ACTION REPORT  
USS MARYLAND   BB-46
SERIAL 0229   15 DECEMBER 1941
ATTACK OF DECEMBER 7, 1941.
  REPORT OF CAPT. D.C. GODWIN COVERING AIR ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR, 7 DECEMBER 1941, CLAIMS 4 JAPANESE PLANES DESTROYED. USS MARYLAND SUSTAINED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE WITH PERSONNEL LOSSES OF 4 DEAD AND 13 INJURED.  


  UNITED STATES PACIFIC FLEET  
BB48/A16/Of10/(0229) BATTLESHIPS, DIVISION FOUR  
  U.S.S. MARYLAND  
 
    Pearl Harbor, T.H.,
December 15, 1941.

From: The Commanding Officer.
To: The Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet.
 
Subject: Attack of December 7, 1941.
 
Reference: (a) Cincpac Confidential Despatch 102102 of December, 1941.

1. In accordance with reference (a), the following report is submitted:

[signed]
D.C. Godwin.

Copy to:


  ACTION REPORT  
USS MARYLAND   BB-46
SERIAL 0234   19 DECEMBER 1941
ATTACK OF DECEMBER 7, 1941.
  REPORT OF CAPT. D.C. GODWIN, USN, TO COMMANDER IN CHIEF PACIFIC, COVERING DAMAGE SUSTAINED AT PEARL HARBOR FROM TWO HITS BY JAPANESE PLANES AT 0908.  


  UNITED STATES PACIFIC FLEET  
BB48/A16-3/Of10/ BATTLESHIPS, DIVISION FOUR  
  U.S.S. MARYLAND  
 
    December 19, 1941.

From: Commanding Officer.
To: The Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet.
 
Via: (1) Commander Battleships, Battle forces.
(2) Commander Battle Force.
 
Subject: Damage sustained in action December 7, 1941.

1. In accordance with the requirement of Article 840, U.S. Navy Regulations, 1920, the following known damages sustained in action on December 7, 1941, and the corrective action taken to date to make the ship seaworthy and to restore it to its previous battle efficiency is submitted.

2. Summary of damages and losses sustained by departments:

  1. HULL DEPARTMENT

    1. Structural damage.

      1. From hit or hits on forecastle:

        General wreckage of deck, fittings, topside gear including anchor and paravane chains, piping and electrical circuits between frames 9 and 20 on Upper and Main Decks. Trunk A-404-T badly holed and W.T. doors and hatches bulged; hatches in trunks A-407-T and A-507-T also bulged; ladders in trunks wrecked; Bulkhead 9 wrecked on main Deck level.

      2. From hit through shell into A-103-A:

        Shell holed at frame 10 about 22 foot waterline, 18" by 22". This missile apparently penetrated deck of A-201-A and detonated in A-103-A, the blast being principally aft, to starboard, up and down. Much canvas and 5t30 lifejackets in this compartment absorbed many fragments and splinters and possibly saved further holing of the shell. Five fairly large (about 3") holes in bottom A-1-V, several loose and missing rivets and many gouges and splinter holes in shell plating of A-1-V, principally in vicinity of frame 14. Seam badly bulged at frame 14, starboard, about 14 foot waterline, leaky. Some floors and frames (beams) in A-1-V completely wrecked. Bulkhead 15 badly wrecked with whole panels blown through into A-104-A from A-103=A. Much of deck and overhead plating of A-103-A wrecked, holed and torn. This hit apparently accounted for all underwater body damage and damage to stores from resultant flooding of fore part of ship. Bulkhead 9 leaky at bounding angles. Blast damage upward wrecked deck and hatches in A-201-A. Structural damage in A-104-A apparently limited to vicinity frame 15 includes deck and longitudinal bulkheads. W.T. Hatch from A-204-T to A-104-AA and W.T. Door to A-205-E buckled from blast.

      3. Superstructure:

        Minor damage to foremast structure, holes in secondary forward and shield around forward .50 cal. machine gun station.

    2. Damage from flooding.

      1. No structural damage is known to have occurred from flooding, but due to above described damage and intentional flooding of magazines forward of frame 24, paint stowage and gasoline stowage, there was about 1000 tons of water in the forward part of the ship and most stores therein were ruined by flooding, which also caused further damage to electrical circuits.

