On December 7th, 1941, during a two-hour sneak attack on the American Pacific Fleet anchored at Pearl Harbor, Japanese Navy pilots scored a near complete victory. Almost 85% of the American fleet was either damaged or destroyed. It was one of the most devastating losses in the history of the United States Navy. Japanese Airman Tiski Maroyama was flying a torpedo bomber that day. Leon Cole was a turret gunner on the USS Oklahoma. This is where their paths would cross on the battlefront. [Music] [Music] [Music] By June 1941, Japan has made aggressive military maneuvers into China and Southeast Asia. To be independent of Western domination, Japan needs access to the natural resources of these regions. But the United States objects to the invasions and tensions build between the two countries. The Japanese realize that war with the United States could become inevitable. With American economic and military strength, such a confrontation would overwhelm Japan's armed forces unless Japan strikes first. September 1941, Japanese carrier pilots begin training for a very special mission. One of the pilots in training is Taiski Maroyama. I was a second rank pilot then. I was 19 years old. At that time I was stationed at Kamoik base at Kagashima on Kyushu Island. The type of training I got was very basic. In a beginner's training plane at Kamoik Base in Kagashima, I did a lot of bombing training in a type 97 bomber. Kagashima Bay has a structure that is very similar to Paulo Harbor. So I got a lot of training going from Kagashima Bay to Sakula Island. Flying low and then attacking. We practiced 12 hours a day. The training was very difficult. [Music] The long-term Japanese battle plan for domination of the East includes an invasion of Thailand, Burma, Malaya, the Philippines, Singapore, and the oilrich Dutch East Indies. All that stands in the way is the American fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. For over a year, the Japanese Navy plans the attack. [Music] Sensing hostilities with Japan, the US Pacific Fleet is repositioned from its home base in San Diego to Hawaii. From May 1940, the fleet remains at Pearl Harbor as a bullwark against Japan. Aboard the battleship Oklahoma is Leon Cobb. My home state was Oklahoma. I came from Oklahoma City. My first ship was the USS Texas and I was on it aboard it one year until it was reassigned to go to the east coast. And a friend of mine who I made buddies with in the training station, he says, "I have a friend on the Oklahoma and it's supposed to be a real good ship. It has bunks. We don't have to sleep in hammocks." And I said, "Let's go." That's a ship for me. I was uh rated a gunner's mate, second class petty officer, and I was stationed in the forward 14-inch gun turret. It had three guns in it, and they were called 14 in because the diameter of the projectile was 14 in in diameter. My job in the gun turret was in the gun room. Seeing that the guns were cleaned and ready to fire. The first time I went out, it was wonderful experience. We had about 3 days in port after our maneuvers. I took my trip around the island as the others did and figured it was a beautiful paradise. But when we were permanently stationed there, it soon became tiresome. You've seen all the sites and we all looked forward to when we'll come back to the United [Music] States. In September 1941, Pearl Harbor had been the home port for the bulk of American sea power for almost a year and a half. To protect the fleet, the US Army also maintains two ground divisions. There is a continuing buildup of military personnel and weapons into the [Music] base. The air operating principally out of Hickham and Wheeler fields moves planes in to strengthen Hawaii's defenses. The planes are only used for reconnaissance since there's little fear of an air attack. After all, Japan is nearly 5,000 mi away. In readiness for war, the United States has a plan, but that plan is based on shipto- ship battles that have been waged since World War I. There is no preparation for a sea battle fought by carriers and aircraft. In this respect, the Japanese have lulled American forces into a false sense of security. From what I'd heard from men that came back from the Asiatic Fleet, they called it, they they started rotating them. And when I talked to them about the Japanese fleet, they said, "The Japanese fleet's a bunch of junk. Give us a couple of days and we can finish them off." During the first two weeks in November, while Japanese diplomats in Washington attempt to come to a negotiated solution, the Pearl Harbor Strike Force begins to gather at top secret rendevous points. By November 22nd, Admiral Isaroku Yamamoto's fleet, including six aircraft carriers, 14 surface ships, and 432 aircraft, reached their rendevous point. American intelligence, which has broken Japanese coded transmissions, notes that a large segment of the Imperial fleet is mysteriously silent. 27 submarines are sent ahead. They have been assigned to observe and report back the location of American ships. During the attack, they are to enter Pearl Harbor and sink any ships attempting to escape. Five of them are also fitted with tubes that carry miniature twoman submarines which have been specially designed for this mission. They will slip through the harbor's defense gates on suicidal torpedo missions. But the main striking power of the plan rests with a torpedo planes. Aboard the Hue. We were told that we were now a task force and our objective was Carlo Harbor.