Below, A severely

damaged

VI

-Hell

in Paradise:

Fighter

attack, with block dividing shops from destruction.

P-36 sits in the rubble

of Hangar

1 at Wheeler.

wall

Command

visible

on

116

Chapter

VI

-Hell

in Paradise:

Fighter

Command

Above, the roar of flames in Hangar 3 was punctuated by firecracker-Iike explosions the great quantity of ammunition stored there; and below is another view of blazing in the twisted remains of Hangar 3 at Wheeler Field. (Joe K. Harding)

from fires

Chapter

VI

-Hell

in Paradise:

Fighter

Command

117

118

part

Chapter

of his head

ously wounded his abdomen fragment, conscious

knocked

soldier ripped

away.

A seri-

lay on his bunk with open by a bomb

exposing his intestines. and stared at them

He was but said

VI

-Hell

in Paradise:

men wearing

glasses,

led to this debacle. to be considered

Fighter Command

[and]

Private

arrogance

The enemy.

..was

lightly ," he thought.

the last of the Japanese off,

this

Burke

went

planes back

not When

had flown

to the flight

nothing. They carried him on a stretcher to the dispensary, where several other wounded

line

men had already lying on the

posted, giving orders to returning personnel: "Colonel says everyone on the flight line!"

attention.

been brought in and were floor awaiting medical

They

were

all

silent

and

Returning to the flight line, was just in time to hear a shouted that the Japanese were attacking the NCO housing

more

a clear

view

Burke alarm

again.

dashed toward

of

He

area once the

enemy

planes firing their machine guns at aircraft on the ramp. He could not help but be impressed

with

the skill

adversaries,

who

underestimated

by the

had

saw

They

could

the

first

An

armed

hear

the

sign

of

sentry

military had

constant

been

pop

of

exploding ammunition, which continued for two or three days. This came from Hangar

uncomplaining.8

and got

and

organization.

been portrayed

and daring were

so

Americans.

as little

3, which

along

with

the

base engineering

hangar had suffered the most damage. It held a tremendous amount of ammunition, including several million rounds of .50caliber ammo that had been taken out of the

planes

hangar

on the ramp

as another

and stored

antisabotage

in the

measure.9

of these badly "They

near- sighted

Many enlisted members of the 72d Pursuit these tent quarters along Wheeler's hangar

The immediate task at hand was to salvage whatever planes were still flyable or repairable. The operational planes were

Squadron line.

were killed

or seriously

injured

in

Chapter

VI

-Hell

in Paradise:

Fighter Command

119

Hangar row at Wheeler Field, with Hangar 3 on the right which were hit hard by the attacking Japanese. taxied

to the east end of the

mechanics

and

frantically,

checking

preparation more pilots simple

armorers

field,

where

began

to

work

them

out

in

for flight. There were than available aircraft,

system

evolved

in which

many so a

the

personnel rifle

them.

The first

the cockpit.

One pilot

not

very

running

ensued. situation

Burke

fast,

and

saw

the

and took comfort of the chaos,

line saw a large and landin,g

bomber

crossways

a fist

"cold

personnel flying

of

fight of

in knowing

he was not the only one with the middle

got

another

humor

the that

feet."

In

on the

in very low

on Wheeler's

grassy,

rectangular airfield. The plane seemed doomed to crash into the hangars, even if it got through

the obstacle

course of burning

aircraft, but it managed to spin around and pull up short. Crew members hastily scrambled out of what B -17 Flying Fortress.

but,

remains

this

huge plane with

according

our people

or tents

to

were

Burke,

notoriously

poor marksmen and I don't think any or the crew was hit by the hostile welcome."10

pilots

one arriving

accused

had greeted

fire,

"Fortunately,

ran for the planes when a call came through to scramble

and the burnt

turned out to be a Nervous Wheeler

First

Lieutenant

of the

19th

Pursuit

when

General

Teuvo ("Gus") Squadron

Davidson

went

over

welcome the tall, slender lieutenant piloted

the

California,

B .17

from

and managed

down in the midst

Ahola

was present to

who had

H amilton to bring

Field, it safely

of the Japanese

attack.

