Evening star., 1942-01-25

had been increased by approximately
100 per cent: two battalions Of IN
fantry were held in reserve for
anti-sabotage defense; anti-air.
craft gun crews were maintained on
ships IN harbor for instant defense;
all Navy personnel, with the ex-
ceptions Of those authorized to be
absent, were required to be In their
quarters at midnight: all places
Of amusement in Honolulu and all
entertainments ct the Army posts
were closed at midnight; all saloons
and drinking places in Honolulu
were closed at midnight.
On the night Of December {
numerous officers Of the Army and
Navy attended social functions at
various points on the Island OF
Oahu, principally the usual Satur-
day functions at the various posts
and naval establishments. The
commanding general, Hawaiian De-
partment. and the Commander In
chief OF the Pacific Fleet, were both
guests at dinners away from their
posts of command on that evening
but returned to their quarters at an
early hour.
No Evidence Found
OF Excess Drinking.
The percentages Of strength in the
Army present for duty on the Island
Of Oahu at 8 am. December z, 1941
reported by all major echelons ant
posts. were: Gath Infantry Division
80 per cent; 25th Infantry Division
856 per cent; Coast Artillery Corps
87.5 per cent; Air Force, $50 pei
cent; miscellaneous, including De.
partment Headquarters, Ordnance
Quartermaster and Medical, 90 pc,
cent. Estimated general percentage
888 per cent Reports from large
ships and destroyers that were ir
Pearl Harbor during the attack
show go per cent Of officers onboard
and SO per cent Of the men. OF II
vessels of the Fleet, of all kinds, 4s
commanding officers were aboard
during the attack, and % were en-.
route to their ships, one was on an.
other ship, and one was on au-
thorized leave, which leaves two fol
whom we are unable to account.
Intoxicating liquor is sold on the
Island Of Oahu, and men on pass
or on liberty have the opportunity
to buy and consume it. Following
the established procedure, at home
and abroad, the Army exercises dis
ciplinary control Of men on pass
through its military police, and the
Navy of men on liberty by the use of
shore patrols. These organizations
take into custody any person show
ing evidence of intoxication. On the
night of December 81, 1941, from
6 pm. to 6 am, arrests of soldiers
by the military police, for intoxica-
ton, were SO, and arrests of sailors
by the Navy shore patrol, for intoxi-
cation. were 4. BY comparison the
arrests of civilians for drunkenness
on that night were 80. Thorough
inquiry disclosed there Is no evil
dence shows that as respects the use
Of intoxicating liquor and intoxica-
ton, the conditions amongst the
men Of the Army and of the Navy
on the night Of December 6 COM
pare closely with similar condition,
for the several preceding months
On Saturday, December 6, 1941, the
usual percentage Of enlisted strength
entitled to passes or liberty tool
advantage of such privilege to spenc
the afternoon or evening in the city
OF Honolulu. Application of thi.
ratio to total numbers of all the
services then on the Island OF Oahu
and IN Pearl Harbor, amounting tc
about $4,000 men, indicates that nc
less than 1000 soldiers, sailors and
marines visited Honolulu that after
noon and evening.
In normal times more enlisted
men Of both services are absent
from duty by permission on Satur-
day nights than on other nights
and on Saturday nights more
officers are customarily absent than
on weekday nights.
On the morning of Sunday. De-
cember Z, Army posts and Naval
vessels and stations were adequately
manned, for the readiness and alert
then in effect, by men fit for duty.
XVIII
The attack on the morning ot
December Z. 1941, was a combined
air raid and submarine attack or
the Island Of Oahu, q bombardment
OF Midway and a continuous al,
attack and bombardment on Wake
Island.
Available Information indicate.
that the force attacking Oahu con-
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