Attack on Pearl Harbor: The First Wave Part 2 - Episode 518

The Unauthorized History of the Pacific War

Captain William Toti, USN

Naval History And Heritage Command, History, Imperial Japanese Navy, Sam Cox, Admiral King, Cruisers, Spruance, Fargo, Seth Paridon, Fighters, Pacific War, Stavridis, Cactus Air Force, December 7, Station Hypo, William Toti, Bombers, Bill Toti, Navy, Halsey, Submarines, Society & Culture, Education, Us Navy, Mush Morton, Cincpoa, Documentary, Guadalcanal, Imperial Japan, World War Ii, Midway, Aircraft Carriers, Cryptology, Wake Island, Nimitz, Cincpac, Macarthur, Pearl Harbor, Wahoo, Courses, Battleships, New Guinea

4.9 • 872 Ratings

🗓️ 2 September 2025

⏱️ 64 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall wrap up the First Wave of the attack on Pearl Harbor by covering what happens to USS California, USS Arizona, and other ships in the anchorage before they move inland. The guys get into the attacks on Hickam Field and tell the story of the inbound flight of B-17s coming in from the mainland. Flying into a war unarmed, low on fuel, and with a skeleton crew--yikes. Ewa Mooring Mast, Kaneohe, and Wheeler Field are all covered in this episode, with the discussion wrapping on the exploits of Kenneth Taylor and George Welch getting in their P-40s and absolutely slaying the enemy over Oahu. Hollywood style story, but honest to God true. Next week, we will cover the Second Wave of the attack on Oahu. #wwiihistory #ww2 #usnavy #usa #usarmy #medalofhonor #enterprise #aircraft #aircraftcarrier #cv6 #midway #wwii #wwiihistory #ww2 #worldwar2 #usnavy #usnavyseals #usmc #usmarines #saipan #usa #usarmy #aircraft #aircraftcarrier #battleship #battleships #ussenterprise #aircraftcarriers #museum #essex #halsey #taskforce38 #wwii #wwiihistory #ww2 #usnavy #usa #usarmy #medalofhonor #enterprise #aircraft #aircraftcarrier #cv6 #midway #wwii #wwiihistory #ww2 #worldwar2 #usnavy #usnavyseals #usmc #usmarines #saipan #usa #usarmy #aircraft #aircraftcarrier #battleship #battleships #ussenterprise #aircraftcarriers #museum #hollywood #movie #movies #books #mastersoftheair #8thairforce #mightyeighth #100thbombgroup #bloodyhundredth #b17 #boeing #airforce wwii #wwiihistory #ww2 #usnavy #usa #usarmy #medalofhonor #enterprise #aircraft #aircraftcarrier #cv6 #midway #wwii #wwiihistory #ww2 #worldwar2 #usnavy #usnavyseals #usmc #usmarines #saipan #usa #usarmy #aircraft #aircraftcarrier #battleship #battleships #ussenterprise #aircraftcarriers #museum #hollywood #movie #movies #books #oldbreed #1stMarineDivision #thepacific #Peleliu #army #marines #marinecorps #worldwar2 #worldwar #worldwarii #leytegulf #battleofleytegulf #rodserling #twilightzone #liberation #blacksheep #power #prisoner #prisonerofwar #typhoon #hurricane #weather #iwojima#bullhalsey #ace #p47 #p38 #fighter #fighterpilot #b29 #strategicstudying #tokyo #boeing #incendiary #usa #franklin #okinawa #yamato #kamikaze #Q&A #questions #questionsandanswers #history #jaws #atomicbomb #nuclear #nationalarchives #nara #johnford #hollywood #fdr #president #roosevelt #doolittle #doolittleraid #pearlharborattack

Transcript

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0:00.0	The
0:07.0	The The
0:23.6	The Hello and welcome to episode 518 of the unauthorized history of the Pacific War podcast.
0:47.3	My name is Seth Periden, historian and deputy director of the Mississippi Yarn Forces Museum.
0:51.3	And with me as always is my esteem co-host, my good buddy, John Partial.
0:56.4	John is not going to do his intro today, because if you looked at last week's episode,
1:00.3	you know why.
1:01.0	Last week, we just ran too dang long, so we split this episode and a half.
1:04.3	So, guys, tune in to part two of the first wave of the attack on Pearl Harbor.
1:12.0	So let's talk about California, John.
1:14.6	California, you know, she's, she wasn't the target of the first bomb,
1:18.0	but she's way up the line up there.
1:20.2	Yeah, she is at anchor by herself tied up to one of these mooring peers here.
1:27.6	And so unlike the other ships that are two by two down the row here, although not necessarily two battleships at a time.
1:37.8	So for instance, you know, Arizona is moored next to the Vestal, the repair ship Vestal.
1:44.9	But, yeah, California is all by her lonesome out here.
1:48.4	And so about 10 minutes into the attack is the first time that she comes under attack.
1:55.2	There's a bomb that explodes just off of her starboard bow when the attack began.
2:00.7	And that's, you know, this initial
2:02.4	die bombing attack by these vows. But the result of that is that she very quickly manned
2:09.2	her guns, and at 805, her 50 cows began cutting loose, followed very shortly thereafter by the
2:17.4	five-inch weapons on her port side,
	...

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