Earlier, when tbe attack began, Ahola was in bis on -base BOQ located on Lilienthal Road.

Upon hearing

a loud explosion,

fire

and

he peered out through

machine-gun

the

venetian blinds and saw a cloud of smoke over tbe western end of tbe field, tben spotted

a Japanese

Zero

overbead.

He

immediately beaded out toward tbe flight line in bis 1939 Ford covertible but ran over a Coke bottle

and got a flat

tire,

so he sped

120

Left, aircraft wreckage on the Wheeler flight line, in front of a fire- blackened H angar 3 and a virtually undamaged Hangar 4 (with radio tower on roof). In the foreground is a demolished amphibian plane. (Joe K. Harding)

Chapter

VI

-Bell

in Paradise:

Fighter

Command

122

Chapter

Above, all Harding)

Below,

that

wrecked

remained

of the

P-40Bs sit in front

lineup

VI -Hell

in Paradise:

of p- 40s on the Wheeler

of an equally

wrecked

Hangar

Fighter Command

flight

line.

3 at Wheeler

(J oe K,

Field.

Chapter

VI

-Hell

in Paradise:

Not as fortunate

Fighter

Command

was PFC Robert

R.

the

123

end of

the

pile

with

Shattuck, a switchboard operator assigned to the lSth Pursuit Group's communications

extending get back

section.

saying, "I can see'em coming

He and

breakfast

when

his buddies the

attack

were

eating

began.

They

hurriedly left the mess hall and ran down to the tents where they lived, but the first sergeant was there and told them to get out of the area since it was under heavy attack. Some stayed back the rest reported tent.

Shattuck,

to help fight fires, and to the communications accompanied

Nelson, was heading through

the tent

shrapnel.

toward

by

his duty station

area when

he was hit

One of his legs was torn

he died a short

Private

off,

by and

time later.14

beyond it. Although before he got hit,

sharing

Woodrum

bombers hiding

had spotted among

decided

his shelter.

cut lad, about-iO ,,t.

Wheeler attack.

-

of lumber,

their

dash for the barracks, feet or so away. slugs

stitched

into

a motionless

bottom

of

One was a young, crew-

others,

however,

the

was only

a

100

the crest

but was mowed down by that

moist

tumbling

and make

which

the

pile, to

chances

so they The men

One man reached

of the embankment

years old, who crawled

and others

at them.

to take

of

Woodrum

potshots

lumber

the

from out here."

the piles

began to take

site, two men

behind

cautioned to he refused,

halfway over, his body rigid, then quivering, before he flopped back on his belly and died. The rear gunners on the Japanese dive

through joined

body

He began to laugh, treating the situation as a joke, but suddenly gasped and rolled

a line Back at the construction

his upper

slope.

dirt,

their

way

sending

him

heap

Woodrum

managed

to

at

the

and

the

make

it

to

safety.15 r~~~~~

personnel inspect what remained of a building site following The new barracks stands on an embankment in background.

the 7 Decembel'

1941

!24

Chapter

The barracks and

turmoil.

around

in

the

themselves Many,

to

wide

sergeant

around

soon

and

a

down

an endless

string

things.

then used pliers

their

pockets

shouting A first into

tipped.

They

outside; road,

then

leaving

one man

of curses.

He

pass "until

however,

and

dead and wounded, including lad next to the lumber pile.

picked

up the

the crew-cut Along Santos

or GI."

the

sarge

men along

at each

you identify

had reached a point street in the officers' provided

the

redthe

designated

him to not let anybody them

When only Woodrum

three-strand

of the 03s,

the bullet

followed

and he posted

of loose

The men filled

and the magazines

spot and instructing

Medics

to peel it open

It was full

none in clips.

his face, as he

himself,

One of the mechanics the tin lid with a

and every round was a tracer,

headed back inside to take charge and start organizing

in

a can of sardines.

ammunition,

emotions-profound

by, his hands clenched

of

like

were suddenly

rage, berserk and a deathly silence.

hold

screwdriver,

weapons.

in a daze, exhibiting

of

walked

got

helping

Fighter Command

in Paradise:

this thing open!" punched a hole

dashing

room

friends

tears streaming

muttered

men

equipment

range

helplessness, behavior, or

were

supply

whose closest

dead, walked

fists,

was a scene of confusion

There

VI -Hell

as an officer was left,

they

opposite a dead- end housing area where a

barbed-wire

gate in the fence

access to Schofield

Barracks.

