The bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 was the Imperial Japanese Navy’s surprise air attack on the U.S. Pacific Fleet’s home base on Oahu, Hawaii. In under two hours, 2,403 Americans were killed, 1,178 were wounded, and eight battleships were sunk or badly damaged. The next day, the United States declared war on Japan and entered World War II. Today the site is the Pearl Harbor National Memorial, where the sunken USS Arizona rests beneath a memorial visited by more than a million people a year. This guide covers what happened that morning, why it happened, what it cost, and how to visit today.
Key Highlights
- Japan struck Pearl Harbor on Sunday, December 7, 1941: 353 aircraft from six carriers, two waves, about 90 minutes.
- 2,403 Americans killed, 1,178 wounded, including 68 civilians. The USS Arizona lost 1,177 crewmen and the USS Oklahoma lost 429.
- The attack pulled the United States into World War II: Roosevelt called December 7 “a date which will live in infamy” as Congress declared war.
- The USS Arizona Memorial program is free. Reserve a timed boat ticket on recreation.gov up to 56 days ahead for a $1 booking fee per ticket.
- The Pearl Harbor Visitor Center (1 Arizona Memorial Place, Honolulu) is open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, about 10 miles from Waikiki, by car, TheBus routes 20 and 42, or guided tour.
The Road to December 7, 1941
Pearl Harbor was the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet on Oahu’s south shore, the base from which America projected power across the Pacific. By the late 1930s, that collided with Japan’s ambitions. After Japan’s invasion of Manchuria in 1931 and its war with China from 1937, Washington froze Japanese assets and, in 1941, cut off the oil exports Japan’s war machine needed. Japan’s leaders chose to seize Southeast Asia’s oil and rubber by force, and the American fleet stood in the way. Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto’s strategists secretly planned a surprise strike to cripple the fleet in a single morning, while Japanese diplomats kept talking in Washington.
Timeline of the Attack
Six Japanese fleet carriers (Akagi, Kaga, Soryu, Hiryu, Shokaku, and Zuikaku), under Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo, launched 183 aircraft at dawn. Just before 8 a.m. Hawaii time, torpedo bombers raced low toward Battleship Row along Ford Island while dive bombers and fighters hit the airfields at Hickam, Wheeler, Bellows, and Ewa. American planes sat parked wingtip to wingtip, an anti-sabotage measure that made them easy targets, and an Army radar crew that had spotted the incoming planes saw its report dismissed as expected American B-17 bombers.
The Arizona explodes
At roughly 8:06 a.m., an armor-piercing bomb penetrated the USS Arizona’s forward magazine and tore her apart in seconds. She sank at her berth with 1,177 of her crew, the greatest single loss of life on any U.S. warship in American history. Her wreck still lies where she sank, and drops of oil keep rising to the surface, called the “black tears” of the ship.
The second wave and what Japan missed
Around 8:54 a.m., a second wave of about 170 aircraft struck the navy yard against heavier anti-aircraft fire, and the attack ended by about 9:45 a.m. For all the destruction, Japan missed three things: the three Pacific Fleet carriers (Enterprise, Lexington, Saratoga) were at sea and escaped; the fuel tanks and repair facilities were left almost untouched, so the Navy salvaged most of the fleet; and of the eight battleships hit, only the Arizona and Oklahoma were total losses. Japan lost just 29 aircraft, five midget submarines, and about 65 men: a tactical triumph that proved a strategic gamble.
The Ships and the Human Cost
When people ask who died at Pearl Harbor, the numbers tell the story of a fleet caught at anchor on a Sunday morning: 2,403 Americans killed and 1,178 wounded. Nineteen Navy ships were sunk or damaged and 188 aircraft were destroyed, most on the ground. The USS Arizona Memorial honors the day’s heaviest loss: the magazine explosion killed 1,177 crewmen in an instant, and the wreck remains a war grave holding 1,102 sailors and Marines. The white memorial spanning her hull, dedicated in 1962, is the most visited site at Pearl Harbor.
