I hope you enjoy this video; part of a limited series on the epic mission undertaken to salvage the warships of Pearl Harbor. This video was inpsired by the inredible colour footage and photographs made available to the public by the US national archives. Upon finishing the edit of this video I realised, too late, that I have put the beaching point of USS Nevada on the wrong side of the channel off Hospital Point; she actually came to rest on the western side. My apologies for this small error! ~Mike
Mike I swear to God you are a master of your craft. these videos are documentary quality I swear man If you were born 20 years earlier these are the type of documentaries that you'd be seeing on the military channel back when it was high quality. You are a master.
According to Walter Lord in 'Day of Infamy', the Nevada was indeed beached on Hospital Point, but she was moved across the channel to 'the hard, sandy bottom of Waipio Peninsula' once the attack was over.
at 8:42 you mention that battleships Tennessee and West Virginia were anchored in a pair like Maryland and Colorado, but... the USS Colorado wasn't there on December 7th. I assume you meant the battleship Oklahoma and you were thinking Colorado class battleship. Anyways, great video! - Fan from Colorado
I met a Pearl Harbour veteran. He said he was court marshalled because he took guns out the barracks without signing them out during the attack seeing as it wasn’t considered to be wartime. This was later overturned and he went on to serve in Korea and Vietnam. He died January 20th 2024. RIP to the legend Sterling Cale
I have college degrees. So called educated. I served in the US Army Reserves as an enlisted man. There is an expression that Educated people have Little common sense Court marshaling this man was an example of that What moron decided to do it in the first place
Drachinifel has an excellent series on the salvage efforts as well, but Mike has absolutely outdone himself with finding these amazing pictures and film.
Drach's PH salvage series and series on his visits to American battleships are among my favorite things to fall asleep to, having watched them all several times
Can't wait for Part 2! I'm a Priest, and the first funeral I ever did was for an old woman who had been a Nurse in the Navy on duty that horrible Sunday morning in Pearl Harbor. The Navy gave her full military honors in the National Cemetery at Chattanooga, TN.
I grew up on Oahu. My dad was a civilian pilot, an Army Air Corps pilot in the Philippines in WW2. Many of my friends were Navy and Air Force kids from Pearl Harbor and Hickam AFB. We used to ride our bikes around the bases, like 12 year old kids do. I remember going to Ford Island on the Ferry. There were still airplane engines strewn about, bomb craters and powder burns on the ground, bullet holes in the buildings, and other indicators of the attack. It gave us an appreciation for what took place. That was 1970. This video was eerily nostalgic for me, but not as someone who was there, but as someone who grew up with the history and the stories right under foot. I got my Engineering at the Construction Batallion School in Gulfport Mississippi in 1981. My son is now enlisting to become a Navy Diver. God Bless and God rest the souls who perished at Pearl in 1941. Thank you for this amazing video.
I like in particular the story of USS Vestal, I've read up on it before. The massive explosion onboard USS Arizona blew some of Vestal's crew overboard, including it's commander. In absense of Vestal's commander the order was given to abandon ship. But the commander swam back towards his ship, climbed onboard and relayed 'we are getting this ship underway'. They managed to get the ship away from Arizona and the burning water, while slowly sinking, letting the ship run aground to prevent further sinking. Then after the attack was over, Vestal's crew fixed up their own ship while also helping with salvage and rescue on other ships. In August 1942 she was sent out into the Pacific to provide front line repair and maintenance to the US fleet. Survived the war and eventually scrapped in 1950... Vestal's commander during the Pearl Harbor attack was Cassin Young, a seasoned naval WW1 veteran. He earned the Medal of Honor for his actions at Pearl Harbor and was promoted to captain in february 1942. He took command of heavycruiser USS San Fransisco CA-38 and died on that ship in the battle of Guadalcanal. The destroyer USS Cassin Young DD-793 was named in his honour.
Thank you, I did not know this. He and so many other backs up my above comment on the greatness of Americans during those times. There were so many brave and selfless service given by our military members and countless other Americans that came together to help make what they did possible. God rest his soul. He deserves ever medal they could have given him and pretty much everyone else that day.
I had the priviledge of knowing a Pearl Harbor survivor. He was a young bosun's mate on the USS Helena who went on to a career in the US Navy and retired as a Master Chief Petty Officer. He told me he remembered when the attack began and when it was over but everything between was a blank, he couldn't remember a thing. "I knew I was fighting, I was holding a hot Springfield rifle and had empty ammunition bandoleers all over me. Then I had to turn to and help save the ship." Isn't that something? Maybe I'm getting ahead of the story Mike but don't forget how the salvaged battleships Maryland, West Virginia, Tennessee, California, and Pennsylvania, the "Pearl Harbor Ghosts," got their revenge at the Battle of Suragao Strait, the last fleet action of surface "heavies" without air support. Great video Mike! Looking forward to the next installment!
Having been to Pearl Harbor, meeting both survivors and former pilots, and just hearing how they describe the events; it really is both chilling and heartbreaking. And the grounds are still littered with reminders of that morning. Not to mention when you do visit the memorial over the Arizona, it's almost eerie just how silent the surroundings do become despite the people there, and you actually can hear the faint creaking from the metal of the Arizona as the current acts on her hull.
I was serving aboard the USS Constellation docked in Pearl Harbor on 9/11/01, just returning from a 6 month cruise in the Persian Gulf. As my shipmates and I stood in our berth watching the second plane appear in the frame aimed at that second tower, I couldn’t help but feel a deep connection to the sailors who lost their lives during the Pearl Harbor attack. As soon as the second plane hit, my Carrier Air Group as well as most of the other Naval ships quickly deployed fearing a more widespread domestic attack. It was surreal passing the USS Arizona Memorial as we departed. A moment that has remained with me ever since. I never truly got it before that day.
Oh wow. I was in the 10th grade on 9/11. Little did I realize that I'd be in Iraq 6 years later during The Surge. I was in the Army, but served in Iraq with the Navy in Camp Bucca. That's where I learned about "Seabees." Seriously, the Navy is it's own language to me:-)
Oh man, the story of the Pearl Harbor ships is one of my favorites in all of maritime history. These ships seem to take on a personality all their own, becoming characters in the story of the war. One can imagine them like people. Helena hammering out revenge at Guadalcanal. Nevada refusing all forms of death and taking it out on anyone she ran across. Pennsylvania reeling after her sister's death and finally ending up in the battle line at Leyte, her and the other Pearl survivors coming back in a fury. But it all starts here, at Pearl, with the salvage and repair of these ships and the crews that put them back together. Your storytelling and narration are excellent as always, and the footage really is something. This story combined with your talent makes an excellent video.
Yes, you are right, they really did become almost human after the attack, whenever I speak of the ships I find myself talking about them like they are human with personalities. I guess they really had them if you think about it though, the Pennsylvania after getting salvaged parts from West Virginia went on to earn a reputation and the nickname Angry Sister avenging the loss of its sister. It seemed like it was channeling the hate that West Virginia would later let loose once it became “Pearl Harbor’s Revenge”, and of course alongside West Virginia through it all was the Rebel, the Big Ten, the Tennessee, who helped keep West Virginia from burning up during the attack, later cruised together to Tokyo bay
@@aaronpenhaligon6885 she was the last battleship to fire its guns in a battleship vs battleship engagement in history as well. Every battleship engagement afterwards was shore bombardments
My uncle, Lester Silva, was aboard the USS Detroit when Pearl Harbor was attacked and was one of the first to be wounded. I was amazed to learn, thanks to your video, that he was the ONLY sailor wounded on the ship. He went on to serve his 20 years and retired from the Navy. Thank you for this presentation!
My grandfather was the ship's doctor for USS Detroit. He mentioned having a few patients, and the she's priority was to get underway, in case of a second attack.
My father, Capt. James H. Reynolds, was a survivor of the Pearl Harbor Attack. He was stationed at Scofield Barracks. He only could access his 45 caliber sidearm along with a rifle which he repeatedly emptied at as the Japanese aircraft flew overhead. It was most difficult to get him to talk about this tragedy as he lost a number of close friends along with the shock of all the explosions around him as he fired. My father was, and always will remain my Hero!
To guard a ship only to hear...and know the tapping will end...You don't forget that..By far the best documentary i've watched regarding Pearl Harbor..
I wish I could find it again. Somewhere on youtube is a 4 part 4 hour video series made by one of the then young Salvage Engineers charged with righting Oaklahoma. He made the videos at his grandchildrens insistence. And include a ton of never before seen photos. And his account of the job is horrifying and gripping. The anguish in his elderly voice as he described what they were discovering and dealing with every day is haunting.
Sucks how useless youtube's search function is. You can type in the exact name of a video's title and still not find it if it's too old or not popular enough. There's a few vids that I never would have found again if I didn't add them to favorites back in the day.
That is modern-day Google search in it's entirety actually. You're not supposed to find what you are looking for. I had subconsciously thought this for years but it took reading an article about it for it to suddenly hit home.
Its these kinds of videos that I look foward to the most. The footage, the professional narration, the music and so much more makes this videos one of my favourites. You did a supreme job as always, I can't wait for a Battle of Jutland video
The forward to Edward C. Raymer's book "Descent into Darkness" where he's walking through the USS Arizona is absolutely bone chilling. It easily beats out any fictional horror with it's tale of the bodies he found while walking through the shattered hulk.
@@wayneantoniazzi2706based on the state of the victims, I can’t blame them either. It was gruesome, dangerous work, and was not for the weak of stomach, that’s for sure
Thank you for your outstanding presentation. As an Australian Veteran who served in the Navy and Army and who has been to stand on the memorial just brakes my heart of all of those fine brave young men who died. R.I.P ❤
I spent a full day at Pearl Harbor in 2021, took it all in, every tour, contemplating the events. Your series is excellent! I would love to see even more of the engineering behind these efforts. You explain processes well.
I’m so excited to see the rest of the series! I’ve never read or learned about the salvage operations, and it sounds like an engineering marvel. Thanks for bringing these videos and images together for a great educational ride.