The

Dumont Avenue, a line of wounded men began to form in front of the dispensary,

sergeant finally introduced himself as Henderson and ordered Woodrum to stay

their

with him. "You may have showed those guys how to fire an 03 but I don't want any

arms

wrapped Bodies lawn,

in

in

slings

bloody,

or

heads

temporary

and

faces

bandages.

of the dead lay side by side on the covered

with

blankets.16

antsy

mechanic

attack]

starts

again,"

Army

staff

Bullet-riddled

around

me when

it

he said.17

car at Wheeler

Field.

[the

126

Chapter

VI

-Hell

with

in Paradise:

the rising

wings.

Fighter

sun emblem

Command

painted

on its

It hung low over his quarters,

suspended

on a string,

as if

and its machine-gun

bullets sounded like corn popping on a hot fire as they shattered the tile on the roofs of houses across the street.

The plane flew

so low that its wings seemed to almost touch the buildings. barracks

As two officers

toward

the

ran from

hangar

line,

the the

Japanese plane swooped down, shooting at them, so they ran into the newly constructed chapel. Incendiary bullets cut through roof, into the pews and the floor;

the but

miraculously, they did not burst into flame. "God, with whom nothing is impossible, had given His Divine sought sanctuary Katt

protection to those who in the chapel," Chaplain

said to himself.22 In

the

barracks

area

and

on

the

hangar line, Chaplain Katt witnessed the devastating results of the exploding bombs. Soldiers leaped out of barracks windows and Wheeler Field personnel manning 30- caliber machine gun set up behind main barracks. (Charles L. Hendrix)

a the

only

had

a

hole

hundreds

in

his

of feet

the gunner

of movie

shooting

still pictures;

coveralls. at him,

however,

film,

He

trying

to

escape

from

bombs and machine -gun bullets.

the

rain

Men eating

minutes.

A

bomb

missed

the

largest

including

and dozens of

except for the photos

here, plus a few others, everything

else was

left

the

lab

and

apparently

"disappeared," although Harding stated that he later saw several of them published with US Navy credit Chaplain

lines.21 Alvin

A. Katt, Wheeler's

post

chaplain, was lying in bed listening to the mynah birds chattering outside his window, when a series of blasts shook the building. He ran to the window and saw thick smoke billowing up from the hangar line, with flames leaping wildly under the rolling black

clouds.

Looking

of

breakfast in the mess hall were blasted from the building, wounded or dead within a few

published

at

doors,

up, he saw a plane

Wheeler Field chapel Van Valkenburgh)

in

1941.

(~ouglas

Chapter

VI

barracks

-Hell

and set a nearby

ablaze.

PX warehouse

In the tent area, men were strafed

and killed.

He saw aircraft

the incendiary models.

bullets

All

over

through

windows

wooden

buildings.

left as suddenly fires,

Fighter Command

in Paradise:

burning

as if they

the

field,

were wax

bullets

tore

cement

and

and blasted Then

from

the enemy planes

as they came, leaving

the dead, and the wounded.

127

hi~ bed said we'll

grimly,

"Those

pay 'em back.

get outa

here

Katt

his

put

wiped

All I'm waiting

and get at 'em!" hand

on the

the perspiration

devils, for is to

Chaplain

boy's

from

and saw there was little ever again

dirty

shoulder,

his forehead,

likelihood

be able to fight.

he would

Asked

raging

identify

As the

men on each side of the room, their

the dead in the morgue,

to help he found personal

chaplain headed toward the flight line, where smoke and fire poured from the

effects piled up at their feet. "It is amazing," he said later, "how unimportant

twisted steel skeletons of the hangars, one of the soldiers told him there was an injured

and useless a man's belongings seem when he is dead." Among the first bodies he

man near the theater.

