Hawaii under attack! (12-7-41)

0855 CONYNGHAM Fired at plane straffing ahead and astern.
0855-1017 Underway from Buoy D-3 Middle Loch RAMSEY, BREESE, GAM-
     BLE, and MONTGOMERY. Opened fire with AA.
0855 MUGFORD NEVADA underway. Dense smoke over Ford Island. A
     tanker was towed clear of Ford Island.
0855 PRUITT Observed about 10 planes made high altitude horizontal bomb-
     ing.
0855 WHITNEY Observed second air attack by Japanese bombing planes.
0855 USS RALPH TALBOT Was moored bow to southward to buoy X-11 with
     PATTERSON to port and HENLEY to starboard.
0855 RAMSAY Underway proceeding out of harbor. Believe RAMSAY is 
     responsible for shooting down plane with .50 cal. Assumed anti-sub-
     marine patrol on clearing channel.
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0857 
CTF 9 To all ships: Enemy submarine in North Channel.
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0859 
     UNKNOWN To Cincpac: Ten aircraft approaching Pearl Harbor
     from Southwest.
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0900 TRACY Reports high altitude bombers passed overhead in several waves.
     One bomb fell in slip between stern of RIGEL and CUMMINGS at
     Berth 15.
0900 MUGFORD Attack started again from the South. Army planes taking 
     off from HICKAM FIELD. 
0900 RIGEL Executive Officer returned on board. Traffic congestion delayed 
     all hands. The one exception to all hands was Lt. H. E. Morgan who 
     did not return until 0800 next morning. Lt. Morgan's behavior is being 
     investigated. 
0900 SICARD Observed dive bombers from S. E. attack ships moored to Navy 
     Yard docks, followed by waves of dive and horizontal bombers on ships 
     at Ford Island and docks. 
0900 OGLALA Approaching 40' list to port. Ordered all hands abandon ship. 
     Only gun crews and Cominbatfor remained.
0900 PHOENIX Formation of 11 planes passed over fleet on heading 070. Ap-
     proximate altitude l0,000 feet. Planes appeared to be painted silver,
     Expended fifty rounds of 5". No apparent damage to planes.
     There were two flights of this nature. Time of second cannot be
     approximated. Expended fifty rounds of 5".
0900 HONOLULU Enemy bomber sighted flying directly towards this ship 
     from direction Merry Point with an altitude of 1,000 feet. Was seen to 
     swerve to its left, pass over the Navy Yard, smoking, losing altitude 
     and appeared to crash near Naval Hospital. This plane was under the 
     fire of several ships. Including the port 5" and machine gun batteries of 
     the HONOLULU. Damage to enemy observed, one torpedo plane shot down be-
     tween berth 21, Submarine Base, one torpedo plane shot down between berth 
     21 BB. (Note: Damage listed above is at unknown times.) 
0900 TAUTOG Observed planes approaching in direction Hickam Field high
     in southwest and mostly obscured by clouds. App. 18 planes turned
     left over Hickam Field and made dive bombing attacks on ships in
     yard. Dive appeared slow and bombs released were very low. One
     plane observed out of control in flames. Scattered enemy planes ob-
     served until 1130. Most dive bombers appeared to drop two bombs
     each.
0900 CALIFORNIA One bomb, possibly 15" projectile with tale vanes,
     struck CALIFORNIA abreast casemate one, frame 59, penetrated to
     second deck and exploded rupturing forward and after bulkheads of
     A-611 and overhead into A-705. Armored hatch to machine shop badly
     sprung and couldn't be closed, resulting in serious fire.
0900 BREESE Projectile from BREESE 3" AA battery struck dive bomber
     which had just attacked CURTISS. Forward section of plane with
     motor landed on North side of Waipio Peninsula.
0900 RALPH TALBOT Underway. While en route to entrance expended 150
     rounds 5"/38 cal. and 1500 rounds .50 cal. Observed two planes crash
     and another start to smoke badly. Two enemy planes dove low over
     bridge and was hit by our .50 cal. machine guns. Plane crashed along
     shore Pearl City abeam of us. Used after 5" guns to fire on plane at-
     tacking CURTISS.
