Pearl Harbor Survivors Association
Rio Grande Valley of Texas Chapter 11

Ray Reiland's Story

I reached the fleet in July, 1941 after having spent three months in basic training and three more in electrical and fire control trade school. Fire control is in the gunnery department and has to do with the directing and control of guns. Though I wanted to be an electrician, my first opportunity appeared to be in fire control, so I joined the "F" Division and became a fire control "striker" (apprentice). This is why I had a battle station on December 7, 1941, with a view of much of what was happening.

The U.S.S. Raleigh, my ship, was moored alongside Ford Island forward of the Utah and astern of the Detroit. We had watched many ships come into port the past few days and I remember thinking that my first Christmas with the fleet looked like it would be quite pleasant

On the morning of December 7, 1941, I was on the quarter deck waiting for 0800 hours when liberty was to begin. I was planning to go ashore and go to church. About 0755 we saw a low flying plane approaching the ship. We were not alarmed because Army pilots seemed to love to buzz Navy ships. Then we saw the plane drop something in the water and in a moment we saw the large red rising suns painted on the wings. Very near where I was standing a torpedo struck our ship on the port (left) side. Later we learned this flooded the forward engine room. The ship raised up about a foot. Water and a fish were thrown up on deck getting me very wet. The Officer of the Deck ordered General Quarters. I was frightened, but I said a quick prayer of contrition and did as I was trained and ran to my battle station. It was forward on the starboard (right) side opposite the bridge out over the water. I could see all the battleships, Ford Island, (Navy Air Station), and most of the harbor. The Arizona was ablaze and it was to burn for days. Dive bombers were attacking everywhere. Most of them attacked the battleships, but some came across Ford Island and attacked us. We watched six or seven bombs, one at a time, slant right at us from the starboard side. I thought for sure this was the end for me. We thought surely one of them would hit the ship. All were close, but passed harmlessly over us. Twelve minutes after the attack started, the Utah astern of us started to capsize. It rolled slowly away from shore toward the channel. I could see sailors run up the tilting deck climb over the rails and then run down the side and bottom to jump in the water and swim to Ford Island. I had plenty of opportunity to watch because my job was to aim the altimeter at planes, but they were so low we could see the pilots and finding an altitude was useless and impossible. Early in the attack, the destroyer Monaghan got underway. We cheered mightily as she passed us as we did for all ships that could go to sea where they could do some good. Soon there was more reason to cheer. The Monaghan rammed, depth charged and sank a midget sub. We could not comprehend how a nation would send people on suicide missions as these were nor could we understand why men would be honored to do it.

Back on the Raleigh, one of the dive bombers was able to hit us in the after part of the ship. The bomb went through several decks, the fuel tanks, and the bottom side of the ship. Some say the bomb exploded in the mud. I didn't think it exploded. Parts of it were found in the fuel tanks indicating that it was really an armor piercing shell with fins on it. We thought it was intended for a battleship with thick armor and we did not have enough armor to set it off. We felt much blessed by this because the bomb narrowly missed the after powder magazine. The sky was full of planes, glowing tracers, shell bursts and smoke. Although most of the shots were misses, some found their mark and a plane would burst into flames and spin out of control until it crashed. There was always a great cheer when a plane was hit. The Raleigh was credited with five assists, one of which shot the tail off a plane that passed astern of us.

We felt a strong bond between all ship mates and indeed with all navy people. We cheered every ship that was able to get under way and they cheered back as they went past us on the way out to sea. We hoped they could do something to avenge the Japanese sneak attack. This was not to be the case, but at least they were not helpless like we were.

The Raleigh was struggling to stay afloat throughout the attack and all day and night. The torpedo had made a hole about eight feet in diameter in the side of the ship. The forward engine room flooded and the ship listed to port. Later the bomb made a small hole in the port side letting water and black tar like oil fill the lower decks. The crew was ordered to jettison every thing possible from the port side to lighten it. Boat davits, torpedo tubes, aircraft launcher, searchlights, altimeter, anything that could be loosened was thrown overboard. Then the ship listed to starboard. We did the same thing on the starboard side, throwing everything we could get loose overboard there. We stood by to abandon ship but it stayed afloat. Later some large floats were brought out and cables passed under the hull to help keep the ship up.

After the attack was over we could see the superstructures of the Arizona, Maryland, Tennessee, West Virginia and California. The Oklahoma had capsized and later men were let out of a hole cut in the bottom. The Nevada got underway, but was beached at Waipio Point. Smoke was coming from the Arizona. The West Virginia, California and Arizona rested on the bottom of the forty foot deep harbor. The Maryland and The Tennessee were trapped inboard of the Oklahoma and the West Virginia respectively. They were protected from torpedoes, but were hit with bombs.

Those of us who were topside were issued WWl rifles in case of any follow-up attack. The compartment where I slept was flooded so I slept on a life jacket in the after gun mount that night.

The day after the attack, tapping sounds were heard from the hull of the Utah which had capsized. The Utah was astern of the Raleigh. A ship fitter from our ship cut a hole in the bottom of the Utah and rescued a man who had been trapped there. We thought that was amazing and heartwarming and one of the really good things to happen. We were anxious to tell our families and friends back home that we were OK.

At first we were given a post card with several things typed on it. Our only option was to cross out the things that did not apply. All that was left on my card was "I am well." From that time on our mail had to be censored by officers. We did not have to put postage on mail just write free where the stamp was to go. Our return address was in care of the Fleet Postmaster San Francisco from then on. It was difficult at first to know someone else read our letters, but gradually we realized it was for our own protection and it became easier.

The Raleigh eventually got into dry dock in Pearl Harbor. The holes in the hull were repaired and the bottom was cleaned and repainted. All the things that were thrown overboard were retrieved and put back in place. I thought this was no small feat in itself. We were able to go back stateside under our own power with only one engine room and two screws (propellers). In the Mare Island Navy Yard, we were overhauled and fitted with many new anti-aircraft guns with armor shields around them. In about six months we were at sea again convoying ships back and forth between the states and Hawaii. Next we were sent to the Aleutians. We spent the winter there searching all over for Japanese ships but did not find any. Each day began and ended with General Quarters. I was transferred from the Raleigh at sea in a breeches buoy and never saw her again. Several years ago I was visiting with a former Navy man who said he saw the Raleigh get sunk by a kamikaze plane which hit it in the starboard side amidships.

Later in the war I served on a special type of ship that was made to support amphibious landings. This tiny ship could fire 120 five inch rockets in four seconds, spray the beach with twenty and forty millimeter shells and get away in a hurry. These "Mighty Midgets" as they were called, earned a fine reputation. They were also used on picket duty along with a Destroyer or other large ship. They shot down many kamikaze planes that tried to crash into the larger ships. They were called LCS (L)'s for Landing Craft Support. They also made smoke to hide other ships in harbors. We supported several landings on small islands near Okinawa. At the end of the war we were sent to Japan where we participated in the occupation of Japan. The Japanese people treated us very well. Japan was a thoroughly beaten country with a poor economy. Now that has really changed. I hope we can somehow manage to get our own economy as healthy as theirs someday. Ray Reiland

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