Photo By Justice Vannatta | Former Pearl Harbor Navy Yard Electrician Lewis Walters, a worker who was present...... read more read more
As we recognize the 75th commemoration of the Battle of Midway, we are reminded of the civilian and military men and women that worked for the Navy Yard at Pearl Harbor throughout the demanding days of World War II. Seventy-five years after the June 4-7, 1942 Battle of Midway, we honor that earlier workforce by acknowledging the importance of their contribution to our Nation’s maritime mission and security. After the Pearl Harbor attacks, in the midst of anticipating further attacks, the United States Navy forged a plan of redemption to swiftly repair as many of its wounded ships as possible. Eighteen of 21 ships damaged on December 7 were eventually returned to the fight. One of the most famous ship repairs took place in late May, 1942, when the Navy Yard’s workforce was ordered to repair USS Yorktown (CV-5), which had been badly damaged at the Battle of the Coral Sea. It was essential that Yorktown join USS Enterprise (CV-6) and USS Hornet (CV-8) to spring a trap on the Imperial Japanese Navy’s huge armada near the Midway Atoll. Working around the clock to complete three months of repairs in only three days, the Pearl Harbor shipyarders enabled the American victory at Midway that would change World War II in the Pacific, and ultimately history itself.
Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermedia Maintenance Facility’s public affairs office had the privilege of interviewing one of the workers who was there during the December 7 attacks and to help repair Yorktown before its fateful date with destiny. With great honor and gratitude, we introduce Mr. Lewis Walters, Code 950 Electrician Mechanic, now 92 years old. Walters proudly worked as an electrician in Bldg. 214 for 39 years, from June 1941 to May 1982. Drafted into the Army, he also served on active duty 1944-1945. This is his story.
Where were you on the morning of the December 1941 attack on the Navy Yard at Pearl Harbor? We were at my family’s house in Honolulu, when I heard that Pearl was being attacked. We all went outside to look towards the base and we seen the Japanese planes flying over us. They were flying so low you could see the red circle flag on their tails.
Can you please take us through the series of events that happened after that fateful morning? We were driving into work early in the morning towards Nimitz gate the day after the attacks. There was fire and smoke everywhere. Bodies everywhere. When we got to Dry Dock #1, the base commander told us to start helping gather all of the bodies. A group of us was helping to take the bodies out of the water and later they were transported, tagged and stored in Shop 31.
Your father is George Walters, the famous crane operator that helped protect our ships from being attacked in the dry dock. Did you talk to your father that morning, before the attacks?
No, I didn’t. He was working on the day of the attacks and I didn’t see him until the next day. I didn’t hear of his heroic acts until much later. Our family was very proud of our father after we heard what he’d done.
Rear Adm. Aubrey Fitch, Task Force 11 commander, who was aboard USS Yorktown as it limped back to Pearl Harbor after being badly damaged in the Battle of the Coral Sea, estimated that repairs of the ship would take 90 days. What was your immediate reaction when the Navy Yard received orders from Adm. Chester W. Nimitz, Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet to get Yorktown repaired in only three days? Overwhelmed, but totally motivated to complete the job. We knew that Adm. Nimitz wanted Yorktown battle ready, so everyone was working 16-hour shifts, around the clock, and didn’t leave Pearl for those days until the job was done. We found places to sleep around the Shipyard. Everyone was sharing food that the civilian families had brought.
How important was Pearl Harbor’s workforce in repairing USS Yorktown?
Very important. It’s because of the hard workers that we were able to get York-town war ready and sent off to the Battle of Midway, which was the battle that changed WWII. We were still working on the ship as it left Oahu. We stayed on the Yorktown until Kauai, as we were throwing staging off the side of the ship. We later jumped onto tugboats that were following Yorktown to get us back home.
What was the reaction of the Navy Yard’s workforce upon receiving news that USS Yorktown was instrumental in the win at the Battle of Midway?
We didn’t find out about the battle being won until a week later. It was bittersweet, because we won the battle, but we were working side-by-side with the ship’s workforce to get Yorktown repaired and running. When we found out the Japanese had sunk the ship, we realized we lost everyone on board and we were all extremely sad.
How important is Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard’s workforce to our overall mission today?
They’re invaluable every day, especially at a time of war; there is no sacrifice too big. It’s because of the Pearl Harbor workers that the ships and subs are able to help defend our country. I would say that’s pretty important.
| Date Taken: | 06.01.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 12.03.2021 17:31 |
| Story ID: | 410441 |
| Location: | PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII, US |
| Hometown: | PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII, US |
| Web Views: | 256 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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