They

examined

to the

Chaplain

theater,

where

been scheduled School that floor,

day, and found

piece

placed

Katt

a soldier

the leg.

of plywood

the wounded

When entered

a stretcher,

man on it, and carried

the

whose

shrapnel

were

the

stretchers, and beside

men,

words

over

He

for

and

the

of

earthly lifted

reached

spiritual certain could Field

the there.

he those

dispensary,

Schofield joined

for

that

other

One

that

he and

swimming

the waves as they

his

together,

bodysurfed

at

last the arms

him,

seeking he

had

done

in

the

all

to

hospital in

bad

he

the and

tending

been

man

was

Wheeler

went

chaplains

young

go

as he ran.

Prayer their

After

he

who

recalled to

to by

dying

life,

Barracks

wounded

bullets

down

and

their

comfort.

for

Katt

cut

repeated

In

men

catching

machine-gun u-sed

who tried

was

Kneeling

over.

stricken and

the

Lord's

minutes

friend

friend

but

by

cots

he softly

of

Chaplain

plane

his

quickly

of

wounded.

the

the

japanese

his

from

with

torn

line

looking

badly

There was a pilot to

men

men

smeared

bullets.

down

young

saw

of

bodies

and

moved

he

wreckage

their

two

Katt

dispensary,

faces

blood,

choir. get

were

the beach.24

Chaplain

human

on the

They converted into

him to the dispensary.23

the

had

to hold services and Sunday

shot through

a large

both ran over

taken

lying

on

Chaplain Alvin A. Katt (second from left) , following a memorial service he conducted for a pilot who had spun into the Pacific in a P .40 early in 1941. He and the others then boarded the plane to drop leis in the water where the pilot and his P-40 had disappeared. (Col Alvin A. Katt, USAF, Retired)

~

Chapter

0900

VI

-Hell

and

attacked

15 minutes.

only and started nine

planes,

a diving

off and

attack

also

hit

E. Decker

Signal Maintenance

Company,

by all

put

in

first

a gasoline

the

attacking

low

over

was

Silver

"One man,"

he said, "whether

brave pulled

or just stupid, ran to the vehicle, the release lever, got into the cab and

drove

the tractor

away

from

the tanker."

the

of

fixed

field. for

struck,

then

in

of

to

when

450

the when

crawled rounds

that

later

gallantry

gun

dust"

planes

They

Personnel

guns the

expended

Japanese

the

the

proceeding

"hit

planes

and

Star

at Bellows visiting friends and witnessed the gas truck's tanker burst into flames immediately.

wave

loaded

were

They

cockpit

of the 428th Aviation,

in

started.

the

and They

ammunition

the

strafed

aircraft

ammunition.

attack

shooting

They

0-47

with

three-plane

and began

Pvt Forrest

parked

of gunfire

the

directions.

aircraft

truck.

approximately

consisted

which

peeled

various

parked

with

after

formations from

for

The raid

129

Fighter Command

in Paradise:

on

rushed

received

the

action.26

the

44th

Pursuit

Squadron rushed out to disperse, fuel, and arm their twelve P-40 Warhawks, which were lined up on the edge of the runway. Only four of the squadron's officers were at

They waited for it to explode, but it never did. It had so many holes in it that it just

Bellows that morning, They wanted to

burned

immediately, despite the fact that their aircraft were not completely armed, but

itself

out.

Bellows'

ground

defense

forces fired

back at the Japanese

Springfield rifles but

rifles and Browning automatic inflicted no damage. PFC

Raymond Burt

of

grabbed

F. McBriarty the

86th

armament rear cockpit

shack,

ammunition

mounted

of their

their

and Pvt William

Observation

a gun and

with

the

squadron

L.

and three were pilots. get into the air

Lieutenant Phillips, the armament officer, insisted that all six .50. caliber guns be fully loaded

before

any aircraft

Squadron

Lt Hans C. Christiansen

from

the cockpit

the

gun in the

commander's

of his mechanic, was standing jacket

a large

of the fatally

and his crew

chief,

duck from

Japanese

planes,

them from In

in

at the feet

L. Rund, wing.

hole

who Blood

in the

life

wounded

pilot.

