Museum Audio Tour 07: Air Power Gallery: On the Defensive

DAYTON, OHIO, UNITED STATES

12.31.1969

Audio by NMUSAF PA 

National Museum of the U.S. Air Force

At 7:55 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 7, 1941, a Japanese force of 183 planes - without warning - attacked U.S. military facilities at Pearl Harbor in the Hawaiian Islands. For 30 minutes, dive bombers, level bombers and torpedo planes struck airfields and naval vessels. A second wave of 170 planes launched another attack at 8:40 a.m. that lasted an hour. The Japanese had dealt the United States a staggering blow. The next day, the U.S. declared war on Japan. In turn, Germany and Italy declared war on the United States, thus bringing America officially into World War Two. The P-36 on display at the entrance to this gallery is painted to represent the aircraft flown by Lieutenant Philip Rasmussen, during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. You will notice in the diorama that Lieutenant Rasmussen, hurrying to take-off and defend against the Japanese, did not even have time to change out of his pajamas. For more information, be sure to visit the Carney Auditorium section of the pod map and listen to Rasmussen present “Takeoff at Pearl Harbor.” Also in this gallery, take time to find the Japanese Zero, the Allies' main opponent in the Pacific air war, and the most famous symbol of Japanese air power at that time. Also look at the P-40. It was the best fighter available in large numbers when the war began and has an amazing story as the aircraft used by the Flying Tigers. This was the nickname of the American Volunteer Group in China that fought against the Japanese before the United States officially entered the war. Be sure to notice other aircraft that represent American air power during the early years of the war. There’s the B-18, which was built to replace the B-10, an A-24, and a P-35 just to name a few.

• Date Taken: 12.31.1969
• Date Posted: 09.02.2015 12:15
• Category: Newscasts
• Audio ID: 41888
• Filename: 1509/DOD_102704021.mp3
• Length: 00:01:55
• Album: Museum Audio Tour
• Track #: 07
• Location: DAYTON, OHIO, US