Harvey Carl Weiss US Navy USS Nevada |
Sunday morning. Quiet and peaceful. Metalsmith 1st Class Mills and I, dressed in our skivvies, enjoying our first cup of coffee on #4 barbette. The color bearer passed on the way to put up colors, when all of a sudden planes passed over the ship strafing within two feet of us on the splinter deck. We thought that the Army Air Force was maneuvering and that at they were way off course. We could hear the bugler sounding "man overboard", "fire", "colors", etc. Over the speakers "Man Battle Stations" was called. We then knew we were being attacked. The ship was underway. I started for my battle station, which was at the bridge. A Marine stopped me and ordered me to go the correct way (up port, down starboard). When I got to the boat deck, a bomb had hit the bridge and had destroyed my battle station. I then went back to the main deck aft to see where I could be of use. I passed Marines laying on the deck firing their rifles. I was directed to the ice machine room where gas was forming and told to help get the men out of the compartments. I grabbed a gas mask, but forgot to take the tape off of the canister. By the time I reached the ice machine room, I could not breathe. I lifted my gas mask up and passed out. I woke up at the 2nd or 3rd deck first aid station. I was shortly released. I then tried to get to a broadside gun. As I was passing through the cruise reception room, a bomb exploded in the galley. Since I was directly below the galley, I was knocked out. I don't remember being taken to the arena (where all the injured were taken). Sometime between 8 or 9 that evening, I was released. I tried to return to my ship. There was a total blackout in effect. On the way to my ship, I was stopped by a guard who commanded me to "come forward and be recognized." I then stopped and he commanded me to come forward and be recognized. I started whistling, singing, calling out my name; this went on for a few minutes and then he finally let me pass. I went to the receiving station to find out where the USS Nevada was. At the receiving station, everyone was running around getting in lines to volunteer to fill up the ships that cold get underway. I lined up but an officer recognized me and told me to get out of the line as they only wanted seamen; not a chief petty officer. Since I could not get back to my ship, I spent the rest of the night at the receiving station. This was the shortest day of my life. I am grateful to the Marine who redirected me. I am grateful to whoever pulled me from the ice machine room. I am grateful to whoever pulled me from the cruise reception room. |
Information provided by Harvey C. Weiss. |
