This Saturday, Dec. 7, is a date that will always be known as Pearl Harbor Day—the anniversary of the 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
One one warship that witnessed the attack 83 years ago is still afloat, U.S. Coast Guard Cutter WHEC-37, formerly known as USCGC Roger B. Taney.
WHEC-37 was commissioned in 1936, and was operating out of Honolulu in the fall of 1941. She patrolled the harbor entrance and channel. Her crew received the message, “Air Raid, Pearl Harbor. This is no drill”, at 0755 on Dec. 7, as Japanese planes swept overhead in a surprise attack. The cutter, moored alongside Honolulu’s Pier 6, stood to her antiaircraft guns swiftly, the Coast Guard says. The cutter went on to patrol Honolulu waters in 1942, conducting depth charge attacks on suspected submarines in the wake of Pearl Harbor.
She went on to play roles in the rest of World War II, Korea, and Vietnam, and received three battle stars. Decommissioned in 1986, WHEC-37 has since acted as a museum ship at Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, a couple of piers over from the National Aquarium.
On the 83rd anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack, Historic Ships in Baltimore will hold a memorial ceremony, performed by the St. Andrew’s Society of Baltimore, from 12-1pm aboard WHEC-37.
Captain David Obermeier, Commanding Officer of the U.S. Coast Guard Yard, will give an address. The Coast Guard Yard, located just outside Baltimore City limits on Curtis Bay, is the Coast Guard’s only shipbuilding and repair facility. It employs more than 500 civilians.
In a special presentation about Baltimore’s World War II war efforts, Ken Jones from the Baltimore Museum of Industry will discuss how news of the distant attack on US forces affected the citizens of Baltimore and the local industries’ role in helping to achieve victory.
The commemoration is free to the public and tours of the 327-foot-long cutter will be available to all guests. A reception follows the ceremony.
If you can’t make it to see the Cutter 37 in person, here’s a virtual tour from Historic Ship in Baltimore:
