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Photo # 80-G-19944:  Planes and a hangar burning at the Ford Island Naval Air Station's seaplane base, during or immediately after the 7 December 1941 Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor.

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- EVENTS -- World War II in the Pacific --

Pearl Harbor Raid, 7 December 1941 --
Naval Air Station, Ford Island, during the Pearl Harbor Raid

Ford Island Naval Air Station, in the middle of Pearl Harbor, was headquarters of Patrol Wing Two, and an important target for the Japanese first wave raiders. Reportedly, the initial bomb of the whole attack burst there, prompting the message that electrified the World: "Air Raid, Pearl Harbor--this is no drill.". Several PBY patrol seaplanes and other aircraft were destroyed on Ford Island, and one big hangar was gutted. In all, 33 planes were put out of commission there.

Several planes from the aircraft carrier Enterprise, which was approaching Hawaii after a mission to Wake Island, arrived in the midst of the attack. A few were shot down by the Japanese and more by understandably jittery American anti-aircraft gunners. However, several of the surviving Enterprise planes, and others from Ford Island's own complement, were airborne again within a few hours, sent out to search for the enemy. Some, at the end of a very long day, were shot down by their fellow-countrymen as they returned from these unfruitful searches.

This page features views related to 7 December 1941 Japanese air attacks on Ford Island Naval Air Station

For other views related to Japanese attacks on airfields and of aerial combat during the Pearl Harbor raid, see:

  • Attacks on Airfields and Aerial Combat.


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the Online Library's digital images, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

    Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

    Photo #: 80-G-19944

    Pearl Harbor Attack, 7 December 1941


    Planes and a hangar burning at the Ford Island Naval Air Station's seaplane base, during or immediately after the Japanese air raid. The ruined wings of a PBY "Catalina" patrol plane are at left and in the center.
    Note men with rifles standing in the lower left.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

    Online Image: 138KB; 740 x 605 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     
    Photo #: 80-G-19948

    Pearl Harbor Attack, 7 December 1941


    Sailors stand amid wrecked planes at the Ford Island seaplane base, watching as USS Shaw (DD-373) explodes in the center background, 7 December 1941.
    USS Nevada (BB-36) is also visible in the middle background, with her bow headed toward the left.
    Planes present include PBY, OS2U and SOC types. Wrecked wing in the foreground is from a PBY.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

    Online Image: 80KB; 740 x 610 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     
    Photo #: 80-G-32480

    Pearl Harbor Attack, 7 December 1941


    View taken from atop a building at Ford Island Naval Air Station, looking over Hanger # 37 toward the Navy Yard, during the Japanese air raid. In the left distance are the mast tops of USS Pennsylvania (BB-38), in Navy Yard Drydock # 1. Mast tops in center are those of USS Nevada (BB-36). Smoke is from Nevada and the burning destroyers Cassin (DD-372), Downes (DD-375) and Shaw (DD-373).
    Planes in the foreground include two Grumman J2F and one Douglas RD-3. Two SBDs are inside Hangar # 37.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

    Online Image: 73KB; 740 x 605 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     
    Photo #: 80-G-32492

    Pearl Harbor Attack, 7 December 1941


    Sandbagged .30 caliber machine gun emplacement with gun crew on alert, at the seaplane base near Ford Island's southern tip, soon after the Japanese attack.
    Note wind sock atop hangar at right, PBY patrol plane warming up by the corner of the hangar, another PBY in the center distance, and three SOC floatplanes at left with the beached battleship Nevada (BB-36) beyond.
    Sandbags are marked "Permanente".

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

    Online Image: 73KB; 740 x 600 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     
    Photo #: NH 97433

    Pearl Harbor Attack, 7 December 1941


    Crew of a .30 caliber machine gun in a sandbagged position, during or soon after the Japanese air raid.
    Location may be Naval Air Station, Ford Island.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History and Heritage Command.

    Online Image: 60KB; 740 x 600 pixels

     
    Photo #: 80-G-32497

    Pearl Harbor Attack, 7 December 1941


    Sailors at Naval Air Station Ford Island reloading ammunition clips and belts, probably around the time of the attack's second wave.
    Note what appears to be a seaplane boarding gangway at top left, and beached motor launches in upper right. Also note variety of uniforms worn by those present.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

    Online Image: 114KB; 740 x 610 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     
    Photo #: 80-G-32477

    Pearl Harbor Attack, 7 December 1941


    Wrecked hangar at the Ford Island Naval Air Station seaplane base on 8 December 1941, the day after the Japanese air attack. In the right foreground is a destroyed OS2U floatplane. Another OS2U (marked "2-O-3") is under repair to the left.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

    Online Image: 103KB; 740 x 610 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     
    Photo #: 80-G-32505

    Pearl Harbor Attack, 7 December 1941


    Scene at the Ford Island Naval Air Station's seaplane base soon after the Japanese attack.
    Several PBY patrol planes are parked on the apron, some near the wrecked hangar at left. The battleship Nevada (BB-36) is beached in the left distance, with smaller ships alongside her bow.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

    Online Image: 81KB; 740 x 610 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     
    Photo #: 80-G-32506

    Naval Air Station Ford Island, Pearl Harbor


    View looking toward the southern end of Ford Island on 8 December 1941, the day after the Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor.
    Planes present include at least seven OS2U, two SOC, one PBY-5, one F4F-3 and two TBD-1s. One of the TBDs may be Bureau # 0289, which was flown by Ensign Theodore W. Marshall, USNR, during his attempt to follow Japanese planes back to their carriers on 7 December. He was awarded the Silver Star for the effort.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

    Online Image: 91KB; 740 x 605 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     
    Photo #: NH 97434

    Pearl Harbor Attack, 7 December 1941


    Vertical aerial photograph of the Ford Island Naval Air Station's seaplane base on 10 December 1941, three days after the Japanese air raid. One hangar has suffered major damage, with about a third of its roof destroyed. Among the planes in the area are about seventeen PBY patrol planes, many with ailerons and flaps missing.
    USS Curtiss (AV-4) is docked at right.
    Part of the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard is at the bottom of the image, with USS Shaw (DD-373) in the partially sunken floating drydock YFD-2 in the lower center.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History and Heritage Command.

    Online Image: 113KB; 650 x 675 pixels

     


    For other views related to Japanese attacks on airfields and of aerial combat during the Pearl Harbor raid, see:

  • Attacks on Airfields and Aerial Combat.


    NOTES:

  • To the best of our knowledge, the pictures referenced here are all in the Public Domain, and can therefore be freely downloaded and used for any purpose.

  • Some images linked from this page may bear obsolete credit lines citing the organization name: "Naval Historical Center". Effective 1 December 2008 the name should be cited as: "Naval History and Heritage Command".


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the Online Library's digital images, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


    Return to Naval History and Heritage Command home page.

    Page made 12 November 2000
    Coding updated 22 April 2009