I have seen earlier videos of the salvage of Pearl Harbor. None began as you did, with a cataloging of damage and loss of life. The Japanese film I have never seen. A very comprehensive study of the immediate after affects of the attack. Great research.
I've seen many lessons, articles and items about the attack on Pearl Harbor and the ensuing war, but this is the first detailed look I've had at the rescue/salvage efforts. Thank you, very much.
I was fortunate to meet the owner of the estate that was used in the original "Magnum P.I." While hearing those stories were fun, my true love was history. He told the story of their property on the hillside overlooking Pearl Harbor. He was a young man and they were all outside when the attack began and watched it from their yard. He said his dad went into the kitchen and stood by the phone. His dad had essentially built Oahu's infrastructure, roads, tunnels and such. And his construction was the mainstay of the Pearl Harbor/Ford Island installation. He said the phone rang and he didn't see his dad for almost two weeks. Among the salvage and repair operations, he managed to build the bunker that housed CINCPAC during WW II. Trivia: A large portion of the movie Midway was filmed on location of that original subterranean HQ.
There are production studios with million dollar budgets whose content cannot hold a candle to your work. Never change, you are a valuable asset to education and entertainment.
An idea on a similar topic, read a book on a man who bought a navy. He bought the salvage rights to raise the Kaisers sunken fleet at Scapa Flow anchorage. Full of sheer ingenuity. Brilliant video, stunning footage and pics, RIP to all who lost their lives and the injured from this terrible attack.
Oh Mike. I have so much to comment, but late for work. More to follow. So far it’s fantastic. I'm baaaaack..... Well done you, on the research, the writing and the details. I have several wonderful books, one of just photographs of WWII, and I had not know until today that any of our ships were able to be salvaged. They were, indeed, the greatest generation. Hearing about how they fought, and the way fate really spared some and took out others was a really profound discovery for me. My connection to the war comes through my parents, and my Uncles who served. Dad was in the Pacific, on an ammunition ship, and while my brother and I garnered a love for ships and the sea, any invitation to him to go on a cruise was met with "I saw enough of the deep blue sea during the war..." He never said much more than that, and his other favorite expression about being on the munitions ship, was "that SOB would go over one wave and under two" I must commend you on your research and details that you unearth, as well as your beautiful writing and story telling. I was honestly moved to tears by the whole thing. Thanks so much for all content you create... I always look forward to it. All the best Croix
Best doc on the subject I’ve ever seen! Not just the salvage, the basics of the attack as well, so it’s well-rounded. Color footage! Personal accounts! Oh, my heart! I’ve been a Pearl Harbor geek all my life, having been weirdly fascinated by every aspect of this event. It was only much later that I learned of the epic salvage effort as this is something that was not well publicized in the media.
Absolutely fascinating, I hadn't realised a lot of the ships were repaired. It was, however, a shocking loss of life. Very well narrated, Mike. I'm looking forward to the next episode. Many thanks.
As someone who lives in the heart of Pearl Harbor, this was great to hear about a he salvage operations that resurrected all but the Arizona, Oklahoma, and Utah.
This presentation, the footage, the film used, the narration, and the overall professional setup of Pearl Harbor's salvaging operation was fantastic, Mike. Oh, and thanks for pronouncing Maryland correctly at 7:57. I have watched many UK & Commonwealth channels pronounce the name wrong. As a fellow Marylander, I cannot wait for more videos in the future.
I have spoken with a few Pearl Harbor survivors, and the way described it you can bet that anything you watch about it will most certainly not come close to actually being there. The sound of the explosions, the screams of men burning to death while others lay with parts of their bodies blown off. Then there were the pieces of human beings floating in the water. I could go on but you get the point.
Excellent video! I don’t believe much has been documented previously about the enormous salvage operation at that time in Pearl Harbor, so it’s very informative to learn how this took place. Looking forward to part two!
Very well done! I am looking forward to the rest of this series on this topic. Dracs series was excellent, yet you have much to offer as well. No one offering on this historical event could hope to encompass all there is on this or any historical event. I am looking forward to seeing your further research on this. Well done.
You call it a miraculous repair, in the Navy we call it Monday. When your ship is damaged, the entire crew springs into action. You have no choice, your Brothers are in danger, and your home is threatened. In 1972 off the coast of Vietnam as part of the Repair 1-Alpha Hose Team, we fought a fire on the fantail of the USS Oriskany (CVA-34) when an F-8 Crusader crashed into the ship. Just another day at the office. Senior Chief, US Navy (Retired). Mike, thank you for your sincere testimonial to the Men of the Navy and those Brave Shipyard Workers!
Thanks for your service Chief! This old Marine sends you a "Semper Fi!" By the way, a WW2 navy vet once told me "You've never seen guys work until you see guys working to save a ship!"
Thank you for this series. These kinds of details always feel like they're the sort of thing doomed to be lost to history behind the more action-packed stories. Hearing how people picked up the pieces and rebuilt stronger, and hearing how they stepped up to meet and exceed the seemingly impossible demands of horrible situations are lessons we never stop needing to remember.
This is an amazing documentary of the events that took place in Pearl Harbour in 1941 and 1942. I had the honour to visit Pearl Harbour and the Arizona Memorial in the late 90s one one of my many visits to the as a member of the Canadian Navy. This is perhaps one of the most informative documentaries I have ever seen on these amazing events.
Congratulations, Mike. Although Drach has already covered this subject 8n great detail, you have managed to bring something new to the mix. We are very privileged.
I was aboard ships home-ported in Pearl Harbor 1959-1962. Three years at Hotel Dock across from the Arizona. There were still signs of the attack. A Japanese mini submarine was salvage/recovered in the spring of 1962 and was stored on a dock. Being able to see and touch the sub brought the sense of 12/7/1941 to life for me. I went back to Hawaii 5 years ago for the first time, expressly to see the Arizona Memorial. PH had changed so much over the years, as had I!
Hi Mike, it's your friend Dave Stepeck from Connecticut, USA. I've been a sub and avid watcher for a long time. Love your channel and can't wait to watch part 2!
Thank you, Mike. I always appreciate your attention to detail, while keeping the overall tone engaging and interesting. And most of all, I appreciate your keen ear for a good yarn that makes the difference between a drab, droning recounting of facts and an engaging story that makes history come to life. Cheers!
Easily one of the most comprehensive stories related to Pearl Harbor and the heroic efforts to rescue 🛟 trapped personnel and later salvage as many vessels as they could! Thank you.
This is fantastic! I greatly enjoy your take on this and the appropriate respects you show for the accomplishments and tragedies. Others would just report it technically, which is important, but academic. You make it human and real, reminding us of what those there would have felt and faced. You're good at graphically and verbally illustrating the situational context. Thanks for the effort you put into your videos.
My father was in the Navy during WWII and served in the Pacific. I am always amazed to learn young these sailors were and how bravely they fought. Visiting the Arizona Memorial brought tears to my eyes; such a perfect and fitting monument.
As a USN Vet, hats off to the salvage teams and damage control on these ships. Its impressive with the battle wagons and cruisers being repaired and underway within months. My father in law is also fellow navy vet and he enlisted at 16 in 1942. His two older brothers were POWs in the Philippines surviving the Battaan Death March, and another brother was deployed to Guadalcanal. He would later serve on the USS Salt Lake and when reporting for his duty station, he'd couldn't believe the battle damage on numerous ships. Being a kid from New Mexico he never seen the ocean and got an education what war was like. He passed away in 2019 at 94, and loved the navy. He would always tell the family he would do it again no questions asked.
EXCELLENT! One of the men that signed up after Pearl Harbor was my father. He became a warrant officer on the cruiser USS Biloxi. After fighting in combat, to include a kamakazi hit and a torpedo that did not explode -it was the first ship into Nagasaki at the end of the war. Dad remembered being offshore Iwo Jima, seeing row after row of landing craft filled with Marines. Talking too himself he said, "Those poor bastards."
