The Fatal Shot That Prevented a Major Catastrophe at Pearl Harbor

[@brucelytle1144]

A guy i went through boot camp in 1970, told me that his grandfather was the Officer of the Deck during the attack on the submarine. Said that his grandfather retired as an Admiral, his grandfather attended our graduation in full uniform.

[@codyclark8533]

respect! my dad was in Vietnam in the late 60s a guy in his platoon from Hawaii said he remembered pearl harbor as a kid, he said the Japanese were flying low over them and him and the rest of the kids were waving at them because they had never seen planes flying that low and thought it was cool, they had no idea they were attacking pearl harbor!!

[@vanpenguin22]

@@codyclark8533 Whoah!

[@paulbade3566]

One of my uncles was gunnery officer on the Ward three years later. He recalled reading the log entry for 7 Dec. 1941 recounting this event, including the famous initial radio report, "Sighted sub, sank same." Before joining the Navy, he'd had experience as a lifeguard at the municipal swimming pool. He put that to good use when the Ward itself was sunk, and received the Navy Cross for his role in saving his shipmates.

[@LarryGuzy]

Thank you for your service... I had several uncles in wwII and my Father who was a medic in the Pacific theatre.... the greatest generation !

[@erictaylor5462]

I bet that was cool. My grandfather was joined the Marine Corps after the attack, though he was a bit older than most recruits, 25. He'd been working as a machine mechanic in the coal mines of Southern Illinois so he did the same thing in the Marines but in New Caledonia. He was never personally involved in combat. The closest he ever got to combat was the Battle of the Coral Sea and he only saw flashes over the horizon. It's weird, only 10% of the people in the military in WWII were personally involved in combat, but out of all the war stories I've heard, only my grandfather saw no combat.

[@geraldgray4449]

At the time of the Pearl Harbor attack, the Ward was manned by reservists from Minnesota. During a refit, the gun that fired the shot that hit the mini sub was removed. It is on display near the VA offices on the state capital grounds in St. Paul, Minnesota.

[@mightymystery9204]

That is an interesting detail, that the crew of _Ward_ were Naval Reserve. The great battle of Iwo Jima, later in the war, people do not realize, was fought by 4th MarDiv Marines: Reserve members. The landing boats and amphtracks were prototyped and developed by Reserve officers, as were the tactics of close air support. This is tribute to a proud Nation whose first fight for independence was engaged by citizens, who practiced in their spare time, coming together at short notice to defeat a foe. The United States won with a force of citizen soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines. This is once again a reminder, that the country, and her freedom, do not belong to a royal family, or courtesans and gentry, but to the People. In these times, we should do well not to let the People forget nor squander their legacy, bought by bullets, preserved by ballots.

[@gandolfthewhite]

@@mightymystery9204 the Battles of Lexington and Concord was fought by local militias.

[@mightymystery9204]

@@gandolfthewhite I just said that. The militia is _all_ able bodied persons _capable_ of bearing arms, in an emergency. It is the _defense_ equivalent of a posse. That implies that they have reasonable _individual_ skill and discipline, which, for anything, comes from _practice._ That is the whole justification for the People having the absolute individual right to keep arms, so they don't have to sign up with the State to go practice with the State's firearm only when the State says so. In point of fact, those skilled private citizens came together with their private weapons to defend the armories of Lexington and Concord, where the Colonies' weapons, ball, and powder were stockpiled. So as I said, they were citizen soldiers, who came in, did their thing, and then went back home.

[@gandolfthewhite]

@@mightymystery9204 the militias in the 1700s were local and State militias. There was no standing army. They had monthly musters to practice. "A well regulated militia"- all the local and State militias came together under Washington as the Continental Army. Well regulated meant they could fight as a cohesive army. "Being necessary to the security of a free State"- The State militias were the police force protecting from bandits and hostile Indians. "The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed" Each citizen owned their own long arms for safety and putting food on the table. That was the weapon most of them brought into the Continental Army. The Second Amendment.

