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  USN October 28, 1941  USN October 30, 1941  USN December 7, 1941 |
Location Ford Island Seaplane Base is located on the southwestern corner of Ford Island inside Pearl Harbor. Also known as Naval Air Station Ford Island, NAS Ford Island or or Ford Island Seaplane Base. Construction As early as December 16, 1918 two seaplane ramps with two hangers were built on the northwest side of Ford Island bordering Joint Services Flying Field (later renamed Luke Field). Also known as Luke Field Amphibian Base. The seaplane base expanded to span the southwest portion of Ford Island with the construction of a large hanger. By 1941, when Ford Island was taken over by the U.S. Navy, known as NAS Pearl Harbor. American units based at Ford Island Seaplane Base (NAS Pearl Harbor) VJ-1 (JRS-1) Wartime History On December 7, 1941 the Ford Island Seaplane Base was the first target Japanese carrier planes targeted during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and Oahu. At 7:55am, D3A Val Tail EI-238 pilot Lt Cdr Takahashi released the first bomb dropped on the installation, a single Type 98 land bomb weighing 242 kg that exploded on the seaplane ramp in front of Hanger 6 at the southeastern corner of Ford Island. After the first wave, PBY-5 Catalina 2447 took off piloted by 1st Pilot LCDR Massie Hughes on scouting mission "J" to search for the Japanese fleet. In his rush to take off, Hughes was still wearing his pajamas beneath his uniform. Before take off, a photograph was taken from the Ford Island water tower showing the engines warming up near Hanger 54. This Catalina took off between the arrival of the second wave of the Japanese attack but failed to spot anything during the 8.4 hour mission. Later that same day after dark, took off on a night scouting mission "Y" of 3.3 hours and also failed to spot anything. References Abandoned & Little Known Airfields: Luke Field / NAS Pearl Harbor / Ford Island NALF Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society - Luke Field and NAS Pearl Harbor on Ford Island Aichi 99 Kanbaku 'Val' Units: 1937-42 (2008) cover artwork depicts D3A Val pilot Takahashi pages 24, 28, 96-97 Contribute
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