On December 7, 1941 at around 7:55 am, in an act of planned treachery, the nation of Japan attacked Pearl Harbor station, Hawaii. The result of the attack left twenty-one ships of the U.S. Pacific fleet damaged or destroyed. The death toll reached 2,350, along with 68 civilians and 1,178 injured. Of the military personnel lost at Pearl Harbor, 1,177 were from the Arizona alone.
Military historians argue that while the outcome of the attack might have been the same (a victory for Japan), had headquarters taken immediate precautions after the Minesweeper Condor reported a sighting of a submarine periscope at 3:42 am, and later at 6:55 am when the Destroyer U.S.S. Ward fired and sunk a Japanese midget submarine, more live may have been saved that day.
Here is a reenactment of the attack on the U.S.S. Oklahoma with real pictures of actual sailors who served aboard her that day. God Bless all of these souls.
Perhaps you heard this song, Remember Pearl Harbor by Don Reid and Sammy Kaye. Perhaps in tribute to our fallen heroes you might find yourself humming it today.
Here is a great site from National Geographic on the attack to give you another perspective of the horrific events of that day.
Here is the CBS broadcast of the attack report.
Pearl Harbor