[@miketheredleg9821]

If I remember correctly you can see 2 more renditions of the USS Ward story in the movies: Tora Tora Tora and Pearl Harbor. I think both show USS Ward doing gunnery practice on a "target tug" when they noticed periscope following target. But of course most left out the part that continued to patrol and look for more after the Japanese Attack begun. So I glad to see this video

[@joeelliott2157]

Interesting story about the commander of the USS Ward William W. Outerbridge. On June 25, 1944, during the Normandy campaign, his ship the U. S. S. O'Brien was supporting the battleship U. S. S. Texas, with both ships bombarding German shore batteries near the port of Cherbourg, the America's prime objective for late June. The U. S. S. O'Brien's fire was so accurate that the shore batteries shifted their fire from the U. S. S. Texas to the U. S. S. O'Brien, hitting her just behind the bridge, killing 13 and wounding 19, about 10 % of the entire crew. The O'Brien was still able to maintain position long enough to lay down a smoke screen for the U. S. S. Texas. Any destroyer the compels the enemy to shift fire from a battle ship to the destroyer is pulling it's weight.

[@meanuncledavid]

I believe that USS O’Brien was the replacement of the USS O’Brien DD415 that sunk in 1942 after the battle of the coral sea. Another destroyer was later named the O’Brien and went on to serve near Europe.

[@meanuncledavid]

My grandfather was on the USS O’Brien. You forgot to mention that it was torpedoed and sunk by Japanese sub I-19. It didn’t immediately sink but broke apart days later while sailing for repairs. All hands survived in life rafts and were rescued including my grandfather. My mother was born 18 months later so that was a stroke of good fate. I-19 was sunk months later by a U.S. Navy torpedo with the loss of all of her crew. I did not know the captain had previously been in command of the Ward. Thanks for the great video.

[@jeffreybishop9478]

Magnificent piece of history you have explained to your audience. 👏🏻 Bravo 👏🏻

[@atatterson6992]

Another great example of investigative journalism... a lost art. Thank you, love ALL of your content.

[@racketyjack]

Absolutely outstanding story telling. You greatly honored the USS Ward and her crew and helped bring to light thier fascinating history. Well done! USN 1977-84

[@rpierwit]

Upon hearing of the attack on Pearl Harbor, a few days after my father enlisted in the navy and served in the Pacific theater. Growing up on hearing of his service my respect exploded so I never tire of hearing stories of exploits of those who served. Thank you for bringing the history alive. I look forward to more of your content. You help keep it and those who served alive for me.

[@kimmer6]

As kids growing up in the 1960's, Pop told us WWII Navy stories, the same ones many times over. We always liked hearing them repeated like one would watch a favorite movie over and over. He was a USN sailor, wounded by a Japanese 20mm high explosive shell that hit their gun tub and decapitated the gunner while my dad was bent over picking up another 60 round drum of AA ammunition. The shrapnel in his arm and knee bothered him all of his life. He could predict rain when his knee hurt. Most of his stories were of their pranks and shenanigans making his service sounding like it was McHale's Navy. He loved that prograsm. He had a friend who rode with Patton across Europe. They would lay on the back lawn and exchange stories about the good times and camaraderie. I was about 5 years old and would pretend to be sleeping when they spoke of the real hardcore horror stories. Sometimes they would quietly sob. I never saw my dad cry, ever, until we were at Grandma's funeral. The Army veteran was cut to the core about how in some small town in Germany in 1945 when they were under fire, he tossed a grenade into a cellar where he heard whispering German voices. His grenade killed a grandmother, a mom, and two children. He never forgave himself. I heard him cry as he told that to my dad while I was pretending to sleep. I cried, too.

[@sarge4455]

Our grandfathers were legends 🫡

[@ronammologist16]

Your grandfather, but my father!

[@TheSoonToBePurgedJackMeHoff55]

Hard times breed tough men, Tough men create good times. Good times breed soft men, Soft men create hard times...

