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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL
HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060
USS Vega, Report of Pearl Harbor Attack
AK17/A1g-3
|
U.S. NAVAL TRANSPORTATION SERVICE
U.S.S. VEGA |
December 10, 1941 |
From: |
Commanding Officer. |
To: |
The Commandant, Fourteenth Naval District. |
|
Subject: |
Action - Report of. |
|
Reference: |
(a) U.S. Navy Regulations, 1920. |
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In accordance with the provisions of reference (a),
the report of the action in which this vessel was engaged on
Sunday, December 7, 1941, is submitted herewith.
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This vessel arrived in Honolulu on the afternoon
of Saturday, December 6, 1941, and moored to berth 31 A at 1251
that date. Directly ahead of the Vega a Matson Line freighter,
S.S. Diamond Head was moored and directly astern the S.S. Permanente,
under charter to the Matson Navigation Company, was moored.
A clearance of approximately ten or fifteen feet existed between
the ships ahead and astern.
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Shortly after 0800, December 7, 1941, explosions
were heard in the direction of Pearl Harbor. Shortly thereafter
a message was received from the Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet,
advising all ships present of a Japanese air raid on Pearl Harbor.
General Quarters was sounded immediately and 3" and 5" ready boxes
were filled to capacity. Stevedores in the process of discharging
cargo assisted in the transfer of ammunition.
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About 0830 Japanese bombers were seen circling
the city and headed in the direction of the docks. Japanese
insignia on the planes was plainly visible through glasses. The
initial formation consisted of six planes flying in a "V" formation.
This ship opened fire with its 3" A.A. guns. An unknown ship,
believed to be the United Netherlands Navigation Company steamer,
the S.S. Clipfontaine, approaching the entrance to Honolulu
channel also opened fire. This formation of planes circled back
over the city without, as far as is known, dropping any bombs.
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At about 0930 another formation of planes approached
overhead and commenced circling, evidently in preparation for a
dive bombing attack on the waterfront docks and oil tanks. This
ship resumed fire on this formation and apparently was joined by
shore batteries at the harbor entrance. This formation released
several bombs one of which apparently dropped on the Honolulu
Gas Company property; a second dropped astern of this ship and
about 30 yards away in the channel; and a third struck Sand Island
approximately 300 yards from the Vega. Concurrently a burst of
machine gun bullets was seen to strike th water off the port
bow of the ship.
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A total of fourteen rounds of 3"-23 caliber were
fired. One burst was seen to rock one of the planes badly and
appeared to bring about a marked change of course of the formation.
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At approximately 1020, a small bomb or shrapnel
fragment landed on the pavement on the starboard quarter of the
ship, distant about 200 yards, injuring a number of civilian workmen.
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It was noted that the undress white uniforms of the
ship's company stood out in sharp contrast to the dark gray paint
of the ship, thus making conspicuous targets for machine gun fire.
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It is considered that prompt and effective action
was taken by all personnel and particularly by the Executive
Officer who was commanding officer at the time of commencement
of the raid.
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Inasmuch as the Commanding Officer of the ship was
ashore when the raid commenced and returned aboard at 1005, this
report is to be regarded as a combined report of the Commanding
and Executive Officer.
[signed]
K.L. FORSTER.
CERTIFIED A TRUE COPY
/signed/
A.C. SMITH,
Commander, U.S. Navy.
CONTRACTORS
Pacific Naval Air Bases
Contracts Nos. 3550 and Nos. 4173
Kauhua Island,
Navy Yard,
Pearl Harbor, T.H.
December 15, 1941.
From: |
W.C. Marr, Traffic Manager, Pier 31-A. |
To: |
Lieutenant Richard Holdbrook Administration Building, Pearl Harbor. |
Subject: |
OFFICER AND CREW - U.S.S. VEGA. |
All of us at Pier 31-A who were present on Sunday,
December 6, 1941, had an opportunity to witness at first hand
the performance of the officers and crew of the U.S.S. Vega, and
I had been directed by Mr. Marr to bring the following to your attention.
This ship was manned at the beginning of the first
raid and guns were in action immediately. As a matter of fact,
their guns were in action on every raid before the anti-aircraft
batteries at Sand Island went into action.
During the final raid, occurring about noon, five
ships apparently attempted to attack the oil installations of the
various oil companies immediately adjacent to Pier 31-A, as well
as the shipping tied up at this pier and neighboring piers. The
U.S.S. Vega went into instant action and it is our considered judgement
that only accurate and sustained fire by the personnel of
this ship saved these oil installations and ships from considerable
damage. One enemy plane was seen to wobble badly, and it is our
belief that this plane was badly hit. The Vega kept these planes
at a high altitude so that what bombs they did release fell harmlessly
in the water or at Sand Island, across the channel.
By carbon copy of this letter we are expressing the
sincere thanks of the entire personnel of this department to the
officers and crew of the U.S.S. Vega, and this letter is sent to
you for such action and commendations as you may deem fit to extend.
CERTIFIED A TRUE COPY.
/signed/
A.C. SMITH,
Commander, U.S. Navy. |
W.C. Marr,
/s/ By. H.J. RODDEWIGG. |
OFFICE OF THE COMMANDANT
Fourteenth Naval District
and
Navy Yard, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
December 15, 1941.
