Posted at the right is the amazing story of Roy and Martin Vitousek, two Honolulu natives who decided one morning to take a friendly father-and-son flight over the neighboring naval base:
“Curiously enough, the Vitouseks, at that unforgettable moment in history – 7:55 A.M. of December 7, 1941 – were virtually alone in realizing that Pearl Harbor was under enemy attack. On the ground, others sought some reasonable explanation; they thought it was a sham battle that had tragically gone awry. Unsure what to do, the Vitouseks flew in circles over the battle area, as the attack increased in tempo. A dozen planes swept down from the mountains, while others bored in from the west. Parked aircraft and the big hangars at Hickam Field exploded in balls of fire… One by one the ships lurched, mortally hit:
Arizona, Oklahoma, Utah…”
