Sell or Auction Your Pearl Harbor Diary for up to Nearly $2,126 or More at Nate D. Sanders Auctions
FREE APPRAISAL. To buy, auction, sell or consign your Pearl Harbor diary that is for sale, please email your description and photos to [email protected] of Nate D. Sanders Auctions (http://www.NateDSanders.com).
Sell Your Pearl Harbor Diary
Here is a Pearl Harbor diary from a Signalman of the USS Pennsylvania that we sold:
World War II Pearl Harbor Diary — “…Hurriedly I put on my clothing and ran outside to see the air full of 50 cal. Machine gun shells and anti-aircraft shells exploding in the air. The sky was literally full of exploding shells and diving Japanese planes. The planes they flew were carrying the Japanese insignia of the Rising Sun…”
Pearl Harbor nine page battle diary written by 3rd Class Signalman Gerald H. Conrad from the USS Pennsylvania, approximately two weeks after the 7 December 1941 attack. This personal account, handwritten in cursive, reads in part, “…At 7:55 on the morning of Dec. 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor was surprised by an attack by Japanese bomber and torpedo planes and submarines. Previous to this time they had bombed Schofield, Fort Wheeler, Fort Shafter, Honolulu, and other fields. Doing considerable damage to Hickam Field. At this time I was in bed but was awoken by exploding bombs and roaring plane motors. Someone mentioned that we were being attacked. This of course I didn’t believe as no one expected such a cowardly attack by the dirty Japs. Hurriedly I put on my clothing and ran outside to see the air full of 50 cal. Machine gun shells and anti-aircraft shells exploding in the air. The sky was literally full of exploding shells and diving Japanese planes. The planes they flew were carrying the Japanese insignia of the Rising Sun. Soon the planes had left but were back again in no time. Overhead I saw a formation of seven planes (Jap) as I watched them I saw them release as many bombs. These bombs were dropped from a very high altitude directed at our battleships which were moored to the quarries in Pearl Harbor. Soon another formation was sited high overhead. They too dropped bombs on the battleships. At this time, 3 of the 7 battleships were in flames: Oklahoma laying on her side, Arizona filling the sky with black smoke, and the West Virginia on fire, too. These ships were damaged heavily and sunk to the bottom with the super structure showing…The ships that were sunk are as follows: Utah — total loss, California, West Virginia, Arizona — total loss, Oklahoma, Nevada, Oglala — total loss, Cassina — total loss, Downes — total loss, Shaw — total loss…Every effort is being made to raise the sunken ships except the ones marked total loss. The Arizona burned for 36 hours before they could get her out. Thousands of lives were lost, how many hasn’t as yet been disclosed for sure. Last report I heard was 2,800. I have every reason to believe there is many more…As soon as the Secretary of the Navy heard of the tragedy here, he came to inspect the damage. Ten days later Admiral Kimmel was relieved of the CINC [Commander-in-Chief] and reduced to the rank of Rear Admiral. Admiral Rye Commander of Battleships is CINC now until Admiral Nimitz arrives here to take command of the U.S. Fleet as CINCUS…These Commanders were relieved of their command due to the fact that they were not on the alert else this mighty tragedy might not have occurred. The Island of Oahu is under Marshall Law since the air-raid. Liberty is from 9 in the morning until 5 at night. No alcoholic beverages whatsoever are being sold. Since Dec. 7 we have blackouts every night. All car lights are painted blue and windows in buildings are painted…Two Japanese submarines have been raised that were sunk by our ships. They are at the Sub Base. One is approximately 75 feet in length. The other a small one which was manned by two men. I watched them raise it in Pearl Harbor and saw them take the dead Jap out. Two weeks in his pig boat on the bottom did him no good…Have had blackouts all nite, every nite for 17 days. Was reported that Japanese landed on Wake yesterday. We will get them, every one…” Diary, measuring 5.25″ x 8″, was manufactured by the U.S. Government printing office and is in very good condition. Includes typed transcription of the diary account, as well as four family photos and several “copy” photos of the Signal Tower at Pearl Harbor where Gerald was stationed during the actual attack, a couple “copy” documents (Census records and military transfers) and miscellaneous research material. An excellent, detailed first-hand account. Sold for $2,126.
FREE APPRAISAL. To buy, auction, sell or consign your Pearl Harbor diary that is for sale, please email your description and photos to [email protected] of Nate D. Sanders Auctions (http://www.NateDSanders.com).
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