0900 DEWEY Second wave attack started by light bombers lasting 10 minutes 
     under fire by DEWEY throughout attack. 
0900 PATTERSON Underway and stood out of harbor. No damage sustained 
     by PATTERSON.
0900 SOLACE Ship underway and shifted from Berth X4 to Berth X13. No 
     material or personnel damage to ship proper. 
0900 BOBOLINK Observed suspicious sign of Japanese submarine and sig-
     nalled to destroyers, but signal apparently not seen. 
0900 BOBOLINK Observed three flights of high altitude bombers approaching
     from due south to north. 7 planes in each flight, altitude about 17,000 
     feet. One flight dropped bombs on Hickam, second flight passed directly 
     over coal docks and dropped bombs further up in yard; third flight 
     passed over West Loch, one plane dropping bombs near entrance while 
     others maintained course and dropped them beyond Ford Island. 
0900 RALEIGH Dive bomber attack came in which was met with warm re-
     ception. One bomb hit ship a glancing blow going through carpenter
     shop and oil tank, piercing the skin below water line and finally de-
     tonating on bottom of harbor. Plane machine gunned ship also. Steam
     raised in 3 and 4 firerooms and pumps started. Five bombing planes
     under fire were observed to crash close aboard.
0900 HONOLULU 5 high altitude bombers 12 to 15,000 feet appeared. 5 high
     altitude bombers from South, 12 to 15,000 feet. All bombed Pearl Har-
     bor and Ford Island Area.
0900 RIGEL 15 dive bombers 6 to 10 thousand feet from N. attacked DDs and
     NEVADA.
0900 SOLACE Got underway and shifted from berth X-4, near DOB-
     BIN and destroyers to berth X-13 in the clear. Made boat trips to WEST
     VIRGINIA to bring back casualties.
0900 DOBBIN Fired upon enemy plane headed astern of ship. Plane crashed 
     upon trees in Navy Yard. 
0900 OGLALA Capsized alongside 10-10 dock.
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0900 — 0915 
     PHOENIX Dive bombing attack on ships berth northern side of 
     Ford Island. Attack was made at about 30  angle, opposed with AA and 
     MG batteries. Expended 20 rounds of 5". One plane disintegrated by 
     DD fire. 

0900 — 0930 
     PHOENIX Effected periodic fire on planes delivering low-level 
     bombing attack on navy yard and ships berth there.
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0901 CUMMINGS Observed twelve scattered planes over Ford Island; air raid 
     resumed. Opened fire with main battery on horizontal bombers approach-
     ing over Navy Yard industrial section. 

0902 MUGFORD Formation of planes sighted to South. Decks of ARIZONA 
     and W. VA. level with water. Dense smoke pouring from NEVADA.
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0903 DOLPHIN Reports another attack from higher altitude. 
0903 Outgoing To MIDWAY: Pearl Harbor bombed no indication direction 
     attack take off attempt locate Japanese Forces. 
0903 Outgoing To WAKE: Pearl bombed by Japanese be on alert.
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0905 CURTISS Obs. 1 of 3 planes pulling out of dive was hit by 
     CURTISS and crashed into #1 crane. Tank exploded and plane burned 
     on Boat Deck. 
0905 SUMNER Fired on wave of dive bombers approaching Navy Yard. Dive 
     bombers also attacked HICKAM FIELD and BB. No hits, when firing. 
     On latter planes. Observed light dive bomber with conspicuous red tail 
     zig-zag over Navy Yard as if observing casualties at end of phase. 
0905 TRACY Attack by approximately 10 dive bombers from direction of the 
     sun, which indicated drydock as objective. Group of 6, 3, and 9 planes 
     observed at altitude of 8 to 10,000 feet. Bomb seen to fall between 
     berths 13 and 15 in slip. TRACY gig damaged by fragmentation; no 
     casualties. 
