Pearl Harbor Day – The Way it Was part II | Article

them, they were covered. And then, of course, they carried a good size bomb load, too. Anyway they had these beautiful brand new airplanes setting in the hangars. But what the Japanese did, they dropped the bombs on those hangers, and those great big metal girders supporting the roofs, they just collapsed and they smashed the airplanes, mutilated 'em. They never even got to go into combat or nothing.

Anyway, I stayed in the Military Police for several months after the blitz. But it became boring. I wasn't doing anything I wanted to do. It was like peace time again. So I volunteered for a combat outfit. That's what I did, and I felt better about myself.

I took my combat training down at Fort DeRussy, right in Waikiki. I was put into a port squadron. Every morning they'd line us up in a platoon formation and they'd march us clear around Diamond Head, and we'd come over to the other side of the island, and that's where we took amphibious training, at a naval air station over there.

Anyway, I got through with my amphibious training, and they loaded us all up and took us down to Pearl Harbor and loaded us on 18 APAs, big troop transport ships. Maybe 2000 men in each. All the time we didn't know what was going to go on. But we were headed for Okinawa.

There's one thing I want to send you away with. For 45 years or so I looked for my buddy Homer Cave. On December 7th we got separated, and I didn't see him again. Homer got shipped out and he went down through all the islands down there and he got wounded and shipped out to Australia, and I understood he got killed. So I kept trying to find him in cemeteries. But it wasn't that way at all.

In 1989 the mariners hosted the Pearl Harbor survivors at the Kingdome up in Tacoma. I met my old friend who was in my organization, Jim Murray, that took Carol and me in when I was first married. I met Jim at the stadium, and they did an article on us that they put in the bulletin that they sent out to all the local Pearl Harbor Survivor members. And one of these things came to Homer's home.

He was in Marysville, just above Seattle. And his wife Alice, she read this thing, she was laying on the couch and she said, "You know this guy you been looking for all these years?" He says, "Yeah, what about him." She says "His name's in this bulletin!" And he jumped up and grabbed that thing, and he was calling every day. Carol and I were in South Dakota, but we got back on a Friday night, and Saturday morning the phone rang- oh, I choked up. I couldn't believe it. We took a special trip up there and we got together.

I had an experience, being in the war, that I'd never want to go through again. And yet, on the other hand, I think it was beneficial. I learned something. It taught me life. And how important life is! And then on top of that, I've been gifted to have a wonderful family. They've turned out the way I hoped they'd turn out. I had a responsibility, and I stuck to that, through thick and thin. This is what America's all about. And so I feel I did my job.the street, sidewalks, everywhere. They flew so low that people who were outside could see the flyers as plain as we see one another. After the raid I got us dressed and we were ordered to go to the Barracks five blocks away. I put Maury and her basket full of clothes and her formula in the car and just as we got to the end of the block, the second wave of planes came over. It was that close. We stayed there until about five then went to another barracks to wait for buses to take us to Honolulu. We left at eleven that night in the pouring rain. Cars all blacked out, of course. About one o’clock we arrived at a school down town and stayed there that night, sleeping on the floor. It was so cold and the mosquitoes were terrible. The poor little babies were eaten alive, practically. About noon the next day Maury and I were taken with others, about twenty-three in all, to a house back in the hills. Later, we went to General Well’s home, their son was a good friend of ours at West Point, and we stayed there until Friday, then back to Schofield. Juddy didn’t know where we were until Tuesday. Then he came to see us and brought us food and clothes. From then until we left, Maury and I were alone, living out of a suitcase. Our house was blacked out with paint and tar-paper. Blackout was from 6-6 until war time went into effect and then from 7-7:30. We had our own trench out in front and Juddy had it covered and camouflaged and the walls lined to keep the dirt from falling on the baby. He came in for a few hours 2-3 times a week, but only spent two nights with us. Christmas and New Year we went out in the field where Juddy is and had dinner, which was awfully nice for all of us.

We were terribly lucky and it still doesn’t seem that it ever happened, or could happen, and I don’t believe it will ever happen again. I’d much rather have Juddy there than any place I know of. Poor Ila Packard had to leave Harry in the Philippines. Marshal Hurt is there, too. You’ll remember them. Ma, don’t worry about Juddy. I’m not, for he is all right though it is hard for him to be separated from the baby, now. Write to him, all of you, for your letters mean a lot to him, I know.toward Honolulu. The other flew on toward the mountains and Kahuku. Our first impression was they were from Hickam but we later learned they were part of a ferry flight from the Coast, but with very little fuel left and no live ammunition aboard.

This covers what I would call the first attack.

The second, and I believe an entirely fresh bunch of ships, all dive bombers, came in around 9:15 o’clock. By this time, the ground crews were better organized and shooting was more accurate, however, we still had no planes in the air. The approach was as before, from the Ewa side, and the planes seemed to come from the direction of Waianae. Just how many participated we do not know as they came in individually and seemed to be picking their targets. One flew a straight line at approximately 1000 feet over the floating dry dock and scored a direct hit. A destroyer or cruiser in this dry dock was set on fire and shortly after a terrific explosion occurred. The dry dock seemed to turn over or go down port side first. Small ships were being bombed again and several bombs were seen to fall near ships outside the harbor entrance. One enemy ship flew toward Honolulu, circled over the fuel tanks, then flew directly over them and straight toward and through and over the burning battleships. I believe, by his deliberate flying, he was photographing the results. The boys on the ground were getting the range and one direct hit was scored which was seen by many. The remaining attackers evidently decided it was too hot and turned off toward the Aiea Hills. Their flying was erratic and the ships did not climb well. One- Number 21- failed to make it and crashed on the Waiau Ridge about 3000 feet distant from us. Inspection of this plane showed the following: wing spread 40 feet, engine Wright Cyclone with 3-blade prop. Two placewing folding Type 99 Carrier bomber. The engine bore serial no. 5668 and the date June 3, 1926. However, the engine plate stated it was built by the Tokyo Electric Stock Company in 1940. It had hydraulic retractable landing gear, was equipped with radio and 3 unprotected gas tanks. The wreckage bore a heavy smell of carbide and it may be possible benzol was the fuel used. The plane was well built and similar to American plane construction. In the air it did not seem exceptionally fast and I believe was considerably under-powered. The wings bore red suns on both top and bottom at the tips. The fuselage had a large red sun on each side. No numbers were evident except for a large 21 on the vertical stabilizer and rudder. The elevators had two 8” blue stripes on each. Of the several ships we saw, all seemed to bear a resemblance to each other and all carried Japanese insignia.

As documented by Chester R. Clarke, December 7, 1941NAME: Bryant Castellow

UNIT: Father in 21st

TIME PERIOD: December 7, 1941 Inf., Army Doctor, Captain William Franklin Castellow

SOURCE: Walk in visit by Mr. Castellow. Recorded verbatim by Linda Hee

DATE RECEIVED: 11 January 2001

I was only 4. We lived across the street . Mother heard the planes. Long hall went down the middle of the house. Opened the window and looked out and saw them. Said “Frank, here comes the California National Guard. They got oranges on their wings.” Dad knew what was happening so he put myself and my little brother, and he had a striker (corporal’s wife) was at the house-- the striker, I can’t remember her name, but there was a 4 year old who was my age named Billy who got under the bed with us and the striker’s wife. Mother was 8 months pregnant with my sister and wouldn’t fit under the bed. Dad gave her a pistol and told her to shoot us all before being taken captured. Cause he’d heard stories, I guess, of the Japanese treatment in the Philippines. Mother decided that if we were going to get captured she couldn’t shoot us. Decided if we were going to get captured might as well get fed, so she went into the kitchen and fixed breakfast and fed us under the bed. The unit moved out and Daddy established a hospital in a cave down close to the beach. The army came by with a school bus and picked up the dependents and took us to a safer location up in the hills to a Catholic school. The bus got stalled in traffic close to Pearl Harbor. We sat there about 4 hours watching the ships burn. When we got to the school there was no food so the army brought in half a beef but there was nothing to cook it with. My mother’s uncle was a missionary and he came and picked us up and took us to his house. He had food because there had been a dock strike and he stocked his attic with canned food, canned milk and so forth. My little sister was born there on Jan. 20th. We returned to the states, I think in March.

Father survived the war. Was with McArthur for a short time.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NAME: Mrs. Frank Castellow

UNIT: Husband in 21st

TIME PERIOD: December 7, 1941 Inf., Army Doctor, Captain William Franklin Castellow

SOURCE: Copy of a letter she wrote provided by her son, Bryant Castellow. Edited by Linda Hee

DATE RECEIVED: 21 March 2001

Jan. 22

Dearest Mary and Becky,

There is so much to tell you all that I hardly know where to begin but first you can have the pleasure of being the first to know this: Patrica Ann Castellow arrived Jan. 20 weighing 6 lbs. 8 ½ oz. And is the cutest little black-headed doll you ever saw.

Mary, we sure did appreciate the card and we have wondered if Dick has been called since war was declared. I had planned to address X-mas cards Sunday Dec. 7. I still have the cards, didn’t send a one.

We went up to the club Sat. night and got home late and were asleep when the Japs arrived. Frank has worked every other Sunday since we have been here and that was supposed to be his Sunday off. Bryant and Thompson were asleep and the only person awake in the house was the maid. When the first bomb fell at Wheeler Field it rattled the house like a baby would a rattle. It woke me up but I thought it was practice. Then the second one came. I opened my eyes and wondered “what the hell.” The third came and I got up and woke Frank up and we went to back room to look out at the airplanes which were zooming over the house. I stuck my head out the window and I could see the pilots and I said “those planes have red circles on them.” Frank was standing behind me and said “Get your damn head in, those are Jap planes. Get Thompson.” He ran to get Bryant and started piling mattresses on one bed and he put Bryant under the bed and pushed Thompson under but he wouldn’t stay and would crawl out with a ??? and Frank would push him back and that went on for 3 or 4 times before Frank got disgusted and quit. Frank was telling me to get under the bed but I was afraid I would miss something so I helped him get dressed. I was a little big to be climbing under beds anyway. While packing his shaving outfit I noticed three machine gun bullets in the bedrooms. One was a tracer which luckily didn’t set the quarters on fire. We have gotten the bullets out for keepsakes. That was the beginning for that day and just a small part of what we went thru. I never did get scared or go to pieces.

