Today, the U.S. Navy commemorates the 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. You can watch the commemorative ceremony live at 12:45 p.m. at
usatoday.com.
The surprise aerial attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor on Oahu Island, Hawaii, by the Japanese on December 7, 1941 precipitated the entry of the United States into World War II. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, "the first Japanese dive bomber appeared over Pearl Harbor at 7:55 am (local time). It was part of a first wave of nearly 200 aircraft, including torpedo planes, bombers, and fighters."
The reconnaissance at Pearl Harbor had been lax; a U.S. Army private who noticed this large flight of planes on his radar screen was told to ignore them, since a flight of B-17s from the United States was expected at that time. The anchored ships in the harbour made perfect targets for the Japanese bombers, and since it was Sunday morning (a time chosen by the Japanese for maximum surprise) they were not fully manned."
Most of the damage to the battleships occurred in the first 30 minutes of the assault. The
Arizona was completely destroyed; the
Oklahoma capsized; and the
California,
Nevada, and
West Virginia sank in shallow water. More than 180 aircraft were destroyed. There were more than 3400 U.S. military casualties.
One day after the attack, President Roosevelt asked Congress to declare war on Japan. In a famous address to the nation, he called the unprovoked attack "a date which will live in infamy." Today we reflect on the anniversary of Pearl Harbor and remember all those who lost their lives that day.
https://youtu.be/dE3OO0fAASc