[@isad4youi783]

* is German *

[@bene54]

My grandfather, whom was in the US Army, fought the Japanese in the Pacific islands. From when I was a boy, I was fascinated by his stories of combat and the amazing acts of heroism of he and his fellow soldiers. Gramps was wounded three times in combat and on the last injury, as it was so severe, he was sent home from combat. I am happy he came home and cherish his memory. Miss him so much.

[@rickradix7464]

Yes, indeed.

[@lloydbonifide]

The 4" deck gun that fired the shots at the Japanese sub is about a mile from my house at the St. Paul, Minn., Capital building. I love walking by it and remembering all that ship and her crew went through!

[@kimmer6]

My dad was a Machinist's Mate on an Attack Transport. His ship had a 3'' gun on it and he used to make brass lamps out of the spent shell casings. As a kid in the 1950's, I was totally impressed with the 50 caliber salt and pepper shakers that we used daily at our table. He had 20mm cigarette lighters and ''trench art'' that he made. We were in a surplus store near Auburn, California in the early 1960's where he found 2 dusty brass cases for the 4''-50 gun used in the type of gun the Ward had. He bought them both, one for me, one for my brother, for $5. We always heard WWII stories and as kids, we knew about how the Ward shelled the mini sub with their 4'' guns. I had a fiberglass replica projectile made for mine about 20 years ago from engineering drawings I found while collecting inert ordnance. I'm 70 now and that 4''-50 cartridge sits proudly in my room, still. It looks like a gargantuan 30:06 cartridge with the neck taper. I saw pictures of that gun from the Ward at the Capital Building. That's the crew who fired it posing around the same gun at 2:50 in this video.

[@philipethier9136]

Hi, neighbor! The gun was removed from WARD when she changed from DD-139 to APD-16 in Bremerton Washington. The gun was marked for the Smithsonian. In 1958, my dad and his First Shot Navel Vets club got the Congress to order the Smithsonian to give the gun to the State of Minnesota for the State Centennial. It was placed directly in front of the Capitol. It was later moved near the Veterans Service building on the Capitol ground near 12th Street.

[@donaldholderdoc2910]

I am very impressed by your research, accuracy and detail videos. I lived in Hawaii for 4 years. Attended history classes at the University of Hawaii and love this period of history. Plus I have 3 Uncles who served in the USN. One Who served on The USS Midway.

[@williamrobinson827]

Accuracy? I thought the fatal blow to the sub was a shell into the conning tower, not a depth charge.

[@jameswithers2334]

I've read about the Ward's action at Pearl in the past, and on a personal note, something just occurred to me. My father was a 23 y.o. US army sergeant stationed at Barber's Point. He might have heard those 1st shots fired by the Ward that morning. Thanks for continuing the story of this brave ship throughout the war. Very good presentation.

[@bsa45acp]

This is my favorite story of the US Navy in WW II. Most touching is that Captain Outerbridge had to sink his old command exactly three years to the date.

[@landtuna3469]

Outerbridge was not "A" captain, he was "THE" captain. I believe his actual rank was Lieutenant. He had been commanding officer of the USS Ward for just two days.

[@DCherbonnier]

@@landtuna3469 I missed that reference "A Captain". I only saw him referred to as "Captain" when he was performing his duties as Captain such as when the submarine was sunk and when the ship he commanded fired the final shots. In that capacity he will always be refferred to as "Captain Outerbridge"

[@danielcobbins8861]

@@landtuna3469 It was the very first ship command of his naval career.

[@Acc0rd79]

I feel like we need another USS Ward to pay homage to these great men. I don't know if they ever had another down the road but a new one to honor them would be great!

[@raymondj8768]

We Dam sure do !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@markwheeler202]

According to Wikipedia, there are still 18 Arleigh Burke's in the pipeline. Surely one of them could be named after the Ward, or Outerbridge. Or better yet, one of the DDG(X) destroyers.

[@robertdaniels9023]

As a former tin can sailor I whole heartily agree. Today's Navy may have better weapons but that generation had the bigger brass you know.

