US Navy Report of Japanese Raid on Pearl Harbor, Enclosure E, Commander Minecraft, Battle Force

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7 Dec 1941

ww2dbase
ComDesFlotOne
FF12-6/A16-3
UNITED STATES PACIFIC FLEET
MINECRAFT, BATTLE FORCE
 


Pearl Harbor, T.H.,
December 7, 1941.




From: Commander Minecraft, BATTLE FORCE.
To: Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet.
Via: Commander Battle Force.
 
Subject: Japanese Plane Attack on Pearl Harbor;
Morning of Sunday, December 7, 1941.

Narrative by Commander Minecraft, BATTLE FORCE, Rear Admiral William R. Furlong, U.S. Navy, in U.S.S. Oglala, sunk by torpedo.

  1. At about 0800 this morning, Sunday, December 7, 1941, I was on deck of my Flagship, U.S.S. Oglala (CM4) and saw the first enemy bomb fall on the seaward end of Ford Island close to the water. This one did not hit the planes parked there. Another fell immediately afterwards in the same vicinity and caused fires near the water. U.S. planes were on the ground nearby and later flames flared up from structures at that end (south end) of the island.
  2. The next bombs fell alongside or on board the seven battleships moored at "F" moorings on the east side of Ford Island.
  3. Japanese planes flew within fifty and one hundred feet of the water and dropped three torpedoes or mines in the channel on a line between Oglala and the seaward end of Ford Island. A torpedo hit the Oglala and the Helena, which were moored abreast at berth two at ten-ten dock with the Oglala outboard of Helena. Fire was opened by Oglala and Helena antiaircraft battery.
  4. I at once signalled Commander-in-Chief that these three objects mentioned above which had just been dropped might be mines because they were dropped in the middle of channel. They could have been torpedoes or mines because no plume went up from them, whereas, plumes over one hundred feet high went up from bombs that hit close alongside of battleships.
  5. I then hailed two small contractor tugs which were working with dredges across the channel from Oglala to give assistance to haul Oglala aft of the Helena in order that Helena could sortie. I obtained submersible pumps from the Helena but then discovered that there was no power in the Oglala because of the hit which flooded the fireroom, and she could not use her pumps.
  6. One Japanese plane was shot down over the harbor and came down in flames to seaward of Ford Island but probably on land. There was no trouble distinguishing Japanese planes because the red Sun painted on the side showed plainly.
  7. Meanwhile planes were strafing as well as bombing. Planes kept coming for quite some time making it difficult to estimate number. I saw four battleships hit with bombs and fires broke out. I saw one battleship turn over. There were six to ten enemy planes visible at any one time over the harbor.
  8. The Nevada got underway and passed out of channel near where I had seen the three mines or torpedoes fall. When she arrived in this vicinity her bow apparently hove up as if she had passed over a mine and about a minute later two bombs fell, one of which hit her starboard topside throwing up flame and smoke and the other missed close along the port side throwing up a plume of water.
  9. During all this, as these dive bombers flew within five hundred to a thousand feet of the Oglala, we were given an excellent opportunity to fire our anti-aircraft battery and did so for over an hour, the Helena firing over us.
  10. The Oglala was got astern of the Helena with help of tugs mentioned in paragraph 5 and was hauled and pushed into the pier and secured with many wires and manila lines. As all compartments were closed below she settled slowly.
  11. At this time I ordered the two tugs which were assisting the Oglala to go to the assistance of the Nevada which was then in the channel between the floating dry-dock and seaward end of Ford Island.
  12. On the second attack I saw a bomb drop which hit the forward part of the Pennsylvania or in the dry-dock ahead of the Pennsylvania. Two destroyers of Destroyer Division FIVE were in the dock ahead of the Pennsylvania, and flames went up from them.
  13. Another Japanese plane was hit and fell in flames seaward of 1010 dock possibly falling near the entrance of the channel. It went down in a streak of flame as did the first one mentioned. Of the two planes that I saw shot down in this part of the harbor one was in flames after passing over the battleships from north to south about 2,000 feet altitude; the other plane shot down flew over the harbor at about 2,000 feet in the same general direction but closer to 1010 dock and pier, and was engaged by vessels on this side of the harbor. Guns operable by hand proved particularly advantageous, especially where power was knocked out of the steaming fireroom by torpedoes.
  14. Following the bombing of the Pennsylvania, I saw a bomb fall near or on the destroyer in the floating dry-dock. This destroyer was later in flames.
  15. Meanwhile the Oglala had taken a list of about 40°, the wire lines to the dock parted and her port upper deck rail was so far under that she might sink suddenly at any moment. I ordered all hands to abandon the ship shortly after 9:00 a.m. The only ones remaining being the guns' crews and myself. The Oglala kept up the anti-aircraft fire until the ship's list was at such an angle that the men on the machine guns were sliding off the deck and the angle was too steep to longer stick on the deck and serve the 3" gun. During this last period the Japanese planes were strafing us, not bombing. As the ship was about to turn over I ordered the guns' crews to leave the ship and left with them. The machine guns were slid off the top of deckhouse to the pier as the ship went over and were set up on the pier.
  16. The guns' crews manned their battle stations promptly and stood to their guns during bombing and strafing as if at target practice, keeping up a continuous fire at enemy planes during the bombing and strafing. The signal force manned their bridge stations and sent signals during the action; one to sortie and one to the Nevada warning her of mines during which time the bridge was struck by machine gun bullets. The man on the fires when the fireroom was flooding very promptly turned off the oil fires and no one suffered oil burns. The names of personnel involved will be reported in a separate list.
  17. Four men were wounded. One man was wounded seriously, the other three slightly. No other casualties.
  18. At about 0900-0930 the four ships of Mine Division TWO of my command sortied from Pearl Harbor.
  19. I then reported for further duty to the Commander-in-Chief with my staff.
  20. Above dictated at 1100 a.m.

