December 14th, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and Men’s & Ladies’ Auxiliary observed the 70th anniversary of the defense of Pearl Harbor from the Japanese attack on December 7, 1941 during their monthly joint meeting which was held at 6:30pm on December 14, 2011.
The Post and Auxiliary members observe the event with the reading of the following historical background of the attack:
On December 7th, 1941 at 0755hrs the Japanese made good on their decision to attack the American Pacific fleet at Pearl Harbor Hawaii. The VFW and Men’s & Ladies’ Auxiliary honored and remembered those who defended the United States of America that morning. Over 2900 service member causalities were incurred that day with over 2300 killed and over 1000 wounded. Civilian casualties accounted for another 57 killed and the like number wounded. The fleet lost 18 ships which were sunk or damaged and over 161 airplanes were lost. One of the greatest losses of life was aboard the battleship Arizona where over 1700 sailors and marines lost their lives when a Japanese bomb detonated the ships magazine. The Pacific Fleet had been crippled.
The American Nation was galvanized form that point to accept nothing less than absolute victory. Within seven months (June 1942) of the Pearl Harbor attack, the under strength United States Navy’s Pacific Fleet took on the Japanese Imperial Navy at a small island in the middle of the Pacific called Midway. The Japanese Fleet was then crippled. History will write of that event, “the war was over at that point the Japanese just didn’t get it”. At the end point in August 1945, the United States Home Front had replaced many times over the losses of Pearl Harbor. There was no Imperial Japanese Navy left, nor could the Japanese field creditable air forces.
Within this context the VFW and auxiliary observed the attack on Pearl Harbor for what it was… the beginning of the defeat of Japan in the Pacific War.
The Post Commander then read the following “Role Call of Honor”:
Battleships
Arizona sank at her berth as a result of one or more aircraft torpedoes and about eight heavy bomb hits. 1177 dead.
California sank at her berth as a result of hits by two aircraft torpedoes and one or more near bomb misses. 105 dead.
Nevada struck by one or more aircraft torpedoes and by at least five bombs and two near misses. 57 dead.
Oklahoma capsized at her berth within eight to eleven minutes after receiving three or more hits by aircraft torpedoes. 429 dead.
Pennsylvania one bomb hit in way of after 5-inch gun starboard side. 1 dead.
Maryland two bomb hits on forecastle. 4 dead.
Tennessee two bomb hits (probably 15-inch shell type). 5 dead.
West Virginia sank at her berth as a result of four or five aircraft torpedo hits and at least two bomb hits. 106 dead.
Cruisers
Helena hit at frame 80 starboard side by aircraft torpedo causing the flooding of No. 1 and firerooms and the forward engineroom. 34 dead.
Honolulu damaged by near miss of large bomb (probably 500 pounds) which passed through dock and exploded fifteen or twenty feet from the port side at frame 40. none.
Raleigh hit by one aircraft torpedo amidships on port side which flooded out the forward half of the machinery plant. None.
Destroyers
Shaw hit by one bomb while docked on floating drydock; also hit by many fragments from another bomb which struck the drydock. 24 dead.
Cassin was struck by one bomb. none
Downes by two (probably 500 pounds). 12 dead.
Auxiliary Vessels
Oglala sunk by one aircraft torpedo which passed under the ship from the starboard side and exploded against the starboard side of the Helena. None.
Seaplane Tender: Curtiss struck on kingpost starboard crane by Japanese airplane out of control. 21 dead.
Repair Ship: Vestal struck by two bombs (probably 500 pounds). 7 dead.
Gunnery Train Ship: Utah struck by two, and possibly three, aerial torpedoes capsized at berth. 58 dead.
Aircraft losses were 188 destroyed and 159 damaged,
228 USAAF, 16 Army, USMC 6, and 40 Civilians
Pictured above are VFW Post Commander Keith King and James Masters.
Below are members during the observance.
