Today, 81 years ago, 2,403 Americans were killed and 1,143 were wounded in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. 106 of those killed were on board USS West Virginia, including her captain, Mervyn Bennion, who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions that morning. Doris Miller, a cook third class on the West Virginia, was awarded the Navy Cross for manning an anti-aircraft gun (for which he had no training) and shooting down between 4 and 6 aircraft attacking the fleet. The newest Ford class aircraft carrier is named in his honor, CVN-81. He was killed in action in 1943 when his ship was sunk by a submarine during the invasion of Makin Atoll.
The WeeVee took 6 torpedo hits in her tough hide, and 2 bomb hits (one of which didn't explode, or her fate could have been similar to Arizona). 3 men were found to have been alive inside the crippled ship for 16 days after the attack.
She would be re-floated, repaired, modernized, and return to the fight in 1944 and get her revenge during the invasion of the Philippines at Leyte Gulf.
Never forget.
The WeeVee took 6 torpedo hits in her tough hide, and 2 bomb hits (one of which didn't explode, or her fate could have been similar to Arizona). 3 men were found to have been alive inside the crippled ship for 16 days after the attack.
She would be re-floated, repaired, modernized, and return to the fight in 1944 and get her revenge during the invasion of the Philippines at Leyte Gulf.
Never forget.