Rund

Joe Ray,

then

had to

under

protection

the

the strafing which

aircraft attack

for by the

seemed to come at

all directions.27 the

Whiteman

to get into

and fell

Cpl Elmer

from

As 2d

he was struck

by the lower right

out

quickly

off.

started

of his plane,

the back by enemy fire

gushed

took

meantime,

2d Lt

George

ran up to a P-40 which

A.

was still

being loaded with ammunition and told the men to get off the wing because he would fly the plane as was. He started and taxied out onto the runway, quickly This burnt- out fuel truck was a victim of the J apanese strafing attack at Bellows Field. (William E. Simshauser)

to

install

wings. was

that

the armorers the

Whiteman immediately

gun

the engine leaving so

did not have time

cowlings

back

began his takeoff spotted

by

two.

on the run and Zeros,

130

Chapter

VI

-Bell

in Paradise:

Fighter Command

Riddled by machine. gun fire, this was one of 12 P- 40s assigned to Wheeler's 44th Pursuit Squadron but deployed to Bellows Field for gunnery training at the time of the attack.

which

swooped

down on him.

He managed

to take off and get approximately 50 feet up in the air before the enemy planes opened fire, then tried to turn inside the two Zeros on his tail, but the P- 40 was too slow and unmaneuverable.

The Japanese

engine, wings, and cockpit which burst into flames.

struck

the

of his aircraft, He attempted a

belly landing on the beach, but his plane's left wing hit the sand, and a tremendous ball of fire carried

erupted.

SSgt Cosmos Manning

a large fire extinguisher

wreckage, and others rescue effort. Black the

down to the

followed in a hopeless smoke rose in a thick

column

from

crash

funeral

pyre of Lieutenant

Edward

J. Covelesky,

thrown

himself

site,

marking

Whiteman.

the SSgt

a P-40 crew chief,

had

scattered

Samuel W. Bishop, turned his plane began

his

at Bellows

was Ist Lt

who taxied into position, toward the ocean, and

takeoff

Whiteman. down after

roll

directly

behind

He saw Whiteman's plane go a burst of gunfire went right

into the cockpit. The only emotion he felt was deep rage as he got airborne, holding the trigger

down all the while,

planes swarmed around his landing gear and trying

to gain

as Japanese

him. He retracted hugged the water,

speed, but

the

Zeros

clung

tenaciously to him and shot him down in the ocean about half a mile offshore. Despite a bullet

wound

in his leg, Bishop

get out of his plane and, with keeping

when the strafing

him afloat,

Sometime

attack began. He picked himself up and ran down to the beach area, where he saw that only

pilot

managed

to

his Mae West

swam to shore.29

down on top of a sand dune

to hide in the vegetation

the

The third

trace

of

the

pieces

of

metal

ugly black patch of Fourteen years later,

P-40

was

a few

surrounding

an

smoldering sand. Sedalia AFB in

Missouri was renamed Whiteman honor of Lieutenant Whiteman.28

AFB

in

and

the

crippled

attack

the

by nine

enemy

B -17C arrived

one of the twelve in from Hamilton Robert

between

H.

at Bellows.

however,

strafing planes,

a

This was

Flying Fortresses coming Field; and its pilot, Ist Lt

Richards

Reconnaissance Squadron, in line to land at Hickam. there,

solo

of

the

38th

had been the last He never made it

for Japanese

Zeros riddled

Chapter

VI -Hell

his aircraft

in Paradise:

from nose to tail,

Fighter

Command

shot away the

ailerons, and severely wounded three crew members. Trying to lose his attackers, he sped

away

southern

at

Waimanalo fighter Earl

Bay

strip. Sutton

dispersal

throttle

though

his

wheels

flared

out

and

on the

strip,

be able

to stop,

Bellows'

short

p- 40 to

taxiing

his

him to pull

directly

the wheels over a

bordering

recalled

see that

of the

that:

flight

of

from the states, and

approaching

trailing

smoke from its right

...was

mind boggling.

