Over 80 years ago, the United States suffered a surprise attack at Pearl Harbor that would launch the country into World War II and on to the global stage. It was a day that will live in infamy, according to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and it is considered one of the most pivotal days in this nation’s history. (These are the World War II battles that had the most casualties, every major battle ranked.)
The surprise strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy was expected to prevent the U.S. Pacific fleet from interfering with planned military actions throughout Southeast Asia. However, this attack would instead provoke the U.S. Navy to launch a campaign of its own against the Japanese, which would ultimately precipitate the end of the war. Here, 24/7 Wall St. is taking a closer look at the battle and what naval vessels were present.
To identify the warships and submarines that fought in the Battle of Pearl Harbor, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed a catalog of naval vessels from Military Factory, an online database of arms, vehicles and aircraft. We ordered these warships and submarines chronologically. We included supplemental information regarding type, armament, speed, displacement, and aircraft for each vessel.
Prior to this attack, the United States was fairly undecided about its involvement in the war. However, within a day of the attack on Pearl Harbor and having heard of the destruction and loss of life, Congress and the population at large had decided that there was no other way forward.
Although this attack initially seemed like a tactical victory for Japan, it would wake a sleeping giant. (These are the most important events of World War II: a timeline.)
Here is a look at all of the ships and submarines that fought the Battle of Pearl Harbor:
Why Are We Covering This?
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
The attack on Pearl Harbor was one of the defining moments in American history. It serves as a powerful reminder of the devastation of war and the unpredictable consequences of military aggression.
USS Utah
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Dreadnought battleship
- Year introduced: 1911
- Top speed: 24.2 mph
- Displacement: 25,400 tons
- Armament: 300mm main guns, 127mm guns, 530mm torpedo tubes
- Aircraft: N/A
IJN Hiei
Source: Public domain via Wikimedia commons
- Type: Cruiser
- Year introduced: 1914
- Top speed: 34.5 mph
- Displacement: 37,200 tons
- Armament: 356mm main guns, 152mm guns, 127mm dual-purpose guns, 25mm anti-aircraft guns, 530mm torpedo tubes
- Aircraft: 2 navy floatplanes
IJN Kirishima
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Cruiser
- Year introduced: 1915
- Top speed: 34.5 mph
- Displacement: 37,200 tons
- Armament: 356mm main guns, 152mm guns, 127mm dual-purpose guns, 25mm anti-aircraft guns
- Aircraft: 3 navy floatplanes
USS Arizona
Source: Robert Enrique Muller, Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Dreadnought battleship
- Year introduced: 1916
- Top speed: 24.2 mph
- Displacement: 32,567 tons
- Armament: Mk 13 main guns triple mounted, Mk 15 guns, Mk 11 guns, 12.7mm anti-aircraft machine guns
- Aircraft: 3 navy floatplanes
USS Nevada
Source: Photo #: 80-G-282709, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Battleship
- Year introduced: 1916
- Top speed: 23.6 mph
- Displacement: 29,000 tons
- Armament: 127mm main guns, 40mm BOFORS guns, 20mm Oerlikon anti-aircraft guns
- Aircraft: 3 navy floatplanes
USS Oklahoma
Source: Unknown USN photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Battlship
- Year introduced: 1916
- Top speed: 23.6 mph
- Displacement: 30,800 tons
- Armament: 356mm main guns, 127mm guns, 28mm anti-aircraft guns
- Aircraft: 3 navy floatplanes
USS Pennsylvania
Source: National Archives Records via Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Battlship
- Year introduced: 1916
- Top speed: 24.2 mph
- Displacement: 32,000 tons
- Armament: 360mm main guns, 127mm guns, 3-pounder salute guns
- Aircraft: 3 navy floatplanes
USS Tennessee
Source: eli_dark / Flickr
- Type: Battlship
- Year introduced: 1920
- Top speed: 24.2 mph
- Displacement: 37,200 tons
- Armament: 357mm main guns, 127mm guns, 533mm torpedo tubes
- Aircraft: 2 navy floatplanes
USS California
Source: Naval History & Heritage Command, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Battleship
- Year introduced: 1921
- Top speed: 24.2 mph
- Displacement: 32,300 tons
- Armament: 360mm main guns, 127mm guns, 40mm BOFORS anti-aircraft guns, 20mm Oerlikon anti-aircraft guns
- Aircraft: 2 navy floatplanes
USS Maryland
Source: U.S. Navy (photo 80-G-463249), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Dreadnought battleship
- Year introduced: 1921
- Top speed: 24.2 mph
- Displacement: 32,600 tons