I hope to be down to see you in April or May at least and I will tell you all about it. I hate to leave Frank but I guess if he has to fight a war it is best I am back where it is safer.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NAME : Chester R. Clarke

UNIT: Civilian

TIME PERIOD: December 7, 1941

SOURCE: Copy of this account given to museum by Dick Rodby

DATE RECEIVED: March 1, 2002

On December 7, 1941, Mr. and Mrs. Chester R. Clarke resided in Aiea Heights. They had built a home at 99-1657 Aiea heights Drive where The Aiea Heights Rest Home in now located. The view from their property was magnificently unobstructed. Below them was the Aiea Sugar Mill and as they gazed out to the Pacific Ocean, there lay Pearl Harbor. To the left was the city of Honolulu and to the right, the Waianae Range. It was a lovely vista in peacetime but on December 7, 1941 the setting changed suddenly and horribly to fire and destruction, which would have worldwide repercussions.

NOTES ABOUT THE AUTHOR AND HIS FAMILY:

Chester and his wife, Lucetta, observed this “day of infamy” from beginning to end along with their three young sons, C. Robert Clarke, Allan S. Clarke and Raymond L. Clarke.

Chester had the good sense to immediately document what he and his family were witnessing. He was a well qualified observer having been a flyer during the 1st World War. He also took photographs which were quickly confiscated by the FBI. These photos later appeared in Life Magazine as official U.S. Navy photos of the attack.

Peggy Clarke (Mrs. Allan S. Clarke) Oct. 22, 1991

The attack on Pearl Harbor was well planned and perfectly executed. The flying was excellent and there is little doubt that it was rehearsed for it was entirely too perfect. It was easy to see that the destruction of the battleships was the first order and what the torpedo planes failed to do, the dive bombers completed. We noticed a little bit of strafing when flying over civilian areas but few bombs were dropped. What few did fall could have happened while adjusting equipment.

A WELL PLANNED ATTACK

That the entire affair was engineered from this end cannot be disputed. Fifth column activity has been mentioned many times but it was never anticipated to reach such proportions. The whole attack covered less than 2 hours.

To prove the utter surprise of it all, the following is actual and true: When the second bomb landed I realized this was not play. I rushed to the telephone and called the Police Department. They intimated, in so many words, that I had been drinking. My call to the RCA operator on duty brought almost as much satisfaction and I gave up. The bombers did not return, but our own planes were pot-shotted at all day and far into the night. The jitters had started where the Japanese left off.

Chester R. Clarke, 1895-1956

DECEMBER 7, 1941

The attack on the Main Yard at Pearl Harbor started promptly at 8 o’clock and here is what happened exactly and in order as it occurred. Realizing the importance of the event and knowing the advantage I had as an observer from the heights directly overlooking Pearl Harbor, I made the following notes:

I did not see the first torpedo dropped, but I heard the explosion. I saw the second torpedo hit and the subsequent action. Aiea heights is front row center.

The first flight comprised nine low flying torpedo planes. They were single engined and came from the Diamond Head side. They were flying at approximately 500 feet as they passed over and slightly north of the mauka end of Hickam Field. Their silver gray could be seen distinctly against the dark field. As they passed the ferry slip they leveled off a what seemed the tops of the surrounding buildings and raced directly toward the battleships, which were tied up in a double line at the Ford Island fleet moorings. These moorings were built about 1933 by the W.P. Thurston Co. of Norfolk, Virginia and are located in a long line extending the full length of the Waikiki side of Ford Island. The Ewa side of the island is likewise dotted with the same type of moorings.

On the Waikiki line there were seven battleships- the California, Maryland, Oklahoma, West Virginia, Nevada, Tennessee and the Arizona. In the drydock was the Pennsylvania. On the Ewa side and in the berth of a carrier was the converted target ship, the Utah. More about the Utah later. Scattered about the harbor and at their moorings were cruisers, destroyers, oil tankers, repair ships and supply boats. In all, I would say at least 100 ships.

On land a large number of PBY Flying Boats, S-43 Sikorskys, a few ships from carriers and miscellaneous craft were parked.

In all, it was a very peaceful sight. The harbor was calm, the day was overcast and gray. The clouds a combination cumulus-nimbus were about 4000 feet and through them could be seen the blue of the Hawaiian sky. There was a light wind and the sun was obscured. thus, the enemy found Pearl Harbor this early Sunday morning, December 7, 1941.

The first torpedo seemed to strike the forward port bow of the Oklahoma and the second seemed to hit almost the same spot. The effect was immediate. The bow went down rappidly, the front conning tower seemed to get shorter and within 10-15 minutes the ship had gone completely over, the only part visible being the starboard stern and a propeller.

In the meantime all hell had broken loose. As each torpedo plane came in and launched their cargo, great flashes of fire appeared, similar to a weeping willow rocket reversed, and great clouds of black smoke appeared. By 8:15 the entire area was covered by a smoke blanket and smoke billowed hundreds of feet into the sky. All burned fiercely. At this point a few anti-aircraft shells began to burst high in the sky and well above the bombers. Torpedo planes were still coming in and one, after launching a torpedo, failed to emerge from the smoke. My assumption is that he had insufficient altitude and failed to clear the rigging. Each ship, after passing over the battleships, proceeded in a straight line toward Schofield, climbing rapidly, and disappeared over the Koolau Range.

At approximately 8:20, we saw emerge from the large clouds directly over Ford Island the first flight of dive bombers. They were in 3 flights—the first 5, second 6, and third 5. They were flying an unusually tight V-formation and each flight was slightly above the other. Directly over the Ford Island landing field the leader dropped down in a sharp wingover and headed down onto the burning battleships. By this time, heavy anti-aircraft fire had started from all directions. It had absolutely no deterring effect and as each ship came on, its bombs were released and the ships flattened out at only a few hundred feet. In the attack only 11 dive bombers participated and their entire action was against the battleships.

We next noticed that the last flight of 5 dive bombers was now singling out miscellaneous objectives. One or two were concentrating on small ships. One flew over the extreme end of Ford Island twice, dropping bombs on a hangar which seemed to explode violently. In the meantime, at least three torpedo planes returned and attacked the Utah. I did not see the hits on her but a short time late she turned over. The attack around her was most violent and our first thought was that she was a carrier. A destroyer tied at the next mooring was down deep on her stern but did not sink.

At this time ships were frantically trying to leave the harbor and get into the open sea. The Nevada had cut loose from her moorings and was pulling into the stream. She did not seem to be damaged. At this point a dive bomber came over and a direct hit was scored. A large and violent fire started. However, the Nevada kept underway and was beached on the West Lock side of the Harbor entrance. The dive bomber had tried its best to sink this ship in the channel and very nearly succeeded.

It was now about 8:45 A.M. and more dive bombers and what looked like small pursuit ships were coming in. The pursuits seemed to come from behind the Koolau Range in the direction of Waimanalo. I counted 11 of these but there could have been more. Just what their purpose was, I could not make out. They offered no protection to their bombers but this probably was because no American ships had taken to the air.

During all of this attack on Pearl Harbor a second was taking place at Hickam Field and a third out on the Ewa plain near the mooring mast. We did not see the hit on the Hickam Field 3,000-man barracks, but the strike was made about the same time as the attack on the battleships for the flames were shooting high when the dive bombers came in. Flying low and heading directly north, two or three ships flew directly down the hangar line and we saw several fires start. Ground crews were endeavoring to pull ships out further on the field and one or two were blazing. The activity at Pearl Harbor was getting so great we paid very little attention to Hickam Field. However, while the attack on the ships was at its height, what should appear but two olive green Flying Fortresses. One flew over the north end of Pearl Harbor, turned back and headed

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NAME: Clarence Cracraft

UNIT: Artillery

TIME PERIOD: December 7, 1941

SOURCE: Transcription of his diary by his daughter, Vickie Long

DATE RECEIVED: March 2006

Was up at 7:30 a.m. and in Latrine washing when I first heard what appeared to me to be a Dive bomber. Just few seconds later I heard a big explosion from the Wheeler field direction. So I looked out the window and saw a large black smoke from Wheeler field. I, as did all the rest of the men in the barracks rush out into the open only to face light pursuit planes spraying machine gun fire in all directions. I watched two or 3 planes swoop down and spray the ground with lead and in the meantime I still could see and heard the terrific explosions from Wheeler field. Outside the men didn’t seem to know just what going on. But the bullets dropped (sic) some of the boys and they were rushed to the dispensary or hospital.

By this time alert had sounded and we rushed into the barracks to get our clothes, guns, gas masks, and other things that we needed. By the time we were dressed and ready to go the planes were gone. Each battery hurried to their respective motor parks and by 10:00 was ready to move out. A few of our own planes were now in the air but to (sic) late for any action. It was a great surprise to all of us but we soon got ourselves together and prepared for the next attack. I went to my job at the 25th Division gas station and from there I could see our trucks, guns and men moving out. Around 1:00 p.m. I saw one of our planes (P40) come by the station and in another it took a dive straight toward the ground and crashed with a terrific explosion. I never learned the cause but judge the pilot shot some time during the attack. Nothing much happened the rest of the afternoon but you could see the smoke rising from Wheeler field hangers.

By night fall the Island was completely blacked out and all were waiting for the next expected attack. At 8:55 p.m. I could here explosions from the direction of Honolulu. You could hear our batteries open up with Anti aircraft fire but again the enemy had found their targets. You could see huge fires which lifted hundreds of feet into the darkness and to tell the truth my teeth and knees were knocking about this time. I heard a plane coming in my direction and I left the station about 50 yards and the next thing I know bullets were flying over head from all directions. The plane was skirting the roof tops and by now I could hear my knees and teeth knocking like a piece of wood. There was a light rain fall. That was our second attack. The third of the day came at midnight. The attack was aimed at Pearl Harbor and again you could hear the terrific explosion and see the red flames in the night. It only lasted a few minutes and they were driven off by our planes and Anti aircraft fire. By 1:00 a.m. on the 8th the moon found its way through Island. The coast artillery has been firing their big guns the past two or three days but not at the enemy. It has been to (sic) quite (sic). Everyone is waiting and ready for any attack and all the fellows are in best of spirits. I will sign off at this time 9:30 a.m. Sunday December 21, 1941.

