A Date Which Shall Live in Infamy

Diamond Head, Oahu
(Source)

"You kids don't wander off, as soon as your father goes off to work, we need to get ready for church." Mrs. Halverson wasn't as strict as some parents, she liked to have her sons get out in the fresh air as often as they could. Being assigned to Hawaii made that easy. The boys liked to ride their bikes down to the harbor and look across the water towards Ford Island.

They both liked watching the ships, but Teddy, the younger of the brothers, especially liked watching the military aircraft flying over. The got to see both Navy and Army planes on a good day. They didn't expect to see much on a Sunday morning, when most of the fleet and the Army were taking it easy. Christmas wasn't far away and the two brothers were pretty excited about that as well.

"So Will, d'ya think Dad's gonna get that new assignment?" Teddy was the younger of the two boys but he seemed to take more of an interest in his father's Navy career than his father did.

"I dunno Teddy, don't ya like the battleships? I mean they're the real deal, they're the best ships in the Navy!" Will was something of a traditionalist you could say.

"Nah, they're okay. But Tommy Childress' Dad is a pilot on the Enterprise, he says that the carriers are the wave of the future!"

"Are not!"

"Are too!"

With a laugh the two boys began to make the turn to head back home. They'd ride out to the sparkling waters of the harbor again this afternoon, if their Mom let them. Just then they heard the roar of a military aircraft engine which seemed to come suddenly out of nowhere. Both boys looked up as the aircraft flashed overhead.

Japanese A6M Mitsubishi Zero
(Source)

"Whoa Teddy! What was that? Doesn't look like one of ours!" Will exclaimed.

Teddy thought for just a second, then he blurted out, "That's a Jap!"

As he said that, both boys heard the crump of explosions in the distance, towards the harbor.

"C'mon Teddy, we gotta get home!"

Lt (jg) Bob Halverson looked at the man driving, one of his best friends, Lt (jg) Herb Wilson. "Did you see that Herb? That wasn't one of ours was it?"

Wilson tensed up and started to drive faster, "We need to get out to the ship ASAP, Bob. I don't like this, I don't like this at all..."

As they drove down the road next to the East Loch, Halverson could see darting shapes flying over the fleet anchorage. Then he saw the bright blossom of an explosion followed by billowing smoke from one of the ships on Battleship Row.

"Jesus Herb, we're being attacked!"

Halverson then noticed that Wilson was looking from his rear view mirror and then to the front very quickly. Then he yelled, "Hold on Bob!"

The car made an abrupt left turn onto a side street, it nearly went up on two wheels as it did so, Wilson then slammed the brakes on and backed up rapidly behind a building.

"What the Hell Herb..."

Halverson saw the Japanese aircraft flash by, then the pilot began a hard pull to bring his fighter around for another pass.

"Is that bastard strafing us?" Halverson couldn't believe his eyes.

Wilson jumped from the car and yelled, "Follow me Bob!!"

Halverson jumped from the car just in time. As he dove for the safety of a nearby drainage ditch he heard glass shattering. He turned in time to see Wilson's car settle onto the ground as the enemy aircraft had blown out all four tires plus the windshield.

"Dammit, I just bought that car!"

U.S. Losses:

4 battleships sunk

4 battleships damaged

1 ex-battleship sunk

1 harbor tug sunk

3 cruisers damaged

3 destroyers damaged

3 other ships damaged

188 aircraft destroyed

159 aircraft damaged

2,335 killed

1,143 wounded

Civilian Losses:

68 killed

35 wounded

3 aircraft shot down

Never forget...