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BB43/A16-3/L11-1/ (      020      ) CONFIDENTIAL U. S. S. TENNESSEE From: The Commanding officer. To: The Chief of the Bureau of Ships   Subject: War Damage Report - Damages sustained in the battle of Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941.   Reference: (a) Buships ltr. C-EF13/A9(374)/C-8l-3/C-EN28/A2-11/ of October 28, 1941.   Enclosure:  (A) Narrative of events. (B) Pictures of damages sustained by Turrets II and III.      1.     In accordance with reference (a), the following information concerning the damage sustained by the U.S.S. TENNESSEE as a result of action in the Battle of Pearl Harbor, T. H., on December 7, 1941, is submitted:          A. GENERAL, (All battle damage). 1. U.S.S. TENNESSEE 2. 0758, December 7, 1941. 3. Moored at Interrupted Quay Fox-6, Pearl Harbor, Oahu, T.H. Latitude 21-22.O N. Longitude 157-57-18 W. Average depth of water - 40 feet. 4. Moored. Heading - 232º True. 5. Draft before damage - 34' -8½" fwd., 35'-5" aft. 35'-0 ¾" mean (approximate). Draft after damage (1200, December 7, 1941) - 34'-7½" fwd., 35'-8" aft., 35'-l 5/8" mean. 6. State of sea - slight wind ripples. 7. Visibility - 40,000 yards. Wind - N.E., Force 4. Clouds - cumulus moving from N. E. Ceiling - unlimited.          B. DIRECT HIT BY PROJECTILES OR BOMBS. Hit on Turret III. 1. Fragments of this bomb weere compared with more complete fragments recovered from a hit on Turret III of the WEST VIRGINIA. It appeared that both hits were made by identical bombs. These bombs were apparently made - 1 -

BB43/A16-3/L11-1/ (      020      ) CONFIDENTIAL U. S. S. TENNESSEE   Subject: War Damage Report - Damages sustained in the battle of Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - from 15" shell forgings filled with Explosive "D". Total weight is estimated as 1500 lbs. or more. No tail fins were recovered and no evidence of their attachment to the bombs was found. The base plug contained two cylindrical inserts about 1½" in diameter and about 6" long which projected through the base. These apparently were fuses, adjacent to each of these were two cylinders of the same length but of only about ½" diameter. Purpose of these is unknown. All these cylinders appeared to be made of aluminum. The bomb fragments of the U.S.S. WEST VIRGINIA bomb were delivered to the Naval Ammunition Depot for further examination. 2. It ls believed that the bomb was relaaeed at about 10,000 to 13,000 feet by a horizontal bomber. 3. The bomb probably struck the after starboard yard of the mainmast, carrying this away, then passed through the turret catapult, then struck the roof plate of turret III at a point about 5 feet from the back plate and 3 feet from the left side plate (turret was trained 180º). Angle of fall was about 75º. 4. The action on impact appears to have been as follows: (a) Armor dished locally about 3". (b) Armor bolts between the roof plate struck by the bomb and the section next forward carried away. About half these bolts were steel and half bronze, replacement of bronze by nickel steel bolts having been prevented by catapult foundation. About half of both types of bolts failed by diagonal or transverse fracture; the other half of both types pulled the bolt heads through the upper (forward) roof plate section. The forward roof plate section appears not damaged in any respect. (c) The roof plate then bant downward about 18" at the forward edge of the section struck in a crease leading to the point of impact. (d) The bomb nose was deflected toward edge of the plate and it penetrated the plate about 2" while travelling forward and downward at a 45º angle. It commenced to punch out on ogival shaped button but before this was completed the plate split open where it had bent in a crease and the bomb penetrated, forcing the split open. (e) The bomb fragments came to rest in the gun chamber under the hole in the roof. - 2 -

