Charles K. Day US Air Force Schofield Barracks |
25th Infantry Division Association Survey Project Of the Japanese Attack on Schofield Barracks 7 December 1941 Date assigned to the 25th Infantry Division: August 20, 1941 Were you previously assigned to the Hawaiian Division: Yes What unit were you with and the dates served: Military Police 09/41 to 10/41 What 25th Div. Unit were you assigned to on December 7, 1941: Military Police What was your rank? Private What was your job title? MP Were you on post at Schofield Barracks during the attack? Yes What were you doing when the Japanese attacked? Guard duty near Ewa gate Did your unit area receive fire from Japanese aircraft? Yes Did your unit suffer casualties? No Did your unit area sustain physical damage from the Japanese attack? No What orders did you give or receive during the attack? Return prisoner work detail to stockade Did you or any other member of your unit fire at the attacking aircraft? Unknown Did you witness any Japanese aircraft shot down by ground fire? No Describe other individual and unit reactions during the attack: After returning to the stockade I was transferred back to regular duty at headquarters. Unit was placed on alert to handle traffic and other regular duties. How soon after the attack ended did your unit depart Schofield Barracks for its defensive field position? Not certain, but feel that it was within an hour. Additional comments. Please recount any other details or aspects of the attack and the subsequent defense of Oahu you experienced or witnessed that you wish to relate. If you also served in the Guadalcanal, Northern Solomons or Luzon campaigns and wish to share aspects of your experiences in those campaigns you are encouraged to do so. Please add as many additional pages as necessary. Our MP unit dispersed troops to vital intersections to control movement of troops going to their field assignments. I recall being on alert for two weeks prior to the attack and the alert was cancelled the evening of December 6th. Martial law was declared and the MP units took over police duties from the civilian counterparts. The unit moved to field positions at Ala Moana crater where island HQ was located. A few days later, the MP unit was moved to a Girl Scout camp located on Pearl City peninsula. Patrol, traffic and other duties were run from this location. 25th MPs were transferred back to Schofield November 1942 to prepare for moving to the South Pacific. I was transferred to the 7th AF to return to the states for Aviation Cadet training. |
Information provided by Charles K. Day |
