No One Avoided Danger: NAS Kaneohe Bay and the Japanese Attack of 7 December 1941

by J. Michael Wenger, Robert J. Cressman, John F. Di Virgilio

"No One Avoided Danger" is a detailed combat narrative of the 7 December 1941 Japanese attacks on NAS Kaneohe Bay, one of two naval air stations on the island of O'ahu. Partly because of Kaneohe's location--15 air miles over a mountain range from the main site of that day's infamous attack on Pearl Harbor--military historians have largely ignored the station's story. Moreover, there is an understandable tendency to focus on the massive destruction sustained by the U.S. Pacific Fleet. The attacks on NAS Kaneohe Bay, however, were equally destructive and no less disastrous, notwithstanding the station's considerable distance from the harbor.

The work focuses on descriptions of actions in the air and on the ground at the deepest practical, personal, and tactical level, from both the American and Japanese perspectives. Such a synthesis is possible only by pursuing every conceivable source of American documents, reminiscences, interviews, and photographs. Similarly, the authors sought out Japanese accounts and photography from the attacks, many appearing in print for the first time. Information from the Japanese air group and aircraft carrier action reports has never before been used.

On the American side, the authors also have researched the Official Military Personnel Files at the National Personnel Records Center and National Archives in St. Louis, Missouri, extracting service photographs and details of the military careers of American officers and men. The authors are among the first historians to be allowed access to previously unused service records. The authors likewise delved into the background and personalities of key Japanese participants, and have translated and incorporated the Japanese aircrew rosters from the attack.

This accumulation of data and information makes possible an intricate and highly integrated story that is unparalleled. The interwoven narratives of both sides provide a deeper understanding of the events near Kane'ohe Bay than any previous history.

208 pages, Hardcover

First published December 15, 2015

Reviews

[Jeff]

A very good, detailed description of the 7 Dec 1941 attacks on the Kaneohe Bay Naval Air Station. The large form of the book pays off in that it allows for photographs to be printed large enough to see the details that are described in the captions. There are a lot of individual stories and accounts that are difficult to keep track of, but that describe the actions of the personnel during that day. The book also provides details about the Japanese attackers, describing the specific attacking aircraft and aircrews of both the first and second waves. If you want to delve into the details of these attacks, then you should get ahold of this book.

[Shrike58]

Going into this work, the extent of my knowledge of NAS Kaneohe Bay was that it was a seaplane base, and suffered as much from the shock and chaos of December 7 as any other American military and naval organization on that day. Coming out, I think it's safe to say that the authors have left no stone unturned in detailing the personal experiences of those caught up in the attack. I was also struck with how new Kaneohe was at the time; the property it being built on having only been acquired in 1939, and construction was ongoing. I look forward to reading the companion books on Hickam Field and NAS Pearl Harbor, and hope a book on Wheeler Field is added to the set.