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JOURNAL of DONALD ANDERSON, USN

DECEMBER, 1941

Below is the journal my father kept during the pre-war years of 1941/42. I found it in his effects after his death in April of 1998, along with a series of photos that he took during that time period. I am publishing this account on the Web because it is a wonderful way to get to know the man who was my father, and the hundreds of men like him who manned the ships known as Four Stackers. Words in black type are transcribed directly from the journal. Where I deem it useful and appropriate I will include background data in other colors, and photos from his collection.

December 1, 1941 Monday
On patrol off of Ecuador

December 2, 1941 Tuesday
On patrol off of Ecuador

WAR NEWS BULLETIN: United States merchant ship DUNBOYNE receives first Naval Armed Guard crew.

December 3, 1941 Wednesday
On patrol off of Ecuador

WAR NEWS BULLETIN: United States merchant vessel SAGADAHOC is sunk by torpedo in South Atlantic.

December 4, 1941 Thursday
Enroute to Balboa from Patrol

December 5, 1941 Friday
Arrived in Balboa - fueled and moved to repair dock to supply ship.

WAR NEWS BULLETIN: Today, Japan assured the United States that her troop movements in French Indochina are only precautionary.

December 6, 1941 Saturday
At repair dock taking on supplies and having minor repairs made. Payday - went ashore today.

December 7, 1941 Sunday
At dock all day. Liberty party called back aboard at 5 o'clock. Made preparations to get underway. Word arrived that Pearl Harbor was bombed. Got underway about 10 o'clock tonight.

A FOUR-STACKER'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE FIGHT AT PEARL HARBOR WAR NEWS BULLETIN: This morning, at 0800 local time, Japanese carrier-based horizontal bombers, dive bombers, torpedo bombers, and fighters totaling 360 aircraft from naval Striking Force, under the command of Vice Admiral Nagumo, heavily attacked ships of the United States Pacific Fleet and military installations at Pearl harbor and other places on Oahu, Territory of Hawaii. Four battleships, 1 minelayer, and 1 target ship have been sunk; 4 battleships, 3 cruisers, 3 destroyers, 1 seaplane tender, and 1 repair ship were damaged. Navy Yard and Naval Base, Pearl Harbor; Naval Air Station, Ford Island; Naval Patrol Plane Station, Kaneohe; Marine Corps airfield, Ewa; Army airfields Hickam, Wheeler, and Bellows were damaged; 188 Naval and Army aircraft were destroyed.

Below is the toll of US personnel killed or missing:
Navy............2,004
Marine Corps......108
Army..............222

Wounded:
Navy..............912
Marine Corps.......75
Army..............360
The Japanese lost 5 midget submarines, 28 aircraft, and fewer than 100 men in the attacks.
Midway Island was bombarded by two Japanese destroyers. President Roosevelt ordered mobilization of all available military units and reserves. The Japanese declaration of war reached Washington, D. C. after the attacks had concluded.
The following United States naval vessels were sunk on this date by air attack in Pearl Harbor:
Battleship OKLAHOMA (BB-37)*****
Battleship ARIZONA (BB-39)*****
Battleship CALIFORNIA (BB-44)
Battleship WEST VIRGINA (BB-48)
Minelayer OGALA (CM-4)
Target ship UTAH (AG-16)*****
***** Designates ships that were never raised. All others were salvaged and returned to service.
United States naval vessels damaged, Pearl Harbor:
Battleship NEVADA (BB-36).
Battleship PENNSYLVANIA (BB-38).
Battleship TENNESSEE (BB-43).
Battleship MARYLAND (BB-46).
Light cruiser RALEIGH (CL-7).
Light cruiser HONOLULU (CL-48).
Light cruiser HELENA (CL-50).
Destroyer CASSIN (DD-372).
Destroyer SHAW (DD-373).
Destroyer DOWNES (DD-375).
Seaplane tender CURTISS (AV-4).
Repair ship VESTAL (AR-4).

Japanese naval vessels lost, Pearl Harbor attack:
5 midget submarines.

December 8, 1941 Monday
On patrol headed South off the coast of Equador. Foggy, rainy weather.

