This week we will honor a team of heroes
They are...
The men of the Honolulu Fire Department of 1941
The Honolulu Fire Department was first established in the 1850s and was the very first of any within the Hawaiian Islands. By the turn of the 20th century, it had become one of the best in any territory that was occupied by the US. But on December 7, 1941, the firemen of the HFD would become some of the bravest and most distinguished firemen in history.
The morning of December 7, began like any other day for the fireman of Honolulu. All of a sudden at 8:05 AM, the telephone at the department's alarm bureau rang in the quarters of Engine Company 6. It was answered by Lieutenant Frederick Kealoha who quickly rang the house gong. As the firemen quickly assembled behind the station, they noticed a large amount of anti-aircraft gun fire being directed from miles away. They initially assumed it was a military drill until Lt Kealoha told them the terrifying reality. This was no drill, it was a military attack on Oahu. Since only a dozen were on duty that morning, they would have do something that no fireman had ever done before: enter a war-zone.
They quickly got into two firetrucks and drove to Hickam Airfield. Their job would be to rescue the wounded airmen and try to fight the fires as best they could. By the time they arrived, the first wave of Japanese planes had completed their attack run on the airfield. The airfield had more than a dozen fires burning and hundreds of bodies were strewn across the tarmac. With Lt Kealoha conducting the operations, the 12 firemen quickly attempted to rescue the wounded, recover the bodies, and put out the raging fires. Although another fire company (Engine 1) arrived on the scene, dousing the flames proved to be exceptionally difficult because the airfield's primary water main had been struck by a bomb making all fire hydrants non-functional. To make matters worse, a second wave of Japanese planes appeared and immediately began to attack the survivors of the first wave.
The firemen were forced to scramble for cover, unfortunately not all of them were able to avoid the oncoming attack. Within seconds, the entire airfield was being raked with bullets and bombs. Those caught in the open where shot to pieces. Others were disintegrated when fuel tanks exploded near them. Some tried to fire back with rifles and machine guns, but they were no match. Anyone who attempted to get airborne was quickly shot down. The entire attack on Hickam Airfield from the second wave lasted only 15 minutes. Never the less, it had caused major devastation.
At least three firemen were dead and another three (including Lt Kealoha) were severely wounded. Shrapnel had severely damaged all three of the fire trucks (Engine 1 had all six tires punctured). Despite the damage, the firemen quickly got back to work fighting the fires and tending to the wounded. Even as a third attack wave (luckily it had fewer planes) descended on Hickam, they continued to do their jobs and rescue as many people as possible. They eventually managed to repair their engines by plugging the holes in the radiators with brown soap and toilet paper. Despite the limited water supply, the firemen refused to back down from the raging flames. They fought the flames inside hangers, the barracks, fuel storage tanks, and even ammunition storage buildings. After 14 hours, the fires at Hickam Airfield were finally quelled.
For the rest of the day, the firemen of Honolulu responded to more than 39 fire alarms on December 7. All of the department's firemen were called in to save as many people as possible. They would remain on duty until the morning of December 9. Six firemen received the Purple Heart from the US military (three posthumously). To date, the HFD is the only fire department in American history that has fought fires caused by enemy attack under combat conditions.
When many of us think of the Attack on Pearl Harbor, we remember the brave sailors, marines, and soldiers who fought and died defending our country. However, the story of the firemen of Honolulu has largely been forgotten by the general populace of America. In reality, they were just as brave as those in the military. Despite not being equipped for combat scenarios, they answered calls for help and put their lives on the line to save those in need. I believe that they should be remembered as some of America's greatest heroes of Pearl Harbor.
The three firemen who paid the ultimate price:
Captain John Carreira, Engine 1
Captain Thomas Macy, Engine 4
Hoseman Harry Tuck Lee Pang, Engine 6
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