USS Arizona
Dec. 7th, 2002 11:54 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lilfluffNote: This post was started on Saturday 7 December 2002.
On this day in my Grandparent's time, December 7th 1941, The Imperial Navy of the Empire of Japan attacked the American navel and army facilities on the island of Hawaii.
It was a tragedy of Errors. The American officials in charge when told to take precautions due to an increased risk of attach, took precautions not against a direct military attach but against sabotage. Precautions that in some cases made the Japanese attack easier. Precautions such as collecting the aircraft on the army airfield together to make it easier for the troops to guard them. Mistakes occurred on the Japanese side as well. Yes they intended to have the element of surprise, but they intended to have their declaration of war arrive before the attack. Under the samurai's code of honor you did not attack an enemy who was unaware of you. They intended for their declaration of war to arrive in time to satisfy honor, without giving enough time for the forces at Pearl Harbor time to successfully adjust their defenses.
When Pearl Harbor was attacked one of the ships lost was the namesake the state I have grown up in, the U.S.S. Arizona. The Arizona served from 1916 to 1941, when during the attack on Pearl it was sunk with the loss of over eleven hundred crew. It is hard for me to picture this number, about the only comparison I can make is to consider what it would have been like for 2 of every 3 students at the High School I attended to have died on one day.
At about ten minutes after 8am on December 7th, an 800kg bomb struck the number two turret, the blow believed to be the fatal injury when the explosion reached the Arizona's powder magazine. Despite the best efforts of the crew the ship could not be saved, the damage was so severe that all they could do was fight for time to save as many of the crew as they could. Three medals of honor were awarded for such efforts, two of these awards posthumously.
Before I even knew the story of the Arizona, before I knew about the Memorial over the remains of the ship, I knew that there had been a U.S.S. Arizona. The library at my grade school had an artifact from the ship. I don't know what the equipment is called, but it was one of those controls that you see in the movies. A post and lever that can be moved from one position to another to signal the engine room what speed and setting is desired for the engines (Full stop, all ahead, half reverse and so on).
It was I suspect inevitable that the United States would become involved in the war. It was just a matter of when and how. Each country can generally point to something as the trigger that pulled them in. For the United States is was Pearl Harbor, and partly the Arizona.
To those who died on the U.S.S. Arizona, to all others who died in the attack on Pearl Harbor, and to all those who died in the war, let us not forget them.
On this day in my Grandparent's time, December 7th 1941, The Imperial Navy of the Empire of Japan attacked the American navel and army facilities on the island of Hawaii.
It was a tragedy of Errors. The American officials in charge when told to take precautions due to an increased risk of attach, took precautions not against a direct military attach but against sabotage. Precautions that in some cases made the Japanese attack easier. Precautions such as collecting the aircraft on the army airfield together to make it easier for the troops to guard them. Mistakes occurred on the Japanese side as well. Yes they intended to have the element of surprise, but they intended to have their declaration of war arrive before the attack. Under the samurai's code of honor you did not attack an enemy who was unaware of you. They intended for their declaration of war to arrive in time to satisfy honor, without giving enough time for the forces at Pearl Harbor time to successfully adjust their defenses.
When Pearl Harbor was attacked one of the ships lost was the namesake the state I have grown up in, the U.S.S. Arizona. The Arizona served from 1916 to 1941, when during the attack on Pearl it was sunk with the loss of over eleven hundred crew. It is hard for me to picture this number, about the only comparison I can make is to consider what it would have been like for 2 of every 3 students at the High School I attended to have died on one day.
At about ten minutes after 8am on December 7th, an 800kg bomb struck the number two turret, the blow believed to be the fatal injury when the explosion reached the Arizona's powder magazine. Despite the best efforts of the crew the ship could not be saved, the damage was so severe that all they could do was fight for time to save as many of the crew as they could. Three medals of honor were awarded for such efforts, two of these awards posthumously.
Before I even knew the story of the Arizona, before I knew about the Memorial over the remains of the ship, I knew that there had been a U.S.S. Arizona. The library at my grade school had an artifact from the ship. I don't know what the equipment is called, but it was one of those controls that you see in the movies. A post and lever that can be moved from one position to another to signal the engine room what speed and setting is desired for the engines (Full stop, all ahead, half reverse and so on).
It was I suspect inevitable that the United States would become involved in the war. It was just a matter of when and how. Each country can generally point to something as the trigger that pulled them in. For the United States is was Pearl Harbor, and partly the Arizona.
To those who died on the U.S.S. Arizona, to all others who died in the attack on Pearl Harbor, and to all those who died in the war, let us not forget them.