Yup... "Poor Bastards", each of the soldiers who fought in Asia. Including Korea, Vietnam and Afghanistan. They died without knowing why, for whom and for what... "War is a Business". Wars are made by Bankers. US is a BIG BANK, disguised as a country. Look here: Propaganda, but NOT History, has led us to believe that the Empire of Japan began its territorial expansion in the 1930’s, invading China, creating the puppet State of Manchukuo and “Provoking” the war with the Western Powers. But, Was this really, how events happened? Did Japan invade China and South East Asia? It seems so. However, the Propaganda does NOT say that for centuries, all Asia was invaded by Western Powers. England occupied India, Burma (Myanmar); Borneo, Sumatra, Singapore, Malaysia and China (Hong Kong, Nanking, Shanghai, etc). France dominated all Indochina. The Netherlands intervened by the Force of its Arms, to all of Indonesia. And Belgium, Germany, Portugal, Spain, and of course, also the United States were in South East Asia cuz, for example this country, the US, occupied the Philippines since 1898. (Spanish-American War). Thus the panorama in the 30's, the Empire of Japan, when defeating to the Tsarist Russian Empire, it also decided to "Grow" by invading its neighbors. In those years, all European nations had colonies in Africa, India, the Middle East, Australia, Asia and America. (England came to occupy almost ¼ part of the planet). For its part, the US, in 113 years of existence as a nation in those years, had "Grown" 711 the size of its territory from its original 13 colonies. Now is the picture clear? Japan for its part, had fought on the side of the winners in World War I (1914-1918), and they, the Japanese, not awarded any "Gain". The western victors of WWI divided the world. Japan was excluded. Thus, Japan's motives for attacking and expanding as the Europeans and the US did seem clearer, right? Then they, the Japanese, attacked China in 1931, which was occupied by 6 Western Powers for almost a century. None of the Western Powers occupying China at this time, OPPOSED or fought Japan for Invading China. NONE! Then, 11 years later after having occupied the territory of China and coexisted without any problem with the Western Powers within China, they, the Japanese, attacked Hawaii, which in turn, this Island had been occupied and annexed by the US in 1898. (In 1900-01, Hawaii became US territory and Hawaii ceased to be an independent nation after more than 630 years of sovereignty. By the time Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, the United States had just completed the 40th anniversary of the military occupation and annexation of Hawaii). They, the Japanese, attacked Singapore, which was then a Colony of England. They, the Japanese, attacked the Philippines, which were occupied by the US and whose Gov’r, Douglas MacArthur reined as Emperor. Yup… Truly like an Absolute Autocrat. Therefore, the Japanese did NOT attack (In the 40’s), Singapore, Burma, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Borneo, Timor, the Philippines, etc. In reality, the Japanese attacked England, France, Holland, the US, etc. That is, the Japanese attacked the Western Powers invading all of Asia. That is the verifiable truth. The Empire of Japan didn’t invade. Japan fought against the Invaders. The Japanese didn't start the War. The War in, and for, Asia had begun in 1847. And here are some other facts to consider: The US has taken advantage of and intervened without justification in the Marquesas Island. (Massacre. 1813). US Forces seize Nuku Hiva Island (French Polynesia 1813), and establish here «The First US Naval Base», in the Pacific. This historical fact is important, cuz in 1813, the US had NO Territorial Land nor Maritime Rights in the Pacific Ocean, until 1848, when the US seized California and other Mexican territories facing the Pacific. Oh, yes! The Wars to dominate Asia are not over yet. The last one was in Vietnam and the most recent will be on the Island of Taiwan. But, Propaganda has made us believe that the good guys were us, the US. And of course… Nanking was a horrendous Genocide committed by Japan, but, it was no more horrendous than the 12 Genocides committed by the United States in his History and all over the world. Nor was it less horrendous than the Genocide committed by King Leopold II of Belgium, in Central Africa. Nor was Nanking more or less horrendous than the Genocides that the British Empire committed in America, Africa, Australia, Middle East, India and also in China too. In the Philippines (1898-1902), the US Army produced a Genocide of One Million people dead. Yup: ONE MILLION. And now, the Japanese are our friends and allies. But, to fight against China, AGAIN!!! Well… No More. No More British Malaya nor British Borneo nor British wherever. No More French Indochina. No more Dutch Indies. No More Portugese Domains. No More US Domain here. Asia is for Asians and “The China Sea” belongs to CHINA. Westerns powers have nothing to do in Asia. NOTHING!!!
Yup... "Poor Bastards", all those soldiers who died in Asia. In Vietnam, Korea and Afghanistan. They died without knowing why, for whom and for what. War is a Business". Wars are made by Bankers. US is a BIG BANK, disguised as a country. Look here: Propaganda, but NOT History, has led us to believe that the Empire of Japan began its territorial expansion in the 1930’s, invading China, creating the puppet State of Manchukuo and “Provoking” the war with the Western Powers. But, Was this really, how events happened? Did Japan invade China and South East Asia? It seems so. However, the Propaganda does NOT say that for centuries, all Asia was invaded by Western Powers. England occupied India, Burma (Myanmar); Borneo, Sumatra, Singapore, Malaysia and China (Hong Kong, Nanking, Shanghai, etc). France dominated all Indochina. The Netherlands intervened by the Force of its Arms, to all of Indonesia. And Belgium, Germany, Portugal, Spain, and of course, also the United States were in South East Asia cuz, for example this country, the US, occupied the Philippines since 1898. (Spanish-American War). Thus the panorama in the 30's, the Empire of Japan, when defeating to the Tsarist Russian Empire, it also decided to "Grow" by invading its neighbors. In those years, all European nations had colonies in Africa, India, the Middle East, Australia, Asia and America. (England came to occupy almost ¼ part of the planet). For its part, the US, in 113 years of existence as a nation in those years, had "Grown" 711 the size of its territory from its original 13 colonies. Now is the picture clear? Japan for its part, had fought on the side of the winners in World War I (1914-1918), and they, the Japanese, not awarded any "Gain". The western victors of WWI divided the world. Japan was excluded. Thus, Japan's motives for attacking and expanding as the Europeans and the US did seem clearer, right? Then they, the Japanese, attacked China in 1931, which was occupied by 6 Western Powers for almost a century. None of the Western Powers occupying China at this time, OPPOSED or fought Japan for Invading China. NONE! Then, 11 years later after having occupied the territory of China and coexisted without any problem with the Western Powers within China, they, the Japanese, attacked Hawaii, which in turn, this Island had been occupied and annexed by the US in 1898. (In 1900-01, Hawaii became US territory and Hawaii ceased to be an independent nation after more than 630 years of sovereignty. By the time Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, the United States had just completed the 40th anniversary of the military occupation and annexation of Hawaii). They, the Japanese, attacked Singapore, which was then a Colony of England. They, the Japanese, attacked the Philippines, which were occupied by the US and whose Gov’r, Douglas MacArthur reined as Emperor. Yup… Truly like an Absolute Autocrat. Therefore, the Japanese did NOT attack (In the 40’s), Singapore, Burma, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Borneo, Timor, the Philippines, etc. In reality, the Japanese attacked England, France, Holland, the US, etc. That is, the Japanese attacked the Western Powers invading all of Asia. That is the verifiable truth. The Empire of Japan didn’t invade. Japan fought against the Invaders. The Japanese didn't start the War. The War in, and for, Asia had begun in 1847. And here are some other facts to consider: The US has taken advantage of and intervened without justification in the Marquesas Island. (Massacre. 1813). US Forces seize Nuku Hiva Island (French Polynesia 1813), and establish here «The First US Naval Base», in the Pacific. This historical fact is important, cuz in 1813, the US had NO Territorial Land nor Maritime Rights in the Pacific Ocean, until 1848, when the US seized California and other Mexican territories facing the Pacific. Oh, yes! The Wars to dominate Asia are not over yet. The last one was in Vietnam and the most recent will be on the Island of Taiwan. But, Propaganda has made us believe that the good guys were us, the US. And of course… Nanking was a horrendous Genocide committed by Japan, but, it was no more horrendous than the 12 Genocides committed by the United States in his History and all over the world. Nor was it less horrendous than the Genocide committed by King Leopold II of Belgium, in Central Africa. Nor was Nanking more or less horrendous than the Genocides that the British Empire committed in America, Africa, Australia, Middle East, India and also in China too. In the Philippines (1898-1902), the US Army produced a Genocide of One Million people dead. Yup: ONE MILLION. And now, the Japanese are our friends and allies. But, to fight against China, AGAIN!!! Well… No More. No More British Malaya nor British Borneo nor British wherever. No More French Indochina. No more Dutch Indies. No More Portugese Domains. No More US Domain here. Asia is for Asians and “The China Sea” belongs to CHINA. Westerns powers have nothing to do in Asia. NOTHING!!!
The carnage and death , of all of those men , and the slow death of the trapped men , I can understand the drive the fierce drive to save as many trapped souls in those behemoths as rapidly as possible. I cannot imagine the nightmares of the divers , and crews that had to remove the bodies of their lifeless mates. The removal of bodies and what was left ... that is something that I am certain many a diver or sailor carried to their graves , decades later. It cannot be said even in my small words , even uttered , the pain and suffering yet the bravery and resoluteness under surprise attack of the sailors and officers of these ships. Go with God. Sir , good video ... I humbly thank you. C
Mr Brady, excellent. As someone who was born on December 7th, the attack on Pearl Harbor is something of a fascination with me. The salvage operations are monumental and I am glad you are documenting these. I know you will cover it, but they actually tried to salve Oklahoma, but she was too badly damaged. You made the comment of this being a bloody nose. The analogy is accurate. The footage of the burning hulks looks very bad, but in the light of day it showed promise. A bloody nose looks bad initially, but after the blood is cleared, the damage isn’t so bad. Something the Japanese soon found out, much to their chagrin….
Around 53 million human beings were killed during the course of world war 2. RIP to all of them. 38 million civilians and 15 million military personnel. If we allow ourselves to be strung along, conditioned and wound up into another world war then with modern warfare methods, tech and nuclear warheads, hundreds of millions of us will die, and hundreds of millions more will be left slowly dying in horror from the fallout of nuclear war. Many entire countries will be completely wiped out into nuclear wastelands...just ONE standard nuclear warhead today is more destructive than 1000 Hiroshima bombs. There are currently 12,500 of them around the world and the US has almost half of those stockpiled, with Russia having close to the other half. The other countries with a few hundred of these things each are China, France, UK, Israel, North Korea, India and Pakistan. Furthermore, modern internet technology is proving the most powerful and effective disinformation, propaganda and subversion tool for big businesses and governments they're in bed with, and unlike any other time in the entire history of humanity, there are suddenly a tiny number of extremely powerful men with tens to hundreds of billions of dollars in personal wealth each, who influence our governments like never before and have billions of people worldwide addicted to their distraction and disinformation platforms. Imagine if all the propaganda campaigns in WW2 alone were using the internet...the whole German population were absolutely convinced that what Hitler was doing was something great and noble, making Germany great again and his jewish propaganda worked so much he actually had thousands of people directly helping round up millions of those people, take them to camps, shave them and...all the stuff you should know about that would get this comment auto blocked if I tried to describe it even briefly.
@@allentoyokawa9068 ummm lemme guess you’re an American and have never served in the military or any professional field…..because most of the world including the US military writes the date as day - month - year. So 7 December 1941 is indeed a correct method especially for anyone that’s served, and that’s doubly relevant considering we’re talking about the US Navy here.
The Pearl Harbor attack has strong meaning to me. As a high school student in 1966, I did a report on the attack. I am also the daughter of a career Air Force CMSGT who was a career serviceman. Going to Pearl Harbor is on my bucket list.
You hear about the attack, the war itself and, the aftermath but, I don't think I have ever seen a documentary on the actual salvage of the fleet. Great work and thank you for this little history lesson!