USS Oklahoma (BB-37)
Hit by multiple torpedoes within minutes, the Oklahoma capsized and trapped hundreds of men inside. Rescue crews cut into the overturned hull and saved 32 sailors, but 429 crewmen died, the day’s second-deadliest ship loss. She was righted and refloated but never repaired, and sank under tow in 1947.
USS West Virginia (BB-48) and USS California (BB-44)
The West Virginia took seven torpedo hits, sank upright at her berth, and lost 106 men, but she was raised, rebuilt, and returned to service in 1944. The California, the fleet flagship, sank slowly at her berth over three days. One caution: the California’s death toll is reported differently by official sources, with published figures ranging from about 100 to about 105. The site owner has not yet decided which figure to standardize across this website, so this post states the range rather than picking one number as definitive.
USS Utah (AG-16) and the rest of the fleet
The Utah, a former battleship serving as a target ship, capsized off Ford Island with the loss of 58 men, and her rusting hull still lies there under the USS Utah Memorial. The Nevada made a run for open sea before being deliberately beached at Hospital Point to keep the harbor entrance clear. The Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Tennessee were damaged but quickly repaired. For more surprising details, see our facts about Pearl Harbor.
Why the Bombing of Pearl Harbor Changed History
On December 8, 1941, President Roosevelt called December 7 “a date which will live in infamy,” and Congress declared war on Japan within hours, with only one dissenting vote. On December 11, Germany and Italy declared war on the United States. The attack ended American isolationism in a single morning. “Remember Pearl Harbor” became the rallying cry for four years of global war, and American industrial mobilization made the country a superpower. The Pacific war ended where the circle closed: on September 2, 1945, Japanese officials signed the formal surrender aboard the battleship USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. Today the Missouri is moored at Pearl Harbor within sight of the Arizona Memorial, so visitors can stand at both the beginning and the end of the Pacific war in one visit.
Visiting the Pearl Harbor National Memorial Today
Pearl Harbor is one of the most visited historic sites in the United States, and four sites share the Visitor Center as their gateway: the National Park Service runs the USS Arizona Memorial and the visitor center, while nonprofit partners operate the USS Bowfin, the Battleship Missouri, and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum. Our historic sites overview explains how the four fit together, and our ultimate guide covers full trip planning.
How to get there
The visitor center address is 1 Arizona Memorial Place, Honolulu, HI 96818. Use that exact address in your GPS, since searching for just “Pearl Harbor” can route you to the active military base. From Waikiki, the drive is about 10 miles and usually takes 20 to 30 minutes via the H-1 freeway west (exit 15A), though the National Park Service advises allowing 45 minutes in Honolulu traffic.
Without a car, TheBus routes 20 or 42 run from Waikiki and Ala Moana Center to the visitor center in about an hour for a few dollars each way. Guided tours from Waikiki that bundle transportation with an Arizona Memorial reservation are the simplest hands-off option, and rideshares typically run $30 to $45 each way. A free shuttle bus runs from the visitor center to the Ford Island sites, since Ford Island is an active Navy base.
Best time to visit
Arrive early. The visitor center opens at 7 a.m. and the first Arizona Memorial programs leave at 8 a.m., which means cooler temperatures, easier parking, and smaller crowds. Expect heavy crowds in summer, winter holidays, spring break, and on December 7, National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. Midweek visits in the dry season are calmest, and the last boats depart around 3:30 p.m.
What to expect
The USS Arizona Memorial program lasts about 45 minutes: a 23-minute film, a Navy-operated boat ride to the memorial, time at the wall of names, and the ride back. It is a place of quiet reflection. Two museum galleries cover the road to war and the attack itself. The Battleship Missouri, the USS Bowfin, and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum each take one to two hours: the Missouri’s deck, where the surrender was signed, is the emotional bookend to the Arizona, and the Aviation Museum’s hangars still show bullet holes from the attack. Allow a half day for the Arizona plus the visitor center, and a full day for all four sites.
