Sounds like a nonchalant letter to you, but it’s straight dope. We are only a handful here, as most of our men are ashore at large. They really caught us sleeping this time. For a ship being overhauled in a shipyard, we’re fighting well… Those bombs are closing in – God grant they don’t hit that loaded tanker right in front of us. Ten million gallons of fuel oil would bathe this ship in an inferno…
I don’t know why I’m writing this because if we get hit by a bomb here – they won’t find enough of me and the rest – let alone this letter.
(Finally, the crew of the New Orleans was able to repair the damage caused in the attack and commission the ship. Czako survived the war.)
Lt. Cmd. Paul Spangler, MD, Portland, Oregon, writing a first-hand account of the attack to his hunting buddies days later.
We had a small disturbance here a week ago on Sunday and it was climbing. I have to hasten to tell you that we all survived it without a scratch, but I expected to see my maker anytime this Sunday morning. They begin[sic] to evacuate those who want to leave but the family will stay here until [sic] ordered from home.
I was resting peacefully in my bed when I noticed a little more “training fire” than I had heard before, then realized how strange it was to train on Sunday mornings. Around this time, Clara and the children came home from church and their curiosity was aroused. Then I got the fatal word to report to the hospital immediately [sic]. I still wasn’t sure what was going on until [sic] I came down the hill going to the hospital. Then I saw the smoke from the various fires and I saw the anti-aircraft shells explode. I opened it then and with my Pearl Harbor plates I had the right of way and was there in nothing flat. I arrived just in the lull between the waves of attacks about 30 minutes after the first shooting…
I hurried to the doctor’s office and already[sic] the wounded poured in. I did the first operation on a[ty] in this war if that’s anything.
I spent the next 72 hours in four-hour shifts at the operating table. During my first shift we were under almost constant shelling and AA fire kept up a constant din. They didn’t hit the hospital, but an explosion was so close that it blew out all the windows in the labor room which was right next to the room I was operating in. I thought my time had come. It was hell for a while. These poor devils brought everything shot and burned. Many of them hopeless. We gave them lots of morphine and sent them to the wards to die. The others we patched up as best we could. Some we cut open their bellies and sewed up holes in their intestines. It was a great party, but personally, I don’t want to see any more like that. …
Don’t quote me, but it’s the real drug. We only have three battleships that can fight now. the Arizona and the West Virginia are a mess. the Oklahoma is belly up and I doubt she’ll ever be more useful, if so it’ll be a full year. the California sits on the bottom but is still upright and can be retrieved. the Nevada is beached right in front of the hospital and they hope to float him this week, but it will be a year before he can fight again. the Utah is a total wreck but it hasn’t been used except for training anyway. I think they thought she was a carrier because she was tied to the carrier dock and they certainly gave her a lot. Four cruisers are badly damaged. Three destroyers left ……
I think people should know the truth. Then they would be brought into the tone necessary to carry this thing through. It will not be an easy task in my opinion. I just hope the country will now take off its coats and go to work. We have the ability and the skills, but it’s going to mean a lot of sacrifice for everyone and a long, hard pull. What we need are planes, aircraft carriers and submarines. Thousands of them. …
I hope this note will go through the path I have chosen. It certainly wouldn’t be through the regular channels. We send you all our love and best wishes. We wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. And remember Pearl Harbor.
Paul
(Spangler survived the war.)