Bombing of Pearl Harbor

  • USS Arizona Destroyed (8:10 AM)

    USS Arizona Destroyed (8:10 AM)
    The USS Arizona was mortally wounded by an armorpiercing bomb which ignited the ship's forward ammunition magazine. (Department of Defense)
  • Second Wave Launched (7:15 AM)

    Second Wave Launched (7:15 AM)
    The second wave of Japanese fighters/bombers was launched at 7:15 AM to support the fighters from the first wave. The total number of fighters/bombers in the second wave was 167. (Rosenburg, Jennifer.)
  • First Japanese Planes reach Pearl Harbor (7:55 AM)

    First Japanese Planes reach Pearl Harbor (7:55 AM)
    The first wave of Japanese planes reach Pearl Harbor. Before Pearl Harbor was bombed, Commander Mitsuo Fuchida (leader of the air attack) called out, "Tora! Tora! Tora!" ("Tiger! Tiger! Tiger!"), a coded message which told the entire Japanese navy that they had caught the Americans totally by surprise.(Rosenburg, Jennifer.)
  • Attack Begins (8:00 AM)

    Attack Begins (8:00 AM)
    At 8:00 a.m., Admiral Husband Kimmel, in charge of Pearl Harbor, sent out a hurried dispatch to all in the U.S. naval fleet, "AIR RAID ON PEARL HARBOR X THIS IS NOT DRILL." (Rosenburg, Jennifer.)
  • Airfields Attacked (7:55 AM)

    Airfields Attacked (7:55 AM)
    The first wave of Japanese planes that arrived over Pearl Harbor at 7:55 a.m. were ordered to target the airfields that surrounded Pearl Harbor. (Rosenburg, Jennifer.)
  • Japanese Planes Return to Aircraft Carrier (12:14 PM)

    Japanese Planes Return to Aircraft Carrier (12:14 PM)
    All Japanese planes had returned to their aircraft carriers by 12:14 PM. (Rosenburg, Jennifer.)
  • 2 Hours Into The Battle (9:45 AM)

    2 Hours Into The Battle (9:45 AM)
    The Japanese planes left Pearl Harbor and headed back to their aircraft carriers. The attack on Pearl Harbor was over. (Rosenburg, Jennifer.)
  • Japanese Return to Japan (1:14 PM)

    Japanese Return to Japan (1:14 PM)
    The Japanese aircraft carriers start to go home at 1:14 PM. (Rosenburg, Jennifer)
  • Japanese First Wave Spotted (7:00 AM)

    Japanese First Wave Spotted (7:00 AM)
    The first wave of Japanese fighters/bombers were spotted by an alert operator of an army radar station at opana. (Department of Defense)
  • First Wave Launched (6:00 AM)

    First Wave Launched (6:00 AM)
    At 6:00 am the first wave of Japanese planes was launched out to Pearl Harbor to start the attack. The total number of planes in the first wave was 183. (Rosenburg, Jennifer.)