USS Mugford (DD-389): Timeline of Events
The following are extracts from the rough log which was kept by the Quartermaster on watch. The times and descriptions of the planes shot down by this vessel were obtained from the men on the gun and surrounding witnesses. Read the full action report.
| 0758 – | Japanese planes dived on Ford Island. Several large bombs struck the seaplane landing followed by explosions near hangers. Then several Japanese planes came in low from the southeast and released torpedoes which struck the U.S.S. Oklahoma and the U.S.S. West Virginia. Japanese torpedo planes then came in continuously from the same direction and fired torpedoes at the battleships. |
| 0800 – | Started assembly of engineering plant and rigging fuel hose. |
| 0801 – | Sounded General Quarters. |
| 0805 – | .50 Caliber machine gun battery opened fire. |
| 0807 – | Shot down one Japanese plane, altitude 800 feet, on starboard quarter, passing aft on starboard hand. This plane had fired a torpedo at the U.S.S. Oglala. |
| 0808 – | U.S.S. Oklahoma turned turtle. The U.S.S. West Virginia listed heavily to port. The U.S.S. Arizona blew up. |
| 0812 – | The U.S.S. Oglala appeared to be listing to port. Attack started again. Heavy anti-aircraft fire. |
| 0815 – | Shot down one Japanese torpedo plane dead astern approaching battleships. Plane's altitude 20 feet off the water. Plane crashed on Ford Island aflame. Torpedo was not launched. |
| 0820 – | Opened fire with 5"/38 caliber battery. |
| 0825 – | Signal received that parachutist or wrecked pilots were landing oat Hickam Field. |
| 0830 – | Five Japanese plane in "V" formation passed directly overhead making horizontal bombing attack. |
| 0838 – | The U.S.S. West Virginia burning. U.S.S. Arizona on fire. Tugs trying to pull overturned U.S.S. Oklahoma clear. U.S.S.Vestal clearing U.S.S. Nevada. |
| 0842 – | U.S.S. Vestal clear. |
| 0845 – | Executed signal to TASK FORCES ONE and TWO to get underway. Tugs pulled U.S.S. Oglala clear of U.S.S. Helena. |
| 0850 – | U.S.S. West Virginia listed heavily to port. |
| 0851 – | Executed signal to get underway; and sortie according to Plan EASY SAIL. |
| 0854 – | Attack started again from north. |
| 0855 – | U.S.S. Nevada underway. Dense smoke over Ford Island. A tanker was towed clear of Ford Island. |
| 0900 – | Attack started again from the south. U.S. ARMY planes taking off from Hickam Field. |
| 0902 – | Formation of planes sighted to south. Decks of U.S.S. Arizona and U.S.S. West Virginia level with water. Dense smoke pouring from U.S.S. Arizona. |
| 0906 – | Japanese planes diving Ford Island from southeast. U.S.S. Nevada standing down south channel. |
| 0909 – | Bomb dropped some 400 yards on Mugford port bow. Ship in repair basin hit. |
| 0911 – | Horizontal Japanese bombers passed overhead. |
| 0912 – | Heavy black smoke coming from U.S.S. Shaw in floating dry dock. |
| 0913 – | U.S.S. Nevada stopped south side of south channel. |
| 0915 – | Thick black smoke coming from dry dock. |
| 0920 – | More Japanese planes from northwest. |
| 0923 – | U.S.S. Patterson standing out. |
| 0925 – | White smoke pouring from amidships on U.S.S. Arizona. |
| 0927 – | U.S.S. Shaw on fire forward. |
| 0928 – | Shot down Japanese plane after it pulled out from dive on port bow. Altitude approximately 200 feet. Plane apparently a dive bomber. |
| 0930 – | U.S.S. Oglala going over to port. Personnel abandoning ship and getting on dock. |
| 0937 – | Explosion on destroyer ahead of U.S.S. Pennsylvania in dry dock. |
| 0938 – | Japanese subs reported inside and outside of Pearl Harbor. |
| 0942 – | U.S.S. Bagley underway. |
| 0945 – | U.S.S. Oglala capsized to port. |
| 0946 – | Japanese planes coming in from southwest, low. |
| 0947 – | U.S.S. Honolulu underway. |
| 0955 – | U.S.S. Perry and U.S.S. Gamble standing out. |
| 0957 – | U.S.S. California listing to port. |
| 0958 – | Battleships ordered to remain in port. |
| 1003 – | Japanese planes reported dropping mines in channel entrance. |
| 1005 – | U.S.S. Shaw in floating dry dock exploded. Main engines and two boilers on Mugford ready to get underway. |
| 1013 – | U.S.S. Schley and U.S.S. Allen underway. |
| 1020 – | U.S.S. Jarvis underway. |
| 1022 – | U.S. Navy motor torpedo boats standing out. |
| 1023 – | Floating dry dock sinking. |
| 1027 – | U.S.S. Wharton, U.S.S. Cummings underway, standing out. |
| 1030 – | Oil barge moored to starboard quarter. |
| 1056 – | Japanese planes attacking from north. |
| 1058 – | Numerous explosions from U.S.S. West Virginia and Arizona. |
| 1100 – | Fires appeared to be under control on U.S.S. Nevada. |
| 1132 – | Horizontal bombers (Jap) approaching from port. |
| 1136 – | U.S. Navy planes took off from Ford Island. |
| 1140 – | Japanese planes on starboard beam. |
| 1205 – | Discontinued fueling. 115,000 gallons on board. |
| 1209 – | Oil barge underway from alongside. |
| 1214 – | Underway on various courses and speeds. Standing out of channel. |
| 1230 – | Japanese plane crashed on beach of Hickam Field. |
| 1235 – | Passed entrance to channel. |
Published: Wed Oct 12 11:07:09 EDT 2022
