A Watery Grave Yesterday December 7 1941 a date which will live in infamy the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces Very many American lives have been lost Always we will remember the character of the onslaught against us No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory(cid:0) President Franklin Delano Roosevelt December 8 1941 On December 7 1941 the USS Arizona was moored alongside 17 other American battleships at Pearl Harbor Hawaii The world was not at peace In Europe Germany with Adolf Hitler as its Fuhrer attacked France and Great Britain In Asia Japan was at war with China and wanted to take over other islands in the Pacific 4
Pearl Harbor is on the island of Oahu in Hawaii and currently serves as the headquarters for the U S Pacific Fleet 5
But on a bright and beautiful morning in December five bombs dropped from 9,500 feet 2,895 6 meters in the air One of the bombs weighing 1,760 pounds 798 32 kilograms slammed into the deck of the USS Arizona It separated the bow from the rest of the ship and lifted the 33 thousand ton vessel out of the water The bombs created an explosion that ignited the ship’s fuel stores and gun powder In fewer than nine minutes the ship sank in an upright position It burned for three days and took the lives of 1,177 sailors The fire so hot the destruction so complete few bodies were ever recovered The ship became a watery grave 6
outpost Cape Караа Puuwai Kekaha KAUAI NIIHAU OAHU Pearl Harbor Honolulu MOLOKAI Maunaloa MAUI Lanai City LANAI Hana KAHOOLAWE Upolu Pt Hawi Honokaa Waimea Hilo Kuruka Captain Cook Pahoa HAWAII Pahala In 1917 The United States Army and Navy began to use Pearl Harbor as a military
