Infamy & The Courage of The USS Tangier
Originally a maritime commission, the SS Sea Arrow was refitted as a Seaplane Tender and commissioned as the USS Tangier by the US Navy in August of 1941. In November of 1941, the newly christened AV-8 was assigned to Patrol Wing Two in Hawaii and was present during the surprise attack by Japanese of Pearl Harbor.
Between 7:55 and 9:20 am, three waves of Japanese dive bombers, torpedo planes, and submarines descended on Pearl Harbor. The USS Tangier, noting low flying planes dawning the insignia of the Japanese sun, was one of the first ships to join the fight. Two ships (USS Utah and the USS Raleigh) berthed near the USS Tangiers, were torpedoed by the Japanese within minutes of each other.
During the melee, the gunners of the USS Tangiers were able to down three enemy aircraft. Along with the USS Curtis, the USS Tangiers shelled a midget submarine that had entered into the harbor. The USS Monaghan finishes its destruction by first ramming the sub, then by dropping two depth charges.
By 9:20 am, the Japanese planes were gone.
Only smoke remained in the harbor from the damage caused by the attack.
Five bombs by five different Japanese planes were dropped on the USS Tangier.
All five bombs were very close misses, and the ship escaped with minimal damage.
After the bombardment, the USS Tangiers began a rescue mission to save survivors from the capsized USS Utah.
No other hostile aircraft came within gun range after 9.20, although the ship remained at General Quarters the rest of the day and all that night.
Inasmuch as the officers and men of the Tangier had never had the opportunity to fire the ship's guns except for test firing, I think their performance on Sunday was one of the bright spots of a very sad day. I do not see how any one of them could have done his job better than he did, and that individually and collectively they should be commended on their performance of duty and their preparation for battle. It is noted that there were no machine gun casualties and the only time the guns stopped firing was when their ammunition was expended. This speaks exceedingly well for the maintenance personnel on the machine guns and the ordnance gunner.
The USS Tangier expended the following ammunition during the one hour and twenty five minute assault:
- 217 rounds of 3" 50 cal. (Fwd Battery)
- 198 round of 3" 23 cal. (Aft Battery)
- 23,000 rounds of 50 cal. Machine Gun.
December 7th, 1941
This partial wingtip came from a Japanese plane that crashed during the attack on Pearl Harbor.
December 7th, 1941
These fragments, are from a Japanese plane that was part of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Fire Chief Michael G. Mahner, of the Kakaako Fire Station in Honolulu, HI, responded to the site of the crash, and saved these pieces.
PARTS FROM A JAPANESE ATTACK AIRCRAFT
ON DECEMBER 7, 1941 THE JAPANESE ATTACKED THE U.S. NAVY FACILITIES AT PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII. FIRE CHIEF, MICHAEL G. MANNER BASED AT THE KAKAAKO FIRE STATION, RESPONDED TO THE CRASH SITE OF A JAPANESE ATTACK AIRCRAFT. HE RETRIEVED THESE THREE SMALL ITEMS AT THE CRASH SITE. HE KEPT THEM IN A SMALL BOX FOR MANY YEARS. THE RETRIEVED ITEMS WERE INHERITED BY HIS SON-IN-LAW, MR. TATSUO KIMURA. THE ITEMS WERE DONATED TO THE SO. CALIF. WING OF CAF BY MR. KIMURA IN MARCH 2008.
1941
Cameron served on the USS Tangier (AV-8) during Pearl Harbor, where he witnessed the sinking of the USS Arizona. It wasn't until March 1942, three full months later, that his family received word he had survived the attack. He also served on the USS Enterprise (CV-6) as an anti-aircraft gunner at Midway, Guadalcanal, and the Eastern Solomon Islands.
In November of 1941, the newly christened AV-8 was assigned to Patrol Wing Two in Hawaii and was present during the surprise attack by Japanese of Pearl Harbor.