Things have been quite (sic) all week but last Sunday December 21 we had a 33 minute air raid. No enemy planes were sighted and things have been quite (sic) since. A number of troops have come in since then some of then being from Louisville. The in the 24th Division Artillery and they are the 138 F Artillery. This is Sunday December 28th and it seems like Xmas went by without notice. I will sign off at 11:35 a.m. on Sunday December 28th, 1941.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NAME: Carrol Halcomb

UNIT: HHB, 11th

TIME PERIOD: 7 December 1941 Field Artillery

SOURCE: Excerpt from an interview by his grand daughter, Laura Halcomb.

DATE RECEIVED: 6 November 2007

I was stationed at Schofield Barracks, which was North of Pearl Harbor on December 7. We were preparing to go downstairs that morning for our breakfast. As we went down the stairs part way we began hearing planes in the air, which was not unusual for us because we also at Schofield Barracks had our own air force at Wheeler Field. As we went on downstairs and neared the bottom, approaching us were planes, which we knew then were not ours. They were in two formations, bomber planes and fighter planes. The bomber planes and some of the fighter planes headed on over our Barracks and down to Pearl Harbor. After we got to the bottom of the stairs the other fighter planes were circling our barracks so low that you could actually see the pilots and then of course we saw the ‘rising sun’ on them. They began strafing our barracks and the worst part at that time was that we had already had people outside in the field lined up for breakfast and they also strafed them. We had approximately fifty planes that were at Wheeler Field there at Schofield Barracks and they destroyed all of them but one plane. Of course there was much confusion there at that time and finally our commanding officer and our first sergeant got us a little organized and I was given the assignment to get a command car at that time and pick up our post Chaplain, Herbert Moehlmann, and stay with him as long as he needed me. I drove him to the first post hospital right there at Schofield Barracks and by that time they were already bringing in people from Wheeler Field and other of our units into the hospital, and this was one of the saddest experiences that I had. The Chaplain was giving the last rights to a number of them and praying over the injured. We were there for two or three hours or more at that time and then we went on down to Hickam Field which was even a larger airbase than Wheeler Field and the Japanese fighter planes had destroyed most of their planes also. So we spent considerable time there at their post hospitals and then later we went on down to the largest hospital which was Tripler General Hospital right outside of Pearl Harbor. And of course we at that time saw the damages that they had done there at the harbor and the Chaplain, with assistance from the Navy Chaplains proceeded to carry out his duties the same as he did at the other hospitals giving their last rites. At that time they were bringing in sailors and marines from the harbor. We spent that night and on into the next day there at Tripler General Hospital and for the next three days I drove the Chaplain back and forth to different hospitals until we finally got back to our field artillery unit which by that time had moved out into field position.

This Chaplain that I speak of was a wonderful person and we remained life long friends. He later was sent to Germany and I was assigned to a task force for special training and ended up in the Philippines at Leyte during MacArthur’s return then was later sent back home after five and a half years of service as a master sergeant.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NAME: Don Hall

UNIT: Judge Advocate Office

TIME PERIOD: December 7, 1941; 1942

SOURCE: Brought in by Butch Sincock of the 25th

DATE RECEIVED: October 6, 2005 Infantry Division Association

December 7, 1941

Sunday 9:15 am

At about 8 am this morning, I was awakening by a terrific roar and explosion. We, the fellows in the barracks, were not given time to think that it might be the usual reveille gun, for there were dozens of these terrific explosions. Looking to the south towards Wheeler Field, we saw large clouds of smoke, very black, as if from black powder, arising from the section. Over head, now that we were peering from the windows, were single seater pursuits and two seated bombers, and on each of them, we could plainly see the Rising Sun of Japan on the wings and body of each ship. We did not see how this could be an assimilated attack, for we were told immediately that this was the nearest to real war that the United States had seen since the 1st World War. This is actually the first aerial bombardment by Japan that the islands have experience.

At my very side on the office table lies a loaded Springfield, which we have been told to use the first chance that we get. I am loaded down with live ammunition, a gas mask is strapped to my side, and a full field pack with steel helmet, and a handful of spice cookies that Mother sent a day or two ago. To go ahead, we immediately went to our office, as had been ordered by previous department order. Bombs were alighting everywhere from those damn Japanese planes, and our few pursuits that were able to get into the air at the time were throwing lead in every direction. It took us a while to realize that Wheeler Field was actually on fire, and that women and children had been killed in the city of Honolulu. One of the official reports says that over 300 persons were taken to the hospital here at Schofield Barracks, and that the ambulances were strafed by low flying planes while they were being loaded by anyone who could drive a vehicle. The heroism of the drivers that were killed that day trying to speed those dying men to the hospital will probably never be told unless someone happens to read this description. All of this time, planes were diving low over Wheeler and as each plane pulled out of its dive, we could easily see those deadly bombs hurl themselves on their way to someone’s death. There were both demolition and incendiaries in that early mornings attack.

At first, we laughed at those fellows who had not experienced the assimilation that some of us had seen in various maneuvers, but as the attack was made more real by machine gun bullets landing on the pavement right below us, we soon realized that there was nothing fake about this. The fellows who live in Wahiawa came in saying that they had been straffed while on the way back to the post, and that they were very lucky to have gotten back after their experience.

The excitement was quite tense, with everyone reaching for their pants, and everything else that mattered, including their rifle and a tooth brush. We did not have a chance to get away from the quadrangle, so we just have had to believe what they tell us by eye-witness reports of the activities that were going on around the island. There were hundreds of eye-witnesses, for many of the fellows from the post happened to be coming in from Honolulu by taxi, and they just stopped opposite Wheeler Field when they saw what appeared to be the best display of aircraft acrobatics they had had the chance to see in a long time. Their stories were all along the same general idea, that being that both Hickam and Wheeler Fields had been damaged quite badly, and that not more than four or five pursuits got off the ground there at Wheeler Field. A few of those fellows did not make it back to the post, being caught in the strafing of open areas around the air fields.

Even with all of this proof that it was an actual attack by Japan, some of the high officers could still not believe the truth of the matter. You will have to remember that this attack did not last more than an hour from start to finish, and that it was over before many had realized what had happened. It is terribly hard to believe that Japanese aircraft carriers could have gotten through our Navy patrol, a fact that our Congress and Sec. Knox said could not be done.

We are at peace no longer. We have not the slightest idea of what is to happen in the next few days or weeks, for we are now at war; war of the worst possible kind. Just a few minutes ago, Major Carpenter stated that Signal reports parachute troops to be landing on the other side of the island. This war seems to be getting worse by the minute, and we may get word any minute now that we are to move to safer quarters than we are in at the present time. Reports are coming in so fast that we can not attempt to put it all down, only hope they will give us the time to put down the things that will tell this story in the best possible way to the folks and senators back home who had no idea that such a thing as has now happened could happen to us over here on this island of Oahu.

We of the office force of the division are now in our respective offices, awaiting further orders as to what to do. We have rapidly packed our needed equipment into lockers and will await orders from the AG for movement to safer quarters, away from the barracks and Post Headquarters Building.

We just saw very definite proof that war is actually here, and that our present enemy is definitely Japan, for they have a goodly portion of a Japanese plane and the machine gun from the same plane in the office of S-2. The machine gun on the plane was the 30 cal. size and the metal covering of the plane was extremely light metal, probably 28 or 30 gauge. One good burst from a 50 cal.; would tear it to pieces, I’m pretty sure.

Major Carpenter, who came all the way from Pearl Harbor, says that the harbor is in bad shape, and it is evident that we have lost several ships, the size of those, he does not care to predict. The loss of ships means the loss of many men also, and I hope for their sake that the story is not true.

The attack today has done a great deal to the appearing character of the officers here on the post, especially of the higher ranking officers, but I presume that that happens in every major conflict or War. Those who were known to be simple and queit mannered in days before, we find them getting all excited and nervous; on the other hand, many who were the first to jump on the enlisted man, or the first to start an argument, are the first to pat the enlisted man on the back and ask how the battle is coming along. (When I first wrote this story, I had heard all sorts of stories about the commanders of the divisions running around in circles, not knowing just where to start dealing with the situation, but I fail to believe such a story). These reports of parachute troops having landed, they cannot believe, and I think that they have some basis for that kind of thinking, but what has happened today makes most anything possible. There is one thing certain, though, and that is the fact that troops are supposed to be able to leave this area in twenty minutes when on alert No. 2, and it was two hours before most of them were ready to leave the area. Yes, it is war and we cannot believe this fantastic story that I have just written is at all true.

11:30 am

Things have quieted down now, and we are rapidly getting into the general swing of “WAR” itself. It is quite a thrill to look out of our windows and see what a rapid change has come over our regimental quadrangle in the last three hours. At 7:30 this morning, we were sleeping soundly in the peace that America has known for the past twenty-three years that have followed the Armistice that was signed November 11, 1919. Now, as I look through our windows, I can see machine guns stationed on each corner of the barracks on top of the roofs, and the quadrangle is lined with armed soldiers. The fellows have just pointed out to me a six inch anti-aircraft shell from one of the Navy batteries which missed its mark in the sky and fell through the roof of Company C, 65th Engineers’ barracks, however, and after seeing that, everyone of us are hoping that we move out of the area this afternoon if possible – More later!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NAME: Charlie Lee (East) Hatch

UNIT: Husband, Lt. Merrill G. Hatch, 64th FA.

TIME PERIOD: December 7, 1941

SOURCE: Email received from Jane Jordan, daughter of Charlie Lee Hatch.

Prior to her marriage in March 1941, Mrs. Hatch was an Army nurse at Tripler Hospital and at the Schofield Station Hospital.

DATE RECEIVED: 13 December 2007

Enclosed is the personal account my mother wrote of 07 Dec 1941. I hope you find it a useful addition to the records in the Tropic Lightening Museum.

Just a note of prelude: She was very pregnant with her first child (me!), and was evacuated to San Francisco aboard the U.S. Army Transport, "Etolin," on 12 Jan, arriving in San Francisco on 21 Jan 1942, then by train to Salt Lake City, Utah, where she gave birth on 26 Jan 1942 to her daughter. The baby was born full-term at 4 lbs. 14 oz., with a raised orange circle on the left forearm; radiation shrunk it to resemble an old burn scar, hardly noticeable. Mom said the weight and the birthmark both were because of 07 Dec - "On that day you stopped growing, and were marked with that rising sun mark, because of sheer fright!," she used to say. Her account follows:

DIARY OF CHARLIE LEE (EAST) HATCH - SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, HAWAII,

7 DEC 1941

We went to bed last night little dreaming that we would be awakened this morning by sounds that shook the entire house. There were planes zooming around overhead - planes that had red circles on the wings - not American but Japanese-The Japs had attacked so suddenly that none of us realized at first what it was.

