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On December 6, 1943, the USS Boston entered the protected anchorage at Pearl Harbor for the first time. It was a day shy of two years after the infamous sneak attack on the American fleet by Japanese carrier planes. The men were shocked to see great ships still on their sides, still leaking oil . . . With the help of tugboats, they slipped into their new berth – a spot they would have for almost two months as they trained with other ships (Task Force 58 was being born) before heading off on their long route to Japan.
The men were not prepared for the sight they encountered as the ship slipped into berth position . . . they were right next to the sunken Arizona – her superstructure and big gun turrets sticking up out of the water. A thousand dead sailors rested in the deep below-deck places underwater, from whence heavy oil constantly bubbled up.
They stayed there until January 19, 1944.
George Pitts, signalman aboard the Boston, told me this (when I asked him what he remembered about liberty leaves while they were in Pearl Harbor): Pearl Harbor was positively a Liberty Town. It was a sailor’s haven. Barrooms were everywhere. Tattoo parlors were everywhere. Club dancers everywhere. You could get a milkshake . . . they had ice cream and stuff . . . movies . . . you could go horseback riding, which I did one day. That was a mistake because I never knew anything about horses, and this horse knew that I didn’t know anything and he ran all over the place and I’m just holding on. And what did he do? he ended up running right back where he came from. He got rid of me! (chuckles). And of course there were recreation fields. You could play softball which we did at times; horseshoes, etc. There was plenty to do there.
When we first arrived, it was hard to believe two years had passed since the December 7th attack. The Arizona was ghastly looking and some of the other ships were still half-sunk.
Unfortunately, George is recovering from a serious bout of pneumonia. I’m told he is now resting at home. Get well soon, George!
Happy New Year, everyone.