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The United States Navy Memorial

Navy Memorial Honoring the Men & Women of the Sea Services

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Curtiss

Ship Designation: 
AV-4
Date Lost: 
Sunday, December 7, 1941
Pearl Harbor Attack - Dive Bombed
During the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor Curtiss quickly got underway, sighted a periscope and opened fire. A torpedo from the submarine missed Curtiss, smashing into a dock at Pearl City. Four minutes later the Japanese midget submarine surfaced and was further damaged by gunfire before diving again and being prosecuted by a destroyer; ... Curtiss turned her attention to the air threat hitting an enemy plane which crashed into her No. 1 crane and burned. Three minutes later she splashed a 2nd plane, then began firing at a dive bomber. A bomb from this plane crashed in the vicinity of her damaged crane and exploded below decks, setting the hangar deck and No. 4 handling room on fire. ... Despite 19 dead and many wounded Curtiss' crew quenched the fires, and accomplished emergency repairs.

Lost At Sea Log

Number of sailors in this log: 21

Namesort descending Service Branch
SF 1c Joseph Sperling USN

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Prepared by CAPT R.O. Strange USN (Ret.)