Pearl Harbor
“Pearl Harbor”
By
Michele Rhoney
November 7, 1941, “A day which will live in Infamy”, as stated by Franklin D. Roosevelt. There are many conspiracy theories, in which people believe Roosevelt knew of the planned attack on Pearl Harbor. The U.S. was caught off guard by the attack and did not have proper intelligence to be able to retaliate on the Japanese. Survivors of the attack on Pearl Harbor, all shared one similar part of their story, security measures were taken down the day before the attack and all the ammunition was locked away making it extremely difficult to fire back. The Japanese fleet sailed south at the end of November, undetected across the Pacific Ocean to begin the attack on Pearl Harbor around 8 am on December 7, 1941. Most of the military men were sleeping and awoke to loud blasts and planes flying overhead. Many of the battleships were hit with torpedoes. The Japanese made torpedoes that could sustain the shallow waters in the Harbor and instead hit the ships. The USS Arizona was hit by two torpedoes and sang with over 1,500 men aboard, they were trapped inside the ship and died aboard the ship they called home. The USS Oklahoma capsized drowning the men who were trapped inside. Hundreds of men jumped into the oil filled waters and attempted to save their fellow soldiers in the water, before saving themselves. The Japanese forces consisted of 353 aircraft from 4 carriers. Included were 40 torpedo plans, 103 level bombers, 131 dive-bombers, and 79 fighters, two heavy cruisers, 35 submarines, two light cruisers, nine oilers, two battleships, and 11 destroyers. The three US aircraft carriers were not in Pearl Harbor the day of the attack, this made Admiral Yamamoto fearful that the US would be able to recover and fight back quickly. The casualties of the US military consisted of 3,581 men killed or wounded. Half of these men were aboard the Arizona. Aircraft damaged at Pearl Harbor were totaled to
By
Michele Rhoney
November 7, 1941, “A day which will live in Infamy”, as stated by Franklin D. Roosevelt. There are many conspiracy theories, in which people believe Roosevelt knew of the planned attack on Pearl Harbor. The U.S. was caught off guard by the attack and did not have proper intelligence to be able to retaliate on the Japanese. Survivors of the attack on Pearl Harbor, all shared one similar part of their story, security measures were taken down the day before the attack and all the ammunition was locked away making it extremely difficult to fire back. The Japanese fleet sailed south at the end of November, undetected across the Pacific Ocean to begin the attack on Pearl Harbor around 8 am on December 7, 1941. Most of the military men were sleeping and awoke to loud blasts and planes flying overhead. Many of the battleships were hit with torpedoes. The Japanese made torpedoes that could sustain the shallow waters in the Harbor and instead hit the ships. The USS Arizona was hit by two torpedoes and sang with over 1,500 men aboard, they were trapped inside the ship and died aboard the ship they called home. The USS Oklahoma capsized drowning the men who were trapped inside. Hundreds of men jumped into the oil filled waters and attempted to save their fellow soldiers in the water, before saving themselves. The Japanese forces consisted of 353 aircraft from 4 carriers. Included were 40 torpedo plans, 103 level bombers, 131 dive-bombers, and 79 fighters, two heavy cruisers, 35 submarines, two light cruisers, nine oilers, two battleships, and 11 destroyers. The three US aircraft carriers were not in Pearl Harbor the day of the attack, this made Admiral Yamamoto fearful that the US would be able to recover and fight back quickly. The casualties of the US military consisted of 3,581 men killed or wounded. Half of these men were aboard the Arizona. Aircraft damaged at Pearl Harbor were totaled to
Cited: www.nationalww2museum.org www.nps.gov/nr/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/18arizona/18facts1.htm www.nationalmuseum.af.mil www.archives.gov www.pacificwar.org “This is No Drill” Living Memories of the Attack of Pearl Harbor, Written by Henry Berry, 1992.