    3. Corrective Action.

      1. Boundaries of damaged area being made watertight:

        From Keel up bulkhead 90, First Platform Deck to bulkhead 15, Second Platform Deck to bulkhead 20, thence to keel.

      2. This will leave compartments A-1-V, A-2-V, A-103-A, A-104-A and A-201-A as one large open compartment capable of being isolated from the rest of the ship at the above boundaries by watertight bulkheads, decks, hatches and doors.

      3. Repair work is on a basis of making the shell tight with patches, replacing major structural strength members which were damaged, principally in A-1-V and A-103-A, and obtaining the watertight envelope described in subparagraph A(3)(a) above. Much other structural work beyond the capacity of the ship's force is required to place that section of the ship in condition for its designated use. It is considered that, barring additional damage to the shell, what water the ship may take on completion of repair work this date can be controlled by the secondary drainage pumps forward.

      4. In the event that the 5 compartments listed in subparagraph A(3)(b) above become flooded there will be introduced into the ship about 530 tons of water, resulting in increased mean draft of about 5 inches, trimming the head down about 28 inches and the stern up about 15 inches.

  2. ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

    ITEM DAMAGE STATUS OF REPAIRS
    No. 1 and No. 2 Torpedo Air Compressor Electric motor and starting panel wiring insulation damaged. Bearing journals and cylinders walls corroded. H.P. air gauges inoperative. Motors and panels are in Navy Yard. Mechanical end is being repaired in place. Gauges are in Navy Yard.
    Degaussing Cable "A" Coil Cut on port side. Damaged on Stbd. side. Port side due for replacement 18 December 1941. Stbd. side 19 December 1941.
    Light and power wiring in vicinity of bomb hits. Wiring broken, insulation damaged. Main and second deck wiring restored. Approximately 2 to 3 days to complete repairs.
    Eight submersible pumps Burnt out during pumping operations. Seven have been repaired to date.
    Twelve spare armatures. Insulation damaged. Navy Yard baking out. Six completed.
    No. 1 and No. 2 Diesel oil pump motor and starting panel. Insulation damaged. Navy Yard is repairing.
    Diesel Oil Purifier motor. Insulation damaged. Navy Yard is repairing.
    RADAR - - - - - Estimated completion four (4) more days.

  3. GUNNERY DEPARTMENT

    1. Turret I

      Six inch piece knocked out of coaming of gun port, starboard side. Hole gouged out of third hoop, left gun (gouge 2 inches by 1 inch).

    2. No. 8, 5"/25 cal. A.A. Gun.

      Bomb fragment hit rammer cylinder just forward of slide and dented cylinder to such extent that rammer piston could not slide through. (Rebored by Navy Yard and replaced).

    3. Right lens of Spot I glass shattered by machine gun bullet or bomb fragment. (Repaired by Medusa).

  4. SUPPLY DEPARTMENT

    1. Total cost of stores and provisions lost - $8778.92.

  5. COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT

    ITEM DAMAGE STATUS OF REPAIRS
    Antennae Forestay antenna feeding into 2 antenna trunks destroyed. Being replaced by ship's forces.
    Windows (Flag Bridge) Broken by gunfire. Being replaced as expeditiously as possible.

  6. NAVIGATION DEPARTMENT

    1. Four (4) windows broken in Pilot House (believed by own gunfire due to not being housed).

  7. MEDICAL DEPARTMENT

    1. Although no actual loss was sustained during the action, the following were expended as a result of furnishing to survivors from damaged ships:

      Sheets 103
      Blankets 64
      Pajama coats 62
      Pajama trousers 65

[signed] [Capt.] D.C. GODWIN. [USN]


BB46/P15/0f10/
(3018)
 
UNITED STATES PACIFIC FLEET
BATTLESHIPS, DIVISION FOUR
U.S.S. MARYLAND
 
 
    Pearl Harbor, T.H.
December 11, 1941.

From: The Commanding Officer.
To: The Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet.
 
Subject: Meritorious Conduct -- Enemy Action, December 7, 1941 -- report of.

