Showing posts with label Pearl Harbor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pearl Harbor. Show all posts

Sunday, December 7, 2014

Timing

Battleship Row 7:55 AM

If we had the Internet, social media and smart phones back then maybe the two bored, hungry operators of that newfangled gizmo could have sent HQ a screen shot of that large blob appearing on their radar fast approaching from the north.

The rookie Captain of the USS Ward could have texted a photo of a periscope peeking up from waters where it should not be.



And field workers, who do not get Sunday morning off, could have confirmed things with a panoramic Facebook post of a flock of inbound fighters, set against a gorgeous Hawaiian sky, bearing a distinctive red zero at the end of each wing.

Thus the fleet in general would have had precious advance warning.  The USS Arizona in particular would have been able to scramble anti-aircraft personnel to their battle stations, perhaps in time to distract the pilot before he dropped his payload with a one-in-a-million result.

 USS Arizona, December 7, 1941 "A day that will live in infamy"

In fact, if the Japanese had broken off their 2 hour bombardment just 10 minutes into the attack, half the causalities had already been inflicted by the catastrophic explosion of the USS Arizona, snuffing out the lives 1,177 sailors and marines, including 23 sets of brothers. 

And if he were still alive on that fine Sunday morning 73 years ago, Colonel Billy Mitchell could have sent out a single tweet:  "I told you so."

USS Arizona today


Saturday, December 7, 2013

"Unprovoked And Dastardly Attack"

USS Arizona 12/7/41






USS Arizona today



“I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve.”
Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto (12/7/41)



“With confidence in our armed forces - with the unbounded determination of our people - we will gain the inevitable triumph - so help us God.”
Franklin D. Roosevelt (12/8/41)




Total killed at Pearl Harbor 2,402


Attack begins:  7:48 a.m.


USS Arizona explodes: 8:10 a.m.


USS Arizona:  1,177 killed in action, the highest loss of live in US naval history. 




Friday, December 7, 2012

Merciless

USS Arizona 12/7/41


USS Arizona today

“I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve.”
Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto (12/7/41)


“With confidence in our armed forces - with the unbounded determination of our people - we will gain the inevitable triumph - so help us God.” (12/8/41)
Franklin D. Roosevelt

Total killed at Pearl Harbor 2,402
Attack begins:  7:48 a.m.
USS Arizona explodes: 8:10 a.m.
USS Arizona:  1,177 killed in action, the highest loss of live in US naval history. 


Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Death from above

USS Arizona 12/7/41

"Some fine Sunday morning..." Colonel Billy Mitchell (1924)

“I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve.”
Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto (12/7/41)

USS Arizona today
“With confidence in our armed forces - with the unbounded determination of our people - we will gain the inevitable triumph - so help us God.” (12/8/41)
Franklin D. Roosevelt


Amherst 12/7/2011

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

"December 7th, 1941, a date which will.."

"Some fine Sunday morning..." Colonel Billy Mitchell (1924)

“I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve.”
Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto (12/7/41)


“With confidence in our armed forces - with the unbounded determination of our people - we will gain the inevitable triumph - so help us God.” (12/8/41)
Franklin D. Roosevelt

Monday, December 7, 2009

Never forget.



“I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve.”
Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto




“With confidence in our armed forces - with the unbounded determination of our people - we will gain the inevitable triumph - so help us God.”
Franklin D. Roosevelt