World War II Database

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San Francisco, Calif.
January 2, 1942.

1. At the beginning of the action with Japanese forces at Pearl Harbor, T.H. December 7, 1941, this vessel was moored alongside the U.S.S. Whitney at Buoys X-8 undergoing regular scheduled overhaul. Other ships also alongside were Selfridge, Tucker, Reid and Conyngham, the Selfridge being outboard and the Case next to the Selfridge. All ships heading approximately 025° True.
2. The condition of the ship at this time was as follows--
   
   
   1. Armament
      
      5" battery -- 20 rounds fully ready in magazines, ready boxes empty. Sights of 2 guns dismantled, powder fuse ballistic computer in director.
      
      50 cal Machine guns -- Ready with ammunition mounted.
      
      Depth charges -- exploders removed for annual test.
      
      Torpedoes -- one after body on tender, one war head removed, all exploders removed for test.
   2. Machinery
      
      Receiving all services from USS Whitney, plant secured, rotor of one main fuel pump on tender, suction lines on both main condensate pumps out, various out out valves on auxiliary steam lines and fire main on tender, one engineroom supply blower at yard, all boiler steam gauges on tender, #2 generator control meter off, 1st effect of evaporators partially dismantled, 12" signal searchlight negative head being repaired.
   3. Communications -- All communications handled through USS Whitney.
   4. Personnel -- Officers -- Gunnery Officer, communication officer, assistant engineer, and two reserve ensigns on board. Crew -- Approximately 95% on board.
3. Commencing at time of attack the following was done.
   
   
   1. Armament.
      
      5" battery -- Three guns manned and ready with ammunition up on approximately 6 minutes from first attack. Telescopes of other two guns installed and boresighted by about 0930. Ballistic computer shifted on director and ready by about 1000. 50 rounds of ammunition for each guns were brought up to gun and 100 rounds per gun made ready in magazines. Extra ammunition received from Whitney.
      
      50 Cal. machine guns -- manned and ready and had opened fire in approximately 4 minutes.
      
      Depth charges -- exploders installed prior getting underway.
      
      Torpedoes -- Prior getting underway the afterbody was returned from tender and installed, final adjustments made of 5 torpedoes and all torpedoes charged.
      
      
   2. Machinery
      
      All machinery reassembled except engineroom supply blower and one main feed pump and ship made ready to get underway by 1600.
      
      
   3. Communications
      
      Shifted to ship immediately.
      
      
   4. All personnel except 1st lieutenant, Torpedo Officer and Assistant gunnery officer (all reserve ensigns) returned aboard prior getting underway. The reserve ensigns had reported to Commander Destroyer Squadron THREE on Cummings in Navy Yard and went out on that ship. One Lieutenant(jg) and one ensign from ships already departed reported aboard and went out with Case.
   5. Ship was also provisioned from tender to fill up to capacity.
4. Action entered into by this vessel was limited due to the following (a) condition of guns and director due to overhaul (b) position of ship in nest (c) direction of attacks by planes not in vicinity of nest. However the 50 cal. Machine guns engaged every enemy plane which came within range, the majority of these being planes which had completed attacks and were withdrawing. One plane, on which this vessel and others were firing, was seen to catch fire and disappeared over the rise in the direction of Schofield.

R. W. BEDILION