[@trig1900]

Can ships be said to possess a soul? Such inspirational tales as this one would certainly seem to suggest it. Multiple captains, and doubtless many crew changes and rotations, yet this ship and the crew on her served with bravery and distinction throughout the war, only laying down her burden when she was no longer capable of prosecuting the war further due to battle damage. It's entirely understandable how crews can become invested with the ethos generated by such a ship through the actions of the original crew. Everyone who boards her will want to live up to the standards already set and not let her or the crew down by doing less than their own best; thereby force multiplying the value of both the ship and all aboard her. Respect for the ship and all who served on her.

[@Titus-as-the-Roman]

Your Dark series are some of my favorites, well done.

[@dogpatch75]

Nice video! Here is a story suggestion... The story of the luckiest torpedo shot ever made by a submarine would make a very interesting video. On 9/15/1942, Japanese submarine I-19 fired a six-torpedo spread at fleet carrier USS Wasp. Two hit and caused extensive fire that necessitated her being scuttled later that night. Of the four torpedoes that missed, one accidentally hit and crippled destroyer USS O'Brien while another accidentally hit and damaged the brand new battleship North Carolina. When the attack occurred, North Carolina and her sister ship Washington were the only two battleships in the Pacific that were fast enough to escort fleet carriers. O'Brien survived for some 30 days after the hit. She broke up and sank on 10/19/1942 during heavy weather while being nursed back to the U.S. for repairs. When he left Ward, Captain Outerbridge received a shore assignment until 1944 when he was assigned USS O'Brien (DD 725), a new ship bearing the same name as the O'Brien that was lost (DD 415). He participated in D-Day operations at Normandy after which he and his new ship were dispatched to the Pacific for the remainder of the war. During WW2, the navy gave a new ship the name of a lost ship on more than one occasion, presumably as a tactic to confuse the enemy.

[@meanuncledavid]

You are correct. My grandfather was on the O’Brien DD415. All of the crew survived after waiting for rescue in life rafts for several days. There is a picture you can find showing the exact moment the O’Brien gets hit by I-19 taken by a photographer capturing the explosion. My grandfather was below deck in the engine room as a machinist mate. Good fate allowed him and everyone else to live as my mother was born 18 months later.

[@Me2Lancer]

Kudos to the Officers and Crew of USS Ward for recording the first successful attack on a Japanese ship at Pearl Harbor. My dad was aboard USS Raleigh CL-7 at Pearl Harbor. In the opening minutes of the Attack on Pearl Harbor, Raleigh was struck by an aerial torpedo. An hour later, Raleigh was hit by an armor piercing bomb that just missed an ammunition magazine, then passed through the ship and exploded on the harbor floor. Raleigh survived the attack and served in the Pacific for the duration of WWII.

[@gregb6469]

It is interesting that the destroyer that played the role of Ward in the movie was a later type, because by the time the movie was produced the Navy had no more 4-stack destroyers left, all of them had either been sunk in the war, or scrapped later as obsolete.

[@costcomember]

Hi. I knew someone who was a salior on the Ward that day. He told me that they were a young crew, mostly were from Minnesota. He said when they fired upon the sub, they kne they hit the conning tower, but the “big wigs” didn’t believe they had hit the sub because😮 they were young newbies. He also told me that 😮the canon that fired the shot is at the Minnesota State house as a memorial. BTW, I love history and enjoy your videos

[@SeanPat1001]

At the time, war had been raging in Europe for several years. Many young people had already volunteered for military service. My father volunteered for the Merchant Marine because he felt it was a way he could help defend Europe. Llater, when the US joined in the war, he left the Merchant Marine and joined the Army. The Navy is a volunteer service. The crew of the Ward were people who saw the coming war and were willing to do what they could for their country. They were primed for action and they took it. I knew about the Ward sinking the submarine many years ago, but didn’t realize how old the Ward was at the time of the event. I served on a Knox class fast frigate and I am quite impressed by the capability of that old ship. I’m also impressed by the quality of her crew.

[@slypear]

What a great tribute to the USS Ward! Thank you~

[@stuart5811]

it was nicely portrayed in Tora, Tora, Tora

[@RetiredSailor60]

I held my first re-enlistment on USS Arizona Memorial in 1986...

