William A. Davis Hickam Field |
At the time of the attack, I was standing on the steps of the main mess hall in the new, large barracks. There were several of us stanind there, when the explosions started at Pearl Harbor. One Japanese A/C flew directly over us heading back towards Pearl. We saw their insignia of the big red symbol plain and close. The A/C was very low. An old-timer sergeant told us to report to our orderly rooms. I think we all took off running very fast. I heard the explosion behind me. I think it was the direct hit on the mess hall. I learned later everyone in there was killed. Upon reporting to our area, the 1st sergeant told us to form rank, we did. We started towards the flight line, going by the flagpole. Some bombs fell near the flagpole and we were being strafed. We all broke formation and continued then running towards the flight line. Arriving at the flight line, the engineering officer was there. We went into the line shack for briefing, we were strafed again. We went down on the floor of the line shack. After the strafing, we were told to warm up our engines. He also told us guns and ammo were on the way, and that pilots would soon be there. I don't remember seeing any pilots that morning. I started my right side engine. As I did, we were strafed again. My A/C received five critical bullets. One in the right carburetor, one in the hydraulic lines behind my seat, one in the right wing, into the self-sealing fuel tank. I forgot where the other two hit. I then got up out of the plane. My flight Chief came up. He had a 45-caliber pistol. He told me to reload some clips for him. He shot at the Japanese planes a few time. They were very low, strafing us. We would hide behind the wheels each strafing and we had several. Someone brought us an armful of rifles and some ammo. My flight Chief gave me the 45 and he used the rifle. After the attack, I went down to the air depot to get parts. I needed a carburetor and hydraulic lines. The depot was totaled. We found some tubing where the hydraulic shop had been and fabricated the tubing for the hydraulic system. There was so much devastation, it cannot be described. I remember after I got my aircraft back into commission, we left and went to Bellows Field, and stayed in a pineapple field across the Wahiewa Road until I left for the states. I supposed hundreds of us came back for special training as pilots and crewmembers for the B-17 and B-24. I finished training as a top turret gunner in a B-17 with 24 missions over Germany. Information provided by William A. Davis. |
