7 December 1941, Pearl Harbor Day

 

A few minutes before 0800, 7 December 1941, an Imperial Japanese Navy strike force composed of 31 ships (2 battleships, 6 carriers, 2 heavy cruisers, 1 light cruiser, 9 destroyers, 3 submarines, and 8 tankers; and an air strength of 432 planes, 39 for combat patrol, 40 for reserve, and 353 for the raid) attacked the United States Naval Station Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, without warning or declaration of war. Eighteen American ships were seriously damaged or sunk; and 188 Army and Navy planes were destroyed and 159 damaged. There were 2,008 sailors killed and 710 wounded. One-hundred and nine Marines were killed and 69 wounded. Army casualties were 218 killed, and 364 wounded. Civilian casualties were 68 killed and 35 wounded. Total casualties: 2,403 killed, 1,178 wounded. The Japanese reported losing 29 planes, 4 or 5 midget submarines, and possibly one large submarine. Therein began the largest naval war in history that was not decided until the United States dropped two atomic bombs on Japan in August 1945.

 My father was a bomber pilot with the United States Army Air Corps and served in the Pacific Theater; Ginny’s father was an officer in the United States Marine Corps, also serving in the Pacific. Ginny and I were born during World War II. We grew up with war reminiscences of our parents and their friends. For us, the war was much more immediate than it was for those born in the decades following.

 It takes a leap of imagination to realize how much Pearl Harbor impacted Americans. Surprise, anger, revenge, all in spades. Worse, America was militarily unprepared to defend or immediately retaliate. But five months after Pearl Harbor, the United States Navy defeated a large Japanese strike force at the Battle of Midway. After that, Japan never enjoyed another significant tactical or strategic victory against the United States. Nevertheless, two atomic bombs were required to compel Japan to surrender in August 1945.

 Nearly 80 years later, we live in the richest and militarily most powerful nation in the world. Like 1941, Americans today cannot fathom another military attack as devastating and shocking as was Pearl Harbor. However, it is no wiser to be complacent today as it was foolish to be complacent in 1941.

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