Locals See Pearl Harbor Through a Survivor's Eyes

Two Pearl Harbor survivors reflected on their personal experiences during “The Day That Will Live in Infamy,” March Field Air Museum's annual Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. The program began with a video, produced by the Museum, highlighting the experiences of other local Pearl Harbor survivors. This was followed by speeches from survivors Frank Verano and Earl Williams who shared their experiences with the audience and answered questions. Earl Williams served as an Army Air Corps Sergeant as an assistant Crew Chief on a B-17C on its way to the Philippines with five other air crafts for a permanent change of station. They departed Hamilton Field, California with a scheduled first stop at Hickam Field, Pearl Harbor Hawaii. During the approach two crew members were busy noting local sites such as Diamond Head, and Waikiki Beach when they took on enemy fire. Earl Williams shared, “When passing the Waikiki Beach area we observed three fighter air crafts pass us on our right wing going the opposite direction. Sergeant Bruce said that those were US Navy aircraft sent up to escort us into Hickam Field. Within a minute or two the plastic canopy over the twin 50 caliber machine guns in the radio compartment disintegrated. I stood up to look out of the opening to see what the cause was only to see a fighter aircraft firing its guns at our aircraft. Those bullets were piercing the radio compartment in such numbers that the cotton fiber in the soundproofing filled the air like snowflakes.” Williams shared that during the next few minutes the aircraft was riddled with bullets as the pilot tried to land. As they rolled onto the runway the aircraft broke in two, exposing the radio compartment to incoming bullets. Following the program, the Riverside Lyric Opera and the UCI Symphony Orchestra presented a program of patriotic music.