Prices and tickets
The visitor center, its grounds, its two National Park Service museums, and the USS Arizona Memorial program are all free. The one cost is a $1 nonrefundable booking fee per ticket when you reserve on recreation.gov, which opens 56 days ahead at 3 p.m. Hawaii time, with a second batch released one day ahead at the same hour. Every person in your group needs a ticket, and standby seats are not guaranteed.
The three nonprofit museums charge admission, and prices change, so check the official Pearl Harbor Historic Sites pages before you go. Recent published prices: the Battleship Missouri about $40, the Aviation Museum about $30, and the USS Bowfin about $26 for adults, with reduced child fares. The Passport to Pearl Harbor ($99.99 adult, $49.99 child 4 to 12) bundles all three over two consecutive days. On-site parking costs $7 per day.
Nearby things to do and practical tips
The Aloha Stadium, famous for its swap meet, sits minutes away and pairs well with a morning at the memorial. Pearl City offers local shopping and dining, and downtown Honolulu is a short drive east. Bags are not allowed inside the memorial or visitor center, including purses, backpacks, and camera bags. Bag storage near the entrance holds them for a small fee, so travel light. Bring sunscreen, a hat, and water, and wear comfortable walking shoes: much of the visit is outdoors. The entire site is wheelchair accessible. There is no official dress code, but this is a war memorial and a cemetery: dress respectfully, keep swimwear covered, and keep voices down at the memorial.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did the bombing of Pearl Harbor happen?
The bombing of Pearl Harbor happened on Sunday, December 7, 1941. The first wave arrived just before 8 a.m. Hawaii time, the second wave around 8:54 a.m., and the attack ended by about 9:45 a.m. December 7 is observed every year as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.
How many people died at Pearl Harbor?
2,403 Americans were killed and 1,178 were wounded, including 68 civilians. The USS Arizona lost 1,177 crewmen, the USS Oklahoma lost 429, the USS West Virginia lost 106, and the USS Utah lost 58. The USS California death toll is reported differently by official sources, with published figures from about 100 to about 105, so no single definitive number is stated here.
Why did Japan attack Pearl Harbor?
Japan attacked to cripple the U.S. Pacific Fleet before it could interfere with Japan’s planned conquest of Southeast Asia. After Washington froze Japanese assets and cut off oil exports in response to Japan’s war in China, Japanese leaders concluded they needed the oil and rubber of the Dutch East Indies and Malaya, and destroying the fleet would buy them time to seize those resources.
Is visiting the USS Arizona Memorial free?
Yes. The USS Arizona Memorial program, the visitor center, the grounds, and the two National Park Service museums are all free. The boat program needs a timed reservation, booked on recreation.gov up to 56 days ahead, with a $1 nonrefundable booking fee per ticket. Standby seats are limited, so book in advance. Only the Battleship Missouri, the USS Bowfin, and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum charge admission.
How do I get to Pearl Harbor from Waikiki?
Pearl Harbor is about 10 miles from Waikiki. Driving takes 20 to 30 minutes via the H-1 freeway west (allow 45 minutes in traffic), and parking costs $7 per day. TheBus routes 20 and 42 run from Waikiki and Ala Moana Center to the visitor center in about an hour for a few dollars each way. Use 1 Arizona Memorial Place, Honolulu, HI 96818 in your GPS, since a generic search for “Pearl Harbor” can route you to the military base instead.
Can I visit all four Pearl Harbor sites in one day?
Yes, but plan a full day. The USS Arizona Memorial program takes about 45 minutes plus museum time, and the Battleship Missouri, the USS Bowfin, and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum each take one to two hours. A free shuttle runs from the visitor center to the two Ford Island sites. Many visitors do the Arizona plus one paid museum in a half day, and all four across a full day.