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Call to Battle
Call to Battle December 7, 1941
The Japanese strike force 0500 hours – 0605 hours
At 0430 hours, with the entire First Wave in the air, the crews of the Japanese carriers hurriedly bring up the remainder of the Second Wave strike force that was not already spotted on decks. Continued heavy seas causes delays, so the planned launch does not finally begin until 0515, which is 15 minutes later than anticipated. However by 0530 all of the Second Wave planes are in the air, and crews begin preparing the next wave. It is not until 0620 hours that the Third Wave has completed forming up over the fleet in the early morning light and proceeds south on its mission.
Lieutenant Commander Murita meanwhile is flying south along with 39 Kate torpedo bombers and 3 Val dive bombers. They are in groups of 2s and 3s, as attempting to form up in the dark over the fleet was considered too risky in terms of possible collisions as well as too time consuming. The aircraft are forced to drop down to below 450 feet, as an overcast ceiling is at 500 feet which blocks their ability to see the ocean below. The aircraft are able to see their first checkpoint (the destroyer Arare) well enough and finally as they approach within 100 miles of Oahu the clouds begin to thin out. A pair of Kates from the Akagi miss the Arare (the last flight of the bomber stream) they are still too low when they find a mountain peak just south of the Oahu North Shore and both are destroyed with their crews. Their fate would remain a mystery for nearly 2 years before American soldiers training for operations in the Pacific War find the wreckage.
As a result of this low level flying, the Japanese torpedo bombers are not discovered by radar until Kawailoa picks them up briefly as they travel west of Oahu, and then they are picked up again by the radar at Fort Shafter, just in time to pass the word to Air Defense Command and then the Fleet at 0612 hours. By that time the fleet was well aware that an attack was underway.
However, the Second Wave has fewer difficulties, and is relying more on radio signals than visual cues as it flies over the Arare, and are at 10,000 feet as they enter radar range 130 miles north of Opana Point. At 0600 hours the Japanese formation is picked up, and by 0605 a full scale air raid alert is underway.
American Land based Aviation Central Pacific
Air Defense Command Hawaii (Brigadier General McConnell)
Wheeler Field
HQ 14th Pursuit Wing (15th and 18th Pursuit Groups)
15th Pursuit Group w 44th, 47th Pursuit Squadrons (24 P40), 45th Pursuit squadron (12 P36)
72nd Pursuit Squadron (8 P26)
undergoing maintenance and repair (unassigned) 7 P26, 15 P36, 25 P40, 8 observation aircraft
53rd Coast Artillery brigade (AAA) with 18 x 3 inch, 12 x 37mm AA, dozens of machines guns
Operational aircraft are located in revetments, aircraft undergoing repair and maintenance or that are lacking needed spares are in hangers or parked on the ramp
(authors note: Wheeler had 108 revetments built prior to the attack in OTL. The aircraft were instead lined up on the ramp to protect them from sabotage).
Bellows Field
18th Pursuit Group w 6th, 73rd, 78th Pursuit Squadrons (36 P40), 46th Pursuit Group (12 P36)
6 operational observation aircraft of several types
all aircraft are parked on the ramp and dispersed. Revetments are planned but have not yet been built
15th Coast Artillery Brigade (AA) same as 53rd Brigade
Haleiwa Field
47th Pursuit Squadron -12 P40 (assigned as part of 15th Pursuit Group)
parked on the ramp but dispersed
Ewa Field
Marine Air Group 21 (fighters are assigned to 14th Pursuit Wing while in Hawaii)
VMF 211 – 12 Wildcats (operational)(4 additional undergoing maintenance)
VMSB 232 – 24 SBD (16 operational, 8 undergoing repair)
VMSB 231 – 8 SB2U (all undergoing repair, remainder of squadron aboard USS Lexington)
3rd Marine Defense battalion (18 x 3 inch AA, dozens of machine guns), deployed in fortified positions
Air Search Command (Rear Admiral Bellinger)
Midway NAS (forward deployed) VP21 w 12 PBY, VJ3 w 8 float planes
(all aircraft are parked on the ramp or floating in the lagoon and are dispersed)
6th Marine Defense battalion (750 men, 18 x 3 inch AA, 6 x 5 inch anti shipping guns, dozens of machine guns)
Kaheohe NAS
Patrol Wing 2 w VP 11, VP 12, VP 14 (30 PBY operational, 6 undergoing repair in hangers)
operational aircraft parked on the ramp or floating in the bay
4th Marine Defense battalion (18 x 3 inch AA guns, dozens of machine guns) deployed in fortified positions
Ford Island NAS
Patrol Wing 1 w VP 21, VP 22, VP 23 (29 PBY operational, 6 undergoing maintenance and repair)
VJ2 w 18 assorted floatplanes, plus 30 various float planes from the battleships and cruisers (25 operational aircraft)
all aircraft parked on the ramp (dispersed) or in hangers.
