Unflinching Portraits of Pearl Harbor Survivors
Seventy years after the day that lives on in infamy, the soldiers stationed at Pearl Harbor recall their experiences
- By Megan Gambino
- Photo research by Brendan McCabe
- Smithsonian.com, December 05, 2011
(Marco Garcia / Wonderful Machine)
Just before 8 a.m. on Sunday, December 7, 1941, sailors stationed at Pearl Harbor near Honolulu were starting to stir—dressing for church, swabbing the deck, or already sunning themselves at local beaches on their day off—when the first of two waves of Japanese fighter planes attacked the base.
At 8:10 a.m., Japanese bombers dropped a 1,760-pound torpedo on the USS Arizona, and within nine minutes the battleship sank with 1,177 men onboard. In just two hours, the death toll from the attack on the harbor climbed to about 2,400, with nearly 1,200 wounded. “A date which will live in infamy,” President Franklin Delano Roosevelt called it, before declaring war on Japan and entering the United States in World War II.
Seventy years later, only about 3,000 of the 60,000 military personnel estimated to have been at Pearl Harbor that day survive (including William Temple, above). “We are losing this ‘greatest generation’ faster than we can imagine,” says Marco Garcia, a Honolulu-based photographer who has made it his mission to photograph survivors before it is too late.
Garcia moved from New York City to Hawaii in 2003, and shortly after he began attending the ceremonies held at the USS Arizona Memorial each year on the anniversary of the attack. As a son of a Korean War and Vietnam War veteran, the photographer says, “War was just a part of my life, hearing about wars all the time, seeing old war movies.” So when he went to Pearl Harbor and saw survivors, he says, “I thought, ‘Wow, these aren’t these young, fresh actors that were in the movies. These are real people.’”
Comments (19)
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When Pearl Harbor was attacked, my father had an aunt whose son,Jimmy Cannon, was an Air Force navigator in the Pacific. Through his own research, my oldest son has contacted the pilot of the plane that Jimmy gave his life to save. He also has discovered that because Jimmy was the first American military man to be buried on Australian soil, they there was no official American flag for the burial ceremony. Not wishing to do any less for this young GI than they would their own, the Australian women designed a red, white and blue American flag to cover his coffin. Though I was a child at the time, I recall reading an article in a magazine (I believe it was "The Cosmopolitan".) which described young Jimmy Cannon's bravery and valor.
Posted by Elaine T. Glenn on June 13,2012 | 03:45 PM
I am a niece of two Cattanach that survived the attack on Pearl Harbor. Bothers, both inb the U.S. Navy. They both have passed away. Their names were: Robert Cattanach and James Cattanach. I would like to know what ship(s) they were on and if the ship(s) were attacked by Japan. Any information would be helpful. Thank you, ngloudeman@new.rr.com
Posted by Nancy (Cattanach) Gloudeman on January 17,2012 | 02:10 PM
No matter where you were and what you were doing that morning, you are all heroes.
Posted by Lisa Coelho on December 18,2011 | 01:48 PM
my father, Clyde R. Church, ( deceased as of September, 2009) was 20 when Pearl Harbor was bombed. He said he was heading for the mess hall to have breakfast. He and his buddies thought it was manuevers at first but it didn't take long to figure out it was the "real thing" and that they were being attacked. I have many pictures my dad left me of his time in Pearl harbor, they are priceless.
Posted by Denise K. Chadwick on December 16,2011 | 01:52 AM
This is in response to the comment made by Agnes Chagnon above. She wonders what ship her cousin, Joseph Chagnon, was on when he died at Pearl Harbor. According to this website, http://www.usswestvirginia.org/ph/phlistalpha.php?firstletter=C, a Sgt. Joseph J. Chagnon of the U.S. Army died at Hickam Field, the Army air field next to Pearl Harbor. Although most of the casualties were naval personnel, there were numerous Army deaths. Regardless, we should never forgot these brave men and women.
Posted by Bill Spaniel on December 15,2011 | 03:47 PM
My 1st cousin joseph Chagnon, was killed at pearl harbor. I was eight years old at the time. The family members lived on east 97th. st new york city, at that time. I never forgot the grief that followed. I remember the picture that was posted in life magazine, He was only 20yrs old. All of his immediate family are dead, most of my own family are also dead Did any one know him? can anyone tell me what ship he was on? thank you for any info you may be able to provide.
agnes chagnon presently of Milford PA
Posted by agnes m chagnon (maiden name) colletta on December 11,2011 | 03:04 PM
Its beyond me, the photographer, to think I would move so many people with this project. I graciously thank everyone who has seen this and has been stirred by this project. I am continuing in the next few days with another batch of survivors from Pearl Harbor and hopefully, the public will be able to enjoy this next set of portraits as well.
Thank you,
Marco Garcia
Posted by Marco Garcia on December 9,2011 | 02:23 PM
One of my aunts was in her apartment on Hawaii and hid under the kitchen table with her young daughter as the bombs fell. Her husband Pat McIntyre was later killed in the Pacific, he was a pilot and is mentioned in the book "Queens Die Proudly"
We cannot give enough thanks to all those men and women who served during that day, December 7th 1941 we owe them more than we can imagine. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DID DURING WWII.
Posted by Herman Jeroue on December 8,2011 | 01:21 PM
I was one of the lucky ones. I was in college when Pearl Harbor was attacked. I was allowed to finish in 1943 and was deferred until 1945 because I was the only engineer left at B.F.Goodrich by two Presidential appeals. I was finally draftedin August of 1945 because I was no longer essential. I went into the Navy and was discharged with enough points in 1946. I have a few regrets that I didn't get into the real fighting, but by the same token I feel real,real lucky.
Posted by Donald J> Haack on December 7,2011 | 12:35 AM
Mr. Garcia, thank you for taking this project upon yourself. Too many people forget the sacrifices made by our men and women in uniform during the past wars and conflicts. No one did this with the survivors of World War I and now they are gone. It is important to record everything about this era. I hope that while you are photographing them, that you are also video recording them for posterity. (You know... you might be able to get a grant from the Archives or Library of Congress to help get more of this done.)
Posted by Debi on December 7,2011 | 11:06 PM
What a great and tragic story these men have told. Thank you for your service. My father was a veteran of WWII also. I know the profound effect it had on him. My parent's stories were like those of the rest of that generation. It truly was a day that changed their life and remained in their memories always. Mr. Garcia thank you for helping us remember these heroic people and their stories.
Posted by Jane Wroblewski on December 7,2011 | 10:28 PM
A very timely piece about a period in our history that deserves to be remembered in its entirety. "At Dawn We Slept" was aptly titled. A time of mis-information and non-information lead to Pearl Harbor. WE must be sure those who follow us learn all they can so that THEY may avoid this situation in the future.
BTW, a bomb not a torpedo fell on USS ARIZONA.
Posted by Mark W Maxwell on December 7,2011 | 10:00 PM
Correction, Mr. Reynolds. You earned the right for ALL Americans to criticize these failings. And for that, we thank you.
Posted by Matthew Mills on December 7,2011 | 08:28 PM
I know that was a terrable time in our nation. I was nine-years old. I hate to get political but, we were an isolationest nation at that time, led there by F.D.R We are now being led there again by our current so-called leader. I hope everyone will consider that in November, 2012.
Posted by Carl Johnson on December 7,2011 | 06:03 PM
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