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The aerial attack on Pearl Harbor begins. A torpedo bomber can be seen pulling away after its run, and a huge column of water is falling
back after erupting from the surface when a torpedo hit the side of the USS West Virginia. Arizona is second from the left in this row of battleships. These
pictures were taken by Japanese aviators to record the damage for later assesment. |
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The Arizona was protected from torpedo attack by the repair ship Vestal, seen here just outboard the Arizona, which is the second ship from the left in
this picture taken shortly after 8AM. Most of the ships sunk that day were sunk by multiple torpedo hits but the Arizona's catastrophic explosion was caused by a
single bomb; one of the two she was hit by. |
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The first of two bomb hits the Arizona took has hit on her stern. It can be seen here in the white splashes in the water and smoke on her aft deck
starboard (right) of her number 4 turret. The 800kg (about 1,760 lbs.) bomg hit the forward side of the turrent and ricoched into the deck, where it exploded
below. The light areas on the bow and stearn are canvas awnings that were hung to protect sailors from the direct sun. |
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-Click Here for the next gallery -- Catastrophe.- |
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