5 Wildcat, 5 Buffalo, 2 SBD from the carriers are at Ford Island in hangers undergoing repair
Hickem Field
HQ 18th Bomb Wing (Brigadier General Rudolph)
5th Bomb Group w 23rd, 31st Bomb Squadrons (8 B17D operational, 4 undergoing repair)
11th Bomb Group w 11th, 26th, 42nd Bomb Squadrons (24 B18 operational, 9 undergoing repair and maintenance)
58th Bomb Squadron (9 A20 operational, 5 undergoing repair and maintenance)
also assigned, 2 C33 transports (basically civilian DC2 transport aircraft)
16th Coast Artillery brigade (AA) same as 53rd
Hickem lacks revetments, but aircraft that are operational are dispersed while aircraft undergoing maintenance are in hangers or on the main ramp
Other Defenses
3 additional coast artillery (AA) brigades are deployed, with 1 at Pearl Harbor base, another across the harbor at Ford City, and a third at Schofield Barracks in reserve. This is in addition to the AA units that are part of the coast defense fortifications..
All Marine and Army AA units are on alert as of 0600 hours
The Scramble
As of 0600 hours, all aircraft that are operational are armed, fueled, and their crews are standing by for their daily missions and patrols. The Navy utility, Marine Scout Bombers, and Army B18s are scheduled to conduct close range patrols and are armed with light bombs and have orders to attack submarine contacts. The B17s and PBYs are scheduled to conduct long range patrols out to 500 miles, except for 8 PBY from VP21 which are specifically assigned to go find the survivors of the Gamble (if any). The first take offs will be at first light, 0605 hours (the B17s and PBYs) with a the morning dawn patrol of a fighter squadron each from Bellows and Wheeler (6th and 44th Pursuit squadrons). All other fighter squadrons are on strip alert for the next three hours. The Marine Corps fighter squadron has a flight of 4 Wildcats that is scheduled to take off at 0615 hours to patrol over Pearl Harbor.
However, as the first incoming blips are identified on radar at 0515 hours, these plans are changed. All aircraft that can fly are to take off as soon as it is light enough, at 0600 hours. Fighters are ordered to assemble over Wheeler Field and Bellows Field until Nautical twilight when they are to be prepared to engage incoming bogies. All other aircraft will take off and proceed on their missions. The Marines scramble their fighters at 0610 hours.
A urgent message is sent to Major Landon diverting his squadron of 11 B17s that are inbound to their alternate landing field at Hilo. A message is attempted to get CBS radio off the air, but does not reach the technicians until well after 0700 hours. In the rush to prepare, the signals transmitted by the Japanese submarines off the coast are missed, but reports eventually do make their way to Admiral Bellinger regarding the visual sightings made when they used their searchlights. The two Japanese submarines have long since submerged and departed those positions by that time.
US Navy Hawaiian area December 7, 1941
North of Oahu (400-450 miles north) Task Force 9 Picket force
Destroyer minelayers Gamble, Ramsey, Montgomery, Pruitt, Tracy (Gamble has been sunk)
submarines S-18, S-23, S-34, Gudgeon, Plunger, Tambor, Thresher
Refueling off Laysan Island
Scouting Force (Halsey)
Task Force 2 (Brown) carrier Lexington (w 37 Dauntless dive bombers, 18 Devastator torpedo bombers, 17 Buffalo fighters), carrier Yorktown (36 Dauntless dive bombers, 18 Devastator torpedo bombers, 18 Wildcat fighters) heavy cruisers Chicago, Portland, Astoria, Indianapolis (joined on December 6) destroyers Porter, Drayton, Flusser, Lamson, Mahan, Cummings, Case, Tucker,
Task Force 3 (Halsey) carrier Enterprise (37 Dauntless dive bombers, 18 Vindicator Dive bombers,18 Devastator torpedo bombers, 14 Wildcat fighters), heavy cruisers Northampton, Chester, Salt Lake City, destroyers Blach, Maury, Craven, Gridley, McCall, Dunlap, Benham, Fanning, Ellet
Task Force 8 (Fletcher) heavy cruiser Minneapolis, destroyers Farragut, Aylwin, Monaghan, Farragut, destroyer minesweepers Chandler, Hovey, Boggs, Lamberton, fleet oilers Platte, Tippacanoe, Santee, Sangamon
French Frigate Shoals
Passing nearby: (returning from Midway) Seaplane Tender Wright (civilians aboard), Tranport Burrows (en route to Wake Island, carrying extra five inch guns, Marines to man them, radar and signals equipment, ammunition and engineering supplies),
station: small seaplane tender Swan, Destroyer minelayer Sicard, patrol gunboat Sacramento
Kure:
small seaplane tender Avocet, destroyer minelayer Breese,
off Honolulu harbor
TF 15 Light Cruiser (Rear Admiral Fairfax Leary) Helena, Phoenix, destroyers MacDonough, Phelps, Chew, Allen
In port Pearl Harbor
110 Dock: battleships Oklahoma (moved 0400 hours)
California (inboard, moved 0400 hours), Fleet Target ship Utah (w 1 tug) (outboard)(in motion), submarine Cachelot
Drydock: battleship Pennyslvania, destroyers Cassin, Downes
Floating drydock: destroyer Shaw
Naval Station (Fleet) docks:
heavy cruisers San Francisco, New Orleans, St Louis, light cruiser Honolulu, destroyers Jarvis, Mugford, Bagley, Cummings, minesweeper Greebe, destroyer minesweeper Trever, Zane, Perry Wasmuth, destroyer minelayer Breese, oiler Ramapo, repair ship Argonne, Rigel,
Southeast Loch
(submarine base) docks: submarine tender Pelias, rescue ship Widgeon, repair ship Sumner, stores ship Castor, submarines Narwhal, Dolphin, Tautog,
Carrier Row:
Seaplane Tenders Tangiers, Curtis (historic location of Utah), seaplane tenders (converted destroyers) Thornton (OTL location of Raleigh), Hulbert (OTL location of Detroit)
Middle loch:
repair ship Medusa, hospital ship Solace (moved 0400 hours)
Battleship Row
battleship Nevada (inboard), destroyer Dobbin (moved 0400 hours)
battleship Arizona (inboard), repair ship Vestal (outboard)
battleship Tennessee (inboard), destroyer Hull (outboard)
battleship Maryland (inboard), destroyer Dewey (outboard)
tied to Ford Island dock: Oiler Neosho
battleship West Virginia (inboard), destroyer Worden (outboard)
channel in off battleship row: Destroyer Selfridge, minelayer Oglala, 6 PT Boats, numerous other boats, 3 tugs
East Loch
destroyers: Henley, Patterson, Ralph Talbot
destroyer tender: Whitney, destroyers Conyngham, Reid, Tucker, Case,
harbor entrance
destroyers Blue, Ward, Helm, 4 minesweepers
All ships are at Condition II (Modified General Quarters) with the exception of the duty destroyers and minesweepers which are at Condition I (General Quarters). At this level, all are at most a couple of minutes away from Condition I
As of 0610, all ships are at Condition One and several have already opened fire
The Japanese strike force 0500 hours – 0605 hours
At 0430 hours, with the entire First Wave in the air, the crews of the Japanese carriers hurriedly bring up the remainder of the Second Wave strike force that was not already spotted on decks. Continued heavy seas causes delays, so the planned launch does not finally begin until 0515, which is 15 minutes later than anticipated. However by 0530 all of the Second Wave planes are in the air, and crews begin preparing the next wave. It is not until 0620 hours that the Third Wave has completed forming up over the fleet in the early morning light and proceeds south on its mission.
Lieutenant Commander Murita meanwhile is flying south along with 39 Kate torpedo bombers and 3 Val dive bombers. They are in groups of 2s and 3s, as attempting to form up in the dark over the fleet was considered too risky in terms of possible collisions as well as too time consuming. The aircraft are forced to drop down to below 450 feet, as an overcast ceiling is at 500 feet which blocks their ability to see the ocean below. The aircraft are able to see their first checkpoint (the destroyer Arare) well enough and finally as they approach within 100 miles of Oahu the clouds begin to thin out. A pair of Kates from the Akagi miss the Arare (the last flight of the bomber stream) they are still too low when they find a mountain peak just south of the Oahu North Shore and both are destroyed with their crews. Their fate would remain a mystery for nearly 2 years before American soldiers training for operations in the Pacific War find the wreckage.
As a result of this low level flying, the Japanese torpedo bombers are not discovered by radar until Kawailoa picks them up briefly as they travel west of Oahu, and then they are picked up again by the radar at Fort Shafter, just in time to pass the word to Air Defense Command and then the Fleet at 0612 hours. By that time the fleet was well aware that an attack was underway.
However, the Second Wave has fewer difficulties, and is relying more on radio signals than visual cues as it flies over the Arare, and are at 10,000 feet as they enter radar range 130 miles north of Opana Point. At 0600 hours the Japanese formation is picked up, and by 0605 a full scale air raid alert is underway.
American Land based Aviation Central Pacific
Air Defense Command Hawaii (Brigadier General McConnell)
Wheeler Field
HQ 14th Pursuit Wing (15th and 18th Pursuit Groups)
15th Pursuit Group w 44th, 47th Pursuit Squadrons (24 P40), 45th Pursuit squadron (12 P36)
72nd Pursuit Squadron (8 P26)
undergoing maintenance and repair (unassigned) 7 P26, 15 P36, 25 P40, 8 observation aircraft
53rd Coast Artillery brigade (AAA) with 18 x 3 inch, 12 x 37mm AA, dozens of machines guns
Operational aircraft are located in revetments, aircraft undergoing repair and maintenance or that are lacking needed spares are in hangers or parked on the ramp
(authors note: Wheeler had 108 revetments built prior to the attack in OTL. The aircraft were instead lined up on the ramp to protect them from sabotage).
Bellows Field
18th Pursuit Group w 6th, 73rd, 78th Pursuit Squadrons (36 P40), 46th Pursuit Group (12 P36)
6 operational observation aircraft of several types
all aircraft are parked on the ramp and dispersed. Revetments are planned but have not yet been built
15th Coast Artillery Brigade (AA) same as 53rd Brigade
Haleiwa Field
47th Pursuit Squadron -12 P40 (assigned as part of 15th Pursuit Group)
parked on the ramp but dispersed
Ewa Field
Marine Air Group 21 (fighters are assigned to 14th Pursuit Wing while in Hawaii)
VMF 211 – 12 Wildcats (operational)(4 additional undergoing maintenance)
VMSB 232 – 24 SBD (16 operational, 8 undergoing repair)
VMSB 231 – 8 SB2U (all undergoing repair, remainder of squadron aboard USS Lexington)
3rd Marine Defense battalion (18 x 3 inch AA, dozens of machine guns), deployed in fortified positions
Air Search Command (Rear Admiral Bellinger)
Midway NAS (forward deployed) VP21 w 12 PBY, VJ3 w 8 float planes
(all aircraft are parked on the ramp or floating in the lagoon and are dispersed)
6th Marine Defense battalion (750 men, 18 x 3 inch AA, 6 x 5 inch anti shipping guns, dozens of machine guns)
Kaheohe NAS
Patrol Wing 2 w VP 11, VP 12, VP 14 (30 PBY operational, 6 undergoing repair in hangers)
operational aircraft parked on the ramp or floating in the bay
4th Marine Defense battalion (18 x 3 inch AA guns, dozens of machine guns) deployed in fortified positions
Ford Island NAS
Patrol Wing 1 w VP 21, VP 22, VP 23 (29 PBY operational, 6 undergoing maintenance and repair)
VJ2 w 18 assorted floatplanes, plus 30 various float planes from the battleships and cruisers (25 operational aircraft)
all aircraft parked on the ramp (dispersed) or in hangers.
5 Wildcat, 5 Buffalo, 2 SBD from the carriers are at Ford Island in hangers undergoing repair
Hickem Field
HQ 18th Bomb Wing (Brigadier General Rudolph)
5th Bomb Group w 23rd, 31st Bomb Squadrons (8 B17D operational, 4 undergoing repair)
11th Bomb Group w 11th, 26th, 42nd Bomb Squadrons (24 B18 operational, 9 undergoing repair and maintenance)
58th Bomb Squadron (9 A20 operational, 5 undergoing repair and maintenance)
also assigned, 2 C33 transports (basically civilian DC2 transport aircraft)
16th Coast Artillery brigade (AA) same as 53rd
Hickem lacks revetments, but aircraft that are operational are dispersed while aircraft undergoing maintenance are in hangers or on the main ramp
Other Defenses
3 additional coast artillery (AA) brigades are deployed, with 1 at Pearl Harbor base, another across the harbor at Ford City, and a third at Schofield Barracks in reserve. This is in addition to the AA units that are part of the coast defense fortifications..
All Marine and Army AA units are on alert as of 0600 hours
The Scramble
As of 0600 hours, all aircraft that are operational are armed, fueled, and their crews are standing by for their daily missions and patrols. The Navy utility, Marine Scout Bombers, and Army B18s are scheduled to conduct close range patrols and are armed with light bombs and have orders to attack submarine contacts. The B17s and PBYs are scheduled to conduct long range patrols out to 500 miles, except for 8 PBY from VP21 which are specifically assigned to go find the survivors of the Gamble (if any). The first take offs will be at first light, 0605 hours (the B17s and PBYs) with a the morning dawn patrol of a fighter squadron each from Bellows and Wheeler (6th and 44th Pursuit squadrons). All other fighter squadrons are on strip alert for the next three hours. The Marine Corps fighter squadron has a flight of 4 Wildcats that is scheduled to take off at 0615 hours to patrol over Pearl Harbor.
However, as the first incoming blips are identified on radar at 0515 hours, these plans are changed. All aircraft that can fly are to take off as soon as it is light enough, at 0600 hours. Fighters are ordered to assemble over Wheeler Field and Bellows Field until Nautical twilight when they are to be prepared to engage incoming bogies. All other aircraft will take off and proceed on their missions. The Marines scramble their fighters at 0610 hours.
A urgent message is sent to Major Landon diverting his squadron of 11 B17s that are inbound to their alternate landing field at Hilo. A message is attempted to get CBS radio off the air, but does not reach the technicians until well after 0700 hours. In the rush to prepare, the signals transmitted by the Japanese submarines off the coast are missed, but reports eventually do make their way to Admiral Bellinger regarding the visual sightings made when they used their searchlights. The two Japanese submarines have long since submerged and departed those positions by that time.
US Navy Hawaiian area December 7, 1941
North of Oahu (400-450 miles north) Task Force 9 Picket force
Destroyer minelayers Gamble, Ramsey, Montgomery, Pruitt, Tracy (Gamble has been sunk)
submarines S-18, S-23, S-34, Gudgeon, Plunger, Tambor, Thresher
Refueling off Laysan Island
Scouting Force (Halsey)
Task Force 2 (Brown) carrier Lexington (w 37 Dauntless dive bombers, 18 Devastator torpedo bombers, 17 Buffalo fighters), carrier Yorktown (36 Dauntless dive bombers, 18 Devastator torpedo bombers, 18 Wildcat fighters) heavy cruisers Chicago, Portland, Astoria, Indianapolis (joined on December 6) destroyers Porter, Drayton, Flusser, Lamson, Mahan, Cummings, Case, Tucker,
Task Force 3 (Halsey) carrier Enterprise (37 Dauntless dive bombers, 18 Vindicator Dive bombers,18 Devastator torpedo bombers, 14 Wildcat fighters), heavy cruisers Northampton, Chester, Salt Lake City, destroyers Blach, Maury, Craven, Gridley, McCall, Dunlap, Benham, Fanning, Ellet
Task Force 8 (Fletcher) heavy cruiser Minneapolis, destroyers Farragut, Aylwin, Monaghan, Farragut, destroyer minesweepers Chandler, Hovey, Boggs, Lamberton, fleet oilers Platte, Tippacanoe, Santee, Sangamon
French Frigate Shoals
Passing nearby: (returning from Midway) Seaplane Tender Wright (civilians aboard), Tranport Burrows (en route to Wake Island, carrying extra five inch guns, Marines to man them, radar and signals equipment, ammunition and engineering supplies),
station: small seaplane tender Swan, Destroyer minelayer Sicard, patrol gunboat Sacramento
Kure:
small seaplane tender Avocet, destroyer minelayer Breese,
off Honolulu harbor
TF 15 Light Cruiser (Rear Admiral Fairfax Leary) Helena, Phoenix, destroyers MacDonough, Phelps, Chew, Allen
In port Pearl Harbor
110 Dock: battleships Oklahoma (moved 0400 hours)
California (inboard, moved 0400 hours), Fleet Target ship Utah (w 1 tug) (outboard)(in motion), submarine Cachelot
Drydock: battleship Pennyslvania, destroyers Cassin, Downes
Floating drydock: destroyer Shaw
Naval Station (Fleet) docks:
heavy cruisers San Francisco, New Orleans, St Louis, light cruiser Honolulu, destroyers Jarvis, Mugford, Bagley, Cummings, minesweeper Greebe, destroyer minesweeper Trever, Zane, Perry Wasmuth, destroyer minelayer Breese, oiler Ramapo, repair ship Argonne, Rigel,
Southeast Loch
(submarine base) docks: submarine tender Pelias, rescue ship Widgeon, repair ship Sumner, stores ship Castor, submarines Narwhal, Dolphin, Tautog,
Carrier Row:
Seaplane Tenders Tangiers, Curtis (historic location of Utah), seaplane tenders (converted destroyers) Thornton (OTL location of Raleigh), Hulbert (OTL location of Detroit)
Middle loch:
repair ship Medusa, hospital ship Solace (moved 0400 hours)
Battleship Row
battleship Nevada (inboard), destroyer Dobbin (moved 0400 hours)
battleship Arizona (inboard), repair ship Vestal (outboard)
battleship Tennessee (inboard), destroyer Hull (outboard)
battleship Maryland (inboard), destroyer Dewey (outboard)
tied to Ford Island dock: Oiler Neosho
battleship West Virginia (inboard), destroyer Worden (outboard)
channel in off battleship row: Destroyer Selfridge, minelayer Oglala, 6 PT Boats, numerous other boats, 3 tugs
East Loch
destroyers: Henley, Patterson, Ralph Talbot
destroyer tender: Whitney, destroyers Conyngham, Reid, Tucker, Case,
harbor entrance
destroyers Blue, Ward, Helm, 4 minesweepers
All ships are at Condition II (Modified General Quarters) with the exception of the duty destroyers and minesweepers which are at Condition I (General Quarters). At this level, all are at most a couple of minutes away from Condition I
As of 0610, all ships are at Condition One and several have already opened fire
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