66 percent of Pacific air force assets destroyed in hours

A burned U.S. B -17C after the Empire of Japan attacked Wheeler Air Field Dec. 7, 1941. The attack well known for crippling the U.S. Pacific Naval Fleet also left approximately 700 U.S Airmen killed or wounded and 66 percent of the Air Force strength in Hawaii decimated. The Japanese lost only 29 pilots from more than 350 planes launched from aircraft carriers north of Hawaii. (Courtesy Photo/Tai Sing Loo, Pearl Harbor's main cameraman 1918 to 1948)

Wheeler, Hawaii, Dec. 7, 1941

Resourceful aircrews remove parts from a P-40 destroyed in the Dec. 7, 1941 attack on Wheeler Air Base for us on other repairable aircraft.

Wheeler, Hawaii, Dec. 7, 1941

Members of the Hawaiian Air Force's Headquarters Squadron, 17th Tow Target Squadron and 23d Materiel Squadron watch Japanese high-Ievel horizontal bombers heading toward Pearl Harbor Dec. 7, 1941. (John W. Wilson)

Wheeler, Hawaii, Dec. 7, 1941

A report entitled “7 December 1941: The Air Force Story” compiled by the Pacific Air Forces Office of History obtained this photo of Wheeler Air Field taken by a Japanese Empire pilot to record the battle damage to the U.S. Air Forces Dec. 7, 1941.

Old Glory Dec. 7, 1941

Old Glory waves over Hickam Field, bearing silent witness to the brutality of the Japanese attack Dec. 7, 1941. This same flag later flew above the United Nations charter meeting in San Francisco, over the Big Three conference at Potsdam, and above the White House Aug. 14, 1945 when the Japanese accepted terms of surrender. It was part of a historical display at the Air Force Academy until returned for permanent display at Hickam Air Force Base in 1980. (Air Force Photo)

Korean War Armistice

(U.S. Air Force graphic/Corey Parrish)