We' were awakened around eight in the morning - we jumped out of bed and asked each other, "What was that?" When I saw the red circles and heard machine gun bullets on the roof I knew what was happening and I was shaking so, I could hardly speak. Merrill tried to call the battery but was unable to get the operator. He started dressing and I tried the radio - which was playing the usual records. Merrill told me to keep trying to find somebody by telephone. I got the operator but he was yelling "Put it down, Schofield; Put it down Schofield!" About that time I looked out the window and saw Major Doherty going to the barracks. Merrill, after telling me to go stay somewhere with somebody, ran out and joined Major Doherty.

I couldn't think, but finally about 8:30 (and that was the longest 30 minutes I ever spent) I dressed and ran next door to find out if Bobbie Elmore knew anything - While I was there Vince came in and said it was "The real thing" and for us to pack a bag and go to his barracks building. I ran home and threw a few things in a bag - bathrobe, night gown, a dress, and some handkerchiefs was all I could think of except my tooth brush and medicine.

While I was home Merrill called and said that it was really war. Betty Badger also called. I told both of them that Vince had said for all women and children to report to the barracks. Merrill said he would find me where ever I was and I didn't hear from Betty again until about 5 p.m.

We women must have been a pretty sight at the barracks. We were all so scared and so mad. The soldiers were wonderful to us, couldn't do enough to help out. They had plenty of hot coffee for us and I think that was all that kept us going. Rosalie Folda, Betty Allen, Mary Yeo, Lee Hardaway, were among the ladies I knew.

Merrill found me somewhere around ten o'clock and told me he was going to the field - and he said "Don't worry-we'll get im." Major Jennings issued gas masks to all of us and the boys showed us how to adjust them. We were told not to drink any water from the faucet as it was all contaminated. Someone gave me a ham sandwich and it was so good - the first bite I had had all morning. About one pm, we were ordered to go to another barracks. We wanted to go home and get some more clothes but the guards had orders not to allow anyone on our street. Rosalie Folda, Eunice Yea, Lee Hardaway, and I, with their children and maids went up to the 90th Battalion Barracks. About three pm Ginger Gildart and Nancy Manson came by and said we could all go home (Col. McDonald’s orders). Nancy was going home and as I had not seen Jean Benson and her baby all day I went along with her and stopped at Jean's. We had a cup of coffee and got some things for the baby. Mrs. McDonald called and said for us to come to house and get something to eat. We went over there and had a roast beef sandwich and some coffee. I imagine there were about 35 people at the McDonalds. We were there several hours when we received orders to leave by bus for Honolulu.

It must have been about 9pm when we finally were loaded on buses and started for Honolulu. What a terrible ride. It was raining and it was pitch dark. We had guards on the bus to show the driver out of the post. There were machine guns firing all about us for a few minutes and we could hear anti-aircraft firing. Several times we were almost hit by army trucks that were going around very fast. The road to Honolulu-Kamahameha Highway - was so very different from what it usually was. We saw about three ships burning in Pearl Harbor and the city was so smoky. When we reached Honolulu, a policeman stopped us and told the driver to take us to Maemae School.

When we arrived there about 12 midnight we registered and found a place on the floor where we put down our blankets and tried to sleep. There were about 45 people in our room. Very few of us, however, were able to sleep because of mosquitoes and it was rather cold. The army sent down milk and some boys (I have been unable to find out who they were) heated it and brought it to us about 2 am. It was wonderful! I guess it must have been nearly 4 am when I finally dozed off and I slept at intervals until 6 am when I was awakened by planes flying overhead. Some lady came in and said just to be ready to leave - but not to be alarmed. The planes soon left and we all made ready for breakfast. Most of us were without combs and makeup (l did have my tooth brush, thank goodness!) but we all looked a little better after bathing our faces. We had breakfast in the school dining room - bacon, eggs, bread, coffee.

After breakfast, friends and relatives started pouring in and taking people home with them. Col. Lyman's wife took mothers with very young babies with her. Col. Jones' wife took a great many with her. About eleven o'clock, Mrs. Robert McCorriston asked Betty Badger, Alice Williams, their children, and me to come home with her. I want to say right here that all the citizens of Honolulu have been wonderful and it makes our hearts glad to have met people like them. I know that we will never be able to repay them for the kindness they have shown. I only wish there was some way. Anyway, Mrs. McCorriston brought us home with her and practically turned her house over to us. She called friends and asked for clothes for the children. Her husband had beds and a crib sent out and her children took those and gave us their rooms.

They are wonderful people! After a bath I felt like a new person. That afternoon we played a little bridge and rummy.

NOTE: Mom did not write it, but often told us, that the planes were flying so low, she could see the whites of the eyes of the Japanese pilots, and that she and Dad received machine bullets in their home.

Sincerely,

Jane Hatch Jordan

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NAME: Milton Charles (Pudge) Hawkins

UNIT: 46th Pursuit Squadron, 15th Pursuit group

TIME PERIOD: December 7, 1941

SOURCE: Daughter, Cindy Hawkins

DATE RECEIVED: September 30, 2008

Milton Charles (Pudge) Hawkins grew up in a large family in Pinckneyville, Illinois. In November, 1940 he enlisted in the Army Air Corps and the following January he was assigned to Wheeler Air Field, Oahu, Hawaii. His military experience is recorded in his words as follows: "I am a Pearl Harbor survivor, stationed at Wheeler field during the bombing attack by the Japanese. I was a mechanic Crew Chief with the 46th Pursuit Squadron, 15th Pursuit group. We maintained P-36's and P-40's and one P-26 (old open cockpit Boeing plane), but I was assigned to #86, a P36. Being a Sunday and there not being that many men on base I could go to breakfast and eat all I wanted. I remember I got 4 milks and had drunk 2 of them. I never got to finish those other 2 milks. We heard the planes but thought it was the Navy doing a surprise practice attack. That used to happen all of the time. We would practice against them and vice versa. Then the first bomb hit and we thought someone had crashed so we ran to the door. Then the second bomb hit and one guy was almost blown out the door of the mess hall. So we ran out and we could see the big meat ball on the side of the plane and knew it was the Japs. So we ran but they had already dropped their bombs and when they got to the end of the field they turned and began strafing us with machine gun fire. Several guys I knew were killed then. So all of us dove under anything we could find. They circled a number of times and kept us pinned down. Then they left. So we crawled out and ran down to the flight line. I ran straight to my assigned plane - #86 – and there were 12-14 guys already there at the flight line trying to get some planes ready. There were probably only 5-7 that we could get to but some weren’t even armed – no artillery loaded yet or anything. There were 3-4 other fellas there to help me and I mean we got it done in a hurry. We had to put guns in, gas it up and oh, we were in a hurry to get it done. If I remember right #86 was damn near in front of the hangar and didn’t need to be pushed out much at all. During that time I was crew chief and my assigned plane was #86 but from day to day various pilots flew that plane. Pilots weren’t assigned to any particular plane. Rasmussen ran up and I remember him being in his pajamas and I waved him over to #86. He jumped in and took off. He got one confirmed kill of a Jap Zero that day but after he landed that plane never flew again. It was so shot up and well, I guess it was just shot. My nephew is a Colonel in the Air Force stationed at Wright Patterson and he says my #86 is there but I just don’t know how. We cannibalized just about everything we could off of all those planes after December 7th just trying to rebuild our air force so maybe some of that plane is old #86 but sure not all of it!” Later that day on the 7th.

"After the attack the 7th Air Force was expanding and I was chosen to be transferred to the 333rd Squadron, 318 they sent me and 2 other guys up in the mountains to guard a radio tower. It was a radar station but it used radio waves. You know they sent us up there but I guess they forgot they sent us there and we didn’t have any rations. We were there a couple of days and I was guarding and I heard a noise coming through that buck brush. I took my 303 bolt action rifle and drew a bead on that brush. Now that was an accurate gun. I was ready to squeeze that trigger when a mule head popped through that brush. The Calvary! So, we all jumped down and those boys fed us well. They had quite a good laugh when I told them I almost killed their mule. They sure bailed us out and left us with enough rations to last us another few days till our unit came back and picked us up. the Pursuit Group and assigned to Bellows Field in Hawaii. Shortly we were sent to Canton Island. I was there about 9 months and then was shipped back to Hilo, Hawaii. Then I was transferred back to Bellows Field and my group was re-outfitted with P-47's. At that time I was informed that I had been chosen for pilot training and I went by ship to San -Francisco and then by train to Biloxi, Mississippi.

After arriving in Biloxi my entire class was washed out of the pilot program as there were sufficient pilots in training already. I chose to transfer to Kingman, Arizona for Bomber crew gunnery training. I was then joined with 8 other men as part of a B-17 Bombing crew. At the conclusion of our initial training we went to Biggs Field, El Paso Texas for bombing training. At the end of our training we were shipped to Bury St. Edmonds, England. We were 8th Airforce, 94th Bomb Group, 331st Bomb Squadron and we completed 27 missions over Germany (2 missions were to France). Our B-17 was named the Limey Lifesaver, Plane crew #23. We didn't always fly the same plane and some of our missions we barely made it back! I remember mission #13 was over Berlin and oh, gosh it was a bad one! But all of us survived and returned home."

Because of his mechanics experience in Hawaii and during his time in England (he was also the in-flight crew chief for the B17), Milton had an opportunity to go to work for Boeing after the war. But, as he said "after 5 years I was pretty much sick of airplanes and just wanted to go home". Arriving home, he took up the tradition of his father and grandfather and went to work in the coal mines in southern Illinois. He worked in various underground mines, working for Peabody Coal Company in the 1960's and in the late 1960's he landed a job as an electrician and began working in strip mining for Consolidated Coal Company. He was very active in the UMWA and was a representative at several National conventions. He was also active in his community, serving on several Boards, including the local airport board of directors. He retired from mining in 1988 and took up bread-baking as a hobby until his family forced him to find a new one (there is only so many rolls and loaves a freezer can hold) and he began weaving chairs, golfing and socializing with family and friends.

