Over two thousand U.S. servicemen lost their lives in the devastating attack on Pearl Harbor. More than eighty years later, efforts continue to identify those who perished in this tragic and historic event.
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00:00Over 2,000 U.S. servicemen lost their lives in the devastating attack on Pearl Harbor.
00:06More than 80 years later, efforts continue to identify those who perished in this tragic
00:10and historic event.
00:12Due to the deep respect owed to those interred in the wrecks of Pearl Harbor, including the
00:17USS Arizona, only a select group of divers are authorized to explore these sacred sites.
00:23Among their responsibilities is the solemn task of scattering the ashes of servicemen
00:27who have chosen to be laid to rest alongside their fallen comrades in these historic vessels.
00:32In an effort to honor the fallen and preserve the integrity of the wrecks, members of the
00:37Paralyzed Veterans of America participate in an annual dive.
00:41This ritual not only commemorates the lives lost, but also involves monitoring the deterioration
00:46of the ships, cataloging items in the debris field, and assessing the environmental impact
00:51of the wrecks.
00:52The USS Arizona, in particular, continues to leak oil into the harbor, highlighting
00:57the ongoing preservation needs.
00:59All wrecks, including the remains of over 180 aircraft lost that day, fall under the
01:04care of the National Park Service.
01:06They are entrusted with maintaining these watery graves, ensuring that the remains of
01:11those who sacrificed their lives are treated with the highest respect and dignity.
01:16Unlike her sister ship, the USS Arizona, the USS Pennsylvania suffered minimal damage during
01:22the attack.
01:23The crew was among the few who managed to return fire, engaging the Japanese planes
01:27in defense.
01:28A survivor from the ship reflected in 2021, recalling their efforts to fight back during
01:33the devastating assault.
01:34It was instant confusion, you know, mad scrabble confusion.
01:40The USS Pennsylvania was quickly repaired, departing Pearl Harbor less than two weeks
01:45after the attack.
01:46Despite being hit by Japanese bombers, one bomb destroyed a 5-inch gun mount, killing
01:51all its crew.
01:52In total, the ship lost 15 men, with 14 missing in action.
01:56By December 20, the Pennsylvania had made it to San Francisco for further repairs before
02:01rejoining the fight in the Pacific.
02:03Her swift recovery and resilience were a testament to the ship's endurance and the crew's determination.
02:09On December 7, 1941, 353 Japanese aircraft launched a surprise attack on the U.S. naval
02:16base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, thrusting America into World War II.
02:21The assault caused immense devastation.
02:23Aboard the USS Arizona, 1,177 men perished, marking the greatest loss of life among those
02:30stationed at Pearl Harbor.
02:32Of the ship's 1,511 crew members, only 334 survived.
02:37According to the National World War II Museum, a bomb struck the Arizona's forward powder
02:42magazine, triggering a catastrophic explosion.
02:45Eighty years later, one of the few survivors shared his experience with the Today Show,
02:50focusing on the horror of that day.
02:51Where we were, we were high, and I could see all of Pearl Harbor.
02:54Wow.
02:55We would see the planes flying, we heard a boom.
02:58The USS Utah, already decommissioned before the Pearl Harbor attack, was mistakenly targeted
03:04by a Japanese pilot.
03:05Six torpedoes were fired at the ship, which would not have been involved in further Pacific
03:10battles.
03:11Tragically, 58 men lost their lives, either trapped inside the sinking hull or while attempting
03:16to swim through the flaming oil covering the water's surface.
03:19And when they hit, they did catastrophic damage to the ship.
03:23The USS Utah, along with the USS Arizona, is one of three warships deemed a total loss
03:28from the attack, and she still rests in Pearl Harbor, with some of her crew members' remains
03:33on board.
03:34For years, the men who perished aboard were not officially acknowledged.
03:38As reported by the Honolulu Star Bulletin, Chief Yeoman Albert Wagner, a Utah survivor,
03:44later visited the wreck, expressing his deep feelings about the lack of recognition for
03:48the fallen sailors still entombed within the ship.
03:51There was nothing but mud then, and no indication that there are men still aboard.
03:55It wasn't until 1972 that a memorial slab and concrete pier were established at the
04:01site.
