Pearl Harbor at Howard Field

Pacific Side, Panama Canal Zone, December 7, 1941

Story Context

Date December 6–7, 1941
Location Howard Field, Panama Canal Zone
Unit 7th Reconnaissance Squadron
Aircraft Six B-17B Flying Fortresses
Bob's Rank 2nd Lt. (promoted 1st Lt. January 1942)
Mission Protect the Panama Canal

Flight Log Data

December 1941 75:00 hours (26 flights)
January 1942 45:30 hours logged
Operational Tempo Immediate wartime surge
Aircraft B-17B, A-17, P-4

Bob's flight records confirm his account: 26 flights and 75 hours in December 1941 show the immediate operational surge after Pearl Harbor, with "random patrols to protect the canal" as the Canal Zone went on war footing.

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The New Base

On the Pacific side of the Panama Canal, work had just been completed on a new infantry post and air base: Howard Field. In early December 1941, Bob's squadron—the 7th Reconnaissance, equipped with six B-17B Flying Fortresses—moved from France Field on the Atlantic side to Howard Field.

"On the Pacific side of the canal, work got finished on a new infantry post and an air base, Howard Field. On about the 2nd or 3rd of December, my squadron moved to Howard and were the only occupants."

Saturday, December 6

"On Saturday, Dec.6, all the troops that could get away, which was all save me, returned to France field for a holiday with family and friends."
"I have no idea why I was selected to remain at Howard and what I was supposed to do."

Sunday, December 7

On Sunday morning, Bob was in his BOQ room reading when the base duty officer came in with news that changed everything.

"On Sunday, 7 Dec. I was in my BOQ room reading when the base duty officer came in and told me to get moving, that the Japs had attacked Pearl Harbor and that we were at war."

"Get moving. The Japs have attacked Pearl Harbor.
We are at war."

"I still had no idea of what I could be expected to do given that I was a lone soul watching after 6 airplanes. I wandered down to the flight line and saw that it looked just the same."

The Night

"But in short order, the absentees came flying back and there was bedlam for most of the night getting the aircraft loaded with bombs and machine gun ammo."
"It was an assumption that the Japs would attack the canal if they could."

The Patrols Begin

"I believe it was the next day that we began flying random patrols covering the approach to the canal... But, of course, they didn't. Nevertheless, patrol flights continued until after I had been relieved from my assignment in Panama."
"I got promoted to 1st Lt. in Jan. and after an operation for a bleeding hemorrhoid, was reassigned to the Hqs. squadron of the Bomb Group which had been removed from the Zone, to an airstrip with significant facilities in the Republic, named Rio Hato."
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