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Air Raid Pearl Harbor
The First Wave – Air Raid Pearl Harbor, this is no drill
Lieutenant Commander Ramsey is standing on the ramp waiting for the first of the PBYs to begin taking off when he sees the explosion aboard the Neosho followed by a wave of gunfire and tracers. Rushing to the message sender, he orders an urgent message be broadcast in plain English for all of the Fleet, and thus the world, to hear.
The USS Neosho
At 0605 hours, 3 Val dive bombers from the Kaga begin their glide bomb attack. After swinging past the harbor entrance, they line up using Honololu on their right as a reference, and fly over the harbor at 6,000 feet, beginning their attack using the lights of Ford Airfield as a final reference. As they are descending, they spot the tanker Neosho at the Ford Island dock and deciding it is a much easier target to hit than a relatively small of fuel tanks, they each drop a 250 kilogram bomb. The first two bombs hit the tanker, one amidships, another just forward of that, and immediately the tanker, loaded with aviation fuel, bursts into flame. The third Val is hit by fire from at several different ships and crashes into the water a few dozen meters south of the burning ship, not far from where its bomb impacts the water inflicting some crush damage of several hull plates and letting out gasoline while letting in water.
As the two surviving Val's are flying over Ford City seeking to escape, they blunder into 8 P26 Peashooters of the 72nd Pursuit Squadron and both are quickly shot down. However nervous American gunners, seeing aircraft with fixed landing gear just like the ones that bombed the Neosho open fire on them and 2 Peashooters are shot down in flames, their pilots killed, and the rest are all heavily damaged before they can break north away from the harbor. The 72nd Pursuit is out of the battle.
The bright flames of the Neosho however do the job just fine in lighting up Battleship row and providing the needed illumination.
The 110 Dock 0612 hours – 0627 hours
11 torpedo bombers from the Kaga have the mission of attacking Carrier Row, and if no carriers are present they are to join the 8 bombers from the Soryu in hitting targets on the 110 Dock. Both groups come in just west of Pearl City through the Middle Loch facing little flak initially as gunners aboard the 4 seaplane tenders, the Medusa and the army gunners at Pearl City are busy shooting up the 72nd Pursuit squadron. It is not until they are spotted by the ships around the 110 Dock that they are engaged, and with the dark night sky behind them the only illumination is from the flames of the Neosho and the city lights behind them. Nevertheless, they are engaged by the full anti-aircraft gun broadside of both the Utah and Oklahoma, machine gunners from the fighting tops of the California and West Virginia, a single machine gun from the Cachelot and fire from two PT boats and the forward guns of the destroyer Selfridge.
The Soryu torpedo bombers escape lightly from this blast of fire, as only 1 is downed and 3 others suffer damage but all manage to drop successfully. The Kaga bombers, having noted that the target size and shapes do not match a carrier at carrier row, come in behind the Soryu, but those few second quickly add up to their disadvantage. By the time they are engaged, the gunners have managed to overcome initial jitters and learned to make out the shapes moving in front of them and 5 of the Kaga torpedo bombers are blasted out of the sky before they can drop their torpedoes, while all 6 of the remainder are damaged. But those 6 also drop successfully.
The surviving torpedo bombers escape at their best speed but are engaged by gunners from Hickem field and then again as they fly over Honolulu by gunners aboard Task Force 15. Only 6 from the Soryu and 2 from the Kaga eventually make it back to their carriers and both of the Kaga bombers end up being write offs. But they report the location of Task Force 15 as they pass, and in the darkness confuse the Antares, an 11,000 ton cargo ship, as a third cruiser and are certain they spot a carrier as well.
The Japanese manage to drop successfully 18 torpedoes. Two of these end up buried in the mud due to malfunctions, another is dropped wide and smashes into the USS Cachelot, blowing off her entire stern and she sinks in less than a minute taking with her 15 men. Another smashes directly into the dock but does little substantial damage. But 4 torpedoes smash into the USS Utah, and 8 hit the Oklahoma and only heroic efforts prevent both of those ships from capsizing. However both sink quickly, and between the two ships nearly 400 men die.
Battleship Row 0615 – 0623 Hours
The 10 remaining (as 2 were lost en route to accidents) torpedo bombers from the Akagi come first with first plane spotted when it crashes into the Fleet Signal tower scattering flaming debris across the area. The two remaining aircraft, which are targeting the West Virginia are brought down before they can launch by fire from ships at the Fleet Dock, the minelayer Oglala, the destroyer Selfridge, as well as guns from the Worden and the fighting top machine gunners of the West Virginia. The lead plane smashes into the Selfridge however, setting a major fire in her aft superstructure and killing 12 American sailors.
The other 7 planes avoid mishaps but are brought under fire from the Vestal, Dewey, Dobbin, Hull, 4 PT boats, several Army guns, and the fighting top machine gunners on the Nevada, Arizona, Tennessee, and Maryland. The 8 from the Hiryu come in right behind and they end up getting the worst of the fire. All of the Akagi bombers manage to launch, but only 3 of the Hiryu bombers survive long enough to do so, and all of the survivors are damaged. They then blunder straight into VMF211 which has just taken off from Ewa and is still at low altitude west of the harbor. The Marines down all but 2 of the surviving torpedo planes as they attempt to escape, and only 2 of Hiryu bombers make it back to their carrier. However the Marine pilots exhaust their ammunition and are forced to land to rearm, placing them out of the fight for a over a half hour.
The Japanese manage to drop a total of 12 torpedoes at Battleship Row. Of these, 5 end up in the mud, another pair miss entirely and thus only 5 hit a target. The Vestal is hit twice, one by a direct hit that wrecks her engine room, while another blast ruptures her hull at her forward hold, causing serious flooding as the torpedo detonates against the Arizona after passing under her. This torpedo explodes against the torpedo void of the Arizona and does little damage although does cause some serious leaks. The next hit is against the USS Hull, which takes one directly into her aft magazine, causes the entire rear half of the ship to disappear in a massive explosion that starts fires on the Vestal, Tennessee, and Arizona. The other two pass underneath the Dobbin and hit the Nevada, causing serious flooding in her steering compartment as well as two boiler rooms. The Dobbin suffers serious damage from the concussion, as heavy flooding begins due to hull ruptures. Between these hits, over 300 Americans are killed.
In all the Japanese have sunk what they think are two battleships, severely damaged two others and the surviving pilots are convinced that they have met the minimal goal of the attack which is to knock 4 American battleships out of the war for months. What the Japanese have actually done is lost 75% of their best torpedo bomber crews (30 out of 40 lost, including those lost en route) to sink 1 battleship, 1submarine, 1 destroyer, 1 target ship, 1 repair ship and inflict serious damage on 2 battleships, 1 fleet oiler and 2 destroyers. They have also drawn 2 American fighter squadrons out of the fight for now.
Lieutenant Commander Ramsey is standing on the ramp waiting for the first of the PBYs to begin taking off when he sees the explosion aboard the Neosho followed by a wave of gunfire and tracers. Rushing to the message sender, he orders an urgent message be broadcast in plain English for all of the Fleet, and thus the world, to hear.
The USS Neosho
At 0605 hours, 3 Val dive bombers from the Kaga begin their glide bomb attack. After swinging past the harbor entrance, they line up using Honololu on their right as a reference, and fly over the harbor at 6,000 feet, beginning their attack using the lights of Ford Airfield as a final reference. As they are descending, they spot the tanker Neosho at the Ford Island dock and deciding it is a much easier target to hit than a relatively small of fuel tanks, they each drop a 250 kilogram bomb. The first two bombs hit the tanker, one amidships, another just forward of that, and immediately the tanker, loaded with aviation fuel, bursts into flame. The third Val is hit by fire from at several different ships and crashes into the water a few dozen meters south of the burning ship, not far from where its bomb impacts the water inflicting some crush damage of several hull plates and letting out gasoline while letting in water.
As the two surviving Val's are flying over Ford City seeking to escape, they blunder into 8 P26 Peashooters of the 72nd Pursuit Squadron and both are quickly shot down. However nervous American gunners, seeing aircraft with fixed landing gear just like the ones that bombed the Neosho open fire on them and 2 Peashooters are shot down in flames, their pilots killed, and the rest are all heavily damaged before they can break north away from the harbor. The 72nd Pursuit is out of the battle.
The bright flames of the Neosho however do the job just fine in lighting up Battleship row and providing the needed illumination.
The 110 Dock 0612 hours – 0627 hours
11 torpedo bombers from the Kaga have the mission of attacking Carrier Row, and if no carriers are present they are to join the 8 bombers from the Soryu in hitting targets on the 110 Dock. Both groups come in just west of Pearl City through the Middle Loch facing little flak initially as gunners aboard the 4 seaplane tenders, the Medusa and the army gunners at Pearl City are busy shooting up the 72nd Pursuit squadron. It is not until they are spotted by the ships around the 110 Dock that they are engaged, and with the dark night sky behind them the only illumination is from the flames of the Neosho and the city lights behind them. Nevertheless, they are engaged by the full anti-aircraft gun broadside of both the Utah and Oklahoma, machine gunners from the fighting tops of the California and West Virginia, a single machine gun from the Cachelot and fire from two PT boats and the forward guns of the destroyer Selfridge.
The Soryu torpedo bombers escape lightly from this blast of fire, as only 1 is downed and 3 others suffer damage but all manage to drop successfully. The Kaga bombers, having noted that the target size and shapes do not match a carrier at carrier row, come in behind the Soryu, but those few second quickly add up to their disadvantage. By the time they are engaged, the gunners have managed to overcome initial jitters and learned to make out the shapes moving in front of them and 5 of the Kaga torpedo bombers are blasted out of the sky before they can drop their torpedoes, while all 6 of the remainder are damaged. But those 6 also drop successfully.
The surviving torpedo bombers escape at their best speed but are engaged by gunners from Hickem field and then again as they fly over Honolulu by gunners aboard Task Force 15. Only 6 from the Soryu and 2 from the Kaga eventually make it back to their carriers and both of the Kaga bombers end up being write offs. But they report the location of Task Force 15 as they pass, and in the darkness confuse the Antares, an 11,000 ton cargo ship, as a third cruiser and are certain they spot a carrier as well.
The Japanese manage to drop successfully 18 torpedoes. Two of these end up buried in the mud due to malfunctions, another is dropped wide and smashes into the USS Cachelot, blowing off her entire stern and she sinks in less than a minute taking with her 15 men. Another smashes directly into the dock but does little substantial damage. But 4 torpedoes smash into the USS Utah, and 8 hit the Oklahoma and only heroic efforts prevent both of those ships from capsizing. However both sink quickly, and between the two ships nearly 400 men die.
Battleship Row 0615 – 0623 Hours
The 10 remaining (as 2 were lost en route to accidents) torpedo bombers from the Akagi come first with first plane spotted when it crashes into the Fleet Signal tower scattering flaming debris across the area. The two remaining aircraft, which are targeting the West Virginia are brought down before they can launch by fire from ships at the Fleet Dock, the minelayer Oglala, the destroyer Selfridge, as well as guns from the Worden and the fighting top machine gunners of the West Virginia. The lead plane smashes into the Selfridge however, setting a major fire in her aft superstructure and killing 12 American sailors.
The other 7 planes avoid mishaps but are brought under fire from the Vestal, Dewey, Dobbin, Hull, 4 PT boats, several Army guns, and the fighting top machine gunners on the Nevada, Arizona, Tennessee, and Maryland. The 8 from the Hiryu come in right behind and they end up getting the worst of the fire. All of the Akagi bombers manage to launch, but only 3 of the Hiryu bombers survive long enough to do so, and all of the survivors are damaged. They then blunder straight into VMF211 which has just taken off from Ewa and is still at low altitude west of the harbor. The Marines down all but 2 of the surviving torpedo planes as they attempt to escape, and only 2 of Hiryu bombers make it back to their carrier. However the Marine pilots exhaust their ammunition and are forced to land to rearm, placing them out of the fight for a over a half hour.
The Japanese manage to drop a total of 12 torpedoes at Battleship Row. Of these, 5 end up in the mud, another pair miss entirely and thus only 5 hit a target. The Vestal is hit twice, one by a direct hit that wrecks her engine room, while another blast ruptures her hull at her forward hold, causing serious flooding as the torpedo detonates against the Arizona after passing under her. This torpedo explodes against the torpedo void of the Arizona and does little damage although does cause some serious leaks. The next hit is against the USS Hull, which takes one directly into her aft magazine, causes the entire rear half of the ship to disappear in a massive explosion that starts fires on the Vestal, Tennessee, and Arizona. The other two pass underneath the Dobbin and hit the Nevada, causing serious flooding in her steering compartment as well as two boiler rooms. The Dobbin suffers serious damage from the concussion, as heavy flooding begins due to hull ruptures. Between these hits, over 300 Americans are killed.
In all the Japanese have sunk what they think are two battleships, severely damaged two others and the surviving pilots are convinced that they have met the minimal goal of the attack which is to knock 4 American battleships out of the war for months. What the Japanese have actually done is lost 75% of their best torpedo bomber crews (30 out of 40 lost, including those lost en route) to sink 1 battleship, 1submarine, 1 destroyer, 1 target ship, 1 repair ship and inflict serious damage on 2 battleships, 1 fleet oiler and 2 destroyers. They have also drawn 2 American fighter squadrons out of the fight for now.
- galveston bay
- Word Count: 1.4k