DECEMBER 7, 1941 PEARL HARBOR ATTACKED! Never Forget!

[actaeon277]

In one scene, a bullet misses Admiral Kimmel.
His aide picks it up, and says, it's spent.
Admiral Kimmel says, "It would have been more merciful if it killed me". (Or something like that).

His Command was hazarded under his command.
And General Short, of the Army

But, should they have been cashiered?
They made serious mistakes.
But, commanders after them made mistakes, and weren't as heavily penalized.

General McArthur lost his command, and he had WAYY more warning.
Pearl Harbor had already been attacked.
He didn't have to wonder if the Japanese were going to really start a war.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Annual bump.

79 years.

 

[COOPADUP]

Forever honor our fallen patriots.

 

[Alpo]

Annual bump.

79 years.

Yeah. I woke up this morning and said: Infamy Day!

 

[churchmouse]

 

[IndyDave1776]

In one scene, a bullet misses Admiral Kimmel.
His aide picks it up, and says, it's spent.
Admiral Kimmel says, "It would have been more merciful if it killed me". (Or something like that).

His Command was hazarded under his command.
And General Short, of the Army

But, should they have been cashiered?
They made serious mistakes.
But, commanders after them made mistakes, and weren't as heavily penalized.

General McArthur lost his command, and he had WAYY more warning.
Pearl Harbor had already been attacked.
He didn't have to wonder if the Japanese were going to really start a war.

Agreed. Short and Kimmel, like plenty of commanders before and since, planned for the attack they expected not the one that happened. In their cases they expected the first round to be with local saboteurs not a carrier battle group which is why our assets were all bunched up in the middle of the bases as far from the fences as possible. Further, the Japanese attack on the fleet was thought impossible because the aerial torpedo was the principal airborne antiship weapon of the day. The aerial torpedo of the day would dive to about 120 feet and rise to its attack depth of about 20 feet as it ran to the target. Pearl Harbor is only 40 feet deep making the attack that happened theoretically impossible. The problem was an enterprising young Japanese lieutenant named Genda who came up with the idea of putting wings on the torpedoes which reduced the dive depth to 40 feet or so. A few torpedoes have been recovered from the mud but the majority struck their targets and the rest is history, including the careers of Kimmel and Short.

I will offer a tip of the hat to Chester Nimitz for coming alone and retaining Kimmel's staff rather than replacing them as many others would have done.

 

[Super Bee]

I really would love to see HBO or someone do a miniseries of Pearl Harbor, something along the lines of Band of Brothers. Leave out Ben Affleck and the bull**** love story, just the facts.

 

[spencer rifle]

Agreed. Short and Kimmel, like plenty of commanders before and since, planned for the attack they expected not the one that happened. In their cases they expected the first round to be with local saboteurs not a carrier battle group which is why our assets were all bunched up in the middle of the bases as far from the fences as possible. Further, the Japanese attack on the fleet was thought impossible because the aerial torpedo was the principal airborne antiship weapon of the day. The aerial torpedo of the day would dive to about 120 feet and rise to its attack depth of about 20 feet as it ran to the target. Pearl Harbor is only 40 feet deep making the attack that happened theoretically impossible. The problem was an enterprising young Japanese lieutenant named Genda who came up with the idea of putting wings on the torpedoes which reduced the dive depth to 40 feet or so. A few torpedoes have been recovered from the mud but the majority struck their targets and the rest is history, including the careers of Kimmel and Short.

I will offer a tip of the hat to Chester Nimitz for coming alone and retaining Kimmel's staff rather than replacing them as many others would have done.

Actually, it was the British who came up with the torpedo modification for their successful attack on the Italian fleet at Taranto. This wasn't done in a corner, and the Japanese took the lesson to heart. And their torpedoes actually worked, unlike our Mark 14.

 

[2A_Tom]

Thanks for the bump.

I don't fly my flag 24/7 anymore, it is too much wear and tear on it. I have been planning all last week to fly it today, but had forgotten until I saw this bump.

 

[IndyDave1776]

Actually, it was the British who came up with the torpedo modification for their successful attack on the Italian fleet at Taranto. This wasn't done in a corner, and the Japanese took the lesson to heart. And their torpedoes actually worked, unlike our Mark 14.

I had never read anything about the British modifying their torpedoes. In any event while the Japanese naval attache scrutinized Taranto thoroughly after the British attack there was no indication that the Japanese were aware of any torpedo modifications and Genda hatched his ideas independent of outside influence aside from being advised of the particular needs for Pearl

 

[Alamo]

My Dad was a 23 yo farmer in Illinois when Pearl Harbor was attacked. He immediately enlisted and was on his way to boot camp by the end of December. Because he knew how to repair tractors he was sent to airplane mechanic school at Kelly Field in San Antonio, then spent 3 years or so in the Pacific. Stuck with military aviation in one form or another forever after.

 

[KellyinAvon]

I really would love to see HBO or someone do a miniseries of Pearl Harbor, something along the lines of Band of Brothers. Leave out Ben Affleck and the bull**** love story, just the facts.

^^This!!^^

 

[IndyDave1776]

My Dad was a 23 yo farmer in Illinois when Pearl Harbor was attacked. He immediately enlisted and was on his way to boot camp by the end of December. Because he knew how to repair tractors he was sent to airplane mechanic school at Kelly Field in San Antonio, then spent 3 years or so in the Pacific. Stuck with military aviation in one form or another forever after.

If your dad is still with us, please convey my appreciation.

 

[IndyDave1776]

I really would love to see HBO or someone do a miniseries of Pearl Harbor, something along the lines of Band of Brothers. Leave out Ben Affleck and the bull**** love story, just the facts.

Awesome idea. Gordon Prange's At Dawn We Slept would be a great foundation for such an undertaking.

 

[Alamo]

If your dad is still with us, please convey my appreciation.

Thank you for your thoughts. He died on 22 Dec 1991 at the age of 73.

 

[Alamo]

Two brothers from Indiana as well as two other sailors who died in the Pearl Harbor attack have recently been identified:

Remains Of Four Pearl Harbor Sailors ID'd as Nation Marks 79th Anniversary of Attacks | Military.com

 

[jwamplerusa]

Reportedly, as admiral Halsey brought the USS Enterprise into Pearl harbor after the attack he was a heard to utter "when I am done the Japanese language will only be spoken in he**"

He meant it.

God bless our veterans!

 

[spencer rifle]

I had never read anything about the British modifying their torpedoes. In any event while the Japanese naval attache scrutinized Taranto thoroughly after the British attack there was no indication that the Japanese were aware of any torpedo modifications and Genda hatched his ideas independent of outside influence aside from being advised of the particular needs for Pearl

"Prior to Taranto, many believed that deep water (100 ft.) was needed to successfully drop torpedoes. To compensate for the shallow water of Taranto harbor (40 ft.), the British specially modified their torpedoes and dropped them from very low altitude. This solution, as well as other aspects of the raid, was heavily studied by the Japanese as they planned their attack on Pearl Harbor the following year."
https://www.thoughtco.com/battle-of-taranto-2361438

 

[wagyu52]

[video=youtube_share;Joh2BXPsrXs]https://youtu.be/Joh2BXPsrXs[/video]

 

[actaeon277]

I really would love to see HBO or someone do a miniseries of Pearl Harbor, something along the lines of Band of Brothers. Leave out Ben Affleck and the bull**** love story, just the facts.

Well, it's not a miniseries, but Tora Tora Tora is supposed to be pretty accurate.


[video=youtube;9PfdQod8HTw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PfdQod8HTw[/video]