December 7th, 1941... "A date which will live in Infamy"...

Well Sir...a most somber day. My wife and I have been fortunate enough to have visited this sacred site, and laid a wreath in the outgoing tide.... and as you can see from the picture, she still mourns her dead....

..CLICK TO ENLARGE.
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USS Tautog (SS 199) Draws First Blood

Most students of submarine history know that USS Tautog (SS 199) was one of the most successful of the WWII submarines, with 26 enemy ships to her credit. What they may not be aware of is that the Sailors of the Tautog were credited with shooting down one of the first attacking Japanese planes 66 years ago today. From the Tautog's After-Action Report:

On 7 December, 1941 Tautog was moored at pier two U.S. Submarine Base manned by one section of Submarine Division Sixty-One relief crew.

Tautog has returned from a 45-day patrol on 5 December and only one fourth of the regular crew was on board. At 0750 several men on deck observed three planes flying in the general direction of the U.S. Navy Yard from over AIEA fleet landing.

When the first plane dropped a bomb and turned revealing the insignia, it was realized that an attack was being made. General Quarters was sounded immediately and about 0755 the first cal. .50 machine gun was brought into action.

Torpedo planes, some of which passed very close astern of Tautog had commenced an attack on Battleships moored at Ford Island. At about 0758 the fourth plane in line burst into flames with a loud explosion when about 150 feet astern of Tautog. Tracers from the after cal. .50 machine gun and the starboard cal. .30 machine gun were going into the fuselage of this plane at this time. U.S.S. Hulbert was also firing at this plane. It is certain that it was hit repeatedly by Tautog, no other ships in the vicinity had opened fire.

Other after-action reports can be found here, and other good information on the Pearl Harbor attack is here. On this day of remembrance, it's good to take to heart the lesson that we've shown before that we can defeat a seemingly implacable death-worshipping enemy, and we can do it again if we remain united.

...above account borrowed from The Stupid Shall Be Punished, a submariners blog...

ADDENDUM: As most of you know, I was also a Seabee, as well as a Submariner, I'm proud to have been part of both, but I wanted to share with you, that in the The Navy Seabee's theme song, there is a verse that reads, "...and we promise to remember, the 7th of December"...

I ask you all to also remember their brave sacrifice....

Cookie....