*** war and social upheaval: World War II Pacific naval campaigns -- Pearl Harbor








Pearl Harbor: Results--American and Japanese Loses (December 7, 1941)

Pearl Harbor attack
Figure 1.--Amid the carnage of The Japanese attack, these women of Japanese ancestry at Pearl are fighting the flames on the battered American installation. Fears that Japanese-Americans were unloyal proved unfounded. Unlike the West coast, Japanese-Americans in Hawaii were not interned. The Army never explained why, probably because they were too important to the operation of the local economy.

Pearl Harbor was the most disatrous defeat in the history of the U.S. Navy. The Pacific Fleet, the major striking force of the U.S. Navy was devestated. The United States Navy woulld become an emotmous force during the War. This was not the case before the War. Many World war I ships had been scrapped or mothblled. And Congressional appropriations had been limited suring the iter-War period, although not as limited as those mae for the Army. Thus the 21 ships sunk or damaged at Pearl were a sizeable part of American naval power and included the battleships. Most of the damage was sustained by the ships of the Pacific fleet and the planes of the U.S. Army Air Corps guarding the base. Battleships were considered the capital ships of the fleet at the time. And every one of the the eight battleship of the Pacific fleet were destrouyed, sunk, or put out of action. The Japanese losses were minimal. The losses were devestating, but perhaps even more importnt thn what was danaged was what was not damaged. The vital facilities of the base were left virtually untouched. When the planes of the second wave strike force returned to the carriers, however, Pearl Harbor remained a fully functioining forward base for the Pacific Fleet. And mostnotably the battleships not only were mostly old and bnearing obselece were mostly raised and returned to service, but the all important carriers had not been in Pearl and survived untouched. There is perhaps no instance in human history where such devestation was wreaked at such a minimal cost. Pearl Harbor while seeminly devestating strile in actuality phryic victory that would eventually destroy the Japanese Empire.

Ships

When the Japanese carrier planes reached Pearl Harbor, there were 90 ships at anchor. The Japanese sank or heavily damaged 21 of those ships. The carriers and the battleships were the principal target. To their surprise, the carriers were not there. Thus the Japanese focused on the Japanese concentrated on the battleships laying like sitting ducks on battleship row. . The Japanse succeed in severely damaging eight battleships (Arizona, California, Maryland, Nevada, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and West Virginia, sinking five. This was a devestating loss. At the time naval strength was measured in battleships and the Pacific Fleet was left without one single operational battleship. The power of carriers had not yet been fully appreciated by many naval planners. The Arizona exploded in a huge blast with a Japanese bomb hit the magazine. The Oklahoma was also destroyed beyond repair. The Japanese also sank three light cruisers (Helena, Honolulu, and Raleigh); , four destroyers (Cassin, Downes, Helm, and most notblt Shaw, as well as various other craft. These included the seaplane tender Curtis, target ship Utah (an old battleship), repair ship Vestal, the minelayer Oglala, and the tug Sotoyomo. While the losses were lopsided, it should be noted that almost all of the major American vessels were damaged or sunk rather than destroyed. Except for Arizona and Oklahoma the Pacific fleet would rise from the ashes of Pearl Harbor. They returned to shipyards in the states and were not only repaired but tremendously strenthened and given both radar and increased anti-aircraft (AA) fire power. These battle ships did not have the speed to join the fast carrier taskforces, but their big guns and AA armanent would play an important role in the Pacific War.

Arizona

USS Arizona (BB-39) was commissioned during World War I (1916). She was one of the two battleships destroyed at Pearl Harbor. Most of the crew was lost. Today she lies at bottom of Pearl Harbor and is the basis for the touching Pearl Harbor memorial. There were 1,177 crew members killed--nearly half of the Perl Harbor losses. If there had been a fleet action at sea, this is the kind of losses that might have been expected.

California

USS California (BB-44) was commisioned after World war I (1921). She was one of the American Big Five battlewagons. 'Californiza' was very heavily damaged and sunk at Pearl. She was later raised, but very extensive repairs were required. She rejoined the fleet (May 1944). This was just in time to gain revenge on the Japanese Southern Force at Surigao Strait during the Battle of Leyte Gulf (October 1944). Never in the long history of naval warfare has so much firepower so accurately been delivered in a classic crossing-the-T maneuver.

