President Franklin D. Roosevelt famously proclaimed December 7, 1941, as “a date which will live in infamy” (War Archives). His perception was not wrong. December 7, 1941, marks the day on which Pearl Harbor was attacked. The violence of that dreadful December morning ended the lives of 2,403 people while maiming 188 ships and marring the entire Pacific Fleet. At least 100 planes were destroyed and 8 battleships were put out of commission. (Morella) The outraged American people demanded the White House fight back. The day after, President Franklin D. Roosevelt urged Congress to enter World War II, and they complied with little discussion. The United States government had sufficient information to prevent the tragic destruction of Pearl Harbor.
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Kimmel, along with his predecessor, Admiral James O. Richardson, both stated they felt that Pearl Harbor had a lack of protection against torpedoes and air strikes, which were the main choice weapons of the Japanese. “And when the aircraft carriers were ordered out of Pearl Harbor, it further deprived Pearl of air defenses at a time when Roosevelt 's negotiations with the Japanese were at their most provocative” (“How Much Did Roosevelt Know”). Pearl Harbor housed the entire Pacific Fleet, which proved disastrous because the whole fleet was demolished during the attack. As a preventative measure, sailors were stationed in mobile radar stations to keep a look-out for enemies. Sailors stationed in the mobile radar station were instructed to report anything suspicious to the duty officer at Fort Shafter; that position was held by Lieutenant Kermit Tyler. Sailors Elliot and Lockard, both inexperienced, were stationed at the Opana mobile radar station on the seventh of December, 1941. When he saw something alarming, Private Elliot contacted Lieutenant Kermit Tyler and according to Theodore Taylor in, Air Raid-Pearl Harbor: The Story of December 7, 1941, “Lockard and Elliot were advised to ‘secure’ the set, to shut it down” (Taylor 122). This order blatantly suggested that the young inexperienced sailors just ignore what they had seen. Lieutenant Kermit Tyler’s position as duty officer required no special qualifications; it was simply extra
Kimmel, along with his predecessor, Admiral James O. Richardson, both stated they felt that Pearl Harbor had a lack of protection against torpedoes and air strikes, which were the main choice weapons of the Japanese. “And when the aircraft carriers were ordered out of Pearl Harbor, it further deprived Pearl of air defenses at a time when Roosevelt 's negotiations with the Japanese were at their most provocative” (“How Much Did Roosevelt Know”). Pearl Harbor housed the entire Pacific Fleet, which proved disastrous because the whole fleet was demolished during the attack. As a preventative measure, sailors were stationed in mobile radar stations to keep a look-out for enemies. Sailors stationed in the mobile radar station were instructed to report anything suspicious to the duty officer at Fort Shafter; that position was held by Lieutenant Kermit Tyler. Sailors Elliot and Lockard, both inexperienced, were stationed at the Opana mobile radar station on the seventh of December, 1941. When he saw something alarming, Private Elliot contacted Lieutenant Kermit Tyler and according to Theodore Taylor in, Air Raid-Pearl Harbor: The Story of December 7, 1941, “Lockard and Elliot were advised to ‘secure’ the set, to shut it down” (Taylor 122). This order blatantly suggested that the young inexperienced sailors just ignore what they had seen. Lieutenant Kermit Tyler’s position as duty officer required no special qualifications; it was simply extra