DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

USS Conyngham, Report of Pearl Harbor Attack

  UNITED STATES PACIFIC FLEET
DESTROYERS, BATTLE FORCE
 
DD371/A16-3/(444) U.S.S. Conyngham (DD-371)  
    Pearl Harbor, T.H.,
December 17, 1941.

From: The Commanding Officer.  
To: The Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet.  
   
Subject: Raid December 7, 1941 – Report on.

  1. During the raid on December 7, 1941 the Conyngham was heading North by Northeast, moored starboard side to the Whitney at berth X-8. The Reid, Tucker, Case and Selfridge were nested outboard of the Conyngham in order named. The ship was undergoing routine tender overhaul with all main engines, boilers and generators disabled. Power was being received from the tender.
  2. At 0755 a large fire was noted on Ford Island and horizontal and dive bombing planes were observed attacking the Island; sounded general quarters. At 0757 torpedo planes were observed attacking Raleigh, Utah, and Detroit from the West.
  3. At 0808 opened fire with 5" guns (No. 4 and 5 in local control) at planes over Ford Island and with all machine guns on attacking planes as they flew low past the net heading to Northward from vicinity of Ford Island. At 0813 attacking plane was shot down by combined fire of nest and crashed in vicinity of USS Curtiss. At 0818 opened fire with 5" guns (No. 1 and 2 in director control) at horizontal bombers passing overhead in direction of Schofield Barracks. At 0825 opened fire with forward 5" and machine guns at planes strafing the nest from direction of Pearl City. At 0826 planes crossing low ahead of nest to Northeastward were taken under fire; one burst into flames and crashed in a clump of trees in Aiea heights and exploded. At 0830 plane diving toward Ford Island from Northeastward was shot down by combined fire of nest. At 0855 opened fire at planes strafing ahead and astern. At 0908 one plane attacking on starboard bow was shot down by nest and crashed in ! ! Pearl City. 0910 opened fire on horizontal bombers approaching from ahead from direction of Schofield Barracks. At 0920 opened fire on planes diving from port side of nest.
  4. Except for a .30 caliber bullet that glanced off the fire control platform deck and penetrated a battery box and minor rupture of the covering of the 5" battery rangefinder caused by a small caliber bullet or fragment the Conyngham received no damage. There were no personnel casualties.
  5. Ammunition expended – Gun 1, 20 rounds; Gun 2, 24 rounds; Gun 4, 30 rounds; Gun 5, 40 rounds; total, 114, 5"/38 cal.; .50 cal machine guns, 2,500 rounds.
  6. The conduct of personnel was outstanding.
  7. Immediately upon commencement of the raid work was begun to recommission the engineering plant with all possible speed. The plant was in commission and the ship got underway at 1714 that date.

[signed]
HENRY C. DANIEL.

Copy to: Comdesbatfor.


Source: Enclosure (E) to CINCPAC action report Serial 0479 of 15 February 1942, World War II action reports,
the Modern Military Branch, National Archives and Records Administration, 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD 20740.
16 May 2001