<P> As the first wave approached Oahu, it was detected by the U.S. Army SCR - 270 radar at Opana Point near the island's northern tip . This post had been in training mode for months, but was not yet operational . The operators, Privates George Elliot Jr. and Joseph Lockard, reported a target . But Lieutenant Kermit A. Tyler, a newly assigned officer at the thinly manned Intercept Center, presumed it was the scheduled arrival of six B - 17 bombers from California . The Japanese planes were approaching from a direction very close (only a few degrees difference) to the bombers, and while the operators had never seen a formation as large on radar, they neglected to tell Tyler of its size . Tyler, for security reasons, could not tell the operators of the six B - 17s that were due (even though it was widely known). </P> <P> As the first wave planes approached Oahu, they encountered and shot down several U.S. aircraft . At least one of these radioed a somewhat incoherent warning . Other warnings from ships off the harbor entrance were still being processed or awaiting confirmation when the attacking planes began bombing and strafing . Nevertheless, it is not clear any warnings would have had much effect even if they had been interpreted correctly and much more promptly . The results the Japanese achieved in the Philippines were essentially the same as at Pearl Harbor, though MacArthur had almost nine hours warning that the Japanese had already attacked Pearl Harbor . </P> <P> The air portion of the attack began at 7: 48 a.m. Hawaiian Time (3: 18 a.m. December 8 Japanese Standard Time, as kept by ships of the Kido Butai), with the attack on Kaneohe . A total of 353 Japanese planes in two waves reached Oahu . Slow, vulnerable torpedo bombers led the first wave, exploiting the first moments of surprise to attack the most important ships present (the battleships), while dive bombers attacked U.S. air bases across Oahu, starting with Hickam Field, the largest, and Wheeler Field, the main U.S. Army Air Forces fighter base . The 171 planes in the second wave attacked the Army Air Forces' Bellows Field near Kaneohe on the windward side of the island, and Ford Island . The only aerial opposition came from a handful of P - 36 Hawks, P - 40 Warhawks, and some SBD Dauntless dive bombers from the carrier Enterprise . </P> <P> In the first wave attack, about eight of the forty - nine 800 kg (1760 lb) armor - piercing bombs dropped hit their intended battleship targets . At least two of those bombs broke up on impact, another detonated before penetrating an unarmored deck, and one was a dud . Thirteen of the forty torpedoes hit battleships, and four torpedoes hit other ships . Men aboard U.S. ships awoke to the sounds of alarms, bombs exploding, and gunfire, prompting bleary - eyed men to dress as they ran to General Quarters stations . (The famous message, "Air raid Pearl Harbor . This is not drill .", was sent from the headquarters of Patrol Wing Two, the first senior Hawaiian command to respond .) The defenders were very unprepared . Ammunition lockers were locked, aircraft parked wingtip to wingtip in the open to prevent sabotage, guns unmanned (none of the Navy's 5 "/ 38s, only a quarter of its machine guns, and only four of 31 Army batteries got in action). Despite this low alert status, many American military personnel responded effectively during the attack . Ensign Joe Taussig Jr., aboard Nevada, commanded the ship's antiaircraft guns and was severely wounded, but continued to be on post . Lt. Commander F.J. Thomas commanded Nevada in the captain's absence and got her under way until the ship was grounded at 9: 10 a.m. One of the destroyers, Aylwin, got underway with only four officers aboard, all ensigns, none with more than a year's sea duty; she operated at sea for 36 hours before her commanding officer managed to get back aboard . Captain Mervyn Bennion, commanding West Virginia, led his men until he was cut down by fragments from a bomb which hit Tennessee, moored alongside . </P>

Where were our aircraft carriers during pearl harbor