I can't wait to hear more about this as my dad was on a air craft carrier in the spring of 42 and she set sail for pearl to help with the salvage. To my dad's last days he could not get the smell of rotting bodies and burnt oil from his nose. He was a machinist on board making parts to fix what they could. Also he said one day while doing calisthenics on deck the wind switched a bit and the stench was so bad sailors were puking on deck and some took sick from the smell of death. Air pockets letting go and bubbling stench filled the air. I was cutting wood with him one day and we cut some rotting wood to remove it and he started to rub his nose and get sick. I thought something was wrong but he said it was flash back smell from pearl. The experience marked him for life. There mission was so secret there was no records of it. Records start in 43 after she was back to San Diego then they became a transport and repair ship. Being a smaller carrier she would not have survived much of a fight. But in that timeline it was all hands to the ready. Pearl was the worst attack ever done and to this day the memories are all that remain..😢
@g.t.richardson6311 uss Hollandia the ship is well documented and had a long life. It was sold to Japan for scrap and dad about had a fit. He and others that served on her tried to buy her but couldn't get it done. Plus where do you park a ship lol.
If memory serves Yamamoto opposed attacking america, waking up the sleeping giant as he put it. The decision came down from up top though, and he did his duty. Kinda like robert e lee.
As a young boy, my dad knew many WW2 veterans from his little town. A couple of these vets were at Pearl Harbor. Some of these vets would often speak to him about their war experiences, but just as many never said a word about it - the vets from Pearl Harbor were those who didn’t talk about it much, if at all. Watching this footage made me think of those men. I never met them myself, but I can certainly imagine why they didn’t want to revisit that awful day.
Amazing start - I saw the 2nd one posted today and realized I had someone missed this first one! Looking forward to watching the next one. I didn't realize they had salvaged so many of the ships - impressive resolve.
@@LURKTecthe war would have been won eventually by the allies, but would have been much longer and devastating all around. The US involvement helped expedite the process.
USA provided Soviets with hardware and they started the Manhattan project that finally stopped Imperial forces without needing a devastating ground war in Japan.😢
Ian, thank you for this in-depth look into our (I’m an American) history. I’ve been to Pearl Harbor and the Arizona Memorial and this really helps put into perspective what happened on that day so long ago.
I have only ever heard about the bombing and devistation of pearl harbor but not the salvage, clean up, or rescuing of survivors.. What an AMAZING topic to create a video on!
Enemies of the United States constitutional republic (including the Confederate States of America) have a long history of misperceiving the general good will of the American people for an unwillingness to fight.
I did comment on Part 2, because I was notified of that first and later I realized that there was a 4 part series! I was originally going to leave because I have seen so much about Pearl Harbour, yet this was a different angle showing the salvage operation! Great work and Thank you so much! I subscribed to your channel a while back with the Titanic expose!
In the '80s we had friends of the family who were WW2 veterans, and both were still living on their own and very mentally sharp. It was fascinating to talk to them about their experiences. He had been a colonel who commanded an infantry regiment from Normandy to the Ruhr Valley, and his wife a military nurse who was at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7th. She said she and a fellow nurse had arranged a few days of leave and had plans to fly to Hilo on the morning of Dec 7th. They spent their first day off (Sat the 6th) in town and at a hotel near the base, and early Sunday morning they packed and went to the lobby to check out. By the time they got down to the lobby booming noises had begun in the distance which, like so many others, they at first did not find alarming. She said booming wasn't particularly unusual around the base or offshore and they just assumed it was some kind of military exercise, gunnery practice, or whatever. The clerk was very busy answering one call after another from guests buzzing the front desk, no doubt asking what all of the noise was about. Being somewhat eager to get checked out so they would not miss their plane, one of them finally dinged the bell on the counter to get the clerk's attention, unsuccessfully at first, then becoming more insistent. "Sir?" (ding ding) "Sir?" (ding ding). Finally getting his attention, one said "I'm sorry, but we're in a bit of a hurry to check out. We have to catch a plane to Hilo." The clerk, who by then had grasped the ominous reality, looked at them for a moment in disbelief before saying in exasperation, "Lady, I don't know if there will ever be another plane to Hilo." I now wonder what happened after that, but I didn't ask at the time. Being young I didn't think of and ask nearly as many questions as I would now. It's safe to assume they not only didn't make it to Hilo, being nurses they no doubt had a very busy next several days and weeks. I now wish I had thought to prepare questions in advance, interview them, and record it. What a treasure that would now be. They said they were surprised that any young people cared enough to want to hear their stories. Amazing. It was an honor to know and talk to them.
Japanese arrogance of the time (thinking of themselves as samurai and America as a paper tiger) could explain most of the Japanese high command believing it, but the one man who still perplexes me is Yamamoto. As a naval attaché he spent a lot of time in the U. S. and understood the American people probably better than anyone else in the Japanese military. I cannot understand how he could believe this attack would elicit any response from America other than white-hot rage.
@@jamesbrown4092 Yamamoto was said to have written or said "I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve"
Fascinating video and so well delivered! I learnt al ot from it and am really looking forward to the next part - thanks for all your hard work on this.
And yet through all that, a lot of historians agree that the attack was ultimately a failure from a tactical sense because the Japanese hit the wrong targets. They hit the battleships which were older and slow and the aircraft that the US could replace easily. they did not destroy the dry docks, maintenance facilities, fuel storage tanks, and most crucially - the intelligence failure of not knowing the aircraft carriers were out at sea meant that the most critical target had been missed and now the US had an offensive weapon to strike back.
@@budgiefriend der er en bog der hedder: Britain's Victory, Denmark's Freedom - Danish Volunteers in Allied Air Forces During the Second World War Af Mikkel Plannthin
Mike You are a good man telling the stories of other good men. Much gratitude and massive thanks for bring the truth and valour to the surface. From pei Canada
He was actually correct in his assessment that he would run wild in the Pacific for 6 months but after that he could not be guaranteed of victory. Midway, 4 June 1942-- almost exactly 6 months.
@@mh53j Right, Yamamoto didn't want to go to war with the US but he reasoned that maybe, just maybe, the US would settle for a negotiated peace after a series of humiliating defeats.
@@mh53j True, but he was hoping for more than just a 6 month head start. The failure of his navy to actually destroy the Pacific fleet (including missing out on the aircraft carriers) proved fatal in the end
I hope you enjoy this video; part of a limited series on the epic mission undertaken to salvage the warships of Pearl Harbor. This video was inpsired by the inredible colour footage and photographs made available to the public by the US national archives.
Upon finishing the edit of this video I realised, too late, that I have put the beaching point of USS Nevada on the wrong side of the channel off Hospital Point; she actually came to rest on the western side. My apologies for this small error!
~Mike
mike i thought i told you to GO TO SLEEP NOT EDIT VIDEOS! jokes aside this is very good
Mike I swear to God you are a master of your craft. these videos are documentary quality I swear man If you were born 20 years earlier these are the type of documentaries that you'd be seeing on the military channel back when it was high quality. You are a master.
According to Walter Lord in 'Day of Infamy', the Nevada was indeed beached on Hospital Point, but she was moved across the channel to 'the hard, sandy bottom of Waipio Peninsula' once the attack was over.
I've accidentally binged uhh... most of your videos? Help?
at 8:42 you mention that battleships Tennessee and West Virginia were anchored in a pair like Maryland and Colorado, but... the USS Colorado wasn't there on December 7th. I assume you meant the battleship Oklahoma and you were thinking Colorado class battleship. Anyways, great video!
- Fan from Colorado
I met a Pearl Harbour veteran. He said he was court marshalled because he took guns out the barracks without signing them out during the attack seeing as it wasn’t considered to be wartime. This was later overturned and he went on to serve in Korea and Vietnam. He died January 20th 2024. RIP to the legend Sterling Cale
Thanks for sharing keep the story going by tell people Thank you my friend
@@adriantowe278 I had no idea this had so many likes until you commented. I will gladly keep the story going. So lucky to have met this man
Yarnhub should film his story
@yarnhub
Of course it was overturned. It was a knee jerk response to their incompetence.
I have college degrees. So called educated.
I served in the US Army Reserves as an enlisted man.
There is an expression that
Educated people have
Little common sense
Court marshaling this man was an example of that
What moron decided to do it in the first place
Drachinifel has an excellent series on the salvage efforts as well, but Mike has absolutely outdone himself with finding these amazing pictures and film.
Yeah, i watched that series at least 2 or 3 times now, it's the excelent Drachinifel quality.
I’d love to see Drach and Mike do a co-op video one of these days.
Drach's PH salvage series and series on his visits to American battleships are among my favorite things to fall asleep to, having watched them all several times
Both Mike and Dratch bring out different aspects of the recovery, so both are well worth the time to learn more.
@@deonmurphy6383exactly!! 👍🏼
Can't wait for Part 2! I'm a Priest, and the first funeral I ever did was for an old woman who had been a Nurse in the Navy on duty that horrible Sunday morning in Pearl Harbor. The Navy gave her full military honors in the National Cemetery at Chattanooga, TN.
I grew up on Oahu. My dad was a civilian pilot, an Army Air Corps pilot in the Philippines in WW2. Many of my friends were Navy and Air Force kids from Pearl Harbor and Hickam AFB. We used to ride our bikes around the bases, like 12 year old kids do. I remember going to Ford Island on the Ferry. There were still airplane engines strewn about, bomb craters and powder burns on the ground, bullet holes in the buildings, and other indicators of the attack. It gave us an appreciation for what took place. That was 1970. This video was eerily nostalgic for me, but not as someone who was there, but as someone who grew up with the history and the stories right under foot. I got my Engineering at the Construction Batallion School in Gulfport Mississippi in 1981. My son is now enlisting to become a Navy Diver. God Bless and God rest the souls who perished at Pearl in 1941.
Thank you for this amazing video.
I like in particular the story of USS Vestal, I've read up on it before. The massive explosion onboard USS Arizona blew some of Vestal's crew overboard, including it's commander. In absense of Vestal's commander the order was given to abandon ship. But the commander swam back towards his ship, climbed onboard and relayed 'we are getting this ship underway'. They managed to get the ship away from Arizona and the burning water, while slowly sinking, letting the ship run aground to prevent further sinking. Then after the attack was over, Vestal's crew fixed up their own ship while also helping with salvage and rescue on other ships. In August 1942 she was sent out into the Pacific to provide front line repair and maintenance to the US fleet. Survived the war and eventually scrapped in 1950...
