Pearl Harbor History

First wave of attack on Pearl Harbor

The Japanese assault on Pearl Harbor, which took place 70 years ago on 7 December 1941, catapulted America into the Second World War. Altogether, 2,390 Americans lost their lives in the attack. Twelve ships sank or were beached, and nine were damaged. The US lost 164 aircraft. On the Japanese side, 64 people died, five ships sank, and 29 planes were destroyed.

*Warning: Some viewers may find these images disturbing.* More

The front page of the “New York World Telegram”, with the headline, “1500 dead in Hawaii”, referring to the Japanese air attack at Pearl Harbour (Pearl Harbor) on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. 8th December 1941. (Photo by Express/Express/Getty Images)

Royalty Free Pictures of Attack on Peral Harbor, December 7, 1941.

80-G-387566: Pearl Harbor Attack, 7 December 1941. Aerial view of "Battleship Row" moorings on the southern side of Ford Island, 10 December 1941, showing damage from the Japanese raid three days earlier. Shown are: USS Oklahoma (BB-37), capsized; USS Tennessee (BB-43), lightly damaged, with the sunken USS West Virginia (BB-48). Note dark oil streaks on the harbor surface, originating from the sunken battleships. Photographed by VJ-1 at an altitude of 3,000 feet and released November 9…

The USS Tennessee was berthed in Battleship Row on the south side of Ford Island, when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. She was in a nested pair with the USS West Virginia and since she was moored inboard, she was protected from the torpedo attack. To her stern was the USS Arizona, and the USS Maryland was just ahead of her, berthed inside to the USS Oklahoma. According to the action report, at about 7:55 AM, Japanese planes were seen dropping bombs on Ford Island.

Bryant Neal embarks on a new chapter in his long career: he’s telling the story of Hawaii at his new exhibit space in Maalaea.

The Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in an attempt to preemptively destroy the U.S. Pacific Fleet. The attack on Pearl Harbor was a...

USS Maryland (left) still afloat. USS West Virginia (center) beginning to sink. USS Oklahoma (right) capsized

Tips on visiting the USS Arizona Memorial and the other Pearl Harbor Historic Sites.

DEDICATED TO THE ETERNAL MEMORY OF OUR GALLANT SHIPMATES IN THE USS ARIZONA WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN ACTION 7 DECEMBER 1941 "From today on the USS Arizona will again fly our country's flag just as proudly as she did on the morning of 7 December 1941. I am sure the ARIZONA'S crew will know and appreciate what we are doing." Admiral A.W. Radford, USN 7 March 1950 MAY GOD MAKE HIS FACE TO SHINE UPON THEM AND GRANT THEM PEACE.