Changes

U.S. Navy and Marine Corps air stations on Pearl Harbor's Ford Island, at Ewa to the west of Pearl and at Kanoehe Bay near Bellows Field, also received concentrated attention from the raiders. Ewa's aircraft complement, mainly carrier-type bombers and fighters, was reduced from nearly fifty operational planes to less than twenty. Ford Island and Kanoehe, home to several squadrons of long-range PBY patrol seaplanes, were massively attacked, with Ford Island losing about half its planes and Kaneohe all but a few.

U.S. Navy and Marine Corps air stations on Pearl Harbor's Ford Island, at Ewa to the west of Pearl and at Kanoehe Bay near Bellows Field, also received concentrated attention from the raiders. Ewa's aircraft complement, mainly carrier-type bombers and fighters, was reduced from nearly fifty operational planes to less than twenty. Ford Island and Kanoehe, home to several squadrons of long-range PBY patrol seaplanes, were massively attacked, with Ford Island losing about half its planes and Kaneohe all but a few.

These very successful Japanese strikes thus prevented any significant aerial opposition, though the few Army fighters that got airborne gave a good account of themselves.  P-36 pilot Lt. Harry Brown, who would finish the war with seven victories to his credit, splashed two Kates near Wheeler, probably the first American aerial kills of the war.<ref>''P-36 Hawk Aces of World War 2'', by Lionel Rersyn, Kari Stenman, and Andrew Thomas, Osprey Publishing, 2009</ref>  When Brown returned to his airfield, his crew chief was surprised and highly amused to see the pilot still wearing his [[tuxedo]] from the previous night's party!  Two of the most successful pilots that morning were Army pilots [[George Welch]] and [[Ken Tayler]], who between them shot down eight Japanese planes (one Zeke and seven Vals).<ref>''P-40 Warhawk Aces of the Pacific'', by Carl Molesworth, Osprey Publishing, 2003</ref>

These very successful Japanese strikes thus prevented any significant aerial opposition, though the few Army fighters that got airborne gave a good account of themselves.  P-36 pilot Lt. Harry Brown, who would finish the war with seven victories to his credit, splashed two [[Nakajima B5N|Kates]] near Wheeler, probably the first American aerial kills of the war.<ref>''P-36 Hawk Aces of World War 2'', by Lionel Rersyn, Kari Stenman, and Andrew Thomas, Osprey Publishing, 2009</ref>  When Brown returned to his airfield, his crew chief was surprised and highly amused to see the pilot still wearing his [[tuxedo]] from the previous night's party!  P-40 driver Lt. John Dains downed a bomber near the Kaawa radar station, but was shot down and killed later that morning.  The two most successful pilots that day were Army pilots [[George Welch]] and [[Ken Tayler]], who between them shot down eight Japanese planes (one [[Mitsubishi Zero|Zeke]] and seven [[Aichi D3A|Vals]]).<ref>''P-40 Warhawk Aces of the Pacific'', by Carl Molesworth, Osprey Publishing, 2003</ref> In total, American interceptors accounted for twelve Japanese planes over Oahu, ten of them bombers, and damaged at least two others for only three losses in air combat.

Later on December Seventh, surviving bombers and patrol planes were sent out to search for the Japanese carriers. They found nothing and confronted considerable "friendly" anti-aircraft gunfire when they returned to their bases.

Later on December Seventh, surviving bombers and patrol planes were sent out to search for the Japanese carriers. They found nothing and confronted considerable "friendly" anti-aircraft gunfire when they returned to their bases.