Remembering Pearl Harbor: Eyewitness Accounts by U.S. Military Men and Women

by Robert S. La Forte, Ronald E. Marcello

They survived the “date which will live in infamy.” Now they tell the unofficial story.

Many books have been written about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, an unprecedented event that launched the United States into World War II. But here is a rare compilation of eyewitness accounts by those who actually survived the bombing on December 7, 1941.
 
This book is their story. Not the official version from the top brass, but the riveting, clear-as-yesterday accounts of the ordinary soldiers, sailors, airmen, nurses, chaplains, and wives who were at Pearl Harbor, going about their normal lives that fateful Sunday morning. From the burning deck of the Tennessee in the inferno of Battleship Row, from the airfields, from the hospitals, and from the Navy Yard dry docks come the chilling and unforgettable stories of these brave men and women.

Genres: Military Fiction, History, World War II, Nonfiction

344 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published April 1, 1991

Reviews

[Senor Sock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent oral history of Pearl Harbor told by the men and women who were there: the sailors and marines aboard the ships, the personnel at Ford Island; the doctors and nurses who attended the wounded; the civilians in Honolulu and the families--wives and children of men stationed at Peral Harbor.
It is very detailed and can be a bit gruesome at times, but that's how it was and the stories are not sugarcoated for more gentle readers. That being said, there are some stories and memories that are just funny in nature--including the story of a sailor who was sitting in the head when the attack happened and had no idea what was going on.

This is a good read for anyone interested in reading about the war, or in my case doing a play about it. The stories bring the people and action to life in a way many books can't.

Kudos to La Forte and Marcello for finding these stories and assembling them before the genration that experienced all this has passed into history.

[Cporra · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Remembering Pearl Harbor" by Robert La Forte was one of the best books I've read that focused primarily on the atrocious attacks conveyed by the Japanese on December 7, 1941. Robert La Forte used a way of writing this book that was very unique, setting it apart from most books. He wrote the book after interviewing countless soldiers who witnessed the attacks, after this he added on to them and positioned them seperately, in the sense that each soldier had their own chapter in his book. The imagery was outstanding giving a detailed viewpoint of the Japanese attacking the US. Also the mood conveyed in the piece had a touch of anger as the soldiers claimed, "we wanted to kill the Japanese at all costs known to man." I would suggest this book anytime to a student who is in US History, or even just a person who wants to strengthen their knowledge of history, as it is very detailed with its incorporation of historical data.

[Keith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent collection of eyewitness Pearl Harbor narratives.