This collection was compiled by Russ E. Pasewalk who was on the USS Tennessee (BB-43) in Pearl Harbor during the attack. He had enlisted in the Navy about six years prior, joining shortly after his high school graduation. After the attack he remained in Pearl Harbor until late December then sailed to the West Coast of the United States serving on various ships through 1942 including the USS Pennsylvania (BB-38)and the USS Tennessee (BB-43). The collection is primarily about his time on these ships.

The USS Tennessee (BB-43) was one of the eight battleships present during the attack on Pearl Harbor. She received two bomb hits, both on gun turrets. After being trapped at her berth for ten days, the Tennessee sailed to Puget Sound in late December. Once receiving permanent repairs in the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Washington, the Tennessee operated on the US West Coast through August 1942.

The USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) was another of the battleships which received bomb hits during the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Pennsylvania was in dry dock during the attack and therefore incurred only slight damage. On December 20, 1941 Pennsylvania sailed for San Francisco and operated along the US West Coast throughout 1942.  

This collection consists of early reports by the compiler of the collection, Russ E. Pasewalk, of the Dec. 7, 1941 Japanese attack of Pearl Harbor and the days immediately after, a Sept. 4, 1941 memo on incendiary bombs, and information sheets from the USS Tennessee (BB-43), and Pennsylvania (BB-38).

Narrative of events contains references to Russell Pasewalk’s wife, Ellen, from Los Angeles.    

For more on this collection, see our Descriptive Finding Guide.