From: |
Assistant Port Director N.T.S. Aloha Tower. |
To: |
Commandant, Fourteenth Naval District. |
Subject: |
Air Raid Attack by Japanese. |
Reference: |
(a) District Memorandum 10 Dec., 1941. |
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In accordance with district memorandum dated
10 December 1941, the report of the activities in Honolulu
Harbor Sunday 7 December, 1941, as observed by this officer
is submitted herewith.
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This officer arrived in his office on the 9th
floor of Aloha Tower about 0800 Sunday and observed th attack
being made on Pearl Harbor. Very shortly thereafter and about
0830 a formation of planes was observed coming toward Honolulu
Harbor from Pearl Harbor, just outside of the shore line. This
formation consisted of six planes in "V" formation. They circled
toward Honolulu Harbor and upon their approach were immediately
fired upon by the U.S.S. Vega, which was moored at Pier
31. The bursts from the Vega were sufficiently close to cause
these planes to veer from their course seaward.
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At this time the SS Jaegersfontain was off the
entrance of Honolulu Harbor attempting to enter the harbor. As
the net was closed it was necessary for them to wait for an approved
entry. While preparations were being made for this entry
another formation of planes approached the harbor and apparently
intended to bomb the Jaegersfontain. All during this time the U.S.S.
Vega was firing on this formation, with their bursts sufficiently
close to obviously throw them off their mark.
It is the opinion of this officer that the prompt
and efficient manner in which the U.S.S. Vega went into action,
unquestionably saved the waterfront of Honolulu from sever bombing
with the resultant damage.
CERTIFIED A TRUE COPY
A.C. SMITH,
Commander, U.S. Navy. |
/s/ C.G. PELL. |
AK17/A15
Serial (11)
U.S. NAVAL TRANSPORTATION SERVICE
U.S.S. VEGA
January 7, 1943.
From: |
Commanding Officer. |
To: |
The Secretary of the Navy. |
Via: |
(1) The Commandant, Thirteenth Naval District.
(2) The Chief of Naval Operations (Naval Transportation Service) |
Subject: |
Request for consideration for an award of a ship citation. |
Reference: |
(a) AlNav No. 238 of November 7, 1942. |
Enclosure: |
(A) C.O. report of action December 7, 1941, (AK17/A16-3 of December 10, 1941)
(B) Pacific Naval Air Base Company letter of December 15, 1941.
(C) Assistant to Port Director Naval Transportation Service letter of December 15, 1941. |
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It is requested that, in accordance with
reference (a), the Navy Department Award Board give consideration
of the request for the issue of an award of appropriate insignia
to the U.S.S. Vega for its action taken at the time of the
Japanese air raid on Pearl Harbor and Honolulu, T.H., December 7, 1941.
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Enclosures (A), (B), and (C) are for review of the
board of the action engaged in by this ship December 7, 1941. In
addition to these reports, the present Commanding Officer desires
to invite attention to a fact not covered in any of the above
enclosures and which is deemed to be an outstanding performance
of duty above that described in these aforementioned enclosures.
The present Commanding Officer was the Acting Commanding Officer
during the raids and personally ordered and observed the performance
and the accomplishment of this additional incident.
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This ship commenced discharge of cargo from deck
load and uncovered holds shortly after arrival at Pier 31-A,
Honolulu, T.H., about 1300, December 6, 1941. Included in the
cargo was 130.3 tons of explosives which had been put aboard at
the Puget Sound Navy Yard. By authority of the Bureau of Ordnance,
this was loaded in #1 cargo hold for this voyage. There is no
method of flooding or sprinkling this hold except via fire hose
through main hatches and a steam smothering system (useless when
hold is open). The explosives were made up of the following:
720 tanks - 5"25 loaded and fuzed
117 tanks - 5"/51 smokeless powder
217 boxes (686 ctgs) 3"/50 loaded and fuzed
2340 - 5"/38 AA projectiles loaded and fuzed
17 - boxes (68 ctgs) 3"/50 target ammunition
5060 pounds bulk catapult powder (in 46 boxes)
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At the commencement of the raid this ammunition
was in the process of being discharged from #1 hold to Pier 31-A,
Honolulu, T.H. One freight car load of shells was alongside the
ship and a partial freight car load of powder was being loaded.
Work was stopped automatically on going to General Quarters. A
little later and about coincidentally with the first flight of
enemy planes over Honolulu, it was decided to move the two aforementioned
cars of ammunition from alongside #1 hold and to get the
balance of the ammunition out of that hold which was then open.
Men from the ship assisted by longshoremen volunteers on the dock
pushed both cars manually up and around the dock into an area where
they would be of less menace to ship, pier, and warehouses, It
was during this period that the civilians were wounded on the pier
and fire had started in the adjacent Honolulu Gas Company property.
A winchman and hatch tender were provided from ship's company and
with the whole-hearted assistance of those civilian stevedores who
remained aboard, the discharge of the balance of this ammunition
was resumed into another car. This was completed about noon and all
freight cars were sent on their way to Naval Ammunition Depot, Oahu.
Later that afternoon an urgent telephone call was received from
Pearl Harbor directing that the ammunition be sent to Pearl Harbor
as soon as humanly possible. It was the great and justifiable
pride and satisfaction that this command was able to report that the
ammunition had been discharged and was already on its way.
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No particular credit is requested for any individual
officer of man but if any ship insignia is to be granted to
individual ships, it is believed such an insignia would be of great
pride to a ship of this class and to the morale of its personnel.
A.C. SMITH.
2 May 2005