"Warriors Of Kaneohe"

The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 will always be remain of the most important dates in American history. On the other side of the Koolau mountain range east of Pearl Harbor lay Naval Air Station Kaneohe Bay where three squadrons of PBY Catalina patrol aircraft were based. Japanese aircraft bombed and strafed the base that morning killing 18 U.S. sailors, and wounding many others.  The base had no anti-aircraft defenses but the men stationed there put up a gallant fight, some shooting from the rooftops of buildings with rifles or .45 caliber pistols. Chief Ordnance Officer John Finn was out of bed and at the ordnance shack within five minutes of hearing the first gunfire. He quickly organized his men and set up two machine gun positions on the seaplane ramp , using guns removed from some of the aircraft on the base. Although John was wounded 21 times and under constant attack from the Japanese, he and his men stayed at their guns and shot down the Japanese flight leader, who crashed on the base. They also damaged two other aircraft which subsequently did not make it back to their aircraft carriers.  Chief Ordnance Officer John Finn is shown defending the base with a .50 caliber machine gun in the action which earned him the Medal Of Honor.

The Warriors of Kaneohe

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