This Is Not a Drill: Finding Pearl Harbor Records

Sign up for the Family Tree Newsletter! Plus, you’ll receive our 10 Essential Genealogy Research Forms PDF as a special thank you.

Get Your Free Genealogy Forms

"*" indicates required fields

On December 7, 1941, the Commander in Chief of the US Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, sent this dispatch to major navy commands and fleet units: “Air raid on Pearl Harbor X This is not a drill.”

It was the first official word of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The USS Arizona was destroyed, killing 1,177 officers and crew. The USS Oklahoma capsized. About 2,400 Americans were killed.

As the number of survivors of the attack—now less than 2,000—dwindles, it’s important to understand and preserve accounts of this significant, tragic event in US history. Here are a few places to start:

The names of servicemembers and civilians who died in the attack are listed here.
The free Interactive USS Arizona Memorial on Fold3.com lets you search for a name and leave a virtual tribute, story or photograph of a crew member.
National Archives digitized records related to the Pearl Harbor attack, including military dispatches regarding the attack, photos of the aftermath and official correspondence. You also can watch the Archives’ video about US Navy deck logs, records that contain sailors’ accounts of the day’s events.
The Pearl Harbor Survivors Association has links to some of the above resources and several more.

Related Reads

4 Ways to Honor Your Military Ancestors

Whether your ancestor served in Virginia, South Carolina, Normandy or Iwo Jima, the veterans in your family have a tale worth telling. Honor military ancestors in your family with these four strategies.