Fuchida at Pearl

[Hiede]

Fuchida was in over all command of the IJN attack on Pearl Harbor and was over Pearl for 3 hours.
He wrote about it and went into great detail about how they had to change the attack flight path because of cloud cover.If the attack was a go he was to shoot a flare,which he did.Problem was the torpedo planes missed it and he had shoot another one.The Val pilots thought the second flare was their signal to attack and attacked their targets.Since they attacked first this hindered the level bomber attack because smoke from the Val attacks on the airbases drifted across the harbor.His plane was also hit 3 times by AA.His flight bombed and hit Tennessee.

He also wrote about the second wave.

Everybody just talks about the Battleships,but at least 3 light cruisers were hit by torpedoes.

Hiede

 

[ElsnerMarkus]

The only ones I can think of are the Raleigh and the Helena—which one was the third cruiser?

The heavy cruisers in the dock weren't attacked at all; they were actually the target of the second wave, but because of the smoke you mentioned, it wasn't possible to carry out a targeted attack there. Fuchida must have had 10 guardian angels; in the end, his plane's controls were hanging by a single thin wire, and his plane was riddled with holes.

 

[Hiede]

The only ones I can think of are the Raleigh and the Helena—which one was the third cruiser?

The heavy cruisers in the dock weren't attacked at all; they were actually the target of the second wave, but because of the smoke you mentioned, it wasn't possible to carry out a targeted attack there. Fuchida must have had 10 guardian angels; in the end, his plane's controls were hanging by a single thin wire, and his plane was riddled with holes.

Honolulu was the third.
You get your info from books and the internet,I get mine from veterans I've met over 20 years going to Pearl Harbor on December 7.In the movie Tora Tora Tora the was a man shooting a machine gun at the Japanese planes,his name was Finn,I met him a few times and we talked a lot.I talked to survivors from the Arizona and was there when one of them was buried with his ship by invitation from his family.There are no more survivors of the Arizona.
I would say I have more knowledge about the attack from actual people that were there.
Have you ever been to Pearl Harbor?

Hiede

 

[ElsnerMarkus]

I have one of the books used as a source for *Tora Tora Tora* (*The Broken Seal* by Farago)—a very good book, but of course an old one.

No, but it’s on my list of places to visit. I read recently that the Mooring Quays were repainted and restored, and apparently the names of the ships were painted over in the process. But I hear that was historically accurate.

Yes, I still remember the scene with the gunner and the machine gun very well. For some reason, I think the depiction of the attack in *Tora* is better than in the 2001 film *Pearl Harbor*.

 

[Hiede]

I have one of the books used as a source for *Tora Tora Tora* (*The Broken Seal* by Farago)—a very good book, but of course an old one.

No, but it’s on my list of places to visit. I read recently that the Mooring Quays were repainted and restored, and apparently the names of the ships were painted over in the process. But I hear that was historically accurate.

Yes, I still remember the scene with the gunner and the machine gun very well. For some reason, I think the depiction of the attack in *Tora* is better than in the 2001 film *Pearl Harbor*.

Yes,Tora Tora Tora was a pretty accurate account.Even the scene where the Admiral standing at the window and a bullet went through and bounced off him is true.The ships they made for it were more accurate also.It was made by both the Japanese and Americans so you got both sides of it.I still have the magazine from when they were doing it from Talon's collection.

If you go to Pearl remember it's a long flight.it's over 24 hours.I know this because I flew to Germany to visit relatives.Two of my Great Uncles were in the Kriegsmarine during WW2 and I know about their ships and Operations also.

Hiede