Eighty three years ago, on Dec. 7, 1941, Japan launched a surprise attack against the United States Naval base at Pearl Harbor in what would become a date that would live in infamy.
It was 7:55 AM on a Sunday morning in Hawaii when large groups of Japanese aircraft took the naval base by surprise and attacked with devastating results. Five battleships, three destroyers, and seven other ships were sunk or critically damaged. More than 200 aircraft were destroyed. Over 2400 Americans were killed with over twelve hundred more wounded.
The Japanese had hoped to destroy the Pacific Fleet — and they nearly did. Luckily for the U.S., her aircraft carriers were away from the base that day and would survive to have their chance at revenge.
The following day, President Franklin D. Roosevelt asked Congress to approve a declaration of war against Japan. It was approved by a near unanimous vote. Three days later, Japan’s Axis partners, Germany and Italy, declared war against the U.S., which was met in kind.
The United States had officially entered World War II.
Despite the horrific brutalities conducted by both countries during the war, today relations between Japan and the United States are guided by mutual respect and shared visions for peace and prosperity.
Bob Fernandez was 17 years old when he joined the Navy in August ‘41. Just four months later he heard the explosions.
“When those things go off like that, we didn’t know what’s what,” Fernandez said in a phone interview with the Associated Press. “We didn’t even know we were in a war.”
“I’m not a hero. I’m just nothing but an ammunition passer.”
He was working as a mess cook on his ship, the USS Curtiss, waiting tables when he heard an alarm sound.
“I felt kind of scared because I didn’t know what the hell was going on,” Fernandez said
The USS Curtiss lost 21 men and dozens more sailors were injured.
“We lost a lot of good people, you know. They didn’t do nothing,” Fernandez said. “But we never know what’s going to happen in a war.”
Featured Image: The USS West Virginia burns on Dec. 7 thanks to Japanese attacks. It would go on to punish the Japanese forces across the Pacific. (U.S. Navy)