WAR! OAHU BOMBED BY JAPANESE PLANES – Six known dead, 21 injured, at Emergency Hospital. The army has ordered all civilians off the streets and highways and not to use telephones. These were the large black headlines of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin First EXTRA that I have in my file dated Dec. 7, 1941, 70 years ago.
This website brought to you in part by the following sponsor:
In smaller headlines it read SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 7, 1941 – President Roosevelt announced this morning that Japanese planes had attacked Manila and Pearl Harbor. Another one of Roosevelt’s quotes is the familiar — “A day that will live in infamy”
In another part of the paper it said that President Roosevelt has conferred with his cabinet and congressional leaders. It was believed he was preparing a message to the joint session of congress asking a declaration of war—which was expected to pass as soon as asked.
The front page went on to say that the attack was at 7:55 this Sunday morning by Japanese planes. The Rising Sun emblem of Japan was seen on the wing tips. Wave after wave of bombers streamed through the clouded morning sky from the northwest and flung their missiles on a city resting in peaceful Sabbath calm.
The Honolulu Star Bulletin second extra read — DEATHS OVER 400 ON OAHU, LATEST REPORT. Tokyo announced “State of War” with U.S.; Japanese raids on Guam, Panama are reported.
DAMAGE AT PEARL HARBOR WAS GREAT. Huge fires were raging at Pearl Harbor at 1:10 in the afternoon and as many as five navy vessels have been destroyed in the air raids. One ship has turned over on its side. Fire raging on four other warships appeared to be gaining in intensity and they have settled low in the waters.
This souvenir edition of the newspaper didn’t tell all the details of what happened after the first day or two of the war with Japan. From other information, in two hours after the first attack, the United States lost eight battleships, three light cruisers, four destroyers and four other vessels. About 170 aircraft were destroyed and approximately 3,500 casualties among U.S. soldiers, sailors, marines and civilians. The United States managed to shoot down about 29 Japanese aircraft.
World War II lasted until Sept. 2, 1945. I wasn’t at Pearl Harbor at the beginning of that war, I was on K.P. at Ft. Leavenworth washing dishes, but I was on the battleship Missouri in Japan when it ended.
According to Hawaii Visitors Bureau, Pearl Harbor is Hawaii’s second most popular tourist attraction. Millions of people have visited Pearl Harbor to pay their respects to those who lost their lives there Dec. 7, 1941. I’m sure since this is the 70th anniversary of this sad day, visitors will be there in great numbers. I’ve visited Pearl Harbor twice.