Re: Pearl Harbor Rescue Attempts
K Murray (kmmurray@frontiernet.net)
Sat, 15 Feb 1997 23:31:26 -0800
Dave Cornelius wrote:
>
-snip-
> nature of the attack and the short time in which the Arizona sank. Many of
> those trapped, survived the sinking and were heard to be rapping distress
> signals on the hull. The last of these signals ended on Christmas day, some
> two and one-half weeks later.
>
> And now my questions. Is there any public record of any attempt made to
> rescue these trapped survivors? If not, why? If yes, were any of the
> attempts successful? If not, why? How could they be able to eventually
> salvage the guns and yet not rescue the survivors? I understand that
> several successful rescue attempts were made on the U.S.S. Oklahoma but that
> these efforts too were suspended with known survivors still trapped below
> decks. Why?
>
David -
Sorry for the delay in my reply I have been away. Both my parents had
friends directly involved at Pearl Harbor and had explained the sad
facts as follows. To rescue the trapped men in the USS Oklahoma which
had capsized. All the laws of physics were working against them. Start
cutting a whole in the upturned hull (which is not a quick process) and
the pressure is released, the water rises and unless the hole was open,
all would drown. The other problem was the cutting torches were using up
the oxygen in the hull and the trapped couldn't breathe. Either way both
problems delayed rescue until it was too late for most.
Kevin Murray
Hamlin, NY