Vestal's commander during the Pearl Harbor attack was Cassin Young, a seasoned naval WW1 veteran. He earned the Medal of Honor for his actions at Pearl Harbor and was promoted to captain in february 1942. He took command of heavycruiser USS San Fransisco CA-38 and died on that ship in the battle of Guadalcanal. The destroyer USS Cassin Young DD-793 was named in his honour.
Thank you for the excellent back story on this ship.
Thanks 👍 for that .
Thank you, I did not know this. He and so many other backs up my above comment on the greatness of Americans during those times. There were so many brave and selfless service given by our military members and countless other Americans that came together to help make what they did possible. God rest his soul. He deserves ever medal they could have given him and pretty much everyone else that day.
Thank u! For the info
Thank you. I would love to hear the stories of how every ship was named, particularly those honoring heroes like Capt. Cassin Young.
I had the priviledge of knowing a Pearl Harbor survivor. He was a young bosun's mate on the USS Helena who went on to a career in the US Navy and retired as a Master Chief Petty Officer.
He told me he remembered when the attack began and when it was over but everything between was a blank, he couldn't remember a thing. "I knew I was fighting, I was holding a hot Springfield rifle and had empty ammunition bandoleers all over me. Then I had to turn to and help save the ship." Isn't that something?
Maybe I'm getting ahead of the story Mike but don't forget how the salvaged battleships Maryland, West Virginia, Tennessee, California, and Pennsylvania, the "Pearl Harbor Ghosts," got their revenge at the Battle of Suragao Strait, the last fleet action of surface "heavies" without air support.
Great video Mike! Looking forward to the next installment!
Having been to Pearl Harbor, meeting both survivors and former pilots, and just hearing how they describe the events; it really is both chilling and heartbreaking. And the grounds are still littered with reminders of that morning. Not to mention when you do visit the memorial over the Arizona, it's almost eerie just how silent the surroundings do become despite the people there, and you actually can hear the faint creaking from the metal of the Arizona as the current acts on her hull.
and the WeeVee drew 1st blood at that "battle". they tracked Yamashiro for 15 minutes before firing. they went 1st round on target!
My uncle was on the Helena. He said the soles of his shoes were blown off durning that attack. HIs name was Gene Bigler. RIP Uncle Gene.
I was serving aboard the USS Constellation docked in Pearl Harbor on 9/11/01, just returning from a 6 month cruise in the Persian Gulf. As my shipmates and I stood in our berth watching the second plane appear in the frame aimed at that second tower, I couldn’t help but feel a deep connection to the sailors who lost their lives during the Pearl Harbor attack. As soon as the second plane hit, my Carrier Air Group as well as most of the other Naval ships quickly deployed fearing a more widespread domestic attack. It was surreal passing the USS Arizona Memorial as we departed. A moment that has remained with me ever since. I never truly got it before that day.
my dad was with you on the connie that day. I still remember him describing to me the deep empty feeling he had in his stomach
@eviemoody, Thank you for your service!
Oh wow. I was in the 10th grade on 9/11. Little did I realize that I'd be in Iraq 6 years later during The Surge. I was in the Army, but served in Iraq with the Navy in Camp Bucca. That's where I learned about "Seabees." Seriously, the Navy is it's own language to me:-)
Mike hopefully someday you and Drachinifel can do a video together. You’re two of the best on RUclips.
Can we get Big Old Boats and Maritime Horrors in on it, too? I love those guys' content, too.
@@jordanpeterson5140 I love those channels. Shipwreck Sunday is growing on me too.
@@jordanpeterson5140 ooooh.... maybe not a scripted video but a 4-way discussion? :D
That sounds awesome. Their different approaches to the subject would complement each other so well!
Agreed.
Oh man, the story of the Pearl Harbor ships is one of my favorites in all of maritime history. These ships seem to take on a personality all their own, becoming characters in the story of the war. One can imagine them like people. Helena hammering out revenge at Guadalcanal. Nevada refusing all forms of death and taking it out on anyone she ran across. Pennsylvania reeling after her sister's death and finally ending up in the battle line at Leyte, her and the other Pearl survivors coming back in a fury.
But it all starts here, at Pearl, with the salvage and repair of these ships and the crews that put them back together. Your storytelling and narration are excellent as always, and the footage really is something. This story combined with your talent makes an excellent video.
Yes, you are right, they really did become almost human after the attack, whenever I speak of the ships I find myself talking about them like they are human with personalities. I guess they really had them if you think about it though, the Pennsylvania after getting salvaged parts from West Virginia went on to earn a reputation and the nickname Angry Sister avenging the loss of its sister. It seemed like it was channeling the hate that West Virginia would later let loose once it became “Pearl Harbor’s Revenge”, and of course alongside West Virginia through it all was the Rebel, the Big Ten, the Tennessee, who helped keep West Virginia from burning up during the attack, later cruised together to Tokyo bay
As well as west Virginia being the last battle ship to fire her guns in anger during world war 2
@@aaronpenhaligon6885 she was the last battleship to fire its guns in a battleship vs battleship engagement in history as well. Every battleship engagement afterwards was shore bombardments
I'd say he knocked out of the park for us WW2 junkies. Great comment by the way!
My uncle, Lester Silva, was aboard the USS Detroit when Pearl Harbor was attacked and was one of the first to be wounded. I was amazed to learn, thanks to your video, that he was the ONLY sailor wounded on the ship. He went on to serve his 20 years and retired from the Navy. Thank you for this presentation!
My grandfather was the ship's doctor for USS Detroit. He mentioned having a few patients, and the she's priority was to get underway, in case of a second attack.
My grandfather was there that day too!
My father, Capt. James H. Reynolds, was a survivor of the Pearl Harbor Attack. He was stationed at Scofield Barracks. He only could access his 45 caliber sidearm along with a rifle which he repeatedly emptied at as the Japanese aircraft flew overhead. It was most difficult to get him to talk about this tragedy as he lost a number of close friends along with the shock of all the explosions around him as he fired. My father was, and always will remain my Hero!
God Bless you. 🇺🇸🙏
So you say. So you say.
Your beloved gallant 🇺🇸Dad will always remembered by Good Americans forever
@@TheOsfaniajealous much??
@TheOsfania that was a chickenshit think to say.
To guard a ship only to hear...and know the tapping will end...You don't forget that..By far the best documentary i've watched regarding Pearl Harbor..
The last night tapping was heard was Christmas eve
Yeah. Jesus. I don't know that I could have stood that watch.
I can't even imagine how the guards must've felt. No doubt they never forgot it, either.
Only Pearl Harbor documentary in a decade to reveal things I didn't already know. EXCELLENT! Can't wait for part 2.
Thanks so much Mark, that is extremely kind of you! Really glad you enjoyed it :)
@OceanlinerDesigns honestly I'm more hyped for a part 2 of this than gta6
I wish I could find it again. Somewhere on youtube is a 4 part 4 hour video series made by one of the then young Salvage Engineers charged with righting Oaklahoma. He made the videos at his grandchildrens insistence. And include a ton of never before seen photos. And his account of the job is horrifying and gripping. The anguish in his elderly voice as he described what they were discovering and dealing with every day is haunting.
If you were signed into your account you can search your history for it- ruclips.net/user/feedhistory
Waiting for an update.
Sucks how useless youtube's search function is. You can type in the exact name of a video's title and still not find it if it's too old or not popular enough. There's a few vids that I never would have found again if I didn't add them to favorites back in the day.
@@sntslilhlpr6601 Are there any non RUclips search functions for RUclips videos?
That is modern-day Google search in it's entirety actually. You're not supposed to find what you are looking for. I had subconsciously thought this for years but it took reading an article about it for it to suddenly hit home.
Its these kinds of videos that I look foward to the most. The footage, the professional narration, the music and so much more makes this videos one of my favourites. You did a supreme job as always, I can't wait for a Battle of Jutland video
Check out Drachinifel
if you haven't already
My uncle worked disarming torpedoes that did not go off year after the battle there. When he was navy diver. Great video sir.
So was he a UDT frogman?
The forward to Edward C. Raymer's book "Descent into Darkness" where he's walking through the USS Arizona is absolutely bone chilling. It easily beats out any fictional horror with it's tale of the bodies he found while walking through the shattered hulk.
I've read the navy had to stop body recoveries from the Arizona as the divers we having nervous breakdowns. I can't blame them.
Thanks, I've just purchased this book.
@@wayneantoniazzi2706based on the state of the victims, I can’t blame them either. It was gruesome, dangerous work, and was not for the weak of stomach, that’s for sure
I was looking to see if anyone had mentioned this book, excellent first hand account of the salvage operations
Thank you for your outstanding presentation. As an Australian Veteran who served in the Navy and Army and who has been to stand on the memorial just brakes my heart of all of those fine brave young men who died. R.I.P ❤
I spent a full day at Pearl Harbor in 2021, took it all in, every tour, contemplating the events. Your series is excellent! I would love to see even more of the engineering behind these efforts. You explain processes well.
I’m so excited to see the rest of the series! I’ve never read or learned about the salvage operations, and it sounds like an engineering marvel. Thanks for bringing these videos and images together for a great educational ride.
I have seen earlier videos of the salvage of Pearl Harbor. None began as you did, with a cataloging of damage and loss of life. The Japanese film I have never seen. A very comprehensive study of the immediate after affects of the attack. Great research.
I've seen many lessons, articles and items about the attack on Pearl Harbor and the ensuing war, but this is the first detailed look I've had at the rescue/salvage efforts. Thank you, very much.
I was fortunate to meet the owner of the estate that was used in the original "Magnum P.I." While hearing those stories were fun, my true love was history.
He told the story of their property on the hillside overlooking Pearl Harbor. He was a young man and they were all outside when the attack began and watched it from their yard. He said his dad went into the kitchen and stood by the phone.
