Eyewitness Report of James W. Clark, Gm2/c
Just prior to 0800 on the morning of December 7th, 1941 I was gazing out of a starboard porthole on my ship, the USS Utah. As a member of the ship's baseball team I was concerned with what the weather would be like that day.Looking in the direction of Ford Island I noticed smoke rising into the air and heard the sound of
explosions. Looking up, I saw Jap planes bombing Ford Island. Almost simultaneously a torpedo hit the ship on the port side.A Gunnery Officer, Lieutenant Hauck, came by and said "lets go down below and check water
tight doors." We went and saw that everything was secure. We also saw water coming down the passageway and decided we should get out of there.We went up two flights of stairs. At the next flight of stairs guys were congregating on the
stairway. We needed to get out of there because the ship was listing 35 degrees by then and at that time I was feeling frustrated. I knew that something bad was going to happen. The reason the men were crowding the stairway was because had they left the ladder, they would have become exposed to machine gun fire. Finally, the ladder was cleared and the ship was really listing by that time, and I had about fortyfeet to go out and get off the ship. I hit the deck running. I noticed that the gangway, and boat materials, fenders and other loose objects were breaking loose and falling from the side of the ship.I grabbed a beam in the overhead and at that time the water pushed me up against the overhead.
I estimated that I had 15 to 20 feet to go and swam underwater until I estimated I had gone that distance.When I came up I was covered with oil all over, especially my hands, face and eyes. So I was
picked up by one of our boats and carried to the dispensary to get my face cleaned up and get the oil washed from my eyes.Then we commenced assembling machine guns and ammunition. I was a Gunners Mate and that
was down my line. We got an assembly line going and ammo belts ready for distribution to any functioning gun crews.After the attack I was sent to the USS Vestal, one of the Base Force Ships for food and bunking
for the night. After dark I was on gun watch and was wearing the phones and word came down that unidentified planes were approaching. Amid the chatter on the ships phone lines, then they changed it and said friendlyplanes were approaching. "Do not fire. Do not fire" were the words heard amid the chatter onthe sound powered phone lines.Evidently some gun crews were not connected to the phones and I noticed across the bay off the California they were firing at a plane. I could see tracer bullets were very close to my gun station. I touched my partner and told him to lay low on deck. After that I got off watch and turned in. We did not get much sleep that night.
[Ed. Note: Apparently the incident described by James occurred when the planes from the USS Enterprise attempted to land at Ford Island the evening of December 7th]
The next morning we go word that planes were coming in from the "States" early in the morning. I believe they were B17's.
[Ed. Note: The following is an extract from James Clark's service record dated February 5, 1942.]
AG16/P17-2-MM(180) USS UTAH 00/Wr
Pearl Harbor, T. H.
February 5, 1942
From: The Commanding Officer
To: The Commandant FOURTEENTH Naval District.
Subject CLARK, James W., 356 02 84, GM2c, USN. -Advancement in rating for Meritorious Conduct in Battle.
Reference: (a) Combasefor Second Endorsement to Lt. Comdr. S. S. Isquith's Recommendations for advancement for Meritorious Conduct. Fo;e [17-2/MM/(586), OF Feb. 4, 1942.
Enclosure: (A) Copy of reference (a)
1. Enclosure (A) is forwarded herewith for necessary action. Subject named man was Transferred to the FOURTEENTH Naval District for duty in the Salvage Detail on December 20, 1941.
2. Reference (a) authorized the advancement of CLARK, James W. from Gunner's mate second class to gunner's mate first class, effective February 1, 1942, for meritorious conduct in battle, as a result of the following commendation of the Commanding Officer, USS UTAH;
"CLARK, James W. GM2c., USN remained with Lieutenant P. H. Hauck, USN, closing water-tight doors and hatches in forward lower compartments, at great risk, until driven out by inflow of water and ordered out by Lieutenant Hauck, CLARK being among the last to leave the ship."
3. It is requested that this advancement in rating be made and suitable entry be made in CLARK's service record.
J. F. WARRIS