On the morning of December 7, 1941, the Japanese Imperial Navy surprised the American military stationed on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, and in particular the naval base at Pearl Harbor, even though the United States had held a neutral position about the war. Eight battleships docked in the harbor, and all were damaged, most of all the USS Arizona. This vessel blew up after a series of bombs hit explosives that were on the ship, killing 1177 officers and crewmen.
Adjacent to the USS Arizona stood the USS Vestal, a repair ship, and onboard were three young sailors, a trio of brothers, my uncles. Harry was twenty-two, Wayne was twenty, and the youngest, Keith, had turned seventeen in April. It was the practice to avoid discussions of active service, so I never heard them speak of the event and can only wonder at their observations and reactions. The USS Vestal soon began firing at the Japanese aircraft, but it received several hits; their commanding officer was blown into the water. He returned and redacted orders to abandon ship. During that same time, Petty Officer First Class Joseph Leon George also ignored higher-ups to cut a line from the Vestal to the Arizona and saved six men who were trapped in a control tower on the main mast of the ship. Eventually, fire from the Arizona reached the Vestal, and they were forced to move and run aground.
Repaired by her crew and returned to service, the USS Vestal continued to rebuild other ships, ultimately being decommissioned in 1946. A marker to the left of the USS Arizona Memorial signifies where the USS Vestal stood.
The USS Arizona remains at the bottom of the harbor with its dead. A memorial stands over it, where people can pay their respects. Of the 335 survivors, 44 have requested that their remains be interned with their fallen brothers, the last one in 2019.
It was an honor and a privilege to visit this significant, holy place.
Resources Used: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Vestal
https://www.nps.gov/perl/learn/historyculture/joe-george.htm
https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/article/the-uss-vestal-the-pearl-harbor-attack-beyond/