When the 7th of December 1941 was over, it was clear that the Japanese had delivered a tremendous blow to the United States. Five battleships were sunk or sinking, three destroyers were wrecked, a minelayer and target ship had capsized, two cruisers were badly damaged and many other ships needed repairs. Hawaii-based Navy and Army aviation was also greatly diminished, feeding a sense of defenselessness and defeat that greatly exceeded the realities of the situation.
Fortunately, the Japanese Navy's limited objectives, and limited resources, had left Pearl Harbor's industrial and logistics capabilities essentially intact. Repair efforts began almost immediately, with major salvage projects following as quickly as resources allowed. For the moment, however, with fires out and sunken ships awaiting salvors, Navy photographers, who had done such a remarkable job of recording the events of 7 December, continued their efforts to capture images of the results of the "Day of Infamy" to meet immediate official requirements, and the needs of posterity.
This page features views of damaged ships at Pearl Harbor
in the days following 7 December 1941, and provides links to other
images of this subject.
For additional views of damaged ships at Pearl Harbor after
7 December 1941, and prior to the start of significant salvage
operations, see:
For other views of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor,
see:
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the Online Library's digital images, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.
Photo #: 80-G-32596 Pearl Harbor Attack, 7 December 1941 View of "Battleship Row", probably taken on 8 December, the day after the Japanese raid, with USS Arizona (BB-39) still burning at right. In the center is USS West Virginia (BB-48) sunk alongside USS Tennessee (BB-43). The capsized USS Oklahoma (BB-37) is at left, alongside USS Maryland (BB-46). A barge is outboard of Oklahoma, supporting efforts to cut free crewmen still trapped inside the battleship's hull. In the far right distance is the hulk of the old minelayer Baltimore. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Online Image: 84KB; 740 x 610 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
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Photo #: 80-G-387565 Pearl Harbor Attack, 7 December 1941 Aerial view of "Battleship Row" moorings on the southern side of Ford Island, 10 December 1941, showing damage from the Japanese raid three days earlier. In upper left is the sunken USS California (BB-44), with smaller vessels clustered around her. Diagonally, from left center to lower right are: USS Maryland (BB-46), lightly damaged, with the capsized USS Oklahoma (BB-37) outboard. A barge is alongside Oklahoma, supporting rescue efforts. USS Tennessee (BB-43), lightly damaged, with the sunken USS West Virginia (BB-48) outboard. USS Arizona (BB-39), sunk, with her hull shattered by the explosion of the magazines below the two forward turrets. Note dark oil streaks on the harbor surface, originating from the sunken battleships. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Online Image: 116KB; 740 x 615 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
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Photo #: NH 57670 Pearl Harbor Attack, 7 December 1941 Vertical aerial view of "Battleship Row", beside Ford Island, on 10 December 1941, three days after the Japanese raid. Ships seen are (from left to right): USS Arizona, burned out and sunk, with oil streaming from her bunkers; USS Tennessee with USS West Virginia sunk alongside; and USS Maryland with USS Oklahoma capsized alongside. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History and Heritage Command. Online Image: 138KB; 740 x 605 pixels |
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Photo #: 80-G-387598 Pearl Harbor Attack, 7 December 1941 Vertical aerial view of the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard on 10 December 1941, showing damage from the Japanese raid three days earlier. In upper center is the floating drydock YFD-2, with the destroyer Shaw (DD-373), whose bow was blown off, floating at an angle at one end. The torpedoed cruiser Helena (CL-50) is in Drydock Number Two, in center, for repairs. She was the first ship to use that newly constructed dock. Drydock Number One is just below Drydock Number Two. It holds the relatively undamaged battleship Pennsylvania (BB-38) and the wrecked destroyers Cassin (DD-372), capsized, and Downes (DD-375). Note dark oil streaks on the harbor surface. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Online Image: 178KB; 640 x 675 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
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For additional views of damaged ships at Pearl Harbor after
7 December 1941, and prior to the start of significant salvage
operations, see:
For other views of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor,
see:
NOTES:
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the Online Library's digital images, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Links added 11 November 2000
Coding updated 19 April 2009