My father had one of the most unique experiences of WWII, as he served in both the Pacific and European war theatres. He was present at the battle at Pearl Harbor which prompted the United States to enter the war and he remained in the Pacific for the following 9 months supporting the aircraft missions from Canton Island. He also witnessed the end of the war in Europe as a crew member on a B17 bomber. His survival of 27 bombing missions is extraordinary, given the high mortality rates of B17 crews generally and in particular mortality rates experienced by top turret gunners. As a child I knew very little of my father’s war time experiences. He spoke often of his love for Hawaii and the beauty of the islands. He told stories of the locals and of fishing in the ocean, but he rarely spoke about the attack in December. He would tell us that during the time there was a ration on milk and that is why he had gone to breakfast that morning – because they were allowed to drink extra milk on Sundays! He would mention that his plane was not damaged and he was able to refuel it and wave down a pilot, but I did not learn until the early 1990’s just how important his role was on that fateful day. My father spoke very little of his service years and had completely lost track of any of his old war time buddies. But in the 1980’s he was tracked down by his old B17 crew and soon became involved in several veteran groups including the Pearl Harbor Survivors organization. In 2001 I traveled to Hawaii with my parents and my 4 siblings for the 60th

Dad has slowed down a bit recently. Although his physical body is failing, his mind is strong and he still has detailed memories of his war time experiences. reunion of the Pearl Harbor bombing. Dad eschewed any of the formal activities preferring instead to give his family his own tour of the island. My siblings and I would have loved to see our dad receive acknowledgment of his service, but in the end the trip happened as it was meant to be. It was an experience in our family which will always be fond in our memories. My dad’s reputation in his community is of a man with the highest honesty, integrity and humility. And so it is fitting that he has never wanted any special notice of his contribution to that momentous day.

Cindy Hawkins, September 2008

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NAME: Ann (Heriot) Wells

UNIT: Wife of Cpt. James Judson Heriot

TIME PERIOD: December 7, 1941

SOURCE: Donated by Col. Thomas Wells. Letter from his wife written to her first husband’s parents. Ann Heriot lived on Hamilton Road in the Artillery area.

DATE RECEIVED: September 14, 1995

March 25, 1942

Dear Ma and Pappy:

Home again, but it just does not seem right not to have Juddy with us. I still can’t realize that it has all happened, feel so sort of numb. However, I have no complains for it could have been so much worse- Juddy in the Philippines and no home for us to go to.

Your little son looked grand when we left, which was February 28th. He is getting fat, living out in the field- regular life and lots of good food. Don’t know if he told you that he sent Maury and me home on the clipper. We had quite a time. They called at 11:50 Saturday A.M. and said to be out at the Air Base at 12:30. It is about 20 miles. I had no bottles ready for the baby. Neither of us was dressed and we were not all packed, and Juddy was still out on his position. He came in about twelve and we finally made it at 1:00 and took off at 2:30, arriving in San Francisco the next morning at 8:15- 16 hours and 10 minutes, which certainly beats the boat. Everyone said it was a nightmare. Maury was air-sick one time, so other than that we got along fine. We came in a huge one- carried 74 people, but there were not that many with us. We spent two days in Frisco, getting the car lined up, etc., and left Monday night, getting into Lincoln Wednesday at midnight. Of course, both of us caught cold with the change in temperature, but are getting on to it now. Maury lost about two pounds on the trip. Three weeks ago she weighed 20 ¾ lbs. Mother and Daddy are having a wonderful time with her. She is so good and never cries, and is the image, except for her brown eyes, of Juddy, even smiles like him.

I wanted to write you all about everything over there, but of course, couldn’t, so now I will give you an idea of what happened to us. Juddy had flown to another Island, Molokai, where the leper colony is, on an aerial reconnaissance the day before the blitz- the 6th. So Maury and I were all alone. I was worried about Juddy and yet I did not think they’d let them come back while any raid was on. They got back Sunday morning between raids and were fired on five times. If I’d known that I would have died. I had just finished feeding Maury and had her on the bed playing with her when the first bomb fell. It was at Wheeler Field 2 ½ miles away from our home and it seemed the windows would fall in for sure. Then machine gunning in the distance, then more bombs. I ran to the window and could see planes diving on the airport. And then I went to the patio and could see Jap planes, so I ran back for the baby and put her in the closet with pillows all around her and a down comforter over her.

Everything seemed so futile, but I thought maybe feathers would slow bullets down if anything would. By that time planes were flying over our house machine-gunning all the quarters, thinking they would keep officers inside and from their batteries. The bullets were singing out in the street, sidewalks, everywhere. They flew so low that people who were outside could see the flyers as plain as we see one another. After the raid I got us dressed and we were ordered to go to the Barracks five blocks away. I put Maury and her basket full of clothes and her formula in the car and just as we got to the end of the block, the second wave of planes came over. It was that close. We stayed there until about five then went to another barracks to wait for buses to take us to Honolulu. We left at eleven that night in the pouring rain. Cars all blacked out, of course. About one o’clock we arrived at a school down town and stayed there that night, sleeping on the floor. It was so cold and the mosquitoes were terrible. The poor little babies were eaten alive, practically. About noon the next day Maury and I were taken with others, about twenty-three in all, to a house back in the hills. Later, we went to General Well’s home, their son was a good friend of ours at West Point, and we stayed there until Friday, then back to Schofield. Juddy didn’t know where we were until Tuesday. Then he came to see us and brought us food and clothes. From then until we left, Maury and I were alone, living out of a suitcase. Our house was blacked out with paint and tar-paper. Blackout was from 6-6 until war time went into effect and then from 7-7:30. We had our own trench out in front and Juddy had it covered and camouflaged and the walls lined to keep the dirt from falling on the baby. He came in for a few hours 2-3 times a week, but only spent two nights with us. Christmas and New Year we went out in the field where Juddy is and had dinner, which was awfully nice for all of us.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NAME: Herbert G. Hunt Jr.

UNIT: Co. K, 27th

TIME PERIOD: November-December 1941 Infantry

SOURCE: Letters Mr. Hunt has saved from that time period

DATE RECEIVED: 6 December 2006

Schofield Barracks

Honolulu, Hawaii, T.H.

November 20, 1941

Dear Mother,

I received yours and Royce’s letters last Thursday and was glad to hear form both of you. I will send you the money for the gifts on Pay Day and also a list of things that I wish you would buy for each of the boys. It will be better that way because it will cost so much for postage that I wouldn’t be able to get them as good a gift as if I had bought it over here.

Another and most important reason is that I can’t leave the post to do any shopping. The whole Hawaiian Department is on “Alert”. Almost all of the Regiment is out in positions on the Island and our Battalion is in reserve. According to the papers this morning the Japs are expected to strike over the weekend. The Field Artillery have cannons set in sand bag emplacements right in the main streets of Honolulu and there are machine gun emplacements on the sides of all roads and on tops of buildings everywhere.

There is a big rumor with plenty of facts to back it up that the 25th streamline division is going to the Orient soon. It consists of the 27th Infantry, 35th, and 298th Infantry, 25th Medical Det, 25th Signal Det., 325 QM Det., 65th Engineers, 25th Field Artillery, 8th Field Artillery. The facts are that the rumor is among and started with the officers. There are many ships in Honolulu Harbor loaded with beach landing equipment and supplies that are not being unloaded here. Our division has 3 generals and the other divisions over here have only one each.

Another fact is that we have turned in almost all of our equipment and it has been replaced by brand new equipment, our bayonets have been sharpened and blackened so that they won’t reflect the light, our practice hand grenades have been replaced with deadly real ones, and we have received great quantities of ammunition in our supply room. Another fact is that suddenly last week we received orders to reorganize the whole regiment. We now have an anti-tank company and a panzer platoon.

Another strange thing is that there are hundreds of British soldiers over here now. I don’t know where they come from but last Wednesday when I was in Honolulu to the Sons of the Legion meeting they were walking all around the city. These men were Anzacs (Australian, New Zealand Army Corps) and what they were doing over this way is mystery to me.

We had a pretty good meeting down at the Legion Home last Wednesday. For refreshments we had baked beans, hot dogs, rolls, pickles and coffee. It was more of a supper than an after meeting lunch. The American Legion has its meetings the same night so we ate with them. There are about 45 soldiers and 20 civilians that belong to the Sons. All of them are from high school age and up.

I sent a couple pictures of the company. One of them is different than the other in that the Lieutenant moved his head. I am in the next to the last row 6th from the left. That is about all I can think of to write now so I will close.

Love,

Herby

Sunday, Dec. 7, 1941

Dear Mother,

I am quite nervous to excuse any errors and misspelled words. There is an air raid going on now. I can’t say much as this letter will probably be censored and if I say the wrong thing it won’t reach you. It may be the last letter for quite awhile but if I get a chance I will keep on writing each week. When the planes first started bombing we thought it was American planes practicing but then large fires started up on all sides of us with big billows of black smoke rising high in the air. These planes not only bombed us but they machine gunned the barracks. One of the corporals in our company picked up a bullet that came in through the screen on the porch, broke through a door and went through a fellow’s shoe. There was another bullet went through a fellow’s bed but he was in the mess hall at the time. At first all the men rushed out in the middle of the streets and then the planes started to machine gun them and in a split second there wasn’t a person in sight. Then everybody got their rifles and a lot of fellows set up about 20 machine guns on the roofs and in the streets and started firing at the lanes. As yet I haven’t seen any planes shot down but there are many casualties at the air fields.

Our company ahs to move down into positions that I can’t say where but it is in one of the hottest spots on the Island, and don’t think I ain’t scared. In fact, there isn’t a soldier over here that isn’t a little. If you don’t hear from me for a long time don’t worry as no news is good news. If anything should happen they will let you know right away. There may not be a mail boat out of here for quite a long time.

I had a letter already written yesterday but I opened the envelope and am sending this letter instead. If this letter reaches you before Christmas will you please loan me the money and buy the kids their Christmas gifts. I have the money now but there is a chance this letter may never reach you. If I get the chance I will send you as much as you spend. About 10 dollars for every body all together. Well, I have to close now as the trucks are here that I go on. Don’t worry about me too much. I will write as soon as I get a chance.

Love,

Herby

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NAME: Frank G. Hurd

UNIT: 762nd

TIME PERIOD: 1940-1945 Military Police, SSG

SOURCE: First person account taken by Nicole Lederer and given to the museum by Mr. Hurd.