[@legohistorysam]

Also a Minneapolis Minnesota USS ward’s gun it’s on display at the park right next to the capital of Minnesota. It’s really cool and I’m so glad I got to see it!

[@markwheeler202]

The Ward was crewed by members of the St Paul Naval Reserve, hence it's presence on the grounds of the Minnesota state capitol. The gun is there instead of at the bottom of the ocean because it was removed as part of the conversion in 1942.

[@miketheredleg9821]

Saint Paul, not Minneapolis, The state capital and the gun are located in Saint Paul. And not really a park, it is part of the State Capital Grounds, close to Veterans Affairs Bldg (approx 200 ft) which also serves as MN NG HQ.

[@lyntwo]

The actual gun that fired that shot was taken off the USS Ward during a refitting later in the War. Someone had the foresight to have that gun moved to Minnesota where it now is on open air display on the grounds of the State Capitol. You can actually touch it. I hope to be able to visit the USS Missouri in Hawaii to touch the commemorative plate upon that ship's deck which marks where the terms of Japan's surrender were signed.

[@benjaminrush4443]

Great Video. Amazed how the US Navy failed to act upon the Sinking of the Japanese Sub by the USS Ward. Had the US Military went into Action, they might have prevented as much of the carnage that became December 7, 1941. But America is superb at "Crisis Management" and then reacts Superbly. An example of American Military at its Best. Thanks.

[@davidrudd9846]

The men and the 'small boats' of the US Navy and all allied Navies. submarines destroyers pt boats merchant ships etc etc deserve more stories shared about their exploits and bravery keep it up and Thank You

[@annettemalaski1967]

Imagine being in your bunk on Sunday morning, in dock at Pearl Harbor, and hear " battle stations". And then see Zeros whizzing by while straiffing you and the boat! These guys and gals were the personification of courage!

[@michaelskok5135]

I'm not sure if it was the USS Ward, but I knew a guy named Lenny who was on a ship in Pearl Harbor that was ready to sail with tracer bullets. When the Japanese planes attacked, the ship fired at them with the tracer bullets. Then they went back and got the read bullets. I asked him if his ship shot down any Japanese planes. He said they were firing to protect the ship. He said his ship was sunk by Kamikaze planes at Okinawa.

[@trig1900]

Thanks again, Dark Seas, for your videos are always informative and great to watch.

[@BillHalliwell]

G'day Dark, A classic case of the right ship at the right time in the right place. More importantly, under the command of a Skipper who envisaged the Japanese naval attack on US soil would encompass more elements than the use of carrier borne aircraft. Captain Outerbridge ensured that his greatest asset was a well trained and motivated crew. A Japanese submarine inside Pearl Harbor could well have sunk those USN capital ships missed or only damaged by the attacking aircraft. It could also have lingered, submerged, to devastate attempts to rescue and repair the carnage inflicted by the Zeroes and bombers. The USS Ward was a ship of war and a sad but fitting end. Regards Bill H.

[@allgood6760]

Thanks for this 👍

[@dutchman7216]

Well done to the officers and crew of the Uss Ward.

[@propman3523]

Awesome presentation.

[@noahway13]

It was now or never, the crew sprang into action!!!

[@johnandrewmunroe]

What a brilliant, inspiring story. Thank you for these great videos. Are they narrated by AI or by a human? I always think I'm listening to Rob Lowe. Really adds to the experience to hear that terse, suspense-filled narration. Keep them coming!

[@RDC_Autosports]

“one of our destroyers reported having fired and sunk enemy submarine trying to enter pearl harbor at 06:53” i had 7 uncles there… 6 came home

[@jamesbuck3818]

She's forever in my heart....

[@jameskidd8733]

There were 3 subs sank😮 one washed up on the beach and a second was discovered inside Pearl Harbor

[@raystory7059]

Do an episode on the light cruiser USS St. Louis , (CL-49 ), about when it sunk a submarine at Pearl Harbor that had launched a torpedo at the ship and detonated on a shoal first . The #3 5 " Type 38 Gun then fired a salvo that hit and sank the small Submarine after a busy morning that included ramming and sinking another one first .

