Missed Warnings at Pearl Harbor: Lessons for the Church and Country

On the morning of December 7, 1941, the Federal Building in downtown Honolulu, where the Weather Bureau was stationed, reported 73 degrees Fahrenheit with 64% humidity. 

Churchgoers went to their houses of worship under partly cloudy skies, preparing their hearts and minds for another sacred Sunday in paradise. Service men and women hurried about completing tasks as the coolness of the morning gave way to the warmth of the rising sun in the East.

Suddenly, however, a terrifying buzz pierced the air in the western sky. Japanese bombers began to attack Pearl Harbor at 7:55 a.m.  

For one hour and fifteen minutes, a swarm of 360 Japanese bombers devastated American ships, soldiers and citizens. The attack killed 2,403 service members, wounded 1,178 more, destroyed six U.S. ships and eliminated 169 Navy and Army Corp planes.

Captain Mitsuo Fuchida sent a coded message, “Tora, Tora, Tora,” to the Japanese fleet after flying over Oahu to indicate the Americans had been surprised. 

If only there had been warning signs tipping off the attack, possibly thousands of soldiers’ lives could have been saved.  

According to the World War II National Museum, while there is no guarantee lives could have been saved, three incidents leading up to the attack warned of something amiss in the water and air.

First, at 3:20 a.m., the minesweeper USS Condor reported seeing a periscope peering out of the water’s surface. Unbeknownst to the Navy, the periscope belonged to one of the five 46-ton Japanese “midget” submarines tasked with penetrating the harbor and attacking U.S. battleships.  

After a search, the report was determined to be bogus.

Later that morning, at 6:30 a.m., another report of a periscope came from the USS Antares. After the captain confirmed the sighting, the Antares launched two shots from her four-inch guns. The second shot hit the submarine, sending it to the bottom of the ocean.  When the report was sent to the Pacific Fleet, a verification process was issued instead of sounding the general alarm.

Second, minutes after the second periscope was spotted and the submarine destroyed, U.S. radar picked up two unidentified aircraft at about 6:45 a.m. They were later identified as two cruiser float scout planes sent to determine the readiness of the American defense. The planes were reported but there was nothing suggesting danger.

Third, servicemen Joseph L. Lockhart and George E. Elliot were about to shut off their set on schedule at 7:00 a.m. Just two minutes later, they saw the most sizable return echo they had ever observed. The American radio waves etched a startling, broad, vertical spike on the Opana oscilloscope rebounding from some of the 183 aircraft of the first wave of Japanese attackers.

Lockhart and Elliot reported what they saw to the Air Information Center at Fort Shafter at 7:15 a.m. The distance was 88 miles from Pearl Harbor. The commanding officer, Lt. Kermit Tyler, knew about some B-17s coming in for maintenance, so the report did not alarm him.  These service members failed to tell Tyler the radar was picking up more than a few bombers, and Tyler did not relay clearly to the service members that he was only referring to a few B-17s.  

If any or all of these warnings had been communicated clearly and taken seriously, that day may have turned out differently. There would have still been numerous casualties, but since it required only eight to ten minutes to get battleships watertight, the attackers would have met U.S. servicemen and women ready for battle. 

Instead, the fleet was caught off guard, with thousands losing their lives, opening the door for the United States to enter World War II.

As I read about the events leading up to the attack on Pearl Harbor and the missed opportunities by the U.S. to take action before the attack, I am reminded of the words of Jesus when he said, “I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16).

The world we inhabit shows signs all around us. The rise of authoritarianism in the church and government warns of a pending dictatorial fascism coming to power.

The widening economic gap between the wealthy and everyone else harms good people as the scarcity of resources widens. 

The propensity for vengeance and enthrallment of weaponry sets the stage for an escalation of violence leading to civil and global wars.

The propagation of theological, political and economic superiority strengthens the divisions between “us” and “them.”

The global doubling-down of white supremacy and Christian nationalism demonstrates the foundations established utilizing these heretical ideals have placed society on uneven plains.

The mere fact that eight out of ten (85%) White evangelical Protestant voters supported – and still support – a fascist to be the President of the United States should send alarm bells ringing loudly.

Warnings such as these–and many more–should terrify every person of faith and citizen. Jesus was right; survival requires the faithful to be “wise as serpents and innocent as doves.”

The way of justice, peace and love are in danger if these signs go unwarranted. If the church loses her witness for love and justice and the country loses democracy, the attack will not be a surprise.  

Those planning to carry out this attack on decency are communicating what they want to accomplish. They want to control the church and the country. 

They want to insert fundamentalist beliefs into the church and draconian policies in government for every citizen to abide. They demand loyalty and punish dissent.  

Dr. Maya Angelou was correct, “When people show you who they are, believe them the first time.” Let us not be surprised by the attacks forming before our eyes. Let us mount a defense against these attacks, beginning with Jesus’ understanding of love and justice.  

Let us become wise as serpents, so that we can be innocent as doves.