BB43/A16-3/L11-1/ (      020      ) CONFIDENTIAL U. S. S. TENNESSEE   Subject: War Damage Report - Damages sustained in the battle of Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 5. The thickness of the roof plate penetrated is 5". 6. It is believed that the bomb did not detonate. Loation of filler indicates that the bomb fragmented through the bomb cavity before passing through the plate. 7. The largest part of the filler fell onto the shell table of the left gun chamber which it burned furiously. The fragments consisted of the nose intact weighing about 300 lbs. This was undistorted. Other fragments were all about 200 lbs. in weight. They were all recovered within a few feet of tha same place. One ogival piece of light, white metal, possibly aluminum, of about 3 inches height and about 5 inches base diameter was recovered. This fragment may fit into the nose of the bomb cavity. 8. (a) Damage done by impact as follows: (1) Hole and split in roof plate. (2) The athwart ships roof girder in the left gun chamber about 6 feet forward of the impact was bent downward about 2 inches in the middie of its arch. The rivets holding the girder to the roof plate and to the outboard vertical structure were broken. Mantlet plates over these rivets ¼" mild steel full fillet welded) remained intact, bending with the structure to which attached and preventing missile hazard. (3) The flameproof bulkhead between the left gun chamber and the turret booth was torn down. The mantlet plates (1/8" steel full fillet welded) prevented missile hazard. (4) The flameproof door between the left and center gun chambers was slightly warped. Dogs remained in good condition. (5) Fragments went through the rangefinder located in the turret, cutting it in two and breaking the tube in several places. Optical parts of the rangefinder not actually hit by fragments were uninjured. The rangefinder has been removed by tha U.S.S. MEDUSA for examination and salvage of parts. End window operating mechanism was carried away by fragments of the bomb. Pieces of the range finder created a missile hazard, but no actual injury due to this is known. (6) Fragments of the bomb fell on the left - 3 -

BB43/A16-3/L11-1/ (      020      ) CONFIDENTIAL U. S. S. TENNESSEE   Subject: War Damage Report - Damages sustained in the battle of Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - rammer breacking the rammer chain and the rammer head, striking and killing two of the gun crew immediately and injuring one fatally. (7) fragments of the bomb striking the turret deck forced this down throwing the rammer motors and shafting out of alignment causing all three rammers to run heavily. Re-alignment by shiming up the foundation corrected this. (8) fragments of the bomb and the dislocation of the bulkhead between the left gun chambers and the booth carried away the following sprinkler control piping. Turret double train indicator (this grounded the turret target indicator and put it out of comission temporarily) Sound powered telephones to booth for pointers, ammunition supply and plot. Firing circuits. (b) There was no blast effect. (c) splinter effect was negligible. A few splinters flew upward passing through ¼" catapult structure. (d) Incendiary effects.        Incendiary effect was severe. The filler burned fiercely, severely burning the gun crew. The fire was put out easily by means of a C02 extinguisher which was obtained from the electric deck of the turret in about 3 minutes. (e) Effect of Fumes.        Apparently the left gun chamber was filled for some time with heavy fumes resulting from the burning filler. After the fire was extinguished much filler remained scattered around the after end of the gun chamber. Effects were as follows: (1) Dermatitis due to skin contact with Ammonium Vicrate. Fourteen cases of dermatitis developed in the personnel coming in contact with the yellow powder from an unexploded, but fragmented bomb. All of these cases had direct skin contact with the powder either by being sprayed at the time of the attack or later during the cleaning up of the fragments and the bulkheads of the - 4 -

BB43/A16-3/L11-1/ (      020      ) CONFIDENTIAL U. S. S. TENNESSEE   Subject: War Damage Report - Damages sustained in the battle of Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - turret and subsequent repair work. The initial skin lesions appeared 3 to 7 days after exposure. Marked itching and scratching accompanied the lesions, which were of an acuta eczematoid type. The ambulatory cases responded well to antipruritic lotions in 4 to 5 days. Four cases were severe, however, and repaired admission to the sick list. These cases became progressively worse, so that the lesions spread to the entire body, with marked weeping and crusting. Healing occurred in 14 to 18 days, by scaling. All men ware warned of the dangers of contamination from the powder, and were protected while handling of the fragments of the bombs. The bulkheads of the turret ware cleaned and painted. No new cases developed after these measures were instituted. (2) Pulmonary edema resulting from exposure to fumes. Eight cases of pulmonary edema resulted following exposure to high explosive fumes for a prolonged period of time. The men exposed were first seen by the Medical Officers 10 to 16 hours after the enemy bombing attack. They could give no coherent account of their actions from tha time of first exposure to admission to tha sick list. They were dazed, and apprehensive, complained of severe frontal headache, and a sense of tightness in tha chest. Physical examination revealed moderate cyanosis of the lips and nails, rapid pulse, rapid shallow respirations of an obstructive type end low blood pressure. Coughing was severe and continuous productive of large amounts of frothy, pink fluid. Five cases responded rapidly to heat, rest and warmth, but three cases became worse in spite of oxygen and morphine. The latter were transferred to the hospital. The signs and symptoms in all of these cases point to an noxious gas that is irritating to the terminal bronchioles and alveoli. In all probabillty - 5 -

