Making of ‘Attack on Pearl Harbor’ (by unknown US Navy soldier, 1941), 2015

The story behind the photograph…

Following Japan’s invasion of Manchuria in 1931, relations between China and Japan deteriorated to the point that war broke out in 1937. US military intervention became increasingly likely. On the morning of 7 December 1941, with the aim of preventing the US fleet from interfering with military operations in the Pacific, the Japanese launched a surprise pre-emptive attack on the American naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Over 350 fighter planes conducted a relentless bombing raid, killing 2,403 American military personnel and civilians, injuring a further 1,178, sinking four US battleships and destroying 169 US aircraft. The following day, the US declared war on Japan. Among the boats that were attacked was the USS Shaw. The blast that exploded the ship’s ammunition store was dramatically caught on camera by an unknown US Navy photographer. Remarkably, after repairs, the Shaw was able to return to battle, and went on to become one of the most highly decorated destroyers in the US Pacific fleet before finally being decommissioned on 2 October 1945.