DATE RECEIVED: 23 March 2001

I enlisted on the 26th day of March, 1940 in Denver, Colorado. They sent me from there to the West Coast. Out behind Alcatraz there's an island called Angel Island. They had these big barracks that are all condemned now. The only thing still over there is the jail, they're saving that. But that's where I came as a young man, 18 years old.

They put me in with the guard company. I became a prison guard, carried a rifle, and they assigned me to the guard house. One day they marched this little prisoner out, he was a little bitty guy, and it was Homer Cave. So I became his prison guard. We only had one prisoner to watch, and Cave was mine. He'd just got back from going AWOL.

Thing was, I had just got back from going "over the hill" myself. I went back to Denver, Colorado. I got a pass to San Francisco and I took off. That was on my service record for many, many years. But anyway, I got back to Denver and I turned myself in, and they threw me in the guard house for thirty days. That's all I wanted, was to get back there. And I didn't care what they did to me, I was home. But after I got my thirty days in, they surprised me and put me back on that train and sent me back to Angel Island!

So, Homer and I, we'd go over to the other side of the island and sit down and smoke cigarettes, and just chew the fat. We just had a great time. We became real good buddies. He lived in Salinas, California. When his time was up they let him out, and we got together and started talking about Salinas. So we went to San Francisco and took off, both of us. I met his mother, and she took me in just like one of hers- he had seven brothers. His dad was the same way. I just became fond of his family.

When we got back to Angel Island, we came back on our own, just like nothing happened, we just had a vacation. But instead of throwing us in the guard house they said "You guys are restricted to barracks. You're going out on the next ship." They got tired of fooling with us! So they threw our fannies on the U.S.S. Republic and away we went. From over there in Oakland we sailed out underneath the Golden Gate, and on our way.

I was originally going to the Philippines. I was Field Artillery Unassigned. But the ship pulled into Honolulu and they offloaded us all there. They put us on a little "Pineapple Special," they called it, a little narrow gauge railroad, and they shipped us up to Schofield Barracks, about 21 miles up out of Honolulu. They took us off of this little train and lined us all up in formation, and then different commanders selected us for various organizations, like the 19th Infantry, 27th, the 35th, and Special Services. Homer got picked for 35th Infantry, which was the next quadrangle down from the 3rd Engineer quadrangle where I was at, and I was selected for Military Police. And that's where we stayed, right there, so I didn't go over to the Philippines.

I often thought about that. Why they didn't send me to the Philippines. But I thank them for that, because I would have wound up in the Death March over there.

We were all volunteer soldiers. Peacetime. The reason why all these men were in the military at this time was we were just coming out of the Depression. There were no jobs. And so most of us just got into the military to have three meals a day. We were making $21 a month. It wasn't very much money, but I hadn't graduated from high school at that time. Later on, I did. I graduated from high school while I was in the military. It took many, many hours of my free time.

At that time, being a peace time soldier in the beautiful area of Honolulu, Hawaii, I mean, you really saw Hawaii as it truly was. Today, it's a tourist trap. But Hawaii was a beautiful place, it was the number one spot for a GI to go. I lucked out on that one. And not only that, but I'd always dreamed of going to the Islands. My dream came true.

So, we spent several months enjoying all the beauty of the islands. Being a GI and single in the barracks, this was before I was really going with Carol, well, we'd take off and they'd take us down to Haleiwa, the soldier's beach. They'd use the GI trucks and they'd truck us all out there to the beach. We used to spend a real beautiful day on the beach. 'Course in those days they'd have cold beer for all the GIs, you know, and all that kind of stuff. It was beautiful.

I met Carol at the Southern Baptist church in Wahiawa. I was going with her sister first. She took me to church one Sunday, and I met Carol at the service, and that was it- we started going together. That was before the war. In those days the Army guys were known as dog faces. Nobody respected a man in the military. It was no bowl of cherries. Of course, after the war, why then everybody was a hero. When I met Carol and we started going together we had to sneak out. We went to the movie one afternoon in Waikiki and we got caught downtown. We were out sightseeing around in the parks, and we ran into some of her family. They wouldn't even talk to her. Just ignored us. We were married on January 5, 1943 at Schofield, at the Post Chapel. And her father had nothing to do with me all the way up 'til 1950, when we were stationed a t Hickam. Anyway, Mary Dee was just a little baby, and she took Sam's attention, boy. Nothing was too good for Mary Dee. Well everything was all right from there on out. We got along great.

When December hit, why, I only had about 8 more months to do, out of a two year tour. They'd moved many of us out into these eight-man tents, folding cots, out in the middle of the quadrangle. I don't know why they did it, but they moved us out there. At Schofield the barracks were around a big grassy area in the center, where they would call formations. Wheeler Field was down in this area. Wheeler Field was Army Air Corps at that time, and that's where they had the P-40s, fighter planes. They were lined up wingtip to wingtip on that particular morning, Sunday morning. It was only about 1/4 mile down to the field. My barracks were facing Wheeler Field.

I had just gotten up out of bed. In those days you could get up in the morning, put your white sweatshirt on, your skivy slippers, just casual and relaxed, and walk into the mess hall and sit in there and talk and have a cup of coffee. They had these big thick GI cups with no handles. I was sitting there at the table, and you know, talking to the guys, and I'd just taken that big cup up to my mouth to take a sip of coffee, and BOOM, the barracks just shook. We didn't pay much attention to it- we figured maybe an accident, that they blew an airplane up down there at Wheeler Field. So I picked up my coffee a second time, and BOOM, it went again! What in the devil… so we all got up and walked to the window at the back of the mess hall. It looked down directly on Wheeler Field. And there they were, coming in one right after another.

It was all happening so quick. We didn't know the planes were Japanese at that time. We had a gate shack, one man on duty out there. Every time they'd come over they'd strafe that little gate shack. And that poor guy who was in there was scared to death. Poor kid, he took off from that gate shack, he ran! What they would do, they'd come right in and they'd drop the bombs and strafe all the airplanes. And that's what blew up They dropped a 500 pounder. I remember seeing the egg come out of that plane. Saw it floating down. They dropped it on a big mess hall. Men were in there eating breakfast.

And then all around the perimeter of the barracks there they had young recruits that had just come in from the States in the tents, and the planes came down the rows and just riddled those tents- a lot of them never knew what hit them.

We were standing outside of the barracks there, in the quadrangle, when they came over the barracks. They were shooting everything they could see. We were all of us standing behind a big pillar. They came right down, and the bullet holes went right up that pillar. That’s the only thing that saved us. If they'd've come over six more inches they'd've got all of us. They were just shooting everything that moved. And I mean, they were low, 100 feet above the barracks. That's when I realized. That's when we saw the big rising suns on the underside of the wings.

Well, the airplanes came over the mountain ranges and then they split off in different groups. Part of them went on and bombed Pearl Harbor and Hickam, and strafed Honolulu. Another part went around the opposite way, went over by Haleiwa, where we went to the Soldier's Beach, and they hit the Navy, and all the places on that side of the ocean. And another wave came right in and hit Schofield. It was all so well planned.

We couldn't do nothing about it because we had no way of defending ourselves. The supply room was closed, and all of our rifles and weapons were locked up. And they wouldn't open the supply room. They didn't do it because no war had been declared, nothing. The line outfits, they had rifles, machine guns. The Military Police, we had our sidearms, .45 pistols. One bullet at a time.

In fact, the Army was so badly equipped that we had to practice formation with pick axe handles or broomsticks instead of a real rifle. We were so badly equipped- everywhere. And that's when the American people really pitched in and became one big unit where everybody really went to work; whatever kind, ammunitions factories, or building boats or building airplanes- whatever.

When the attack was over we started cleaning up. I was a traffic NCO, and I drove a jeep. I went up to the Schofield Hospital on the post here. But it was so bad that out on the lawn they had GIs on stretches. They didn't have enough room to take them in for surgery or anything- they just had to wait. You'd go in the hospital, and there was blood all down the corridors. Later that week I was put on the honor guard, a six or eight man firing squad for the burials. First they blow the taps…

What they had to do at that time was take those big trench diggers you see on the side of the road- well that's what they had to use. They had to make a ditch about that wide (indicates 2 feet) and they'd go 6 feet down. They were buried head to toe, head to toe, row after row. We had to lay them at rest right there. After the war, those they could identify, they notified their parents. These were all young men! I mean, we were only 18, 19 years old. They never had a chance for a life.

So you can say in a matter of a few hours, you begin a young teenager- you became a man real quick. It was survival from there on out.

The next morning I drove the captain down to Pearl Harbor, and Hickam. You just couldn't believe it… The Arizona was still out there burning. It was just a great big mess. The fleet was nothing but smoke and fires everywhere. And you couldn't recognize anything. I'll never forget when I saw Pearl harbor.

Then we drove into Hickam. That was an Army airfield at that time. They had these nice big barracks down there. All the barracks were open, because you know Hawaii's so warm. And the GIs, we didn't have separate rooms or anything like that, we all had bunks next to each other, and a footlocker at the end of your bunk.

They went straight to the barracks- they just opened up. Even the barber shop still has the broken mirrors with bullet holes in it. Then outside the barracks they had clothes lines and everything out there to hang your clothes up. Even the clothes line posts had bullet holes in them! The whole barracks was just riddled with bullets. We had just flown in 17 brand new B-17s. Those were the big "Flying Fortresses." They became really the big deal in Germany. It was a fine airplane. They had a tail gun on 'em called a stinger, they had one on the side and the top, and they were well protected from fighters. Everywhere the fighter plane came in to attack them, they were covered. And then, of course, they carried a good size bomb load, too. Anyway they had these beautiful brand new airplanes setting in the hangars. But what the Japanese did, they dropped the bombs on those hangers, and those great big metal girders supporting the roofs, they just collapsed and they smashed the airplanes, mutilated 'em. They never even got to go into combat or nothing.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NAME: Albert Kemmerling

UNIT: 34th

TIME PERIOD: 1941 Engineer Combat Battalion

SOURCE: From a speech he gave

DATE RECEIVED: 15 May 2005.

Good morning, to members of VFW Post 3809, Milltown, Ohio, at a Pearl Harbor Day dinner.

Commander, officers, guests, ladies, and fellow veterans.

I find it awkward to stand before a group of people whose war experience covered the world from Pearl Harbor to Japan, England to Germany, Korea and Vietnam, and talk about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7th, 1941.

That’s a day most of us will remember for the rest of our lives. During the federal raffle, my number was 38. It won me a four year, all expense paid vacation starting June 7, 1941, to Oahu, Hawaii; England, France, Luxembourg and Germany.

