#50 December 7 – Pearl Harbor Day

The Story of Pearl Harbor Day

Listen to Episode 40: The Day that will Live in Infamy (the story of Pearl Harbor Day)

On the morning of December 7, 1941, the island of Oahu woke to sunshine spilling across the quiet waters of Pearl Harbor. Sailors were still sleeping in their bunks after a relaxing Saturday night, and the base felt peaceful, almost sleepy. No one could have imagined that within minutes, their world would burst apart.

For months, tension had been growing across the Pacific. Japan had been expanding into Asia, and American leaders worried about what might come next. Even though diplomats were talking in Washington, D.C., American intelligence had intercepted unsettling messages. Something was brewing—something big. Still, most people believed peace was possible. No one expected an attack, least of all on that calm Sunday morning.

Far out at sea, hidden by distance and secrecy, six Japanese aircraft carriers had traveled more than 3,500 miles without being detected. Aboard them were over 400 planes, each one prepared for a mission they had practiced for an entire year. Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, the mastermind behind the plan, understood exactly what was at stake. He knew the United States had far more resources than Japan. The only chance his country had, he believed, was to strike hard and strike first—using complete surprise.

Just before 8 a.m., the first wave of Japanese planes swept over the mountains surrounding Pearl Harbor. Some flew only fifty feet above the water, their torpedoes skimming the waves. Others dove from the sky, dropping bombs and spraying bullets across the decks of American ships. Explosions shook the harbor as fire and smoke billowed upward, turning the peaceful morning into chaos.

In the midst of this terror, American service members scrambled into action. One of them was Dorie Miller, a Navy cook aboard the U.S.S. West Virginia. Even though he wasn’t trained to use the massive anti-aircraft guns, he didn’t hesitate. He grabbed one, aimed at the incoming planes, and fired with determination. Witnesses said he brought down several enemy aircraft before being ordered to abandon ship. His bravery later earned him the Navy Cross, making him one of the heroes of that terrible day.

Across the harbor, the U.S.S. Arizona suffered a direct hit that caused a massive explosion, sinking the ship and trapping more than a thousand men inside. In just two hours, the attack left thousands killed or wounded and destroyed ships and airplanes all across Pearl Harbor.

The blow was devastating, but it did not break the spirit of the United States. Instead, it awakened it. The next day, America declared war on Japan—and the long, difficult fight of World War II entered a new chapter.