Going to war in a Piper Cub? Civilians in the air at Pearl

In the movie “Tora! Tora! Tora!,” do you remember the woman instructor who joined up with a Japanese formation? She depicted a half a dozen or more stories in one character. There were actually eight single-engine civilian planes in the air; all but one were attacked, and three were shot down. Of these, two are still missing. The first civilian-plane attack was the first American/ Japanese air-to-air encounter of the day. The aircraft was the Honolulu Junior Chamber of Commerce flying club’s Aeronca flown by G.H. “Tommy” Tomberlin and a student.

Two Piper Cubs were attacked over the Koolau Mountains. One was shot down—the day’s first aircraft crash—but its pilot, M.F. Poston, bailed out safely. Roy Vitousek and his son had rented an Aeronca for a Sunday flight around Oahu. They flew into a Soryu torpedo plane formation and were shot up by rear gunners. This plane is now in the Pacific Aviation Museum, Ford Island, Pearl Harbor.

Two Piper Cubs were shot down, and they and their pilots were never found.

Pilot instructor Cornelia Fort had her student—an Interstate Cadet—practicing touch-and-gos at John Rogers Field (now Honolulu International Airport). They were strafed, but she was able to make a quick landing. Flying an Aeronca, instructor Marguerite Gambo was able to dodge the Japanese planes and land at John Rogers during a break in the action.

The Pan Am Clipper ship Anzac was soon to arrive from California, but when they heard the news of the attack as they approached the coast of Oahu, they turned towards Hilo, Hawaii. The Ambassador to the U.S. from Burma and his secretary were aboard.