His dad had essentially built Oahu's infrastructure, roads, tunnels and such. And his construction was the mainstay of the Pearl Harbor/Ford Island installation.
He said the phone rang and he didn't see his dad for almost two weeks. Among the salvage and repair operations, he managed to build the bunker that housed CINCPAC during WW II.
Trivia: A large portion of the movie Midway was filmed on location of that original subterranean HQ.
There are production studios with million dollar budgets whose content cannot hold a candle to your work. Never change, you are a valuable asset to education and entertainment.
An idea on a similar topic, read a book on a man who bought a navy. He bought the salvage rights to raise the Kaisers sunken fleet at Scapa Flow anchorage. Full of sheer ingenuity. Brilliant video, stunning footage and pics, RIP to all who lost their lives and the injured from this terrible attack.
Oh Mike. I have so much to comment, but late for work. More to follow. So far it’s fantastic. I'm baaaaack..... Well done you, on the research, the writing and the details. I have several wonderful books, one of just photographs of WWII, and I had not know until today that any of our ships were able to be salvaged. They were, indeed, the greatest generation. Hearing about how they fought, and the way fate really spared some and took out others was a really profound discovery for me. My connection to the war comes through my parents, and my Uncles who served. Dad was in the Pacific, on an ammunition ship, and while my brother and I garnered a love for ships and the sea, any invitation to him to go on a cruise was met with "I saw enough of the deep blue sea during the war..." He never said much more than that, and his other favorite expression about being on the munitions ship, was "that SOB would go over one wave and under two" I must commend you on your research and details that you unearth, as well as your beautiful writing and story telling. I was honestly moved to tears by the whole thing. Thanks so much for all content you create... I always look forward to it. All the best Croix
Keep your job, don't be late😅.
I work for myself, so unless I have a psychotic break, there will be no firing...lol 🤣🤣But I am grateful for the kind encouragement.. 😃@@freeagent8225
Best doc on the subject I’ve ever seen! Not just the salvage, the basics of the attack as well, so it’s well-rounded. Color footage! Personal accounts! Oh, my heart! I’ve been a Pearl Harbor geek all my life, having been weirdly fascinated by every aspect of this event. It was only much later that I learned of the epic salvage effort as this is something that was not well publicized in the media.
Absolutely fascinating, I hadn't realised a lot of the ships were repaired. It was, however, a shocking loss of life. Very well narrated, Mike. I'm looking forward to the next episode. Many thanks.
As someone who lives in the heart of Pearl Harbor, this was great to hear about a he salvage operations that resurrected all but the Arizona, Oklahoma, and Utah.
yes, my backyard as well. Actually, Kahala//Diamond Head area...
Oklahoma was reflowed and put together but sadly sunk on voyage to mainland usa
This presentation, the footage, the film used, the narration, and the overall professional setup of Pearl Harbor's salvaging operation was fantastic, Mike. Oh, and thanks for pronouncing Maryland correctly at 7:57. I have watched many UK & Commonwealth channels pronounce the name wrong. As a fellow Marylander, I cannot wait for more videos in the future.
you have the ability to make it like we were there at the time . I do so enjoy your work.
I have spoken with a few Pearl Harbor survivors, and the way described it you can bet that anything you watch about it will most certainly not come close to actually being there. The sound of the explosions, the screams of men burning to death while others lay with parts of their bodies blown off. Then there were the pieces of human beings floating in the water. I could go on but you get the point.
Mike Brady, you have awesome videos. I love your content, it’s clean and crisp and very interesting it clicks along so good you’re sad when it ends
Excellent video! I don’t believe much has been documented previously about the enormous salvage operation at that time in Pearl Harbor, so it’s very informative to learn how this took place. Looking forward to part two!
Naval history freak here- great video, well researched and lots of stills that I have never seen before- Tasmanian ship nut.
Very well done! I am looking forward to the rest of this series on this topic. Dracs series was excellent, yet you have much to offer as well. No one offering on this historical event could hope to encompass all there is on this or any historical event. I am looking forward to seeing your further research on this. Well done.
You call it a miraculous repair, in the Navy we call it Monday. When your ship is damaged, the entire crew springs into action. You have no choice, your Brothers are in danger, and your home is threatened. In 1972 off the coast of Vietnam as part of the Repair 1-Alpha Hose Team, we fought a fire on the fantail of the USS Oriskany (CVA-34) when an F-8 Crusader crashed into the ship. Just another day at the office. Senior Chief, US Navy (Retired).
Mike, thank you for your sincere testimonial to the Men of the Navy and those Brave Shipyard Workers!
Thanks for your service Chief! This old Marine sends you a "Semper Fi!"
By the way, a WW2 navy vet once told me "You've never seen guys work until you see guys working to save a ship!"
I was OEF, OIF, and OND. Agree wholeheartedly.
Thank you for this series. These kinds of details always feel like they're the sort of thing doomed to be lost to history behind the more action-packed stories. Hearing how people picked up the pieces and rebuilt stronger, and hearing how they stepped up to meet and exceed the seemingly impossible demands of horrible situations are lessons we never stop needing to remember.
This is an amazing documentary of the events that took place in Pearl Harbour in 1941 and 1942. I had the honour to visit Pearl Harbour and the Arizona Memorial in the late 90s one one of my many visits to the as a member of the Canadian Navy. This is perhaps one of the most informative documentaries I have ever seen on these amazing events.
Congratulations, Mike. Although Drach has already covered this subject 8n great detail, you have managed to bring something new to the mix.
We are very privileged.
I was aboard ships home-ported in Pearl Harbor 1959-1962. Three years at Hotel Dock across from the Arizona. There were still signs of the attack. A Japanese mini submarine was salvage/recovered in the spring of 1962 and was stored on a dock. Being able to see and touch the sub brought the sense of 12/7/1941 to life for me. I went back to Hawaii 5 years ago for the first time, expressly to see the Arizona Memorial. PH had changed so much over the years, as had I!
The production quality is getting better and better every week Mike, 1M subs is surely just around the corner…
Well done sir! Love this, never get this kinda story from Pearl until now!
Fantastic video. Looking forward to the second half. Thank you.
Hi Mike, it's your friend Dave Stepeck from Connecticut, USA. I've been a sub and avid watcher for a long time. Love your channel and can't wait to watch part 2!
You mentioned that this is part 1. I can't find part 2. Am I blind ? Thank you for all you do. Incredible work !
I think it's because this was only uploaded less than 24 hours ago, he probably has to finish part 2 first
@chocothebananacat7686 thank you 😊
Had the same question . Thanks 👍
Thank you, Mike. I always appreciate your attention to detail, while keeping the overall tone engaging and interesting. And most of all, I appreciate your keen ear for a good yarn that makes the difference between a drab, droning recounting of facts and an engaging story that makes history come to life. Cheers!
This is absolutely incredible. You put so much work in to these videos. Love this channel 👌
Easily one of the most comprehensive stories related to Pearl Harbor and the heroic efforts to rescue 🛟 trapped personnel and later salvage as many vessels as they could! Thank you.
This is fantastic! I greatly enjoy your take on this and the appropriate respects you show for the accomplishments and tragedies. Others would just report it technically, which is important, but academic. You make it human and real, reminding us of what those there would have felt and faced. You're good at graphically and verbally illustrating the situational context. Thanks for the effort you put into your videos.
Still amazed by the quality of the content of this channel.
Many thanks for that.
So… when is part two? I love history such as this. It is always interesting. Somber, yet interesting.
My father was in the Navy during WWII and served in the Pacific. I am always amazed to learn young these sailors were and how bravely they fought. Visiting the Arizona Memorial brought tears to my eyes; such a perfect and fitting monument.
As a USN Vet, hats off to the salvage teams and damage control on these ships. Its impressive with the battle wagons and cruisers being repaired and underway within months. My father in law is also fellow navy vet and he enlisted at 16 in 1942. His two older brothers were POWs in the Philippines surviving the Battaan Death March, and another brother was deployed to Guadalcanal. He would later serve on the USS Salt Lake and when reporting for his duty station, he'd couldn't believe the battle damage on numerous ships. Being a kid from New Mexico he never seen the ocean and got an education what war was like. He passed away in 2019 at 94, and loved the navy. He would always tell the family he would do it again no questions asked.
mr. Brady thank you for this, i had not heard of the salvage operation in such detail before. what a effort!
EXCELLENT! One of the men that signed up after Pearl Harbor was my father. He became a warrant officer on the cruiser USS Biloxi. After fighting in combat, to include a kamakazi hit and a torpedo that did not explode -it was the first ship into Nagasaki at the end of the war. Dad remembered being offshore Iwo Jima, seeing row after row of landing craft filled with Marines. Talking too himself he said, "Those poor bastards."