[@steveb6103]

The number 4 gun is on the capital grounds in St. Paul, Minnesota. The crew was from the Minnesota reserves.

[@spinecat]

nice work, again.

[@Theearthtraveler]

Great video!!

[@stanleybest8833]

There were numerous Japanese Mini Subs in the Pearl Harbor attack. The Ling Submarine Museum owns one of their periscopes in pristine condition.

[@wendywhite4537]

I remember the announcement about the USS Ward’s sub kill. I felt that the men aboard her were vindicated!

[@mrfriz4091]

Great post! As always from the producer of Dark Skies.

[@dellingson4833]

@1:58 Those 21 inch torpedo's must of packed a real punch. LOL! See we are paying attention.

[@markwheeler202]

Diameter, not length.

[@theelectricgamer9889]

Please do a video about Laffey (Benson class destroyer DD-459). For the commenters please note that Dark Seas has done a video about USS Laffey DD-724 Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer not Laffey DD-459 Benson class destroyer which broadsided a Japanese battleship at point blank range.

[@stevenjones1171]

The Laffey is at Patriot Point road, Mount Pleasant SC. I was served DD-746 1969.

[@theelectricgamer9889]

@@stevenjones1171 That is USS Laffey DD-724 Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer not USS Laffey DD-459 Benson Class destroyer. Also thank you for your service.

[@jerryvanderwier2310]

At 4:51 you show a hedgehog in action - supposedly near Peral Harbor, HI around 6am, Dec 7, 1941, but this didn't get added to any combat ships until 1942 and not to any US ships in the Pacific for another 1-2 years afterwards.

[@paulmeredith2037]

History will never forget the USS Ward

[@vppnbrent]

God bless the Ward and it’s valiant crew.

[@camickelson]

GOD Bless them and their dedication and bravery!! Before the Pearl Harbor attack by hours.

[@Paulftate]

semper fi,,semper fortis

[@davidmitchell3881]

Are you planning to cover the second attack on Pearl Harbour? This second attack did little damage but was just as unexpected

[@CaptainNavman]

what happened to Outerbridge?

[@leondillon8723]

Saying that the guns were 4 inch 50 caliber is a bit confusing. May be better referring to them as 4.5 inches or 4.5 caliber (114.3mm). Some accounts state that the Ward's radio calls went unanswered.

[@Dave5843-d9m]

The multiple launch mortars were a later addition to WW2. A British invention and extremely effective in the right hands. But they were not in use by 7-Dec-41.

[@TheJonesbouy]

The mini sub that floated ashore is on display at the museum in Fredericksburg, Tx.

[@philipethier9136]

I did not know that.

[@stevejh69]

Hearing the senior officers not believing this brave officers account, is so troubling! The same senior officers that were completely unprepared for the japanese attack at Pearl Harbour! Now so many years later we see some senior cowards give the taliban more equipment and weapons that they could ever have hoped for. Not returned to the USA, not destroyed, not booby trapped, but given to the taliban. Yet these cowardly officers are still serving!

[@raystory7059]

I would like to see an episode about the USS Moynahan ( DD-354) and how it rammed and sunk a second submarine INSIDE of Pearl Harbor. The USS Moynahan tragically sank during 1944's Typhoon Cobra along with the USS Spence and the USS Hull.

[@fembotheather3785]

Where do these depth charge numbers come from?

[@Laurencemardon]

Cool story!

[@half-a-man8182]

Have you done the Samuel B Roberts yet?

[@MrMalvolio29]

Your video shows a destroyer launching HEDGEHOG depth charges. These were not used until later in the war, *certainly* not at the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor.

[@GeorgiaBuckeye1]

Named after Commander James H. Ward USN

[@TowGunner]

My introduction to the Ward came from “Tora Tora Tora”

[@billdunlap320]

Good video

[@markhodge7]

Good one!

