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Photo # 80-G-387565: Aerial view of 'Battleship Row' on 10 December 1941, showing damage from the 7 December Japanese raid.

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- EVENTS -- World War II in the Pacific --

Pearl Harbor Raid, 7 December 1941 --
Damaged Ships after the Attack

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:

  • Wreck of USS Arizona, after 7 December 1941;
  • USS West Virginia and USS Tennessee after 7 December 1941;
  • USS Oklahoma and USS Maryland during the Pearl Harbor Attack;
  • USS California during the Pearl Harbor Attack;
  • USS Nevada during the Pearl Harbor Attack;
  • Attacks off the West Side of Ford Island;
  • Attacks in the Navy Yard Area;
  • USS Oglala during the Pearl Harbor Attack;
  • USS Pennsylvania, Cassin and Downes during the Pearl Harbor Attack; and
  • Pearl Harbor Attack Damage to USS Shaw.


    For other views of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, see:

  • The Pearl Harbor Raid, 7 December 1941 -- Overview and Special Image Selection"


    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.

     
    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.

     
    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

     
    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.

     


    For additional views of damaged ships at Pearl Harbor after 7 December 1941, and prior to the start of significant salvage operations, see:

  • Wreck of USS Arizona, after 7 December 1941;
  • USS West Virginia and USS Tennessee after 7 December 1941;
  • USS Oklahoma and USS Maryland during the Pearl Harbor Attack;
  • USS California during the Pearl Harbor Attack;
  • USS Nevada during the Pearl Harbor Attack;
  • Attacks off the West Side of Ford Island;
  • Attacks in the Navy Yard Area;
  • USS Oglala during the Pearl Harbor Attack;
  • USS Pennsylvania, Cassin and Downes during the Pearl Harbor Attack; and
  • Pearl Harbor Attack Damage to USS Shaw.


    For other views of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, see:

  • The Pearl Harbor Raid, 7 December 1941 -- Overview and Special Image Selection"


    NOTES:

  • To the best of our knowledge, the pictures referenced here are all in the Public Domain, and can therefore be freely downloaded and used for any purpose.

  • Some images linked from this page may bear obsolete credit lines citing the organization name: "Naval Historical Center". Effective 1 December 2008 the name should be cited as: "Naval History and Heritage Command".


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the Online Library's digital images, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


    Return to Naval History and Heritage Command home page.

    Links added 11 November 2000
    Coding updated 19 April 2009