A Summary of today's attack on Pearl Harbor

The Hawaiian island of Oahu was attacked by the Japanese Imperial Navy this morning.  The attack came from the air and began just before 8 o'clock local time.

The first attack was at Ford island, the US Navy's fortress in the sea.  Then the first planes moved to Hickam Field and did considerable damage to planes and installations there.  Wheeler field also sustained considerable damage.  Most of the planes there were destroyed.  Bellows Field on the windward side of the island also reports damage.

The Arizona sinking at Pearl Harbor

At Pearl Harbor, where's based the Pacific Fleet, the ships were attacked.  Many of the battleships were hit.  The USS Oklahoma was set afire.  The Arizona, next to an already torpedoed Nevada, was bombed and torpedoed early in the attack.  It sank in less than nine minutes in the shallow harbor.  An eyewitness claims it jumped 15-20 feet and broke in two.  Many other naval vessels sustained heavy damage such as the California, the West Virginia, the Tennessee and even Admiral Kimmel's own flagship, the USS Pennsylvania.  The training ship USS Utah was also sunk.

A destroyer USS Shaw was severely damaged in drydock.

Lines of communication between Army posts and Navy air drones are down.

The Navy has made no statements.  The Army has issued orders for the civilian population to remain off the streets.

Everyone here on the islands was taken by surprise by the attack.  It is difficult to believe that an air raid on the these beautiful islands has actually happened and that lives have been lost.

It is thought that planes came from the south.  One bomb dropped in front of the Governor's mansion at Washington Place and killed one man.  There was heavy bombing in the Pacific Heights residential districts killed one woman.

Casualty counts are changing every minute.  No estimate has been given.