[@Siskiyous6]

Great video, however, Pearl Harbor was hardly an opening moment of WWII, the war had been on for a couple years at that point. It was, in Churchills words about other events, one of the ends of the beginning.

[@rpez3]

Believe he meant for the United States, not necessarily for the world...

[@mikmik9034]

"Long Ton" = 2240 #, Short Ton = 2000 #, this is where the phrase, "Buy Long, Sell Short" (coal) comes from. The U.S.S. Ward is what was called, "a four piper" (smoke stakces) OR A Flush Deck Destroyer. The image of a very young (later Rear Admiral; Commander in command as "Captain" of Ward) William W. Outerbridge [Class of 1927] is from the Annapolis Academy Year Book, the anchor insignia on his collar is that of a Midshipman.

[@philipethier9136]

Of course, WARD had only 2 stacks when she sank. As APD-16, two boilers had been removed to create troop quarters.

[@englishwithteachermark4307]

Super interesting.

[@Napoleon1815-l8c]

The incident of the Ward depth charging the Japanese mini sub is loosely depicted in the 1970 movie, Tora, Tora, Tora.

[@philipethier9136]

WARD did drop ash cans after the gun attack. I believe they now now that the sinking sub had hydroplanned well away from the site by then, already on her way to a watery grave in deeper water.

[@kyle381000]

Just to clarify, December 7, 1941 was not the first day of World War II. Instead, it was the first day of America's active participation in it. WWII is generally considered to have begun with Germany's invasion of Poland in September 1939.

[@keith2366]

Great video as usual. What was the point of scuttling the USS Ward? If it was sitting there floating and burning, wouldn't at least some kamikazes aim for it to finish it off and thus pull some kamikazes away from ships that were functional?

[@Kneon_Knight]

Scuttling it prevented the enemy from salvaging the ship, and made any potentially sensitive equipment or documents, such as sonar/radar circuitry and any codebooks or operations documents essentially irretrievable.

[@soxjohn]

Why would the Japanese waste a kamikaze plane and pilot to ram a sinking ship? Makes no sense.

[@keith2366]

@@soxjohn I assumed that if the ship was sinking they wouldn't need to scuttle it and if it wasn't sinking kamikazes would still target it. The Japanese had by now realized that we could quickly repair ships that were heavily damaged so I assumed that they would go after anything that was floating.

[@philipethier9136]

@@soxjohn especially it was only a tin can. I had heard that the kamakazi that struck WARD was going for a cruiser, but had taken enough flak that he chose to settle for tin can. He had no way of knowing that it was an APD with an empty troop quarter and that he was giving his life for his Emperor without harming any enemy personnel.

[@daystatesniper01]

Superb

[@erictaylor5462]

"I want confirmation." Later that same day, as fires burn and bombs drop outside the window "You want confirmation? There's your confirmation."

[@whiteknightcat]

Great scene!

[@Earthstein]

Such a great and true story. American used to have great commanders. We still have great men.

[@jerombajames9679]

Even in 1970s Tora! Tora! Tora! movie, sinking of that submarine is mentioned, so I would like to know where did you get that information that it was revealed 60 years later, in 2001.

[@philipethier9136]

The story that the submarine was hit in the conning tower was proved beyond doubt when HURL found the sub.

[@Artifactsofmars]

Actually the action against the Japanese Mini subs was portrayed in the original "Tora! Tora! Tora!" in 1970, which is far less than the 60 years you mentioned.

[@jameswolfe7485]

Hurray for Outerbridge and the Ward!

[@timestampterrysassistant7638]

Legends

[@YeOldeTowneCryer]

What a shame the Ward was sunk. Surely that one deserved a place of honor.

[@philipethier9136]

The timeline in this report is confusing. WARD fired only two shots at the submarine. #1 gun missed long. #3 gun scored a direct hit. The skill of the fire-control officer and the #3 gun crew is astounding. Just seconds too act after the miss, with two moving vessels on different courses at close range, without any of the fancy electronics we have now.

