A Date Which Will Live in Infamy

Screenshots and Videos
1
Misc. Military Secrets

Departure Airport: Kalaeloa Airport (JRF/PHJR)
Arrival Airport: Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL/PHNL)
Aircraft: F/A-18
Flight Time: 8 minutes
Server: Casual (not trying to catch an aerobatics vio)

At 7:48 AM, on December 7th, 1941, 353 aircraft from the First Air Fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service, under the command of Admiral Chūichi Nagumo, launched a surprise attack on Naval Station Pearl Harbor, a United States Navy stronghold in Honolulu, Hawaii. The bombardment was unexpected and the Americans were caught off guard. As the assault from the air continued, Japanese submarines moved in with torpedos. A response was hastily launched from the USS Enterprise, but the few aircraft launched were quickly overwhelmed. Of the 8 American Navy vessels moored at Pearl Harbor, all were significantly damaged and 4 were completely sunk, leading to the deaths of 2,393 Americans. Fifty-five Japanese airmen and nine submariners were killed in the attack, which was planned as a suicide assault. Kazuo Sakamaki, a Japanese Naval officer was captured, and was the first WWII prisoner of war to be taken by the Americans.

The attacks on Pearl Harbor led Congress to declare war on Japan on December 11th, and Germany and Italy declared war on the U.S. a few days later. Within less than a week, America was involved in war on opposite sides of the world.

Today (December 7th) is the 83rd anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attacks. According to CNN, there are only 16 survivors of the attacks still alive to this day, and I wanted to honor them, as well as the lives lost, with a flyover of Pearl Harbor and the island of Oahu.

Preparing for departure bright and early from sunny Honolulu

IMG_1774
IMG_17741920×1067 64.6 KB

After a quick takeoff roll, we level off at 2500 feet and fly parallel to Oneʻula Beach

IMG_1775
IMG_17751920×1262 122 KB

Banking into Pearl Harbor itself

IMG_1776
IMG_17761920×1242 119 KB

Making a low pass just across the water from Ford Island, where the naval base was

IMG_1777
IMG_17771920×1263 118 KB

Making an unrestricted climb to 40,000 feet

IMG_1778
IMG_17781920×1268 203 KB

Still climbing…

IMG_1779
IMG_17791920×1247 195 KB

Passing over HNL at FL400

IMG_1780
IMG_17801920×1282 208 KB

Rapidly descending back down from our brief cruise over Oahu

IMG_1781
IMG_17811920×1268 201 KB

Overflying the Mililani Mauka - Launani Valley on our arrival into Daniel K. Inouye International Airport

IMG_1782
IMG_17821920×1275 103 KB

About to touch down after just 8 minutes in the air

IMG_1783
IMG_17831920×1263 104 KB

18 Likes
2

@Mort it would be really fun to do a Hawaii to California flight with an F18 and a tanker. I’d be up for that if you wanna do it…

2 Likes
3

Ooo, that would be fun!

1 Like
4

Cool post. My grandpa was deployed here for the Vietnam war in the navy, on the USS Tanner in the 60s.

3 Likes
5

very casual

6

Oh, cool! Thanks to your grandpa for his service. I’m related to (I think it’s like a great-great-great uncle or something - my mom knew him) Cullen Gulko, who was a American Brigadier General, and, according to Alexander Historical Auctions (who are apparently auctioning off his uniform)

“highly involved with unit mobilization in the Pacific Theatre during World War II, serving as Troop Movement Officer and Deputy Base Port Commander in New Guinea, Port Operations Officer in New Guinea and Yokohama, and Superintendent, Water Division, in Otaru, Japan.”

I’m no military buff, but it seems he was sorta important since his uniform has a lot of medals and patches and insignias.

3 Likes
7

damn, I forgot…

1 Like
8

The environment looks very good at high altitudes.

1 Like