[signed]
WILLIAM R. FURLONG.



Postscript

U.S.S. Oglala


Immediately after the Oglala sank in the forenoon, men from her crew (about 75%) were pooled and details sent to various other units of the Fleet; among them a party to both the Pennsylvania and Helena to assist those ships in manning their batteries, 45 men to the Tennessee to assist in fire fighting, 30 men to the Mugford, which ship went to sea soon thereafter, and repair parties were also sent to the Pennsylvania and Helena. Approximately 75 men were sent to the Naval Ammunition Depot at West Loch. In addition, the Oglala's medical personnel assisted in receiving and distributing dead and wounded men from the battleships being landed at the end of 1010 dock.

Commencing Monday, December 8, working parties were sent to various activities ashore and afloat. The crew, officers and men, were split up and assigned to various ships and activities in the 14th Naval District.

MINE DIVISION ONE


Mine Division ONE, now in overhaul at the Navy Yard, Pearl Harbor, did not have their .50 caliber ammunition on board due to welding work in the magazines. Ammunition was promptly borrowed from a nearby ship and fire was opened with their .50 caliber antiaircraft batteries within 15 minutes from the time of the commencement of the attack. Fire was promptly opened at the commencement of the attack with their .30 caliber machine guns, ammunition for which was on board.

In addition to the above action men from Mine Division ONE, were sent, after the bombing started, to the Pennsylvania, and were on board when that ship was bombed. Three of these men from the Tracy and one from the Pruitt are still missing. One of the bodies recovered from the Pennsylvania shows evidence of being ZACEK. Three other bodies from the Pennsylvania are at the hospital but their identity has not been definitely established. The four men that were missing from the detail sent to the Pennsylvania were the following:

NAMERATESERVICE NO.SHIP
KEITH, G.R.RM3c381 34 02Pruitt
PENCE, J.W.RM3c321 30 25Tracy
BIRD, J.A.Sea1c376 19 51Tracy
ZACEK, L.J.F2c368 50 90Tracy

From Mine Division ONE, men were also sent to fill up the crews of other ships, namely: Cummings, New Orleans, Whitney and California. ww2dbase

Source(s):
United States National Archives, Modern Military Branch

Added By:
C. Peter Chen





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