04:02Today, Navy personnel honor the fallen by raising and lowering a flag daily, paying
04:06tribute to those whose remains rest within the wreck.
04:10The identification of Eldon Wyman's remains marked a pivotal moment in the effort to identify
04:15the fallen servicemen of the USS Oklahoma.
04:19After initially being buried in small cemeteries, the remains of 429 men from the Oklahoma were
04:24transferred to the Central Identification Laboratory at Schofield Barracks in 1947.
04:30However, only 35 men were identified at that time, relying on methods like dental records
04:35and dog tags.
04:37The establishment of the Defense POW-MIA Accounting Agency in 2015 significantly advanced the
04:44identification process.
04:46Researchers at the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory worked closely with families and
04:50descendants across the country, leading to the successful identification of many more
04:55servicemen.
04:56The lab's director, John Byrd, said to Politico,
04:59We've identified over 90% of these individuals.
05:02The progress made so far has sparked hope for identifying the remaining 45 unidentified
05:08servicemen whose remains were recovered from the USS California and USS West Virginia,
05:14continuing the vital work of bringing closure to their families.
05:17I don't think families ever can get closure, but they can get answers.
05:21The USS West Virginia, a dreadnought of the Colorado class, was struck by two bombs and
05:27seven torpedoes on December 7, 1941, during the attack on Pearl Harbor.
05:32Weighing 32,000 tons, the ship was severely damaged, but through remarkable bravery, Captain
05:38Mervyn Bennion ensured the ship stayed upright, even as he lay dying from his wounds.
05:43His quick thinking prevented the crew from being trapped in an overturned hull, saving
05:47many lives.
05:48Despite the captain's efforts, some sailors were still trapped in sealed compartments
05:52as the ship burned.
05:53It wasn't until two years later, during the West Virginia's repair and refitting, that
05:58the bodies of 70 men were recovered.
06:01Among the grim discoveries was a calendar, with days marked off up to December 23, more
06:06than two weeks after the attack, showing how long some of the men had been trapped.
06:10Amid the devastation, there were countless acts of heroism.
06:13Survivors, forced to dive into burning oily water, fought to save each other.
06:18One ensign, who was ashore at the time of the attack, swam back to the West Virginia
06:22to help rescue his shipmates.
06:24Despite suffering heavy losses, the actions of the crew that day became a testament to
06:28their courage and resilience.
06:30After the attack on Pearl Harbor, many bodies were recovered from the harbor and warships
06:35and were laid to rest in the National Memorial Cemetery near the harbor.
06:39Over time, DNA testing helped identify the remains of 70 men who perished aboard the
06:44USS Arizona.
06:46Further testing was also done on victims from the USS Oklahoma.
06:49In the aftermath of the attack, the government decided to gather the remains of those lost
06:54aboard the Oklahoma into sets, attempting to match as many bones as possible to a single
06:59skeleton.
07:00However, this method led to remains being mixed together, and many victims' identities
07:05were lost.
07:06In 2003, a casket believed to contain the remains of Eldon Wyman, recovered two years
07:11after the attack during a salvage mission, was subjected to DNA testing.
07:16While Wyman's remains were identified, the test revealed something unexpected.
07:21The casket contained the remains of 90 different servicemen, not just Wyman.
07:25This discovery underscored the challenges of properly identifying and honoring the fallen
07:29soldiers after such a catastrophic event.
07:33Of the 1,177 crew members aboard the USS Arizona, only 107 bodies were identified.
07:40The remaining 1,070 were either unaccounted for beyond recognition or trapped in areas
07:46of the ship that made retrieval impossible.
07:49Just months after the attack, U.S. officials decided to leave the Arizona in its sunken
07:54position, designating it as a mass grave.
07:57The decision was made out of respect for the fallen, acknowledging that recovering
08:01the bodies with dignity would be an insurmountable task.
08:04Today, the USS Arizona remains submerged in Pearl Harbor, a solemn memorial for those
08:09who lost their lives.
08:11The memorial structure above it, designed with soaring white wings, attracts 1.7 million
08:17visitors annually.
08:18Operated by the National Park Service, the site is a sacred place of remembrance.