BB43/A16-3/L11-1/ (      020      ) CONFIDENTIAL U. S. S. TENNESSEE   Subject: War Damage Report - Damages sustained in the battle of Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - the gas in this instance was nitrous oxide, produced by tbe exploding of large amounts of high explosives. No evidence of the usual types of gas used in gas warfare could be found. Hit on Turret II. 1. This hit appears to have bean caused by a bomb dropped simultaneously with the bomb striking Turret III as described above. No large fragments ware recovered. The half pierced ogival holes in the roof of Turret III and the center gun of Turret II indicate that both bombs were of the same size and shape. 2. It is believed that the bomb was released at about 10,000 to 13,000 feet by a horizontal bomber. 3. Point of impact - center gun, Turret II, forty feet from muzzle; ten inches to the right (starboard) of the center line. Turret was trained 000º; guns were elevated 90 minutes above horizontal. 4. The bomb was deflected to the right (starboard) about 30º from the vertical and aft about 30º from the vertical. The bomb bit into the C and B hoops and engraved an approximately cylindrical groove of hemispherical cross-section extending into the B hoop about 2 inches. The axis of this groove extended strikes tha side of the gun port about 4 inches aft of the outer surface of the face plate. At this point the face plate is very slightly dented. The face plate did not spall at any point. 5. As described in 4 above. 6. Marks of fragments on wing guns and bridge structure appear to indicate that the bomb must have exploded before travelling not more than two feet; and possibly only one foot. 7. It is believed that there was a high order detonation. This belief is based on the following: (a) Great number of small, fragments indicated by scars on guns, turret face, etc. (b) Great energy of these fragments as indicated by depth and length of the scars on the guns. (c) Fragments appear to have travelled to the Conning Tower and the Air Defense platform with a flat trajectory. (d) Absence of any fragments in the vicinity of the impact as found on Turret III of this ship and - 6 -

BB43/A16-3/L11-1/ (      020      ) CONFIDENTIAL U. S. S. TENNESSEE   Subject: War Damage Report - Damages sustained in the battle of Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - on the WEST VIRGINIA. (e) An intense flash of brief duration waa noted. (f) Absence of any subsequent burning or of any residual bomb filler. No fragments over about two pounds were seen. It is quite possible that larger fragments ware blown overboard by the explosion or thrown overboard by repair parties during tha action. 8. (a) Effect of Impact. The impact cut a groove in the gun as noted above. The outer (c) hoop was cracked from the point of impact forward to its end. The B hoop does not appear to be cracked. Severel large fragments of the gun (weighing 100 to 200 lbs) are almost detached from the outer hoop. No damage can be seen inside the bore of the gun, except a one inch constriction directly under the impact. No damage appears to have been caused to the elevating gear or gun telescopes. There was no injury other than temporary shock to the pointer and trainer stationed in the center pit. (2) On center slide. There is a crack completely through the slide on each side as follows: The crack passes through tha gun port shield through the telescope port, then aft axially underneath the trunnion to a point about 3 feet abaft the trunnion where the crack turns upward and extends to within about a foot of the top center of the slide. At a point directly under the trunnion the crack la about ¾" wide. These cracks have permitted the lower forward part of the slide to sag under the weight of the gun until the gun port shield now rests on the face plat© at the gun port. The sagging of the lower part of the slide has permitted the gun in dropping to spread the upper forward part of in a slide sideways. This appears to have forced the center slide trunnion outboard causing them to push the wing gun slides outboard against the outboard deck lugs. - 7 -

BB43/A16-3/L11-1/ (      020      ) CONFIDENTIAL U. S. S. TENNESSEE   Subject: War Damage Report - Damages sustained in the battle of Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (3) Wing Guns. The wing guns are now forced out against the outboard deck lugs as noted in the proceeding paragraph. Nevertheless, they will elevate end depress properly and appear to be fully able to be operated and fired. Realignment of elevating gear and gun guide area for the new lateral positions of these guns is now in progress. The guns axes are now deflected outboard very slightly and it is anticipated that ship's force can readily realign them. The immediate shock of the impact appears to have forced the center gun, and with it the turret, to the left sharply. This "whipped' the guns compressing the right sides of both guns slightly causing paint on the B hoop at the forward end of the C hoop to crack on the right side of the guns only. No other effect is noticeable. The spreading of the center gun slide by the impact or blast drove the wing guns sharply out board. The outboard guide arcs at the breech of each wing gun and its support on the gun girder is dished slightly where the guide arc shoe struck. Some bolts in the outboard trunnion adjusting mechanism were loosened, others were tightened excessively. No damage is apparent. Further inspections are being made. (b) Blast Effect. (1) Flames are reported to have entered the center gun telescope ports for several feet. These left no effect. (2) The blast ripped the coaming off the center gun port. It tore loose the coamings around the wing gun ports causing them to be forced between the guns and face plate and putting the guns out of action temporarily. (These coamings, about 4" high, are bolted on the face plate for securing turret bloomers.) (3) This my be the blast which blew in the glass windows of the pilot house and signal bridge creating a shower of glass splinters. - 8 -

