Pearl Harbor Blog Page
Pearl Harbor National Memorial Blog Page
Melvin Heckman, a Pearl Harbor survivor, speaks with Cmdr. Beth Regoli, the commanding officer of Patrol Squadron 9, about his experiences during the attack on Pearl Harbor at Hangar 104 aboard Marine Corps Base Hawaii, December 2, 2016. Heckman is known for rescuing sailors from the USS Arizona during the attack on Pearl Harbor after the ship was attacked by Japanese Zeros. "I reached out to grab a man's hand to help him up and take him to the island," said Heckman, a Sheridan, Wyoming, native. "I got him out of the water and saw that everything below his belly button was missing; he died in my arms" Heckman was awarded a purple heart for his bravery after receiving burn wounds from an explosion by a Japanese bomber and rescuing service members., Lance Cpl. Isabelo Tabanguil, 2016, <https://www.dvidshub.net/image/3029468/pearl-harbor-survivor-shares-story-with-sailors>, PD-USGov-Military Navy
Heroes of the Harbor: Mel Heckman
On December 7, 2016, Mel Heckman, one of the few remaining survivors of the Pearl Harbor attack, returned to the site of the infamous bombing for the first time since [...]
En route to Okinawa, PFC Joe Hosteen Kelwood of Steamboat Canyon, Ganado, Arizona; Pvt Floyd Saupitty of Lawton, Oklahoma (a Comanche); and PFC Alex Williams of Red Lake, Leupp, Arizona. From the Photograph Collection (COLL/3948) at the Marine Corps Archives and Special Collections, OFFICIAL USMC PHOTOGRAPH.,USMC Archives <https://www.flickr.com/people/60868061@N04> from Quantico, USA, 1945, Code talkers en route to Okinawa, <https://www.flickr.com/photos/usmcarchives/7973457272/> CC-by-2.0
Native Americans in World War II
The history of Native Americans in the United States is complex, marked by resilience amid adversity. During World War II, Native Americans played an essential role in the nation's fight [...]
The U.S. Navy destroyer tender USS Whitney (AD-4) moored behind torpedo nets at Pearl Harbor, 17 April 1942. Four of her eight 12.7 cm/51 guns have been removed and her anti-aircraft battery had been strengthened., USN, 1942, Navsource.or http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/03/0304.htmg, PD-USGov-Military Navy
Harry Simoneaux: Pearl Harbor and the War in the Pacific
The morning of December 7, 1941, began like any other for Harry Simoneaux, a damage control officer aboard the destroyer tender USS Whitney (AD-4). Clad in his dress whites, Simoneaux [...]
Pacific Aviation Museum’s Hangar 37: A Journey Through WWII Aircraft
The Pacific Aviation Museum at Pearl Harbor offered visitors a glimpse into the rich history of American aviation, showcasing aircraft that played pivotal roles in the development of military [...]
At the time this photo was made, smoke billowed 20,000 feet above Hiroshima while smoke from the burst of the first atomic bomb had spread over 10,000 feet on the target at the base of the rising column. Six planes of the 509th Composite Group, participated in this mission; one to carry the bomb Enola Gay https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enola_Gay, one to take scientific measurements of the blast The Great Artiste https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Artiste, the third to take photographs Necessary Evil https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Necessary_Evil_(aircraft) the others flew approximately an hour ahead to act as weather scouts, 08/06/1945. Bad weather would disqualify a target as the scientists insisted on a visual delivery, the primary target was Hiroshima https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiroshima, secondary was Kokura https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kokura, and tertiary was Nagasaki https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nagasakaki,_Nagasaki., George R. Caron, 1945, National Archives and Records Administration https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/National_Archives_and_Records_Administration, PD-USGov-Military Army
America’s Surprising Original Atomic Target
When atomic weapons became a reality during World War II, determining when and where to use them was a critical decision for American military planners. While Hiroshima and Nagasaki are [...]
U.S. Navy sailors in a motor launch rescue a survivor from the water alongside the sunken battleship USS West Virginia (BB-48) during or shortly after the Japanese air raid on Pearl Harbor, 7 December 1941. USS Tennessee (BB-43) visible behind West Virginia. Note extensive distortion of West Virginia´s lower midships superstructure, caused by torpedo hits below. Also note 5"/25 gun, still partially covered with canvas, boat crane swung outboard and empty boat cradles near the smokestacks, and base of radar antenna atop West Virginia´s (BB-48) foremast., U.S. Navy, 1941, Naval History and Heritage Command http://www.history.navy.mil, PD-USGov-Military Navy
USS West Virginia Survivor Archie Kelley Turns 100
Celebrating a centenarian is always a momentous occasion, but for Archie Kelley, his 100th birthday was a unique milestone. Kelley is a survivor of the infamous December 7, 1941, [...]
Pearl Harbor widows have gone into war to carry on the fight with a personal vengeance. Mrs. Virginia Young (right), whose husband was one of the first casualties of World War II, is a supervisor in the Assembly and Repairs Department of the Naval Air Base at Corpus Christi, Texas. Her job is to find convenient and comfortable living quarters for women workers from out of the state, like Ethel Mann, who operates an electric drill., Unknown author, 1942, National Archives and Records Administration https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/National_Archives_and_Records_Administration, PD-USGov
The Unexpected Heroines of Pearl Harbor
On December 7, 1941, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor devastated the U.S. Pacific Fleet, but it also ignited acts of heroism from the most unexpected sources. Among these [...]
Cornelia Fort Honored with Museum Exhibit
The life and legacy of Cornelia Clark Fort, an aviation trailblazer and a Pearl Harbor eyewitness, now stand honored through a dedicated exhibit at the Chico Air Museum in [...]
The Underwater Demolition Teams of the Pacific
Amphibious warfare, a critical component of military strategy, faced significant challenges during the early 20th century. Failures like the Gallipoli Campaign during World War I underscored the need for innovative [...]
Chief Boatswain Edwin Joseph Hill, USN, (1894–1941), who was awarded the Medal of Honor, posthumously, for heroism while serving on board USS Nevada (BB-36) during the 7 December 1941 Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor., Author not named,U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/pers-us/uspers-h/ej-hill.htm, PD-USGov-Military Navy
Pearl Harbor Hero: Chief Boatswain Edwin Hill
On the fateful morning of December 7, 1941, the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor became the target of a devastating surprise attack by the Imperial Japanese Navy. [...]
The Story of Haleiwa Fighter Strip
Haleiwa Fighter Strip, located on Oahu’s North Shore, was an unassuming airfield prior to World War II. Serving primarily as an emergency landing field for military aircraft, it was unpaved [...]
Japanese Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu signs the Instrument of Surrender on behalf of the Japanese Government, on board of USS Missouri, 2 September 1945, LT. Stephen E. Korpanty; restored by Adam Cuerdenhttps://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Adam_Cuerden, 1945, [http://Naval Historical Center Photo # SC 213700]NHC, PD-USGov-Military Army
How and Why Japan Didn’t Succeed at Pearl Harbor
There are many reasons for how and why Japan didn’t succeed at Pearl Harbor. The attack on Pearl Harbor by Japan on December 7, 1941, remains one of the [...]