After 10 weeks of getting acquainted at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, we took a train ride across country and boarded a freight with a private stateroom that held 1,000 sea sick men, and a restroom down the hall with 4 stalls and a long trough. We were all young, most of us had never been more than a few miles from home. And we laid on the deck and dreamed of palm trees, grass shacks, and hula girls. We arrived in Hawaii on October 17th, 1941. As we came into the harbor on one of the buildings was a sign that read “Sears and Roebuck.” We knew then that this was not going to be the vacation we were dreaming about. We arrived in Schofield Barracks and formed the 34th Engineer Combat Battalion. Shortly afterwards, we left Schofield Barracks and bivouacked outside Kaneohe Naval Base. The Kaneohe Naval Station is less than 12 miles as the crow flies from Pearl Harbor. Our orders: to build gun emplacements along the North Shore. On December 6th most of our outfit headed to Honolulu to buy Christmas presents. We were told to mail them early so they’d arrive in the States in time for Christmas. We returned back at camp at about 12:00 or 12:30, tired from shopping and from other things soldiers do in town. We hit the sack not knowing that in less than eight hours, 7:55, we’d be awakened by bombs and machine gun fire.

Thinking we were going to see our Air Force and Navy putting on a joint maneuver, we ran outside to see the show only to find real bombs and real bullets. Now just as I came out I saw this Japanese plane heading for our area. He was no more than 16 feet from the ground, machine gun blasting and dirt flying. I dove under the building and it was probably the fastest move I ever made in my life. The Japs would bomb the base, circle around and strafe our area. They flew low enough for us to see their grinning faces and their white teeth.

We went for our rifles but sat helpless because our ammunition was stored underground a good distance from our camp. When the bombing and strafing stopped, that was not the end. Rumors flew about Japanese paratroopers landing all over the island. Now we had our guns, our ammunition, and our hearts in our mouths. Our orders: return to Schofield Barracks. We were to go to through the area where the Japanese paratroopers were said to have landed. Now to make matters worse, our Captain, a West Pointer, assembled the outfit and in a very sober military voice said “We made it through dawn, let’s hope we can make it through dusk.” This was not the type of encouragement that we needed. With our first baptism of fire forever etched in our minds, we no longer pictured ourselves as civilians on vacation, but Army engineers at war, and the determination to defend our Country and avenge the unprovoked surprise attack.

That first night was long with explosions and gun fire everywhere. An air raid warning sounded almost every hour. This went on for a week. On December 8th at 5:00 in the morning we had had our breakfast, were on trucks heading for the cemetery. Engineers have shovels and picks, so we were ordered to help dig and bury the fallen bodies. Our trench diggers would dig graves along the length of the cemetery. The bodies were put in wooden boxes and laid head to head. The Army Graves Registration would nail one dog tag atop the box and record the spot. Unidentified service men were laid in a special area. The medics would check for some sort of an identification and take finger prints if they were available. The picture of the sad and bloody sight will be with me for the rest of my life. The first day we buried hundreds of bodies and truckloads of boxes with miscellaneous parts. At noon that first day we were transported back at Schofield for lunch. I know it wasn’t planned on our behalf, but we were served barbequed ribs. That was one meal most of us were vegetarians. Now this burying went on for two full days. To make a bad situation worse, it rained periodically, and an air raid warning never failed to go off while we stood at attention for taps over the graves. Now this is a frightening chill never to be forgotten. These are some of the memories that keep us together long after the fighting ends.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NAME: Ruth Lawson

UNIT: Wife of Cpt. Richard H. Lawson, 19th

TIME PERIOD: December 7, 1941 Infantry Regiment

SOURCE: Donated by Col. Thomas Wells. Edited by Linda Hee

DATE RECEIVED: 1996

Wednesday- New Years Eve

Dick, Darling—

I’m wondering where to begin there are so many things to talk to you about. Had intended to write from the boat, but just couldn’t. To begin with there was no place to write except on my knees, and my head, as usual, ached from the time I left you until this morning. Not even the fear of submarines could knock that out!

To begin back at the beginning when we had to leave you. I still cry every time I think of you standing there on the curb as we drove off. Guess I’m a sissy but I do love you so and have missed you more than you know already! We reached the boat (Monterey) about an hour later and had to wait on the dock (hot and sunny) without anything to eat until 4:30. That is a Xmas day none of us will ever forget. Tom Marnane sent out for sandwiches so our Xmas dinner consisted of a half of a dry ham sandwich and a half bottle of Coca-Cola. Why in the world we were ever sent down so early no one knew.

Our boat didn’t leave until Friday A.M. around ten o’clock and we docked today before noon. It was a nerve-wracking trip, we went zig-zag during the day and went full speed straight ahead at night. There were three ships in the group convoyed by two destroyers and one cruiser (it had two planes aboard.) I was amazed how closely we kept together. The three transports side-by-side (constantly shifting, taking turns to keep one a little ahead of the other.) We had life boat drills every day and had to have our life preservers with us at all times, even the children, and believe me they were strict about it! Everyone behaved beautifully, no hysterics but tears were awfully near the surface. Twice the cruiser fired its guns, never any explanation so we hoped it was target practice. One morning about 4 a.m. (two nights before we landed) depth bombs were dropped and the planes went in the air in a big hurry—our course was changed but everyone on the ship was very mum and no explanation came forth. The depth bombs really shook our ship. I assure you that the Golden Gate Bridge was a most welcome sight.

Mother and Jean have been fine. Mother had difficulty squeezing into her bunk but she kept well and enjoyed the food which by the way was very good. Jean never once caused any trouble, you couldn’t have asked for a better child. She keeps talking about you and is now writing you a letter, which I may send by regular mail if this is too heavy. She assured little Tommy Marnane that he didn’t need to worry about the Japs coming here to San F. because her Daddy was in Hawaii and that he would keep them over there, and that that was the reason we didn’t have to have blackouts here.

It is too bad you aren’t here to admire my girlish figure. I’ve lost pounds in the right place. My suit skirts will all have to be taken in, they almost slide off! This has been excellent of the figure but hard on the face. I feel that I’ve aged ten years!

Mary Schorr was very frightened and refused to eat in the dining room because it was so low down in the ship so we brought her food up on deck. There were many wounded on our ship. Those who had lost an arm or some such injury would sit on the deck with us. They were cheerful and their morale was marvelous. There were two wives whose husbands had been killed in Manila but they had not been told. One was Mrs. Schaetzel, a most attractive girl with two babies under two years old.

This afternoon I stood in line to find out about transportation but finally gave up. It seems the papers (#207) for us never arrived from Honolulu so none of our tickets were made out. I’ll make another attempt tomorrow. New Year's Day doesn’t seem to be a holiday.

This is New Year's Eve, about 9 o’clock. Ruth Marnane has the room next door and she will come over in a few minutes. We plan to have a high-ball and then get some much needed sleep. Such a strange New Year’s Eve. Remember the grand one we had nine years ago when Naomi Maddox had us to her party at Fort Thomas! So much for tonight. A very happy New Year, Darling.

All my love-

Ruth

Jan. 7, 1942

Nancy, dear—

Just a month ago today and it seems I have lived a whole life-time! Our homes are gone, our lives up-rooted and our hearts have been torn. I thought I was being very brave (except when I had to say goodbye to Dick) but the strain and sleepless nights of the last weeks plus that trip home must have taken a greater toll than I realized because we all just sort of collapsed like pricked balloons when we got here. Jeannie has had nausea, on and off, ever since we arrived (New Year's Eve) and I’m certain it is just an accumulation of strain. I know I should have written to you just as soon as we reached here, but Nancy, I haven’t been able to write to anyone.

How strange and sad our holidays were! Dick was allowed home with us for two hours Xmas Eve. We spent them in our black-out bedroom. Then he was able to come back for a little while Xmas morning. He was there when the bus came to take us to the boat (we had been given 36 hours to be ready.) I had to walk out and leave my lovely home, furniture and all. That was so overshadowed by having to say goodbye to Dick that it lost all its importance. That was the last we saw Dick, he wasn’t allowed to see us off. I have much to be thankful for—we are all alive. The attack came when we were in bed Sunday a.m. The planes struck Schofield at five minutes of eight. They dropped most of their heavy bombs at Wheeler, only a few struck Schofield, but they came over our houses at an elevation of 50 feet and machine-gunned us constantly to keep the officers from getting to the companies. We got an extra dose of the strafing because we were on the corner of Waianae Ave. just across from the 19th Infantry and the Hospital. Dick had to run down Waianae Ave. dodging from tree to tree all the way to Division Headquarters and he was machine-gunned the whole way. The bullets sounded like hail around our house. I had to dress Jean in the clothes-closet. During one lull soldiers helped us across the street and we spend the rest of the day under guard in the 19th Barracks. That night we were evacuated (in a blackout and under heavy guard) to a Hawaiian school in Kalihi Valley where we slept on the floor with only one blanket. Everyone was wonderful—no hysteria or complaining—and we expected another attack momentarily. No one can understand why the Japs didn’t come back when we were left almost defenseless. Jeannie never said a word, there was very little crying among the children although some were sick from the fright. After about five days we were allowed to go back to Schofield. There was a slit-trench in every yard to jump in every time the air-raid alarm sounded. It was a strange existence—no husbands, a strict blackout every night from 5:45 until dawn. No one was permitted to leave their quarters during that time. There was a heavy guard around our quarters and every night shots were fired right around us. We always had to carry gas-masks. Then on top of that, for the trip home on the boat, we had to live in our life preservers and had daily life boat drills. Again everyone was very calm even though we had a couple of scares. There were quite a few wounded on the boat—their moral was wonderful.

You probably know the number of casualties. The Army had around 1600 and some, the Navy 2800 plus, and a few civilians—I believe about 50. There were ten officers at Wheeler killed trying to get to their planes, besides many enlisted men as a bomb hit the mess hall. It was all such an unbelievable nightmare that just couldn’t have happened. The Army was on a A-1 alert (mild kind) when it happened so they were able to snap to immediately. I don’t know about the Navy but all felt the Navy let us down. Otherwise, how could those Japanese airplane carriers have come in undetected?

Haven’t meant to chatter on so, Nancy. Do hope you had Ross home for Xmas and that it was a very merry one. My New Year’s wish for you is that Ross will be able to stay where he is. He may be gone for long periods but at least he is near you and not in danger.