[@ronammologist16]

I KNOW that can DEPEND on Dark Seas to bring inspireing videos to educate and inform young and old, (like me)! God bless you all.

[@jsl151850b]

3:07 *Is this Japanese special effects model work? It's not as if THEY had cameramen on the ground.* 8:06 *The weird patterns (Razzle Dazzle) made it difficult for attacking submarines to accurately judge the range visually.*

[@srgmiller340]

Two things they showed hedgehog depth charges and 1941 was not the start of world war two other than very interesting

[@kelly7873]

I doubt that the entire crew of the USS Ward received the Navy Cross. Also my research shows that Rear Admiral Outerbridge was awarded one Navy Cross and 3 Silver Stars.

[@SSmith-fm9kg]

The Greatest Generation.

[@kevinoshea9125]

Overblown and lengthy

[@rosslepoidevin4634]

Try showing an actual clip from the pearl harbour attack instead of the sinking of the wasp later in the war.

[@RuralTowner]

Ward. By all definitions, lived up to her name, that's for sure.

[@bertkilborne6464]

What is a 4" .50 cal gun ? 1:49

[@whiteknightcat]

With naval guns, the caliber is the ratio of the muzzle diameter to the barrel length and thus is not a fraction, as with rifles and guns. A 4 inch 50 caliber naval gun would thus have a barrel length of 200 inches, or 16 ft 8 in.

[@OpenCarryUSMC]

Ward sunk the sun hours before the aerial attack on Pearl. That was kind of muddled up by the order of the script and video clips.

[@williamrobinson827]

Not to downplay the Ward's accomplishment, but how did she prevent a major catastrophe? The attack on Pearl Harbor was already a major catastrophe from the air attacks. One midget sub could not have added that much more damage. And this guy never ceases to amaze me. The fatal damage to the conning tower was not due to a depth charge but a shell. This is confirmed by inspection of the wreck.

[@MrChopsticktech]

Great points!

[@whiteknightcat]

There were more than one midget sub involved. In fact, there were five involved in the mission.

[@williamrobinson827]

@@whiteknightcat All the more reason to understand that the destruction of the sub by the Ward did not avert a disaster. It was one of the two subs that were destroyed. Another ran aground and its crew member became our first POW. We don't know what happened to the other two. They disappeared without a trace.

[@whiteknightcat]

@@williamrobinson827 IF one or both subs had managed to make it into the harbor, they could have inflicted even more damage than was done by the air strikes alone, possibly resulting in additional vessels destroyed (vs damaged and repairable)

[@williamrobinson827]

@@whiteknightcat Those midget subs carried 2 torpedoes apiece, So assuming that both of those subs survived long enough to successfully accomplish their missions, that would have been 4 more explosions. Or maybe they could have also run aground like Kazuo Sakamaki's vessel,, or just plain disappeared like the other two. In the air attacks, there were 28 bomb and 19 torpedo hits on ships. That's not counting the damage to shore facilities and personnel. Assuming that those two subs were successful, those 4 extra explosions pale by comparison with the damage that actually WAS inflicted. The fact remains, that the Ward did NOT prevent a disaster. The disaster DID happen.

[@anthonyodonnell9424]

did he actually say december 7 1921?

[@slots1407]

Not "1200 feet below the sea" - the sea goes all the way down. "1200 feet below the surface"!

[@jeffreyshreve1277]

The information I received was that the shot that hit the submarine was at the pivotal junction of the conning tower and the main hull. No matter what the submarine was doomed because there was just no way to stop that leak.

[@patmcbride9853]

I hope the Ward is not scavenged for it's pre-atomic steel like so many other WWII vessels sunk in the Pacific.

[@bobstud3754]

Four, 4"inch, 50 caliber guns?

[@whiteknightcat]

With naval guns, the caliber is the ratio of the muzzle diameter to the barrel length and thus is not a fraction, as with rifles and guns. A 4 inch 50 caliber naval gun would thus have a barrel length of 200 inches, or 16 ft 8 in.

[@jameswilber518]

You never mentioned what "Major Catastrophe" this prevented.