The USS Arizona began sinking after being hit by Japanese
CHAP I WAR COMES TO THE UNITED STATES On the evening of December 6 1941 15 year old Martin Matthews presented an officer with his pass from Ford Island Naval Air Station Matthews was a seaman first class and his pass showed he had several days of leave from his post at the base With the officer s approval Matthews followed his friend Seaman First Class William Stafford aboard the USS Arizona The ship was stationed in Pearl Harbor just outside Honolulu Hawaii The two bunked down for the night in Stafford's compartment and got up at 6 00 a m They donned their dress whites and reported to the mess for breakfast After they ate Stafford agreed to show Matthews around the Arizona I wish I could get duty aboard a battleship Matthews
Matthews heard a noise and looked to the right where he spotted aircraft flying toward the ship He heard a thundering noise and then saw fire and dirt flying up beneath the planes He thought he was seeing one of the scheduled gunnery practices for the soldiers and TEENS IN THE NAVY sailors who were training in and around Recruits had to be 17 years old to join the US Pearl Harbor military but Martin Matthews entered the navy Then an alarm sounded on the Arizona at only 15 years of age If a military recruiter thought someone like Matthews looked too and Stafford ran to report to his duty young he would ask the recruit's parents to station Each sailor had an assigned job sign a legal paper called an affidavit Because in a specific location They prepared the Matthews s father signed an affidavit saying ship to fight the attackers the Japanese his son was 17 years old Matthews was able to join the navy He was stationed at Ford Island Matthews stayed toward the back of the Naval Air Station in Pearl Harbor While there he ship because he did not have a job or the attended aviation metal craft school and learned training to know what to do to repair damaged aircraft The Arizona was hit sometime between 8 30 and 8 45 a m when an explosion thundered on the right side of the ship Matthews saw flames and the ship shuddered beneath his feet as he watched the men try to get the guns ready to fire The gunners had to get the ammunition out of locked storage but the person in charge of the locker would not unlock it without the permission of the officer of the day In the confusion of planes firing and dropping torpedoes the men
Japanese planes began their attack on Battleship Row on the morning of December 7