landing

strip

at Bellows

an approach

downwind,

from

he

retracted

the runway a cane

field

the air strip.30

Fire trucks down

to the

and an ambulance

crash tried

area.

rushed

B -17 crew

to salvage the bombsight

so it would not fall the Japanese

The

into enemy hands should

invade

Pvt Lester

Observation

Squadron

A. Ellis

engines

was positioned on the runway, armed with Springfield rifle, and ordered to give

Our asphalt was hardly

the

ocean

we knew we were in for a

shouted aircraft

of the 86th

the island.

monster

long enough to accommodate our p- 40s, much less a B -17; and when he made

knowing

off

and into

he

down

in his

up and go around

Covelesky

and slid

a. ditch

immediately

to

down,

halfway

and crossed

bombers arriving

were

Even

touched

wouldn't

was

No one was aware

landing.

the

crew chief

Sergeant

crash

in over

toward

along

breathtaking

and roared

As he approached,

area

way, forcing again.

full

coast of Oahu,

131

warning whenever started their strafing

time he shouted a warning, cover. After the Japanese counted

73 bullet

the enemy runs. Each

everyone ran for planes left, they

holes in the B -17.31

B -17C of the 38th Reconnaissance Squadron, which had the misfortune middle of the Japanese attack and made a belly landing on the short Bellows Field.

a a

of arriving in the fighter airstrip at

~

134

Chapter

VII

-After

the Attack

moved to Hickam Field with her husband, Lt Stanley Jennings Reed, only three months

before

the

The Dependents

J apanese started Hickam, she and

Following the attack, Colonel Farthing and Colonel Flood had all women

neighbors mountains

and children evacuated from Hickam and Wheeler Fields. Some had already departed

people around

on their

and get instructions

the

own in private

comparative

Honolulu

and

other

areas.

At

speaker

blared,

women helped

children

search

found

and

to

boarded

Honolulu

the

off

the

leave.

They and

trucks

provided

by

the

committee

of

the

Disaster Council organization of

(an the

of

Honolulu

in June 1941 as a result

of increasing

concern

possibility

of

bombardment).

over the wartime

A number

evacuees moved in with the

They

Rapid buses

and County

to do.

children

Company

formed

on what

loud

all

Transit

City

they all gathered to the latest news

or already

preparing

Major official

were there, and a radio to listen

houses and

beds, outside,

evacuation

for a friend's home in the some 10 miles away. About 25

and others

the

women

under

the

of

a

"Get

Ira Southern

seeking

When

outlying

Hickam,

and

base."

automobiles,

safety

attack.

bombing and strafing her children left with

remainder

Hemenway schools

of

private

at

designated

the

public by

the

committee, homes

volunteered

at

Hawaii's

Hall,

evacuation to

~

friends;

stayed

University

of

of house

in

families them,

who

had

at

other

and

places such as plantation clubhouses Hongwanji School in Waipahu.2 A typical

military

wife

and the

affected

could clearly

hear the bombing

fires

from

buildings,

Later,

they received

planes, word that

and see the and

ships.

all evacuees

were to go to the University of Hawaii, where students helped care for the children by

events of the day was Jessie Reed, 29-yearold mother of two small children who had

and assisted with various errands. After air raid shelters were built in the housing area at Hickam,

they were allowed

to return

for

Chapter

VII

-After

the Attack

Facing page: Lts George S. Welch and Kenneth M. Taylor wearing the Distinguished Service Cross each received for his action during the 7 December 1941 attack. This page, top: Presentation of Silver Star and Purple Heart decorations on ramp in front of Hangar 3 at Wheeler Field, 3 July 1942. (W. Bruce Harlow) This page, right: Maj Charles Stewart, 86th Observation Squadron Commander at Bellows, congratulates Pvt William L. Burt and PFC Raymond F. Mc Briarty , who were awarded the Silver Star for gallantry on 7 December 1941. (John J. Lennon)

