USS California Survivor Robert Boulton Remembers December 7, 1941

The Calm Before the Storm

Robert Boulton, a survivor of the USS California during the Pearl Harbor attack, offers a unique perspective of that fateful day. His story begins like any other Saturday evening in Hawaii, far from the devastation that was about to unfold.

It was the evening of December 6, 1941, when Boulton, then a young sailor aboard the USS California, finished his evening duties and enjoyed a movie. The day had been quiet, and the crew was unaware of the impending danger. After the movie, Boulton and his fellow sailors went to bed, expecting another routine day ahead. Little did they know, their lives—and the course of history—were about to change.

At midnight, Boulton was called to his signal watch. It was a familiar routine, but something felt different that morning. He made his way to the signal station, overlooking the harbor, with a view of the peaceful waters of Pearl Harbor. The calm of the early morning was typical of the island’s tranquil atmosphere, but the sailors remained alert, having been trained for signal drills that were often conducted at night. What they didn’t realize was that those signal drills would soon be a mere backdrop to the most significant event in American history.

The USS California, like many other ships in the harbor, was in a state of preparedness due to tensions in the Pacific. Boulton and his fellow sailors did their best to stay focused on their duties, unaware of the danger looming overhead. The calm was shattered when the general alarm sounded. At first, the crew thought it was just another drill. As Boulton later recalled, “We’d been through drills before, but this one was different.”

The sound of the alarm grew louder as the realization set in: this was not a drill. Boulton and his comrades rushed to their stations, and the atmosphere shifted from routine to chaos. As the first bombs hit the harbor, panic began to spread across the fleet. The USS California was in the thick of it, sitting in the heart of the attack zone. Boulton, who was still in his underwear, rushed to get dressed and help his fellow sailors. He could hear the sirens wailing, the sounds of planes overhead, and the horrific noise of bombs dropping around him.

As the attack progressed, the situation on board the USS California grew worse. The ship was hit hard, and Boulton witnessed the destruction firsthand. The once-pristine battleship was now a symbol of the attack’s devastation. Boulton’s recollection of the moment paints a vivid picture of the overwhelming chaos as smoke filled the air and explosions rocked the ship. It wasn’t just the ship that was under attack—Boulton and his fellow sailors found themselves fighting for their lives. He and other crew members scrambled to assist with damage control and protect their vessel from further destruction. Many men were lost during the attack, with Boulton later learning that some of his close friends and shipmates never made it out of the chaos.

The USS California, despite suffering heavy damage, did not sink entirely, a testament to the bravery and resilience of the crew. However, the damage was so severe that the ship would remain out of commission for several months, requiring extensive repairs. For Boulton and the others who survived, the morning of December 7, 1941, marked a turning point. Their lives, as well as the course of history, had been irrevocably changed.

Boulton’s reflections on that day are both heart-wrenching and inspiring. He recalls the loss of so many men who gave their lives in defense of their country, as well as the courage of those who fought to keep their ship afloat. His story is a powerful reminder of the sacrifices made on December 7, 1941, and of the resilience that continues to shape the legacy of the USS California and its crew.