It happened nearly 70 years ago, but the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, which changed American history, is still fresh in the minds of those who are still around to tell their story. The morning attack came as a complete surprise. By the time it was over that afternoon, four U.S. Navy battleships were sunk (two of which were raised and returned to service later in the war) and each of the four other battleships present were damaged.
The Japanese also sank or damaged three cruisers, three destroyers, an anti-aircraft training ship and one minelayer. 188 U.S. aircraft were destroyed. More importantly, 2,403 personnel were killed and 1,282 were wounded. Here's a complete list of U.S. casualties.
That morning, Marine Cpl E.C. Nightingale was aboard the USS Arizona, which was ground zero - the first ship that was hit. The Arizona sank, taking 1,300 lives with her, and remains today at the bottom of the harbor as a memorial of that fateful day. Nightingale, still spry at 88, tells the Eyewitness to History site how he somehow managed to survive:
