Were Ships Repaired After Pearl Harbor

Japan attacked the U.Southward. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, 79 years ago today. Several of the ships damaged or sunk that morning returned to service, thanks to heroic efforts past officers, sailors and repair contractors.

BATTLESHIPS

The main targets for Japanese pilots on Dec. 7, 1941, were aircraft carriers and battleships. Fortunately, the carriers homeported at Pearl Harbor were out to body of water that twenty-four hours:

◼ The Lexington departed Pearl Harbor on Dec. 5 to deliver a fighter plane squadron to Midway Island.

◼ The Enterprise had delivered a similar squadron to Wake Island. It had been expected back at Pearl the nighttime of the 6th but was delayed by bad weather condition.

The battleships weren't quite and so lucky. Viii battleships and ane sometime battleship-turned-target vessel received much of the wrath of the Japanese Navy.

ARIZONA BB-39

ENTERED SERVICE 1916

DAMAGE Sank when a bomb hitting the pulverization magazine.

KILLED i,177

AFTER A full loss, the ship now serves equally a submerged memorial to the losses at Pearl Harbor.

CALIFORNIA BB-44

ENTERED SERVICE 1921

DAMAGE Struck past 2 bombs and sank.

KILLED 105

Afterward Refloated in March 1942 and rebuilt at Puget Audio. Returned to service in May 1944.

MARYLAND BB-46

ENTERED SERVICE 1921

Damage Hit by ii bombs. Assisted other ships.

KILLED 4

AFTER Repaired at Puget Sound and returned to service past February 1942. Fought at Leyte and Okinawa.

NEVADA BB-36

ENTERED SERVICE 1916

Damage Intentionally beached later on taking multiple hits.

KILLED 57

Later on Refloated in February. After light repairs, participated in capture of Attu Island in May 1942.

OKLAHOMA BB-37

ENTERED SERVICE 1916

DAMAGE Took v torpedoes. Rolled over and sank.

KILLED 429

AFTER Was declared a total loss. Salvage began in March 1943. Sold for scrap in 1947 simply sank again.

PENNSYLVANIA BB-38

ENTERED SERVICE 1916

Harm Was in drydock. Moderately damaged.

KILLED 24

AFTER Repaired in San Francisco. Returned to service by March 1942. Fought in the Aleutians, Guam, Leyte and Wake.

TENNESSEE BB-43

ENTERED SERVICE 1920

Damage Struck past two bombs and damaged by the explosion of the nearby Arizona.

KILLED five

Afterwards Returned to service in Feb 1942.

UTAH BB-31, converted to target send AG-16 in 1931

ENTERED SERVICE 1911

DAMAGE Rolled over and sank later a torpedo strike.

KILLED 58

AFTER The Navy alleged the ship a full loss. It still sits on the bottom of the harbor with bodies all the same trapped inside.

Westward VIRGINIA BB-48

ENTERED SERVICE 1923

DAMAGE Took half-dozen torpedo hits and sank on an even keel.

KILLED 106

Later on Refloated, towed to Puget Audio and rebuilt. Participated in the battles of Leyte, Iwo Jima and Okinawa.

CRUISERS

Two heavy cruisers and six light cruisers were at Pearl Harbor during the attack. Iii were damaged.

HELENA CL-50

ENTERED SERVICE 1939

DAMAGE Hit past a torpedo.

KILLED 34

Later Returned to service in 1942, fighting at Guadalcanal. Was sunk off New Georgia in July 1943.

RALEIGH CL-7

ENTERED SERVICE 1924

DAMAGE Hit by a torpedo and near capsized.

KILLED 0

AFTER Repaired at Mare Island and returned to service in July 1942. Served escort duty in the Aleutians.

CURTISS AV-iv Seaplane tender

ENTERED SERVICE 1940

Impairment Hit by ii crashing planes.

KILLED 21

AFTER Repaired in San Diego. Returned to Pearl Harbor in January. Fought in Okinawa and forth the W Coast.

DESTROYERS

Of the thirty destroyers in the harbor that day, three took heavy damage.

In addition, ane minesweeper, i repair ship, a seaplane tender, a harbor tug and a floating drydock were damaged. All were put back into service by August 1942.

CASSIN DD-372

ENTERED SERVICE 1936

Impairment Was hitting in drydock and considered a total loss.

KILLED 0

Later Rebuilt at Mare Island and returned to service in February 1944. Fought at Guam and Iwo Jima.

DOWNES DD-375

ENTERED SERVICE 1936

Damage Was in drydock with Cassin. Also declared a total loss.

KILLED 12

AFTER Rebuilt at Mare Island and returned to service in Nov 1943. Served in the Marianas and Guam.

SHAW DD-373

ENTERED SERVICE 1936

Impairment Striking iii times earlier pulverization magazine exploded.

KILLED 24

AFTER Rebuilt in San Francisco and returned to service in August 1943. Served at Guadalcanal and the Marianas.

Sources: U.S. Navy, Naval History & Heritage Command, Navsource.org, the U.S. Navy Museum, National Archives, "Pearl Harbor: The Day of Infamy – An Illustrated History" by Dan Van Der Vat, "Our Phone call to Arms: The Set on on Pearl Harbor" past Life magazine | PHOTOS FROM THE NATIONAL Athenaeum AND THE NAVAL HISTORY & HERITAGE Command