Attack of Pearl Harbor

On the morning of December 7, 1941, the United States Naval base outside Honolulu suffered a great tragedy when the Japanese bombed the base, claiming the lives of more than 1,500 brave crew members.
In response, Congress voted to declare war on Japan, thus thrusting the United States into World War II. Now, more than 81 years later, Pearl Harbor continues to have stories to tell. Read the stories here, and visit the historic site to learn more about the attack, the harbor's legacy, and the efforts to protect and preserve it.

Ships of Pearl Harbor: USS Phoenix

January 23, 2019 ·  
Named in honor of Arizona’s capital city, the light cruiser USS Phoenix (CL-46) was launched in March of 1938 and commissioned into the US Navy on October 3. Her initial shakedown included calls at Port of Spain, Trinidad and continued to Santos, Brazil, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Montevideo, Uruguay, and San Juan, Puerto Rico. In March […]
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Why Don't We Call It the "Battle of Pearl Harbor"?

January 15, 2019 ·  
Reading the history books about World War II and the War in the Pacific, you’ll find chapters on the Battle of Iwo Jima, the Battle of Okinawa, the Battle of Guadalcanal. What you won’t find, however, is a “Battle of Pearl Harbor.” It’s true that the events of December 7, 1941 launched the war that […]
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Jack Vaessen and USS Utah

January 07, 2019 ·  
The morning of December 7, 1941 on the island of Oahu was chaos. While it’s likely that most of the sailors and Marines there knew exactly what was going on, that wasn’t the case for John “Jack” Vaessen, a ship’s electrician serving aboard the former battleship USS Utah (BB-31/AG-16). Though Utah had long since been […]
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Jack Vaessen and USS Utah

January 07, 2019 ·  
The morning of December 7, 1941 on the island of Oahu was chaos. While it’s likely that most of the sailors and Marines there knew exactly what was going on, that wasn’t the case for John “Jack” Vaessen, a ship’s electrician serving aboard the former battleship USS Utah (BB-31/AG-16). Though Utah had long since been […]
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Experiencing Pearl Harbor Without Seeing It

January 07, 2019 ·  
When we think of the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor,we usually picture sailors scrambling on the decks to abandon ship or take up arms to fight back against the incoming Japanese bombers and fighters. It's difficult to imagine experiencing Pearl Harbor without seeing it unfold. However, not every sailor witnessed the devastation as […]
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The First American Casualty of Pearl Harbor

December 27, 2018 ·  
The first casualties of the attack on Pearl Harbor happened a couple of hours before the Imperial Japanese Navy launched their surprise assault. The US Navy destroyer USS Ward (DD-139) fired on a Japanese midget submarine, killing the two sailors inside. The First American Casualty of Pearl Harbor On the American side, the first loss […]
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Ships of Pearl Harbor: USS Widgeon

December 25, 2018 ·  
USS Widgeon (AM-22/ASR-1) was laid down in October of 1917 and commissioned into service on July 27, 1918, just four months before the end of World War I. The new minesweeper was thrust into the First World War almost immediately after commissioning. Widgeon served in the Atlantic Fleet's Minesweeping Group 2 during the final months of […]
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Ships of Pearl Harbor: USS Hoga

December 22, 2018 ·  
USS Hoga (YT-146) isn’t particularly well-known among the ships that were based at Pearl Harbor at the time of the attack on December 7, 1941. The much-larger battleships, with their thousands of crewmen, were the primary targets for the Imperial Japanese Navy. But Hoga was there, and she sprang into action in the midst of […]
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2018 Pearl Harbor Commemorations Around the US

December 04, 2018 ·  
Every year, we gather as a nation to take a moment and commemorate the lives lost during the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. It was a day that changed the nation forever, and the men and women who were there, survivors and casualties alike, became heroes we will never forget. Even 77 years […]
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Aerial Photography During Wartime

November 17, 2018 ·  
If you’ve spent much time examining photography during wartime, you’ve likely happened upon images that were clearly taken from overhead. Nowadays, that's not a big deal. Technology has led to cameras being lightweight and compact, making it easy to snap photos no matter where you are. But think back to an earlier time, before the […]
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