BB43/A16-3/L11-1/ (      020      ) CONFIDENTIAL U. S. S. TENNESSEE   Subject: War Damage Report - Damages sustained in the battle of Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (4) Other blast effects may be combined with impact affects noted above. (c) Splinter effects. (1) On center gun.     None. (2) On face plate.     None, except to scratch paint. (3) On wing guns.     Many pits and grooves in an area on each gun from 36 to 40 feet from tha muzzle. The maximum depth of tha pits is one-half inch. Deepest pits are 38 feet from the muzzles. Pits on the slide cylinders of the wing guns had a crater effect, forcing up the edges of the pits about l/8" which would probably have caused the gun to jam in the slide and fail to recoil had they fired in this condition. Raised areas were filed off. (4) Air Defense Platform.     This is above the pilot house about 80 feet distant and 35 feet above the impact. Two fragments, size not known, struck the 25 lb. STS bulwork here and made small dents. One fragment struck the 5 lb. windscreen making a 1 inch dent and causing a tear 4" long in a buttwelded joint. (5) Pilot House     Two fragments about 2 lbs. in weight swept through the pilot house overhead. One went through a 10 lb. web of an I beam and then a 5 lb. bulkhead and was stopped by a 10 lb. bulkhead faced with 1" of cork. The other bounced off several fittings and was stopped by the cork covered bulkhead. Several electric cables were cut by these fragments. (6) Conning Tower Platform     About twelve fragments struck the 1/8" steel windscreen of the platform in front of the conning tower where two .50 caliber machine guns are located. This is 35 feet from the impact and 15 feet above it. Eight of these fragments penetrated making holes 5" to 2" in diameter. Four fragments caused small dents. One man was killed and one officer wounded by fragments penetrating the windscreen. A few telephone - 9 -

BB43/A16-3/L11-1/ (      020      ) CONFIDENTIAL U. S. S. TENNESSEE   Subject: War Damage Report - Damages sustained in the battle of Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - cables were cut. other fragments carried away a gyro compass repeater and broke off a piece of the .50 caliber machine gun mount. (d) Incendiary effects.     None. 9. Fumes.    None.< /P> 10. Action taken.     (a) Gun port coamings removed with sledge hammers.     (b) Wing gun slide cylinders filed smooth.     (c) Wing gun elevating gear being realigned.         Hit on Turret III of WEST VIRGINIA.         This hit, belag similar to ths hit on Turret III of this ship was examined for comparison of the reaction of amor and bomb. It appears that the armor on the WEST VIRGINIA was much harder and less ductile. There was much less dishing of tha armor. Instead a hole measuring about 3 feet in diameter on the upper surface of the armor and about 5 or 6 feet in diameter on the lower surface, was broken through the armor. The turret structure appeared to have been shaken much more severely in the case of the WEST VIRGINIA turret as is indicated by the shifting of the various armor plates relative to one another. - 10 -

BB43/A16-3/L11-1/ (      020      ) CONFIDENTIAL U. S. S. TENNESSEE   Subject: War Damage Report - Damages sustained in the battle of Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 11 -

BB43/A16-3/L11-1/ (      020      ) CONFIDENTIAL U. S. S. TENNESSEE   Subject: War Damage Report - Damages sustained in the battle of Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 12 -

BB43/A16-3/L11-1/ (      020      ) CONFIDENTIAL U. S. S. TENNESSEE   Subject: War Damage Report - Damages sustained in the battle of Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 13 -

BB43/A16-3/L11-1/ (      020      ) CONFIDENTIAL U. S. S. TENNESSEE   Subject: War Damage Report - Damages sustained in the battle of Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 14 -

BB43/A16-3/L11-1/ (      020      ) CONFIDENTIAL U. S. S. TENNESSEE   Subject: War Damage Report - Damages sustained in the battle of Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 15 -

BB43/A16-3/L11-1/ (      020      ) CONFIDENTIAL U. S. S. TENNESSEE   Subject: War Damage Report - Damages sustained in the battle of Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 16 -

SOURCE:
National Archives & Records Administration, Seattle Branch
Record Group 181, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard "Ship Files, 1940-50"

Transcribed by RESEARCHER @ LARGE. Formatting & Comments Copyright R@L.

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