  1. Though the conduct of all hands aboard this vessel during the air raid on the morning of Sunday, December 7, 1941, could be classified as meritorious, outstanding was the action of Leslie Vernon Short, seaman first class, U.S.N., Service No. 242-29-54, enlisted September 25, 1940, at Garden City, Kansas, and whose present home address is Noel, Missouri.

  2. Short, a machine gun striker 22 years old, truly demonstrated the spirit of men behind the Navy guns. Though he had not been called to duty at his gun station, upon seeing our country being attacked he immediately manned a machine gun, opened fire on two approaching torpedo planes, downing the first one and injuring the second.

  3. Short's action is best described by his own statement:

    "After breakfast on Sunday morning, I came to Group "A" Machine Gun Station to write some letters home and address some Christmas cards. Suddenly I noticed planes diving on the Naval Air Base nearby. At first I thought they were our planes just in mock diving practice attack but when I saw smoke and flames rise from a building, I looked closer and saw that they were not American planes. I broke out ammunition nearby, loaded my machine gun and opened fire on two torpedo planes coming in from the east which had just dropped two torpedoes. Flames and smoke burst from the first plane I aimed at, and it veered off to the left falling toward the hospital. I think I also hit the second plane which I aimed at immediately after shooting at the first one but by then I was so busy that I cannot say for sure".

[signed]
D.C. GODWIN.

CC: Combatships.


 
HEADING
COMMANDER BATTLE FORCE
U.S. NAVAL MESSAGE
 
DESTROY BY BURNING

151900 CONFIDENTIAL MAILGRAM 151900

YOUR MAILGRAM 11310 OF DECEMBER 1941 X FIRST ATTACK WAS DIVE BOMBING OF HANGERS ON FORD ISLAND AT ZERO SEVEN FIFTY X SIX PLANES FROM SE PASSED DIRECTLY OVER SHIP AT AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT TWO THOUSAND FEET X RISING SUN INSIGNIA CLEARLY VISIBLE X DIVING ANGLE TWENTY TO THIRTY DEGREES PULLING OUT AT ABOUT FIVE HUNDRED FEET X SECOND WAS TORPEDO ATTACK ON BATTLESHIPS FROM PORT BEAM AT ZERO SEVEN FIFTY-FIVE X NO ACCURATE OBSERVATIONS ON NUMBER AND METHOD DUE TO POSITION OF SHIP INBOARD OF OKLAHOMA X APPEARS THAT OKLAHOMA WAS HIT FIRST AND CALIFORNIA LAST X DIVE BOMBING AND STRAFING ATTACKS BY FORTY TO FIFTY PLANES ON ALL SHIPS UNTIL ABOUT ZERO EIGHT THIRTY X DIVE ANGLE APPROXIMATELY FORTY DEGREES X ATTACKS WERE MADE BY INDIVIDUAL PLANES FROM VARIOUS DIRECTIONS X AFTER LULL OF TEN TO FIFTEEN MINUTES CONTINUED UNTIL ABOUT ZERO NINE THIRTY X BOMBS FROM DIVE BOMBERS SMALL OR INTERMEDIATE CALIBER X AT ABOUT ZERO NINE HUNDRED HORIZONTAL BOMBING ATTACK CAME IN CONSISTING OF TWO GROUPS OF SIX PLANES EACH AT ALTITUDE OF ABOUT ELEVEN THOUSAND FEET X ONE GROUP CAME FROM ABOUT TWO HUNDRED DEGREES TRUE OTHER FROM ABOUT ONE FIFTY TRUE X BOMBS DROPPED WERE HEAVY CALIBER X HOLES INDICATE STRAFERS USED FIFTY CALIBER AND THIRTY CALIBER X NO EVIDENCE OF HITS BY LARGE CALIBER BUT OBSERVERS CLAIM FIRE FROM SOME PLANES INDICATE LARGER CALIBERS USED X OCCASIONAL DEFLECTION OF TRACER FROM PLANE SHOT AT INDICATES POSSIBLE ARMORING OF VULNERABLE PARTS

 

MAILGRAM DATE RECEIVED : 16 DEC '41 (GCT) JF/F
    CWO

FROM: ACTION TO: INFO TO:
USS MARYLAND
151900
CINCPAC COMBATFOR
COMBATSHIPS


Transcribed and formatted for HTML by Patrick Clancey (patrick@akamail.com)