William Daniel McWilliams

West Point, 1955

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Terence M OA-A?A1/2Connor on August 29, 2023:

My mother, older brother and I were dependents aboard the Lurline December 16, 1941 from Honolulu to San Francisco. I am 85. My father Edmund O'Connor was a Chief Gunners mate on the USS 169 Dolphin, one of the four submarines that were docked in Pearl Harbor at the time of the attack. I have made an effort to separate what I remember from what was told to me by my mother and older brother about our first hand experience of the bombing and of the evacuation. I one thing never reported was that when we arrived at San Francisco were immediately put on a train that took us across the United States to Philadelphia. Why? Because that was the city with available housing closest to where my father's submarine was built. Sound strange? We'll, the Navy was responsible for dependents. So, all dependents were to go the closest housing so that their needs could be met and their identities confirmed. Remember, this was a paper and pencil time. The Navy would start with a warrior's name, Edmund O'Connor - check, family In Philadelphia - check. One at a time when all had been matched, those families were free to go wherever. Another detail omitted. The three Matson Line 750 passenger liners had approximately 3500 passengers. One thing I remember, about an hour out to sea, 3500 people puking, seasick from the up and wand side to side zig zagging- dodging torpedoes. I remember a great deal more, but today most people don't even know when or if Pearl Harbor was attacked

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