08:23The attack on the Arizona remains the deadliest in American naval history.
08:27One survivor shared his memories with the History Channel, reflecting on the tragedy
08:31and its lasting impact.
08:32The fire from the Arizona was so intense.
08:36These guys that fell over, came up, got the film on their bodies, were like human torches.
08:42Despite enduring a barrage of bombs and torpedoes during the attack on Pearl Harbor, the USS
08:47California managed to stay afloat for two days before eventually sinking.
08:52Throughout the chaos, the crew demonstrated extraordinary bravery in defending the ship,
08:56In recognition of their valor, four sailors and one officer from the California were awarded
09:01the Medal of Honor, the U.S. military's highest honor.
09:05Ensign Herbert Jones, the senior officer present during the attack, displayed remarkable courage
09:10by rescuing a sailor from a smoke-filled compartment before being fatally injured in another explosion.
09:16He refused to leave his post, prioritizing the lives of others.
09:19Though the California required over two years of repairs, the ship, which had lost nearly
09:23a hundred men, was restored to combat readiness.
09:27It returned to the battlefield, participating in several key naval engagements before the
09:31war concluded, a testament to the resilience of both the ship and her crew.
09:36One of the most unforgettable images of Pearl Harbor is the explosion of the USS Shaw.
09:42During the second wave of the attack, the Shaw was struck multiple times, hitting her
09:46machine gun platform, forecastle, main decks, and crew mess hall, where many sailors were
09:51eating breakfast.
09:52Thirty minutes after the initial assault, a massive explosion ignited the ship's forward
09:57ammunition magazines, sending a towering fireball into the sky.
10:01The ship was consumed by flames, and the captain gave the order to abandon ship.
10:05While many crew members managed to jump into the water and escape, twenty-four men perished
10:10in the attack and ensuing fires.
10:12Remarkably, despite the heavy damage, the USS Shaw was repaired and back at sea within
10:18months, earning an impressive eleven Battlestars for its service.
10:22During the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, numerous ships, including the USS Nevada,
10:27Helena, Curtis, Chew, Dobbin, Enterprise, Maryland, Pruitt, Sicard, Tracy, Vestal, Downs,
10:34and Tennessee, suffered casualties, resulting in 535 servicemen killed.
10:39The Nevada, weighing 27,500 tons, was the only ship to get underway during the assault.
10:46She faced intense bombardment but managed to beach herself after losing 50 men.
10:51Despite the damage, the Nevada was salvaged and later participated in significant battles,
10:57including the Normandy invasion.
10:58Tragically, she was later used in atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll, where she became so
11:03contaminated with radiation that she had to be sunk.
11:06The USS Helena, despite losing 33 men, distinguished itself by shooting down six Japanese dive
11:12bombers.
11:13In the midst of the attack, her crew fired an astonishing 375 shells, engaging fiercely
11:20with the enemy and showing incredible resolve.
11:22The resilience and bravery of these ships and their crews remain emblematic of the courage
11:27shown during the attack on Pearl Harbor.
11:30The tragedy of the USS Arizona's losses was matched by an even grimmer fate for the 429
11:36sailors aboard the USS Oklahoma.
11:39Struck by eight torpedoes in the first moments of the attack, the ship capsized just two
11:43minutes later.
11:44The crew members trapped inside faced a suffocating pitch-black steel tomb.
11:49Mortician Caitlin Doughty explained to the Mirror that the sailors endured unimaginable
11:54conditions, making their deaths even more harrowing for both them and their families.
11:58For the families of those that died aboard ships like the USS Oklahoma, there is no closure
12:03as no wreck remains of the battleship.
12:05The bodies of the men who perished trapped in the upside-down hull of the USS Oklahoma
12:10were recovered quickly as the ship's remains were salvaged.
12:14In many cases, the bodies were mixed together in caskets, making it impossible to identify
12:18them individually.
12:20The Oklahoma itself met a further fate as it sank in the Pacific Ocean while being towed
12:25for final salvage on the West Coast.
12:27Today, a memorial on Ford Island in Pearl Harbor stands as the sole place where families
12:32can honor and remember the sailors lost aboard the Oklahoma.
12:35Paying tribute to those who died in such tragic circumstances.