Pearl Harbor attack... and US incompetence. US Navy Intel had cracked several Jaopanese codes months before the attack and knew the attack was coming. On Dec 7th after 6am Japanese midget subs entered the habor b/c the net was down for morning traffic. A plane spotted a periscope and the destroyer USS Ward fired first and alerted the harbor command which was slow to process the information. A little later US ground radar picked up several Japanese attack planes closing in on Oahu and radioed their report- dismissed as a probable return flight of B-17s. Still no action nor alert. Japanese commenced attack under "Tora, Tora, Tora" at 7:53 am as the first carrier wave of Zekes, Kates, and Vals hit the island and Battleship row with complete surprise! Even after the first wave left Pearl Harbor was in a state of confusion. The second wave arrived and finally some AAA and attempts to launch fighters from two airfields. Japs killed 188 aircraft on the ground which were a mix of old and new (P-36, B-18, B-17, and P-40). Attack lasted 1 hr before the Japanes left the Row and island flaming in destruction. A third wave was called off and the Japanese steamed back home by 1 pm.

Note: security at Pearl Harbor was poor and only helped the Japanese achieve total surprise. the heroics of the day were mainly trying to find ANY gun to use as AAA against the second wave. Disgraceful.