135

Chapter

VII

-After

the Attack

Japanese

Navy,

and

Imperial

Naval

Academy.

commanding midget

officer

sub;

Inagaki,*

and

a graduate He

distressed

being captured said that

of

the

feet

was

the

torpedoes, horsepower

and was powered by one 600electric motor supported by 224

short-Iived

batteries

and navigator his

shipmate,

was the engineer.

greatly

143

over

of the Kiyoshi

Sakamaki

the

"disgrace"

and begged to be killed.

he wished

to commit

suicide

capability,

which

operating

range.

He and

of landing

had remained

on the

7 December Japan cially

to

mouth

of

information

themselves

Ensign

Sakamaki

sent

back

was the first

to

Japan.

prisoner

of

war captured by the United States in World War II and became known as POW No. 1.26

The midget submarine, Japan's latest "secret weapon," measured approximately 81

two

18. inch

with no self-recharging

resulted The

in a very limited

five

1941 attack Hawaii

modified

loose

be

carried

involved

in the

were hauled

from

piggyback

"mother"

aboard

submarines.

plan was to edge as close as possible

Japanese Navy. Now that he had been disgraced, he did not want his name or ship to

feet,

of

shore because the possibility

good his escape and rejoining

6

was

had not done so at the time of making

by

Pearl

on the

Harbor,

sneak into the harbor

the

at night,

so as to travel

around Ford Island missed in the aerial Fleet.

cut

eve of ,'x- Day ,"

Meanwhile,

speThe to the

midgets

have

them

and position

a circular

route

and damage any ships assault against the US the mother

subs would lie

outside the harbor to attack any ships in flight, then later retrieve their pups at a rendezvous southwest

of

point about the island of

seven Lanai.

made it back,

however.

depth-charged,

and sunk outside

miles None

One was shelled, the harbor

144

Chapter

~ 1

VII

-After

the Attack

.. '

-C" ,

/

\~.-P...t'--

.:,,-..!.

BASIC

l.o

PERSONNEL

RECORD

,...

ERImRlim~ "

rr'

~ ;.' ~I

pp.I3Cr~

/ .I ..~'7"GI..n r , Name O

-.I."{.T '&:r"..rp .;)",~r..

Middle

r.:;r -;.ill

I.::::-J-iiJ-l-;..rr S..ri.1 Nllm~r

NRm.

--,

..L~J.~

SlwnAtu~

, '

~~~.~.

..~~

~.;. .~.~:L?::~~:~.~.

.:~.!:~~~~.1?'.~

Ji?.p.:lncs.e

.Cg...G..~..Z9.8th...I1u

... Nationality

~l.
.tlo5tile

Service:

.O5-~Q.

Hom. Person

to

g~

~...~.
..;-~~.~

be

notified

-.6-tl1-.D.f}-c.

~r»b

.er

in

~~

Ct:'.pturing

Time ..l9

~aAd ,. pia". ..S.eUQi"f:? ot

Add.-

~

.-~i

~ld

Uni

t

,. ...Haj~~s.ii.

\.'apt ure

emergency:

.:0.c::.J:~~ .~ : N.m@

Dependents:

A..."tinll

rlaval

~;.C?~. ~f~~..

.t.~?:Yj:.

..l;).~pa.~~

:~. Addreea

Name

Se~

Relatlon"hip

Age

Addre!ls

None

~~~...~~~.:.~:s:~.:

