_At their barracks, near the foundation of a swimming pool under
construction, three Marines gingerly seek out good vantage points
from which to fire, while two peer skyward, keeping their eyes peeled
for attacking Japanese planes. Headgear varies from Hawley helmet
to garrison cap to none, but the weapon is the same for all--the
Springfield 1903 rifle._]
Better prepared than they had been when Lieutenant Commander Itaya’s
Zeroes had opened the battle, Ewa’s Marines met Takahashi’s Vals with
heavy fire from rifles, Thompson submachine guns, .30-caliber machine
guns, and even pistols. In retaliation, after completing their strafing
runs, the Japanese pilots pulled up in steep wing-overs, allowing their
rear seat gunners to take advantage of the favorable deflection angle
to spray the defenders with 7.7-millimeter bullets. Marine observers
later recounted that _Shokaku_’s planes also dropped light bombs,
perhaps of the 60-kilogram variety, as they counted five small craters
on the field after the attack.
In response to the second onslaught, as they had in the first, all
available Marines threw themselves into the desperate defense of their
base. The additional strafing attacks started numerous fires within
the camp area, adding new columns of dense smoke to those still rising
from the planes on the parking apron. Unfortunately, the ground fire
seemed far more brave than accurate, because all of _Shokaku_’s dive
bombers repeatedly zoomed skyward, seemingly unhurt. Even taking into
account possible damage sustained during attacks over Ford Island and
Hickam, only four of Takahashi’s planes sustained any damage over
Oahu before they retired. The departure of _Shokaku’_s Vals afforded
Lieutenant Colonel Larkin the opportunity to reorganize the camp
defenses. There was ammunition to be distributed, wounded men to be
succored, and seemingly innumerable fires burning amongst the tents,
buildings, and planes, to be extinguished.
[Illustration: