Charles Walters US Navy USS Phoenix |
On December 7, 1941, during the attack, we were anchored off Ford Island, near the hospital ship Solace. I awoke, saw ships turning over and planes dropping bombs. I hurried to my gun and started shooting. After the attack, the ships, Phoenix, St. Louis, Detroit and several destroyers, left Pearl Harbor to search for the enemy carriers, but they had gone. We came back and took a first convoy to the US and back. In 1943, Secretary of State, Cordell Hall was aboard and sailed to Casablanca. Then we were assigned to the 7th Fleet and sailed to the South Pacific. The ship was attacked by kamikazes many times. We received credit for sinking battleship Fuse (Japanese), which sank in 27 minutes. Phoenix earned nine battle stars. |
Information provided by Lester Ritchie |