0905 PREBLE Observed about 30 dive bombers make second attack in twin-
     motored monoplanes. Observed one bomb fall in slip 25 yards on star-
     board quarter. Observed a bomb fall astern of HONOLULU in berth 
     B-21. Observed numerous bombs fall in vicinity of drydock area. 
0905 WHITNEY Observed one Japanese plane fall down in flames on hilltop, 
     bearing northeast, true.
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0906 PENNSYLVANIA The second attack coming in slightly on port bow 
     dropped bombs on ships in drydock. One heavy bomb hit the destroyer 
     DOWNES in dock ahead of PENNSYLVANIA, and one hit dock approxi-
     mately abreast frame 20 while one hit the boat deck of the PENNSYL
     VANIA a few feet abaft gun #7. This bomb passed through boat deck
     and detonated in #5 gun #9 casemate. Fifth bomb believed to have
     struck water outside of dock. Observed plane crash in hospital grounds
     Observers claim to have destroyed six enemy planes. Consider two hit
     by PENNSYLVANIA.
0906 MUGFORD Japanese planes diving on Ford Island from south-
     east. NEVADA standing down south channel.
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0907 PRUITT Observed straffing and light bombing attack, plus heavy hori-
     zontal bombing attack from about 10,000 feet made on ships and Ford 
     Island. One bomb hit close to stern of RIGEL. 
0907 PENNSYLVANIA Bomb hit on dock and cut yard power, subsequently 
     power on the ship was taken from storage batteries, meanwhile, firemain 
     pressure cut off. 
0907 OUTGOING ALL HANDS: Cease firing on B-17's attempting to land at 
     Hickam.
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0908 CONYNGHAM Reports one plane attacking on starboard bow shot down 
     by nest and crashed in Pearl City. 
0908 Com 14 to ASP Do not fire on our planes coming in. 
0908 NEVADA Attack slackened. 

0909 MUGFORD Bomb dropped some 400 yards on MUGFORD port bow. 
     Ship in repair basin hit.
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0910 PERRY Mine Division FOUR underway at intervals and stood 
     out to take off shore patrol duty. 
0910 SecNav to Alnav Execute WPL FORTY SIX against Japan. 
0910 Dive bombers attacked ships at Pier 19; bombs fell in water ahead and 
     astern within 2.5 yds. of CUMMINGS. 
0910 DOBBIN Attacked by 3 enemy planes. 3 bombs dropped all near misses. 
     Fragments struck stern of ship injuring #4 3" AA gun crew. 3 killed, 
     2 injured. Damage. Small holes through decks, bulkheads, booms, #1
     MWB hull damaged beyond repair.
0910 BLUE Passed channel entrance buoys, and set course 120 true.: Pro-
     ceeded to sector three to patrol station.
0910 RIGEL 10 to 12 dive bombers from S. attacked ships in Repair Basin
     with bombs and mach. guns.
0910 PHOENIX Second bombing attack on BB. Expended sixty rounds of 5". 
     After planes came out of dive and turned towards berth C-6, planes 
     were brought under fire of MG battery. 
0910 VESTAL Anchored in 35' of water. Soundings and draft readings 
     showed ship settling at and listing to stbd. Draft aft increased to 27'
     list 6 1/2 . C O. VESTAL decided to ground ship.
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0912 CURTISS Reports group of planes under heavy fire attacked.
     During attack one bomb hit stern mooring buoy. 1 fell short, one over
     one hit ship starboard side of boat deck, passed through Carpenter Shop
     and Radio Repair Shop, entered Hangar and detonated on Main Deck.
     Explosion destroyed bulk heads, deck. etc., within radius of 30 feet.
     Equipment destroyed in Hangar. Handling Room etc. One plane shot
     down 1000 yards on port bow and l 500 yards on port beam. Another
     plane shot on port beam landing in water off Pan-Air dock. One plane
     reported crashed in cane field astern and one forward of ship.
0910 CONYNGHAM Opened fire on horizontal bombers approaching
     from ahead and from direction of Schofield.
0910 THORNTON Second wave dive bombing attack commenced and ended at 
     0917. Throughout the entire period there was horizontal bombing in 
     various Pearl Harbor areas.
