Staff Sgt James Anthony Donis

Enlisting in the Army Air Corps in 1940, he was posted to Oahu in January 1941 and as an Air Mechanic he was with Base Engineering at Wheeler Field when the attack took place.

The first plane to start the attack proceeded to dive towards the Base Engineering Hangar (where I was stood), the bomb was released and made a direct hit on a wood frame supply building, about 300 yards from where I was standing! I ran to an adjacent Transportation Building where P-40s were parked wing tip to wing tip, burning and exploding.

The bombing attack had destroyed most aircraft for any counter attack, and after the bombing ended the aerial strafing began, flying low over hangars and Hangar Avenue. As they flew past they were so low I could see the pilot's faces.

There was a strong response from base personnel, myself included, as we fired weapons from the balconies of the 3-storey air-base building that faced Hangar Avenue where Japanese planes passed on their strafing attack.

Items Signed by Staff Sgt James Anthony Donis

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