WAR NEWS BULLETIN: Today the United States declared war on Japan.
The Striking Force, Asiatic Fleet, under Rear Admiral W. A. Glassford departed Iloilo, Phillipine Islands, for Makassar Strait, Netherlands East Indies.
The US River gunboat WAKE (PR-3), surrendered to Japanese at Shanghai after an attempt to scuttle her failed. She was the only United States ship to surrender during the war.
The Potomac River Naval Command with its headquarters at Washington,D. C., and Severn River Naval Command with its headquarters at Annapolis, Md., were established today.
The S.S. PRESIDENT HARRISON, while en route to evacuate Marines from Chingwangtao, China, ran aground at Sha Wai Shan, China, and was captured by the Japanese.
Japanese aircraft, in widely scattered operations, today bombed Guam, Wake, Hong Kong, Singapore, and the Philippine Islands.
Extensive damage was inflicted on United States Army aircraft at Clark Field, Luzon, Phillipine Islands.
The Japanese landed forces on Bataan Island, north of Luzon, in the Phillipines, and on the east coast of the Malay Peninsula.
Japan interned all United States Marines and nationals at Shanghai and Tientsin, China.

United States naval vessel sunk on this date:
Minesweeper PENGUIN (AM-33), by horizontal bomber, Guam, in the Marianas Islands.

December 9, 1941 Tuesday
note in margin of journal:**W. Va. or Okla. sunk**
Received word that war had been declared on Japan at 4:10 PM - Dec. 8th. Still on patrol standing Cond. II watches. Weather is very rainy and bad.

WAR NEWS BULLETIN:
Today the Japanese occupied Bangkok, Thailand.
Japanese troops landed on Tarawa and Makin, in the Gilbert Islands.
China today declared war on Japan, Germany, and Italy.

December 10, 1941 Wednesday
On patrol off Ecuador. Picked up raft with British flag flying on it today. No one was in the raft. Cond. III in daytime - Cond. II at night.

WAR NEWS BULLETIN:
The British battleship PRINCE OF WALES and battlecruiser REPULSE were sunk today by Japanese naval air attack near Kuantan, Malaya.
The Cavite Navy Yard, Phillipine Islands, was heavily damaged today by enemy air attack.
United States naval vessels damaged at Cavite, Phillipine Islands.
Destroyer PEARY (DD-226), by horizontal bomber.
Submarine SEADRAGON (SS-194), by horizontal bomber.
Submarine SEALION (SS-195), by horizontal bomber.
Minesweeper BITTERN (AM-36), by horizontal bomber.

The forces holding Guam surrendered to the Japanese landing force.
Today Japanese troops landed on Camiguin Island and at Gonzaga and Aparri, Luzon, Phillipine Islands.
Japanese naval vessels sunk on this date:
Submarine I-170, by US carrier-based aircraft, Hawaian Islands area, 23 d. 45' N., 155 d. 35' W.
Minesweeper No. 10, by US Army aircraft, Philippine Islands area, 17 d. 32' N., 120 d. 22' E.
Minesweeper No. 19, damaged by US Army aircraft and grounded by own forces (total loss), Philippine Islands area, 18 d. 22, N., 121 d. 38'. E.

December 11, 1941 Thursday
On patrol. Haven't seen any ships yet. Weather is cool and rainy. REPULSE and PRINCE OF WALES sunk yesterday.

WAR NEWS BULLETIN:
Germany and Italy today declared war on the United States.
The United States declared war today on Germany and Italy.
US Marines on Wake Island repulsed a Japanese landing attempt and sank two enemy destroyers.
Japanese amphibious forces today made landings at Legaspi, Luzon, Phillipine Islands.
Japanese naval vessels sunk at Wake Island:
Destroyer HAYATE, by Marine shore batteries.
Destroyer KISARAGI, by Marine aircraft.

December 12, 1941 Friday
On patrol - rained nearly all day today.

WAR NEWS BULLETIN: The United States today established the Naval Air Transport Service (NATS).

December 13, 1941 Saturday
On patrol. Thought we saw periscope this AM, but it turned out to be a black fish. Sighted British Merchantman today. Belted all .50 Caliber A.A. Shells - 20,000 rounds.

WAR NEWS BULLETIN: Japanese planes attacked the Subic Bay area and airfield in the Philippine Islands today.

December 14, 1941 Sunday
On patrol. PBY came out today. Had 8-12 watch and slept all afternoon.