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0911 
MUGFORD Horizontal Japanese bombers passed overhead.
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0912 PYRO Observed dive bombers approach from port bow, altitude 5,000 
     feet and release bombs. Bombs landed on concrete dock 12' from ship's 
     side amidships. Penetrated dock exploding underneath and jarring ship. 
0912 MUGFORD Heavy black smoke coming from SHAW in floating drydock.
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0913 MUGFORD NEVADA stopped south side of south channel. 
0913 PREBLE Attack completed. No damage. No casualties sustained by
     this ship.
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0915 Large explosion on DOWNES. 
0915 HELM Small enemy fighter approached ship from astern in
     medium glide and dropped two bombs, which exploded in water about
     50 yards off port bow and 20 yards of starboard bow. After machine
     guns opened fire but did not hit plane. Shock shorted relay to steering
     (which had just been repaired) and damaged gyro rotor. Choke coils
     tubes and resistors in sound gear burned out, echo ranging inoperative.
     Seams below waterline on starboard side forward sprung. A-15, A-301
     A-401, and A 402 flooded. These compartments closed off and pumped
     out during afternoon. FS smoke generators jumped track, breaking air
     line connection.
0915 Captain Bunkley returned to CALIFORNIA and assumed command. 
0915 NEVADA 5" A. A. battery fired on enemy planes to eastward. NEVADA 
     suffered at least 6 bomb hits and one torpedo hit. 
0915 MUGFORD Thick black smoke coming from drydock. 
0915 TRACY Commanding Officer returned aboard and found 2 .50 cal. mach.
     guns mounted and ready. 2 dive bombers attacked out of the sun. 1
     plane pulling out over sub base and flying low over building 155 crashed
     in flames in vicinity of hospital point after salvo by CUMMINGS. Plane
     appeared to be a type 95 dive bomber, planes appeared to be at about
     3,000 feet to seaward of Hickam, were 18 planes in formation type V.
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0917 PRUITT Observed low flying pursuit planes strafing with ma-
     chine gun fire on ships moored in the vicinity of Berth 18. Observers on
     this ship believe many high altitude horizontal bombs either failed to
     explode or landed outside the harbor area where they could not be ob-
     served. An indeterminate number of fighters took part in the raid, with
     approximately 30 bombers. Approaches were made on a steady course
     and all horizontal bombing was made in close formation at about 10,000
     feet. The four cruisers and light minelayers in the Navy Yard were
     straffed several times by low flying planes but not a single bomb 
     appeared to have been aimed at those ships. Small caliber fire of 
     minelayers brought down one Japanese plane.
0917 BREESE Cleared nest and proceeded down channel.
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0920 CUMMINGS fired on a light bomber. Plane observed smoking heavily as 
     it flew out of sight to southwestward. 
0920 HONOLULU Observed low winged dive bombers from South to Southeast, 
     400 feet pullout. Two bombers bombed industrial and drydock areas. 
     One bomb, (clearly visible on its descent, 250 lbs.), passed through edge 
     of concrete dock, angle of descent 45, and exploded underwater between 
     ship and dock. 
0920 Damage to HONOLULU: Oil tanks various, decks bulged in magazines, 
     various leaks sprung and decks slightly buckled, power lease to turret 
     #2 grounded, turret #1 partially grounded, mercury thrown out of 
     gyros, fore and aft, rangefinders, main battery deranged fore and aft. 
0920 More Japanese planes from northwest. 
0920 CONYNGHAM Opened fire on plane diving from port side of nest. No 
     personnel or material damage. 
0920 PENNSYLVANIA Flooding of drydock commenced. Both destroyers 
     heavily on fire. Fire being transmitted to fire on water and dock which 
     set fire to paint on starboard side of PENNSYLVANIA. No hose avail-
     able for fighting fire on DOWNES, Available hose being used on CASSIN.
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0921 Outgoing ALL HANDS: Reported that enemy ships have red dot on bottom 
     of fuselage. 
0921 Outgoing COMBATFOR: To ALL SHIPS PRESENT: Get underway im-
     mediately.
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