Air Raid: Pearl Harbor

December 7, 1941. Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. On this date occurred one of the most momentous events of the 20^th century. This collection of images from the U.S. Naval Historical Center documents the attack upon the focal point of the Japanese attack: Battleship Row. As fortune would have it, the primary targets for the Japanese, the three aircraft carriers of the United States Navy Pacific Fleet, were not at anchor in Pearl Harbor. USS Enterprise was en route to Wake Island with a squadron of Marine F4F Wildcats, USS Lexington was delivering a Marine Scout Bomber Squadron of SB2U-3 Vindicators to Midway Island, and USS Saratoga was headed to the West Coast for scheduled maintenance. Therefore, quietly at anchor alongside Ford Island, the battlewagons along Battleship Row took the brunt of the Japanese surprise attack. The following descriptions of each photograph are from the official U.S. Naval Historical Center citations:

 Torpedo planes attack "Battleship Row" at about 0800 on 7 December, seen from a Japanese aircraft. Ships are, from lower left to right: Nevada (BB-36) with flag raised at stern; Arizona (BB-39) with Vestal (AR-4) outboard; Tennessee (BB-43) with West Virginia (BB-48) outboard; Maryland (BB-46) with Oklahoma (BB-37) outboard; Neosho (AO-23) and California (BB-44). West Virginia, Oklahoma and California have been torpedoed, as marked by ripples and spreading oil, and the first two are listing to port. Torpedo drop splashes and running tracks are visible at left and center. White smoke in the distance is from Hickam Field. Grey smoke in the center middle distance is from the torpedoed USS Helena (CL-50), at the Navy Yard's 1010 dock. Japanese writing in lower right states that the image was reproduced by authorization of the Navy Ministry. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Vertical aerial view of "Battleship Row", beside Ford Island, during the early part of the horizontal bombing attack on the ships moored there. Photographed from a Japanese aircraft. Ships seen are (from left to right): USS Nevada ; USS Arizona with USS Vestal moored outboard; USS Tennessee with USS West Virginia moored outboard; USS Maryland with USS Oklahoma moored outboard; and USS Neosho, only partially visible at the extreme right. A bomb has just hit Arizona near the stern, but she has not yet received the bomb that detonated her forward magazines. West Virginia and Oklahoma are gushing oil from their many torpedo hits and are listing to port. Oklahoma's port deck edge is already under water. Nevada has also been torpedoed. Japanese inscription in lower left states that the photograph has been officially released by the Navy Ministry. Donation of Theodore Hutton, 21 September 1942. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Photograph taken from a Japanese plane during the torpedo attack on ships moored on both sides of Ford Island. View looks about east, with the supply depot, submarine base and fuel tank farm in the right center distance. A torpedo has just hit USS West Virginia on the far side of Ford Island (center). Other battleships moored nearby are (from left): Nevada, Arizona, Tennessee (inboard of West Virginia), Oklahoma (torpedoed and listing) alongside Maryland, and California.
On the near side of Ford Island, to the left, are light cruisers Detroit and Raleigh, target and training ship Utah and seaplane tender Tangier. Raleigh and Utah have been torpedoed, and Utah is listing sharply to port. Japanese planes are visible in the right center (over Ford Island) and over the Navy Yard at right. Japanese writing in the lower right states that the photograph was reproduced by authorization of the Navy Ministry. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

View looking up "Battleship Row" on 7 December 1941, after the Japanese attack. The sunken and burning USS Arizona (BB-39) is in the center. To the left of her are USS Tennessee (BB-43) and the sunken USS West Virginia (BB-48). Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

The photographs have been archival processed. Each of the four frames measures 11" x 14". They are matted in a medium blue. The frames are frosted silver metal (other colors are available. Contact us for info). Please see the "Frame Info" tab for complete information on how we frame our artwork. Item price includes ground shipping to the continental U.S.