LOT Old Heritage Auctions  /  2007 Apr Books, Manuscripts & Autographs #658  / 

25265

Pearl Harbor 1941 Log Entry of the USS Antares

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Militaria Start Price:2,500.00 USD Estimated At:10,000.00 - 12,000.00 USD
Pearl Harbor 1941 Log Entry of the USS Antares
<B>Pearl Harbor 1941 Log Entry of the USS <I>Antares</B></I></B></I> signed by six officers of the stores issue ship, two pages, 10" x 15', front and verso. Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, Sunday, December 7, 1941. This is the retained carbon. Noted at the bottom: <I>"Original (ribbon) copy of this page to be sent to Bureau of Navigation monthly."</B></I> The retained carbon copies were filed onboard until ordered disposed of or destroyed. This was saved by a crewman of the Antares. On December 7th, the USS <I>Antares</B></I> arrived in Hawaii from Canton, China, and the Palmyra Islands with a 500 ton steel barge in tow, expecting to transfer the tow to a tug at and then enter Pearl Harbor. <B>On this unique document, four officers reported what they saw on the date which will live in infamy.</B></I> Each has signed beneath his hours on duty. <I><B>"0 to 4"</B></I></B></I> signed <I>"R.C. Dollar,"</B></I> Lieutenant (jg), USNR. In part: <I>"Steaming singly enroute Palmyra Island to Pearl Harbor, T.H., with H.D.S.2 lighter in tow on 240 fathom wire cable…0130 1:30 AM Sighted Diamond Head, bearing 031º True…" <B>"4 to 8"</B></I></B></I> signed <I>"R.S. Trower III,"</B></I> Lieutenant (jg), USN. In part: <I>"0545 Passed Barber's Point Light abeam to port, distance about 10 miles…0630 Sighted suspicious object bearing 227º true, distance about 1500 yards on starboard quarter. Informed U.S.S. WARD, inshore patrol, and U.S.S. WARD investigated. 0645 U.S.S. WARD opened fire on object. 0647 U.S.S. WARD ceased firing. Fighter plane dropped bombs or U.S.S. WARD dropped 3 depth charges. Japanese type Sampan was within 500 yards of submarine when sighted. 0653 Stopped. 0715 U.S.S. KEOSANQUA went alongside H.D.S.2 lighter. <B>0758 Explosions in Pearl Harbor." "8 to 12"</B></I></B></I> signed <I>"H.W. Pribnow, Jr.,"</B></I> Ensign, USNR. In part: <I>"Lying to off entrance Honolulu Harbor in process of giving H.D.S.2 lighter to U.S.S. KEOSANQUA…<B>0800 Enemy (Japanese) plane opened machine gun fire on ship.</B></I> 0805 U.S.S. KEOSANQUA opened fire with Machine guns on enemy planes. 0806 Fires sighted in Pearl Harbor. 0811 U.S.S. WARD dropped depth charges. 0820 Submarines sighted off port beam. 0835 U.S.S. KEOSANQUA took H.D.S.2 lighter in tow…0848 Gunfire in Pearl Harbor ceased…0910 Second wave of enemy bombers attacked Pearl Harbor. 0925 Three coastal mine sweepers and two destroyers stood out…0930 Firing ceased in Pearl Harbor…1015 Maneuvering on various courses and speeds awaiting permission to enter Honolulu Harbor…1054 Permission granted to enter Honolulu Harbor. 1055 Pearl Harbor Anti-Aircraft batteries opened fire. 1109 Ceased firing. 1125 Enemy planes attacking, shore batteries opened fire. 1130 Entering Honolulu Harbor. 1133 Honolulu Gas tank afire…" <B>"12 to 16"</B></I></B></I> signed <I>"J.L. Chisholm,"</B></I> Ensign, USNR. In part: <I>"Moored as before to Pier 5-A, Honolulu, T.H., with six manila lines doubled up to dock port side to. 1500 Following named passengers left the ship with baggage…"</B></I> Ten names are listed. The bottom of the page is approved, signed: <I>"L.C. Grannis,"</B></I> Commander, USN, Commanding, and examined, signed: <I>"Marion J. Duncan,"</B></I> Lieutenant Commander, U.S.N. Navigator. The verso, dated December 8, 1941, lists the day's weather: wind, barometer, temperature, and clouds, hour by hour, and the fuel and water levels. From the official report of the USS <I>Antares</B></I> Commander Lawrence C. Grannis to the Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet, dated December 10, 1941: "At 0800 this vessel was under machine gun fire from a Japanese plane, the topside being hit in a few places by approximately thirty calibre bullets. Several bomb and numerous shell fragments continually fell in close proximity and the ship was severely shaken by either bomb bursts or depth charges. As this vessel is not armed, no effective offensive or defensive tactics appeared possible…No casualties to personnel or material were received. Personnel reacted to the emergency in an exemplary manner. Men disconnecting the tow and others on exposed stations were calm and steady." The USS <I>Antares</B></I> earned two Battle Stars on the Asiatic-Pacific Area Service Ribbon for participation in the engagement at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, and in the assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, May 9 - June 18, 1945. There are six torn file holes in the black left margin with one mid-horizontal fold. The document is in fine condition. It is accompanied by three printed pages from the Navy Department titled "History of USS Antares," and two articles about the USS <I>Ward</B></I> which had fired the first shots at Pearl Harbor, sinking a Japanese submarine more than two hours before the Japanese attack. And it was the USS <I>Antares</B></I> that first sighted the sub and informed the USS <I>Ward</B></I> of its location!<BR><BR><b>Shipping:</b> Flat Material, Small (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.heritageauctions.com/common/shipping.php">view shipping information</a>)
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