Yup... "Poor Bastards", each of the soldiers who fought in Asia. Including Korea, Vietnam and Afghanistan. They died without knowing why, for whom and for what... "War is a Business". Wars are made by Bankers. US is a BIG BANK, disguised as a country. Look here: Propaganda, but NOT History, has led us to believe that the Empire of Japan began its territorial expansion in the 1930’s, invading China, creating the puppet State of Manchukuo and “Provoking” the war with the Western Powers. But, Was this really, how events happened? Did Japan invade China and South East Asia? It seems so. However, the Propaganda does NOT say that for centuries, all Asia was invaded by Western Powers. England occupied India, Burma (Myanmar); Borneo, Sumatra, Singapore, Malaysia and China (Hong Kong, Nanking, Shanghai, etc). France dominated all Indochina. The Netherlands intervened by the Force of its Arms, to all of Indonesia. And Belgium, Germany, Portugal, Spain, and of course, also the United States were in South East Asia cuz, for example this country, the US, occupied the Philippines since 1898. (Spanish-American War). Thus the panorama in the 30's, the Empire of Japan, when defeating to the Tsarist Russian Empire, it also decided to "Grow" by invading its neighbors. In those years, all European nations had colonies in Africa, India, the Middle East, Australia, Asia and America. (England came to occupy almost ¼ part of the planet). For its part, the US, in 113 years of existence as a nation in those years, had "Grown" 711 the size of its territory from its original 13 colonies. Now is the picture clear? Japan for its part, had fought on the side of the winners in World War I (1914-1918), and they, the Japanese, not awarded any "Gain". The western victors of WWI divided the world. Japan was excluded. Thus, Japan's motives for attacking and expanding as the Europeans and the US did seem clearer, right? Then they, the Japanese, attacked China in 1931, which was occupied by 6 Western Powers for almost a century. None of the Western Powers occupying China at this time, OPPOSED or fought Japan for Invading China. NONE! Then, 11 years later after having occupied the territory of China and coexisted without any problem with the Western Powers within China, they, the Japanese, attacked Hawaii, which in turn, this Island had been occupied and annexed by the US in 1898. (In 1900-01, Hawaii became US territory and Hawaii ceased to be an independent nation after more than 630 years of sovereignty. By the time Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, the United States had just completed the 40th anniversary of the military occupation and annexation of Hawaii). They, the Japanese, attacked Singapore, which was then a Colony of England. They, the Japanese, attacked the Philippines, which were occupied by the US and whose Gov’r, Douglas MacArthur reined as Emperor. Yup… Truly like an Absolute Autocrat. Therefore, the Japanese did NOT attack (In the 40’s), Singapore, Burma, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Borneo, Timor, the Philippines, etc. In reality, the Japanese attacked England, France, Holland, the US, etc. That is, the Japanese attacked the Western Powers invading all of Asia. That is the verifiable truth. The Empire of Japan didn’t invade. Japan fought against the Invaders. The Japanese didn't start the War. The War in, and for, Asia had begun in 1847. And here are some other facts to consider: The US has taken advantage of and intervened without justification in the Marquesas Island. (Massacre. 1813). US Forces seize Nuku Hiva Island (French Polynesia 1813), and establish here «The First US Naval Base», in the Pacific. This historical fact is important, cuz in 1813, the US had NO Territorial Land nor Maritime Rights in the Pacific Ocean, until 1848, when the US seized California and other Mexican territories facing the Pacific. Oh, yes! The Wars to dominate Asia are not over yet. The last one was in Vietnam and the most recent will be on the Island of Taiwan. But, Propaganda has made us believe that the good guys were us, the US. And of course… Nanking was a horrendous Genocide committed by Japan, but, it was no more horrendous than the 12 Genocides committed by the United States in his History and all over the world. Nor was it less horrendous than the Genocide committed by King Leopold II of Belgium, in Central Africa. Nor was Nanking more or less horrendous than the Genocides that the British Empire committed in America, Africa, Australia, Middle East, India and also in China too. In the Philippines (1898-1902), the US Army produced a Genocide of One Million people dead. Yup: ONE MILLION. And now, the Japanese are our friends and allies. But, to fight against China, AGAIN!!! Well… No More. No More British Malaya nor British Borneo nor British wherever. No More French Indochina. No more Dutch Indies. No More Portugese Domains. No More US Domain here. Asia is for Asians and “The China Sea” belongs to CHINA. Westerns powers have nothing to do in Asia. NOTHING!!!
Yup... "Poor Bastards", all those soldiers who died in Asia. In Vietnam, Korea and Afghanistan. They died without knowing why, for whom and for what. War is a Business". Wars are made by Bankers. US is a BIG BANK, disguised as a country. Look here: Propaganda, but NOT History, has led us to believe that the Empire of Japan began its territorial expansion in the 1930’s, invading China, creating the puppet State of Manchukuo and “Provoking” the war with the Western Powers. But, Was this really, how events happened? Did Japan invade China and South East Asia? It seems so. However, the Propaganda does NOT say that for centuries, all Asia was invaded by Western Powers. England occupied India, Burma (Myanmar); Borneo, Sumatra, Singapore, Malaysia and China (Hong Kong, Nanking, Shanghai, etc). France dominated all Indochina. The Netherlands intervened by the Force of its Arms, to all of Indonesia. And Belgium, Germany, Portugal, Spain, and of course, also the United States were in South East Asia cuz, for example this country, the US, occupied the Philippines since 1898. (Spanish-American War). Thus the panorama in the 30's, the Empire of Japan, when defeating to the Tsarist Russian Empire, it also decided to "Grow" by invading its neighbors. In those years, all European nations had colonies in Africa, India, the Middle East, Australia, Asia and America. (England came to occupy almost ¼ part of the planet). For its part, the US, in 113 years of existence as a nation in those years, had "Grown" 711 the size of its territory from its original 13 colonies. Now is the picture clear? Japan for its part, had fought on the side of the winners in World War I (1914-1918), and they, the Japanese, not awarded any "Gain". The western victors of WWI divided the world. Japan was excluded. Thus, Japan's motives for attacking and expanding as the Europeans and the US did seem clearer, right? Then they, the Japanese, attacked China in 1931, which was occupied by 6 Western Powers for almost a century. None of the Western Powers occupying China at this time, OPPOSED or fought Japan for Invading China. NONE! Then, 11 years later after having occupied the territory of China and coexisted without any problem with the Western Powers within China, they, the Japanese, attacked Hawaii, which in turn, this Island had been occupied and annexed by the US in 1898. (In 1900-01, Hawaii became US territory and Hawaii ceased to be an independent nation after more than 630 years of sovereignty. By the time Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, the United States had just completed the 40th anniversary of the military occupation and annexation of Hawaii). They, the Japanese, attacked Singapore, which was then a Colony of England. They, the Japanese, attacked the Philippines, which were occupied by the US and whose Gov’r, Douglas MacArthur reined as Emperor. Yup… Truly like an Absolute Autocrat. Therefore, the Japanese did NOT attack (In the 40’s), Singapore, Burma, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Borneo, Timor, the Philippines, etc. In reality, the Japanese attacked England, France, Holland, the US, etc. That is, the Japanese attacked the Western Powers invading all of Asia. That is the verifiable truth. The Empire of Japan didn’t invade. Japan fought against the Invaders. The Japanese didn't start the War. The War in, and for, Asia had begun in 1847. And here are some other facts to consider: The US has taken advantage of and intervened without justification in the Marquesas Island. (Massacre. 1813). US Forces seize Nuku Hiva Island (French Polynesia 1813), and establish here «The First US Naval Base», in the Pacific. This historical fact is important, cuz in 1813, the US had NO Territorial Land nor Maritime Rights in the Pacific Ocean, until 1848, when the US seized California and other Mexican territories facing the Pacific. Oh, yes! The Wars to dominate Asia are not over yet. The last one was in Vietnam and the most recent will be on the Island of Taiwan. But, Propaganda has made us believe that the good guys were us, the US. And of course… Nanking was a horrendous Genocide committed by Japan, but, it was no more horrendous than the 12 Genocides committed by the United States in his History and all over the world. Nor was it less horrendous than the Genocide committed by King Leopold II of Belgium, in Central Africa. Nor was Nanking more or less horrendous than the Genocides that the British Empire committed in America, Africa, Australia, Middle East, India and also in China too. In the Philippines (1898-1902), the US Army produced a Genocide of One Million people dead. Yup: ONE MILLION. And now, the Japanese are our friends and allies. But, to fight against China, AGAIN!!! Well… No More. No More British Malaya nor British Borneo nor British wherever. No More French Indochina. No more Dutch Indies. No More Portugese Domains. No More US Domain here. Asia is for Asians and “The China Sea” belongs to CHINA. Westerns powers have nothing to do in Asia. NOTHING!!!
Fantasticly told! Anxiously awaiting part 2
Thank you for all your hard work.
This tale of incredible resourcefulness and resiliency is seldom told. Thank you.
The carnage and death , of all of those men , and the slow death of the trapped men , I can understand the drive the fierce drive to save as many trapped souls in those behemoths as rapidly as possible. I cannot imagine the nightmares of the divers , and crews that had to remove the bodies of their lifeless mates. The removal of bodies and what was left ... that is something that I am certain many a diver or sailor carried to their graves , decades later. It cannot be said even in my small words , even uttered , the pain and suffering yet the bravery and resoluteness under surprise attack of the sailors and officers of these ships. Go with God. Sir , good video ... I humbly thank you. C
Mr Brady, excellent. As someone who was born on December 7th, the attack on Pearl Harbor is something of a fascination with me. The salvage operations are monumental and I am glad you are documenting these. I know you will cover it, but they actually tried to salve Oklahoma, but she was too badly damaged. You made the comment of this being a bloody nose. The analogy is accurate. The footage of the burning hulks looks very bad, but in the light of day it showed promise. A bloody nose looks bad initially, but after the blood is cleared, the damage isn’t so bad.
Something the Japanese soon found out, much to their chagrin….
RIP to those who lost their lives on 7 December 1941
“A day that will live in infamy”-President FDR
RIP to everyone everywhere that lost their lives
Around 53 million human beings were killed during the course of world war 2. RIP to all of them. 38 million civilians and 15 million military personnel. If we allow ourselves to be strung along, conditioned and wound up into another world war then with modern warfare methods, tech and nuclear warheads, hundreds of millions of us will die, and hundreds of millions more will be left slowly dying in horror from the fallout of nuclear war. Many entire countries will be completely wiped out into nuclear wastelands...just ONE standard nuclear warhead today is more destructive than 1000 Hiroshima bombs. There are currently 12,500 of them around the world and the US has almost half of those stockpiled, with Russia having close to the other half. The other countries with a few hundred of these things each are China, France, UK, Israel, North Korea, India and Pakistan.
