Pearl Harbor The Japanese planes that attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 were horizontal bombers, dive bombers, and torpedo bombers. The Japanese bombs were very strong. Their bombs could slash through water and tear into Pearl Harbor ships.

The six carriers from Japan that held the Japanese planes were Akagi, Kaga, Soryu, Hirya, Shokaku, and Zuikaku. Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo was in charge of the attack.

The Japanese submarine's mission was to enter Pearl Harbor without being seen and cause as much damage to Pearl Harbor. The submarines were used for special operations against ships in enemy harbors. Type A midget submarines displaced 46 tons, were 78 feet long and carried two 45cm (17' 7") diameter torpedoes. Submarines tried to sneak into Pearl Harbor, but U.S. ships destroyed them.

Pearl Harbor was heavily damaged from a deadly continuous air raid. At 6:00 a.m., the first wave of fighters headed off to Pearl Harbor. The attack by sixty-six torpedo bombers and horizontal bombers lasted from 7:55 a.m. to 8:25 a.m. Then, about fifteen dive bombers attacked from 8:25 a.m. to 8:40 a.m. About forty-eight horizontal bombers launched a heavy attack that lasted from 8:40 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. Finally, about twenty- seven dive bombers attacked Pearl Harbor from 9:15 a.m. 9:45 a.m.

The USS Arizona was bombed a lot of times and could not be repaired. The battleship Oklahoma also could not be repaired. However, the battleships Maryland, Tennessee, and Pennsylvania were not as badly damaged, so they could be repaired.