- Armament: 410mm main guns, 127mm guns, 76mm guns, 530mm torpedo tubes
- Aircraft: 3 navy floatplanes
IJN Hosho
Source: sdasmarchives / Flickr
- Type: Aircraft carrier
- Year introduced: 1922
- Top speed: 28.8 mph
- Displacement: 9,500 tons
- Armament: 140mm guns, 80mm anti-aircraft guns
- Aircraft: 15 aircraft of various types, mainly torpedo bombers
USS West Virginia
- Type: Battlship
- Year introduced: 1923
- Top speed: 24.2 mph
- Displacement: 33,050 tons
- Armament: 406mm main guns, 127mm guns, 40mm BOFORS anti-aircraft guns, 20mm Oerlikon anti-aircraft guns
- Aircraft: N/A
IJN Akagi
Source: 191031534@N08 / Flickr
- Type: Aircraft carrier
- Year introduced: 1927
- Top speed: 36.8 mph
- Displacement: 33,800 tons
- Armament: 50 calibur guns, 120cm anti-aircraft guns, 25mm anti-aircraft guns
- Aircraft: 21 Mitsubishi A6M “Zero” fighters, 21 Aichi D3A “Val” dive bombers, 21 Nakajima B5N “Kate” torpedo bombers
IJN Kaga
Source: 191031534@N08 / Flickr
- Type: Aircraft carrier
- Year introduced: 1929
- Top speed: 32.2 mph
- Displacement: 38,800 tons
- Armament: 20mm anti-aircraft guns, 127mm twin-barreled anti-aircraft guns, 25mm twin-barreled anti-aircraft guns
- Aircraft: 90 total aircraft including, Mitsubishi A6M “Zero” fighters, Aichi D3A “Val” dive bombers, and Nakajima B5N “Kate” torpedo bombers
USS Narwhal
Source: sdasmarchives / Flickr
- Type: Diesel-electric attack submarine
- Year introduced: 1930
- Top speed: 16.1 mph
- Displacement: 2,770 tons
- Armament: 533mm torpedo tubes, 152mm deck guns
- Aircraft: N/A
USS New Orleans
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Heavy cruiser
- Year introduced: 1934
- Top speed: 37.6 mph
- Displacement: 10,000 tons
- Armament: 203mm triple-gunned turrets, 127mm secondary guns, 12.7mm heavy machine guns, 3-pounder saluting guns
- Aircraft: 4 navy floatplanes
IJN Soryu
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Aircraft carrier
- Year introduced: 1937
- Top speed: 39.1 mph
- Displacement: 16,000 tons
- Armament: 127mm twin-barreled dual-purpose guns, 25mm twin-barreled anti-aircraft guns
- Aircraft: 70 total aircraft including, Mitsubishi A6M “Zero” fighters, Aichi D3A “Val” dive bombers, and Nakajima B5N “Kate” torpedo bombers
IJN Tone
Source: 191031534@N08 / Flickr
- Type: Heavy cruiser
- Year introduced: 1938
- Top speed: 40.3 mph
- Displacement: 12,000 tons
- Armament: 203mm twin-gunned turrets, 127mm guns, 25mm anti-aircraft guns, 610mm torpedo tubes
- Aircraft: 8 Aichi A13E floatplanes
USS Phoenix
Source: sdasmarchives / Flickr
- Type: Light cruiser
- Year introduced: 1938
- Top speed: 39.1 mph
- Displacement: 10,000 tons
- Armament: Mk 16 152mm main guns, 127mm guns, 40mm anti-aircraft guns, 20mm guns, 12.7mm machine guns
- Aircraft: 4 navy floatplanes
IJN Chikuma
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Heavy cruiser
- Year introduced: 1939
- Top speed: 40.3 mph
- Displacement: 11,215 tons
- Armament: 200mm twin-gunned turrets, 127mm cannons, 25mm anti-aircraft guns, 610mm torpedo tubes
- Aircraft: 6 navy floatplanes
IJN Hiryu
Source: 191031534@N08 / Flickr
- Type: Aircraft carrier
- Year introduced: 1939
- Top speed: 40.3 mph
- Displacement: 17,300 tons
- Armament: 127mm twin gunned turrets, 25mm anti-aircraft guns
- Aircraft: 64 total aircraft including, Mitsubishi A6M “Zero” fighters, Aichi D3A “Val” dive bombers, and Nakajima B5N “Kate” torpedo bombers
IJN I-15
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Diesel-electric attack submarine
- Year introduced: 1940
- Top speed: 26.5 mph
- Displacement: 3,655 tons
- Armament: 140mm cannon, 530mm torpedo tubes
- Aircraft: N/A
ELCO PT Boat
Source: national_museum_of_the_us_navy / Flickr
- Type: Patrol boat / motor torpedo boat
- Year introduced: 1941
- Top speed: 47.2 mph
- Displacement: 56 tons
- Armament: 533mm torpedo tubes, 40mm BOFORS dual purpose cannons, 20mm Oerlikon anti-aircraft guns, 12.7mm machine gun
- Aircraft: N/A
IJN Akigumo
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Destroyer
- Year introduced: 1941
- Top speed: 40.3 mph
- Displacement: 2,530 tons
- Armament: 127mm dual-purpose turreted main guns, 25mm twin-gunned anti-aircraft cannons, 13mm machine guns, 610mm torpedo tubes, depth charges
- Aircraft: N/A
IJN I-21
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Diesel-electric attack submarine
- Year introduced: 1941
- Top speed: 27.6 mph
- Displacement: 2,625 tons
- Armament: 140mm cannon, 533mm torpedo tubes
- Aircraft: N/A
IJN Shokaku
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Aircraft carrier
- Year introduced: 1941
- Top speed: 39.4 mph
- Displacement: 25,675 tons
- Armament: 127mm anti-aircraft guns, 25mm anti-aircraft guns
- Aircraft: 84 total aircraft including, Mitsubishi A6M “Zero” fighters, Aichi D3A “Val” dive bombers, and Nakajima B5N “Kate” torpedo bombers
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