00000000000.000000

~~~.~.~.~...~~~.~...~~y~...<;>r

0-.0-0-0-000.000-00

00

Japanese; some Chinese .000.-000.000000000-0-00.0000000000 00

.I.f.~~~?:.:.L:.~!. ~.~.~.~

00

r~av~l

0--0-.

Lan".~Spok~

PHYSICAL Age..~..

Datc

Weight Helght

61t°lto lJ.l.

\', :.;".~Scar.q and Marks ~c. ~ ;;,!.-.~.. ch. e". ,,-. .., ,,;.:.:!.~;~ --,.~.. .~.. .l

Graduate

0£ Japanese

Naval A.eaoEie~.,.

&Iucatlnn

DESCRIPTION

of Birth..~'l..~.C?'!':~0...

Halashi,Jacan Place of Birth

Officer Prof-ion

1917 .1'.Q.~.~~,.K~9.j Yellow Comp Eyes.Br.aym.

Sex...~.~. .Black t:.Q~..Qf

BuildSt.Qc~... HaIr ,

Tbr~.e..burn..Bcara..unde

.."

t . ' ~... .;.~."..~f.A..

. .~

;*~!

Basic Personnel

Record

for Prisoner

of War Kazoo

Sakamaki

(POW No.1)

-..~.r~.::-

"

Chapter

VII

by the

uss

attack;

-After

Ward an hour

a second

harbor

after

was

firing

Sf. Louis without to enter Pearl sunk

the Attack.

by the

before

sunk

its torpedoes result;

Harbor

the

air

outside

the

at the USS

the third

managed

but was rammed

USS Monaghan;

was presumed

145

effect.

and

and a fourth

to have been sunk in the heat

of battle.27 Sakamaki's bombed

by two the

finally

drifted reef

morning arrived

midget

sub, which

gyrocompass,

reef coral

By then,

off

had

destroyers,

Pearl

east until Bellows

on 8 December, at Bellows

then

recommended

the

sub be freed

twice

Harbor

had an

been depthstruck

entrance,

gallon

drums

it lodged

Field.

a

on the

About

mid-

some Navy officers

to look at the submarine, to their from

the

superiors reef

by

as flotation

anchored

that dive

out

swimming

and other

however,

it

was

maintenance.

and

it was about

noon.

The

86th Observation Squadron had a huge raft, constructed of heavy lumber with empty 50 usually

inoperative at

bombing around it. So, a little later, a Navy plane flew over and dropped a few bombs in the vicinity of the submarine, with no visible

squadron helped

donned

up

fastened

nose area, then

the

on

the

after

was

reef

for

That

day,

shore

everyone

swimming

the raft,

a steel cable to it. reef,

by

which

activities.

Practically

launch

gear,

trunks first

for

in the and

affixing

They pushed it out to the

the cable to the submarine's attached

the other

the long cable to a huge bulldozer construction work at Bellows. then reeled in the cable

end of used for

The bulldozer on the drum

Group portrait, painted on silk by an unknown J apanese artist, of the nine midget submariners killed during the 7 December 1941 attack. Conspicuously absent is Ensign Kazuo Sakamaki, who was captured and became POW No.1 after his midget sub grounded on the reef at Bellows.

146

Chapter

VII

-After

the Attack

Closeup view of the Japanese midget sub which was dragged to shore by a huge bulldozer at Bellows. Among the articles found in the sub were dried fish, apples, canned goods, American pencils, and one bottle labeled "Wilkens family ."

attached

to it and just

sub right beach.

off

Shortly

intelligence with

the

dragged

reef

unit

from

temporary shipped hauled

arrived

patriotic

before

to

buy

War

and

Bonds

none of Japan's

Infamy ," helped

but raise

America's

being

astonished people, press coverage, and citizens

any

damage

on

the

one pathetic millions

"Day

little of

of

survivor

dollars

for

war effort.28

for

to the mainland. There it was all across America, where it

motivated Ironically,

the

inflicted

and hauled

refurbished

in Hawaii

attracted crowds of received sensationalized children

onto

Harbor

trailer

It was later

display

up

a Navy technical

Pearl

an 18- wheel flatbed

away the sub.

and

afterward,

the midget

school

So it was that Waimanalo only

little

had the honor

the first

prisoner

Bellows

Field

of capturing

of war

for

in not

America

but also the first "prize" of war. This, after a long day of tragedy, confusion, loss of life, and despair,

and

Stamps.

and hope.

secret

weapons

road back.

provided

a glimmer

It was the first

of optimism

step on the long