Pearl Harbor’s Revenge: How the Devastated US Battleships Returned to War by Rod Macdonald
On 7 December 1941, Japanese aircraft launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, crippling the US Pacific Fleet. Eight battleships, along with several other vessels, were sunk or damaged, and 2,403 Americans lost their lives. Within a week, a major salvage operation began, quickly restoring battleships like Pennsylvania and Tennessee to service. Eventually, six of the eight battleships returned, upgraded with enhanced defenses. These ships played crucial roles in the reconquest of the Aleutians and the Philippines and in major battles like Leyte Gulf and Iwo Jima. Nevada also served during D-Day, bombarding German positions at Utah Beach. This is their story.