WAR NEWS BULLETIN: The Wake Island Relief Expedition, under Rear Admiral F. J. Fletcher, set sail from Pearl Harbor, Oahu, T. H.

December 15, 1941 Monday
Sighted land today. heading for Balboa at 25 knots. Put in chit for Aviation Pilot training.

WAR NEWS BULLETIN:
Patrol Wing 10 departs Philippine Islands for Netherlands East Indies.
Kahului, Maui, T. H., is shelled by Japanese submarine.
United States naval vessels sunk on this date:
PT-33, damaged by grounding and sunk by United States forces, Philippine Islands area, 13 d. 46' N., 120 d. 40' E.

December 16, 1941 Tuesday
Arrived in Balboa today. Fueled and provisioned. Had duty today. Wrote Rose and Doris tonight.

December 17, 1941 Wednesday
In Balboa at Pier 8. Went ashore tonight.

December 18, 1941 Thursday
In Balboa at Pier 8. Went ashore tonight.

WAR NEWS BULLETIN:
The US State Department today announced that Rear Admiral F. J. Horne and the French High Commissioner at Martinique, French West Indies, Admiral Robert, have reached an agreement neutralizing French Caribbean possessions.
Congress today passed the First War Powers Act.
Japanese naval vessel sunk on this date:
Destroyer SHINONOME, by mine, Miri, Borneo.

December 19, 1941 Friday
In Balboa at Pier 8. Had duty today.

December 20, 1941 Saturday
In Balboa. Fueled ship and got underway. Don't know where we are going yet.

December 21, 1941 Sunday
On patrol in Panama Bay. Patrolling from Cape Malo to opposite shore around Perlas Islands.

December 22, 1941 Monday
On patrol. Condition II all day today. Gas masks and Helmets issued today.

December 23, 1941 Tuesday
On patrol in Panama Bay. Went into degaussing range and then to Balboa to fuel and supply and get underway again. heading for Punta Arenas, Costa Rica.

WAR NEWS BULLETIN:
Wake Island, which has been subjected to prolonged enemy bombing, today surrendered to the Japanese invasion force. The United States Relief Expedition was recalled while still 425 miles from Wake.

December 24, 1941 Wednesday
On patrol enroute to Punta Arenas. Condition II at all times now.

December 25, 1941 Thursday
Christmas Day - Anchored at Punta Arenas at 0830 - No liberty. Had a swell Christmas Dinner today.

WAR NEWS BULLETIN:
Today Admiral T. C. Hart turned over all remaining naval forces in the Philippine Islands to Rear Admiral F. W. Rockwell; Admiral Hart departed in submarine for Java to establish new headquarters of Asiatic Fleet.
The British today surrendered Hong Kong.
The Japanese landed at Jolo, Phillipine Islands.
United States naval vessels sunk on this date:
Submarine SEALION (SS-195), damaged 10 December 1941, Cavite, Phillipine Islands, was sunk by United States forces.

December 26, 1941 Friday
Got underway with 9 tuna boats. Had trouble with one and McOwen, Clarke, Ski and Cunningham went aboard to bring her back to Balboa.

WAR NEWS BULLETIN:
Manila, Phillipine Islands, was today declared an open city, but enemy bombing continued.

December 27, 1941 Saturday
Enroute to Balboa with fishing boats. Hotter than Hell today - up to about 153 degrees - the highest.

December 28, 1941 Sunday
Enroute to Balboa with fishing boats. Hot again today.

December 29, 1941 Monday
Went into Balboa with Tuna boats and tied up to GOFF. Changed 44 "fish" in P.T. boats tonight.

WAR NEWS BULLETIN:
Today,Corregidor, in the Phillipine Islands, was bombed for first time by Japanese aircraft.
United States naval vessels damaged:
Submarine tender CANOPUS (AS-9), by horizontal bomber, Philippine Islands area, 14 d. 25' N., 120 d. 20' e.

December 30, 1941 Tuesday
Payday today. Went ashore about 1 o'clock.

December 31, 1941 Wednesday
Got underway at noon today to be out of port on New Year's Eve.

WAR NEWS BULLETIN:
Today, Admiral Chester W. Nimitz assumed command of the US Pacific Fleet.
Japanese submarines shelled the islands of Kauai, Maui, and Hawaii.

LOCATION OF USS BARRY, DECEMBER 1941

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