Furthermore, modern internet technology is proving the most powerful and effective disinformation, propaganda and subversion tool for big businesses and governments they're in bed with, and unlike any other time in the entire history of humanity, there are suddenly a tiny number of extremely powerful men with tens to hundreds of billions of dollars in personal wealth each, who influence our governments like never before and have billions of people worldwide addicted to their distraction and disinformation platforms. Imagine if all the propaganda campaigns in WW2 alone were using the internet...the whole German population were absolutely convinced that what Hitler was doing was something great and noble, making Germany great again and his jewish propaganda worked so much he actually had thousands of people directly helping round up millions of those people, take them to camps, shave them and...all the stuff you should know about that would get this comment auto blocked if I tried to describe it even briefly.
umm it is December 7th***** NOT 7 December
@@allentoyokawa9068 ummm lemme guess you’re an American and have never served in the military or any professional field…..because most of the world including the US military writes the date as day - month - year. So 7 December 1941 is indeed a correct method especially for anyone that’s served, and that’s doubly relevant considering we’re talking about the US Navy here.
Tremendous video of a incredible salvage and resurrection of the Pearl Fleet.. Thank you !
The Pearl Harbor attack has strong meaning to me. As a high school student in 1966, I did a report on the attack. I am also the daughter of a career Air Force CMSGT who was a career serviceman. Going to Pearl Harbor is on my bucket list.
Go sooner rather than later. When I went in the '90s and 2000s, a lot of the tour guides were WWII vets who were there.
You hear about the attack, the war itself and, the aftermath but, I don't think I have ever seen a documentary on the actual salvage of the fleet. Great work and thank you for this little history lesson!
As always Mike Brady, you are the greatest at narration and documentation….thank you for all you do
Mike, thank you for covering this unforgettable event in naval history.
My great uncle was part of C and C at PH.
He was there …. 12/7/1941
I can't wait to hear more about this as my dad was on a air craft carrier in the spring of 42 and she set sail for pearl to help with the salvage. To my dad's last days he could not get the smell of rotting bodies and burnt oil from his nose. He was a machinist on board making parts to fix what they could. Also he said one day while doing calisthenics on deck the wind switched a bit and the stench was so bad sailors were puking on deck and some took sick from the smell of death. Air pockets letting go and bubbling stench filled the air. I was cutting wood with him one day and we cut some rotting wood to remove it and he started to rub his nose and get sick. I thought something was wrong but he said it was flash back smell from pearl. The experience marked him for life. There mission was so secret there was no records of it. Records start in 43 after she was back to San Diego then they became a transport and repair ship. Being a smaller carrier she would not have survived much of a fight. But in that timeline it was all hands to the ready. Pearl was the worst attack ever done and to this day the memories are all that remain..😢
What ship was he on
@g.t.richardson6311 uss Hollandia the ship is well documented and had a long life. It was sold to Japan for scrap and dad about had a fit. He and others that served on her tried to buy her but couldn't get it done. Plus where do you park a ship lol.
Thanks for filling in holes of history!
If memory serves Yamamoto opposed attacking america, waking up the sleeping giant as he put it. The decision came down from up top though, and he did his duty. Kinda like robert e lee.
Fascinating pieces of History!!! Thank you for preserving them.
As a young boy, my dad knew many WW2 veterans from his little town. A couple of these vets were at Pearl Harbor. Some of these vets would often speak to him about their war experiences, but just as many never said a word about it - the vets from Pearl Harbor were those who didn’t talk about it much, if at all.
Watching this footage made me think of those men. I never met them myself, but I can certainly imagine why they didn’t want to revisit that awful day.
Amazing start - I saw the 2nd one posted today and realized I had someone missed this first one! Looking forward to watching the next one. I didn't realize they had salvaged so many of the ships - impressive resolve.
And Then the Japanese empire found out
To completely misjudge our reaction of the United States. we weren’t pacifist were isolationists at the time.
Amazing video Oceanliner Designs, thanks for covering this historic event.
Wondering where Pt 2 is
Part two was uploaded today!
Would love to see the part 2 of this topic, it's very interesting
This is incredible. Thanks for that little documentary, sir.
Japanese single handedly gave the allies the victory of WW II by awakening the sleeping giant.
>americans trying not to take credit for WWII challenge: impossible
I am not American, I just state the facts.
@@LURKTecit took British code breaking, American manufacturing, the French determination, and Soviet blood to win WWII
@@LURKTecthe war would have been won eventually by the allies, but would have been much longer and devastating all around. The US involvement helped expedite the process.
USA provided Soviets with hardware and they started the Manhattan project that finally stopped Imperial forces without needing a devastating ground war in Japan.😢
Ian, thank you for this in-depth look into our (I’m an American) history. I’ve been to Pearl Harbor and the Arizona Memorial and this really helps put into perspective what happened on that day so long ago.
Where’s part 2?
It’s just been uploaded to watch.
Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't Arizona's guns got salvaged and was used again against Japan?
Yes. The guns from turret two were installed on USS Nevada later in the war.
I have only ever heard about the bombing and devistation of pearl harbor but not the salvage, clean up, or rescuing of survivors.. What an AMAZING topic to create a video on!
Its ironic. Japanese was hoping the attack would keep the Americans out of the war. But it did the exact opposite.
Enemies of the United States constitutional republic (including the Confederate States of America) have a long history of misperceiving the general good will of the American people for an unwillingness to fight.
The Japanese poked the sleeping giant.
As they say - hope is not a strategy.
I did comment on Part 2, because I was notified of that first and later I realized that there was a 4 part series! I was originally going to leave because I have seen so much about Pearl Harbour, yet this was a different angle showing the salvage operation! Great work and Thank you so much! I subscribed to your channel a while back with the Titanic expose!
13:30 the not-so-dry dock. god that killed me hahahahaha
The bipolar dry dock
In the '80s we had friends of the family who were WW2 veterans, and both were still living on their own and very mentally sharp. It was fascinating to talk to them about their experiences. He had been a colonel who commanded an infantry regiment from Normandy to the Ruhr Valley, and his wife a military nurse who was at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7th.
She said she and a fellow nurse had arranged a few days of leave and had plans to fly to Hilo on the morning of Dec 7th. They spent their first day off (Sat the 6th) in town and at a hotel near the base, and early Sunday morning they packed and went to the lobby to check out. By the time they got down to the lobby booming noises had begun in the distance which, like so many others, they at first did not find alarming. She said booming wasn't particularly unusual around the base or offshore and they just assumed it was some kind of military exercise, gunnery practice, or whatever. The clerk was very busy answering one call after another from guests buzzing the front desk, no doubt asking what all of the noise was about. Being somewhat eager to get checked out so they would not miss their plane, one of them finally dinged the bell on the counter to get the clerk's attention, unsuccessfully at first, then becoming more insistent. "Sir?" (ding ding) "Sir?" (ding ding). Finally getting his attention, one said "I'm sorry, but we're in a bit of a hurry to check out. We have to catch a plane to Hilo." The clerk, who by then had grasped the ominous reality, looked at them for a moment in disbelief before saying in exasperation, "Lady, I don't know if there will ever be another plane to Hilo."
I now wonder what happened after that, but I didn't ask at the time. Being young I didn't think of and ask nearly as many questions as I would now. It's safe to assume they not only didn't make it to Hilo, being nurses they no doubt had a very busy next several days and weeks. I now wish I had thought to prepare questions in advance, interview them, and record it. What a treasure that would now be. They said they were surprised that any young people cared enough to want to hear their stories. Amazing. It was an honor to know and talk to them.
I still can’t believe Japan thought they could pull a stunt like that and get away with it. Don’t. Touch. Our. Boats.
Japanese arrogance of the time (thinking of themselves as samurai and America as a paper tiger) could explain most of the Japanese high command believing it, but the one man who still perplexes me is Yamamoto. As a naval attaché he spent a lot of time in the U. S. and understood the American people probably better than anyone else in the Japanese military. I cannot understand how he could believe this attack would elicit any response from America other than white-hot rage.
@@jamesbrown4092 He didn't. He told his superiors what would happen. They ordered him to plan it anyways.
@@jamesbrown4092 Yamamoto was said to have written or said "I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve"
Fascinating video and so well delivered! I learnt al ot from it and am really looking forward to the next part - thanks for all your hard work on this.
And yet through all that, a lot of historians agree that the attack was ultimately a failure from a tactical sense because the Japanese hit the wrong targets. They hit the battleships which were older and slow and the aircraft that the US could replace easily. they did not destroy the dry docks, maintenance facilities, fuel storage tanks, and most crucially - the intelligence failure of not knowing the aircraft carriers were out at sea meant that the most critical target had been missed and now the US had an offensive weapon to strike back.
This was probably your best video yet...great job!
Part 2 When?
I have often wondered just how this Herculean task was performed. Thank you! Well done!
Where's the link to part two?
RIP to those who died in the Harbor along with USS Arizona
Thanks Mike, this was excellent content. I finally was able to visit Pearl last October, and it's an incredibly moving experience.
A thankful subscriber, from Denmark. Your presentation deserves to be enjoyed by more people. These pocket docs. Allways get's a like from me. 👍
Vidste du at den ene af de amerikanske piloter som kom i luften denne dag, phillip Rasmussen var barn til to danske forældre
@@ninus17
Nej det vidste jeg ikke. Kunne være interessant, at se en mini dokumentar om ham og hans forældre.
@@budgiefriend der er en bog der hedder: Britain's Victory, Denmark's Freedom
- Danish Volunteers in Allied Air Forces During the Second World War
Af Mikkel Plannthin
Den handler om de danskere eller dem med danske rødder som fløj for de allierede. Han er omtalt i bogen og jeg kan godt anbefale den
Mike
You are a good man telling the stories of other good men. Much gratitude and massive thanks for bring the truth and valour to the surface. From pei Canada
Unbelievable, Mike. Thank you. I will watch this several times along with your Part2 when it is released.
Excellent description! Your work is never boring.
How wrong Yamamoto was. That miscalculation changed the course of history
He was actually correct in his assessment that he would run wild in the Pacific for 6 months but after that he could not be guaranteed of victory. Midway, 4 June 1942-- almost exactly 6 months.
@@mh53j Right, Yamamoto didn't want to go to war with the US but he reasoned that maybe, just maybe, the US would settle for a negotiated peace after a series of humiliating defeats.
@@mh53j True, but he was hoping for more than just a 6 month head start. The failure of his navy to actually destroy the Pacific fleet (including missing out on the aircraft carriers) proved fatal in the end