Site and the children are all right, but Site looked very badly when I left. Those youngsters of hers are so hard to manage. I hated to leave her but we had no choice. I didn’t want to leave but they sent the families from Wheeler, Hickam and the Staff families first, so here we are.

Do write when you can, Nancy. I’ll need your letters. Our love to you all.

As ever,

Ruth

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NAME: Ruth Lawson

UNIT:

TIME PERIOD: December 7, 1941

SOURCE: Letters given to the museum by her daughter

DATE RECEIVED:

December 7th, 1941 was a beautiful Sunday morning in Hawaii and most of us at Schofield were taking advantage of Sunday to sleep later. We were just stirring ourselves at about ten minutes of eight when a loud din of planes was heard—nothing unusual on an Army Post—until they came down in such screaming power dives that you felt surely they were going to crash. Then came loud explosions that made the walls of our on-floor stucco bungalow seem to push in and the be sucked out. Dick hurriedly dressed, thinking General Short was calling a general alarm. (The Army had already been on an anti-sabotage alert for a week.)

After dropping their bombs on Wheeler Field (which is the air field at Schofield) the Japanese planes flew low (fifty feet elevation) and machine gunned the quarters and barracks. We saw the Rising Sun on the planes, but still couldn't believe our eyes. Turning the radio on we heard a church service in progress, the minister calmly thanking god in his prayers for the beautiful Sabbath and our lovely island home- all adding to the unreality of the bombs and bullets. I understand that the Japanese struck first at Wheeler and Schofield with over eighty planes. Other groups attacked Hickam Field, Pearl Harbor, Kaneohe Bay naval Station and Bellows Field. Over three hundred planes in all participated in the attack. Honolulu was the last to feel it and then only a few bombs fell there with few casualties. The Japanese knew exactly where the military objectives were and didn't waste but few bombs on anything else.

Within minutes Dick left our house by the patio door ducking under the bushes to escape observation. he had to run about eight blocks along Waianae Avenue, the main street, to Division Headquarters, dodging from tree to tree as he was machine gunned the whole way. He picked up one bullet that bounced up at his feet.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NAME : Helen Griffith Livermont

UNIT: Daughter of Wiley D. Griffith, 1SG, Co. D, 21st

TIME PERIOD: December 7, 1941 Infantry

SOURCE: Letter from Mrs. Livermont after visiting the museum

DATE RECEIVED: 29 May 2001

I was an Army Brat, born in the Philippine Islands, and raised in Army posts all over the U.S. In 1938, we were posted at Schofield Barracks, Territory of Hawaii, and lived at 42 Carter Gate, just up the hill from Wheeler Field.

On Sunday, Dec. 7, 1941, I was thirteen years old, and in bed in the room I shared with my eighteen-year-old sister. We heard the bombs and thought it was a sham battle staged by the Army. It kept going and we thought we'd better get up and see what was going on. My mother and father were in the kitchen and my mother was exclaiming "I know what that is, bombs!" She was a German War Bride from World War I and had been through bombings there.

Suddenly, she ran out the front door, yelling for us to follow her. My sister went next, and I followed. We lived in a wooden house and bullets were flying all around, so we headed for the stucco houses across the street. We saw people in all stages of undress running in all directions. We kept trying to avoid the strafing planes. At one time we were lined up against a house outside wall and how he missed hitting us, I do not know. We could see the pilots in the planes, they were that low.

Eventually, a lady living in one of the stucco houses opened the door and called my sister and me in. We stayed there until the strafing stopped. We had finally seen my dad running into the dugout at the baseball field, but didn't know where my mother was.

We all met up again at home, and my dad immediately left for the company (he was Wiley D. Griffith, the First Sergeant of Company D, 21st Infantry.) Very shortly, soldiers arrived and began to dig trenches in the lawns for us to use if/when the planes returned. My sister's fiancé, Jim Dupree, a crew chief at Wheeler Field arrived. He had nowhere to go as the tents where he had been quartered had been blown up and Wheeler was a disaster area. All the planes had been destroyed. He joined my dad at his company. The rumors going around said the Japanese were going to invade the island, and my brother-in-law-to-be gave me a hunting knife to carry to make me feel better protected.

We were notified to get ready to be evacuated, and to take very little with us. We packed what we could and when the army trucks came, they loaded us in them and took us to the barracks. When the next attack came, we were there. My girlfriend and I hid under the cots to escape the bullets.

After that, they loaded us up again (by now it was nighttime) and with no lights at all, drove the women and children to Honolulu. As we passed Pearl Harbor, it looked like the entire world was on fire, and tracer bullets whizzed all around us. The trucks were open, with canvas tops, and we could see and hear everything. It was a scary time and a lot of the smaller children were crying. We were issued a cot and given a blanket, and put in schools. My mother, sister, and I were at Kalakaua School. We spent a week there, but at the time did not know how long we'd be there. We got a letter from my dad while we were there, telling us he and Jim were okay. The women took turns washing the dishes and whatever else that had to be done. I remember the mosquitoes were terrible; we had citronella candles burning inside. To this day, the smell of citronella brings back those memories!

After a week, they took us back to Schofield. We had to carry gas masks wherever we went, and the autos that had to be driven were all fixed with slits for the lights, for blackouts at night. The house windows were completely blacked out. We didn't dare go out after dark; you took a chance on getting shot! We shared the stucco house across the street where our friends lived, and the nights were long. They were evacuating women and children to the States, but naturally, the ones to go first were the pregnant women, and those with small children. Since there was no school, my girlfriend, a boy friend and I spent most of our time riding our bikes, dragging our gas masks along with us. The Army arranged for us to have tennis lessons and other lessons, too, trying to keep us busy and out of the way, as the post was busily being mobilized for war. My mother went to work at the Post Bakery and I worked there part time also. She also trained to drive an ambulance in case it became necessary. My sister went to work at the Post Hospital. We spent four months this way, waiting to be sent to the States.

Finally, it was our time to leave. We sailed from Honolulu on the HMS Aquitania, a British luxury liner before the war. It was a beautiful ship even though it had been stripped down to carry troops. We left on Easter Sunday, April 5, 1942. We had to leave our fathers behind, not knowing when we’d see them again. We had a convoy the first day, but the Aquitania was so fast, they could not keep up, so we went the rest of the way alone. We kids enjoyed the ship—we could go anywhere as long as we did not bother the British sailors, or get in their way. We spent a lot of time at the rail looking for Japanese subs.

We made it to California in five days, two days less than when we had come to Oahu. We landed in the dark of night, and somehow no one seemed to know we were to land there. The Red Cross ladies hurriedly came out with coffee and doughnuts, and transported us to hotels in the Long Beach area. I remember being impressed with the fact that one of the Red Cross ladies was Evelyn Venable, a movie actress.

We went back to Minnesota where we had been previously stationed at Fort Snelling. We lived in Minneapolis until we were informed that my dad was to go to OCS at Fort Benning, Georgia, in September of 1942. However, when he reached Fort Mason, California he was given a field commission as a 1st Lieutenant, so we joined him there for nine months, then to San Jose, California with the Armored Corps for a year, then to Monterey (Armored Corps) for a month, then to Brownwood, Texas for six months and finally to Fort Myer, Virginia where we spent the next three years. I went to work at the post Exchange at Fort Myer, along with going to and finally graduating from high school. My father retired from the Army at Fort Myer as a Major in 1947, moved to California and passed away there in 1954. Jim Dupree became a pilot in the Air Force, seeing action in Korea, retired after twenty years, and passed away in 1996. My sister, Margaret Dupree, and her two sons live near Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, Jim’s final station, and her sons are Air Force veterans of the Vietnam War. My mother, Margaret Griffith, passed away in 1987. In 1947, I had married an ex-soldier, Frank Livermont, whom I met at Fort Myer and we moved to California the next year. He retired after thirty years at North American/Rockwell Aviation, and we moved to Arizona where we now live.

This year, our daughter and son made it possible for us to return to Hawaii for the first time in sixty years. It brought back many memories, and I have written them here as a reminder of what once happened here.

Helen Griffith Livermont

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NAME : William Mallory

UNIT: 21st Infantry

TIME PERIOD: December 7, 1941; 1939 - August 1942

SOURCE: Walk-in visit by Mr. Mallory. Story as told to Linda Hee

DATE RECEIVED:

Mr. Mallory and 3 other soldiers owned a 1934 Buick convertible, which they used as a taxi to take soldiers between Honolulu and Schofield. Their taxi ran only the first 15 days of the month because usually the soldiers ran out of money by then. Their pay was only $19.00 a month. Two weeks before the Pearl Harbor attack, they accidentally hit a Japanese man crossing Canal Street and killed him. Officer Lum did the investigation of the accident. They were released and told to appear in court on Saturday December 6. They stood trial at the main courthouse on the 6th and were cleared of all charges. To celebrate, they had a party that night in Kaneohe. Mallory had been promoted on December 1 to corporal. He was to be Corporal of the Guard on the 7th of December, so he and his friends were driving back to Schofield so he would have time for his duty. On the way back to Schofield, they had reached Pearl City when the attack started. They were watching the bombs, thinking it was some kind of demonstration or practice. Shore patrol told them that they needed to get back to Schofield Barracks because the island was under attack. They had to stop the car near Schofield Barracks because of a bomb in the road. They ran the rest of the way to C quad, where the 21st Infantry was, just as the Japanese started to strafe the post. They had to knock the door down to get weapons from the regimental supply room. Didn’t see the officer until late in the afternoon. Their first move out of the barracks was to Brigade Woods- an area past Wahiawa on the way to Haleiwa. This was an assembly point. From Brigade Woods, he was one of a small group of four to five men who were sent to Waikiki to lay barbed wire the first morning after the attack. Then he went to Puamoho gulch where the Headquarters Company, Anti-tank platoon set up in the bottom of that gulch. He was also involved with defensive gun positions on the North Shore. Every Friday morning he spoke to the general staff about the gun positions. At Kaena point one day he was recommended for OCS. Mr. Mallory left in August of 1942 for OCS training at Ft. Benning Georgia. Mr. Mallory remembers arriving in 1939 on the train from Honolulu. Pygmalion was on the movie marquee at the theater. He was also a volunteer lifeguard before December 7, 1941.

Pearl Harbor Day – The Way it Was part II

RELATED STORIES

Social Sharing