Maryland

USS Maryland (BB-46) was commissioned after World War I (1921). She was one of the American Big Five battlewagons. 'Maryland' was damaged at Pearl, but was the least harmed damaged of the Pearl Harbor battleships and easily repaired. She rejoined the fleet (February 1942). She was part of the Battle Line at Surigao Strait helping to demolish the Japanese southern force (October 1944)

Nevada

The USS Nevada (BB-36) was the oldest of the eight American battleships at Pearl, altyhough not by much. TYhey ere all commiosion between 1916-23. It wasin 1923 that constructionn of battleshiops ceased as a result of the Washington Naval Talks. Nevada was commissioned during World War I (1916). She was one of the first really powerful American battleships. She was not sunk at Pearl Harbor. Nevada was the only battleship to get up enough steam to get moving and tried to make it out of the Harbor. Of course the Japanese pilots seeing this concentrated on trying to sink her. This was particularly dangerous as she was entering the main channel entrance to Pearl. If Nevada had sunk in the main channel it would have made it difficult to raise her. And even more importantly it would have meant that Pearl would no longer have been a functioning naval base. It would have taken weeks if not months to clear the Channel. Ships would not have been able to get out of port and ships at sea could not have entered Pearl for ships and supplies. And at the time of the attack three carrirts were at sea and needed to refuel. The carriers if the channel had been blocked would had to have gone all the way back to the West coast. This would have essentially seeded the entire Pacific Ocean to the Japanese. The Nevada's captaon to prevent blocking the channel amd ordered the ship to be grounded on the beach at Hospital Point. Nevada was quickly returned to service (November 1942). She was chosen to be Rear Admiral Morton Deyo's flagship for the D-Day Normandy invasion. the big guns of the U.S. Navy and the Royal Navy provided the fire support that made it impossible for the Germans to reduce the Allied beach head. This was vital before the Allies could get their atillerry ashore and operating.

Oaklahoma

USS Oklahoma (BB-37) was commissioned during World War I (1916). She was heavily damaged and capsized, resulting in the loss of many of her crew--ocver 400 men. Except for Arizona it was the greatest loss of all the ships hit byb tyhe Jpanerse. The ship wass a total loss.

Pennsylvania

USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) was commissioned during World War I (1916). She was not at Battleship Row, but in drydock at the time of the Japanese attack. That meant torpedoes could not hit her. She was slightly damaged, but easily repaired. She rejoined the fleet (August 1942). She was part of the Battle Line at Surigao Strait helping to demolish the Japanese southern force (October 1944)

Tennessee

The USS Tennessee (BB-43) was commission after World War I (1920). She was one of the American Big Five battlewagons. 'Tennessee was damaged, but quickly repaired. She rejoined fleet (March 1942). She was part of the Battle Line at Surigao Strait helping to demolish the Japanese southern force (October 1944)

West Virginia

The USS West Virginia (BB-48) was the 'newest' battleship at Pearl Harbor, but not by much. She was one of the American Big Five battlewagons. 'West Virginia' was commission (1923) and had innovations resulting from World War I combat experiences. And she heavily updated just before World War II. After West Virginia joined the fleet, the Washington Naval conference fleet restrictions prevented new battleships from being added to the fleet. The Japanese hit West Virginia harder than any other battleship, but because of the modern construction and upgrades, she survived devestating hits. The Japanese hit her with six or seven torpedoes, the heavy damage made it difficult to tell for sure. She was also hit with two heavy bombs. She sank in 40 ft of water. The crew through counter-flooding prevented the ship from capsizing. Oklahoma moored in front of West Virginia did capsize. Although sunk, West Virginia burned during all of Secember 7 and into Decmber 8. The damage was so extensive that West Virginia was not returned to the fleet for an extended oeriod (July 1944). She was at that time an emensely more powerful ship and played an important role in the Battle of Leyte Gulf (October 1944). She was part of the Battle Line at Surigao Strait helping to demolish the Japanese southern force (October 1944)

Aircraft

The Japanese in addition to the ships destroyed 188 aircraft--most on the ground. Another 150 aircraft was damaged. This was a large share of the 402 American aircraft in Hawaii at the time. Readiness was abismal. Virtually none of the aircraft were prepared to take off to defend the base. There were 33 PBYs in Hawaii and of those aircraft 24 were destroyed and others damaged beyond repair. Only three were on patrol and they returned undamaged. After the attack, friendly fire shot down additional American planes, including five from USS Enterprise.

Facilities

The losses were devestating, but perhaps even more importnt thn what was danaged was what was not damaged. The vital facilities of the base were left virtually untouched. Floating Drydock Number 2 was also sunk, but the other major facilities were left intact. When the planes of the second wave strike force returned to the carriers, Pearl Harbor remained a fully functioining forward base for the Pacific Fleet. Mbr>

Personnel

The Japanese attack resulted in substantial casualties. American dead numbered 2,403. That figure included 68 civilians, most of them killed by improperly fused anti-aircraft shells landing in Honolulu. There were 1,178 military and civilian wounded, many badly burned pulled out of oil covered warwr. Over half of the dead came from USS Arizona. A 1,760-pound air bomb penetrated into the ship's forward magazine. Japanese attacks on barracks killed additional personnel.

Japanese Losses

The Japanese losses were minor--27 planes. Also lost were 5 midget submarines which had attempted to enter the inner harbor at Pearl. There is perhaps no instance in human history where such devestation was wreaked at such a minimal cost.








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Created: 11:45 PM 8/18/2012
Last updated: 11:22 AM 12/24/2023