Pvt. Otis W Henry, USMC

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During the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor, the USS Oklahoma was sunk rapidly. All her sea doors and hatches were open to dry fresh paint and allow for ventilation.

Within a mere eleven minutes, the crippled Oklahoma capsized, rolling 151 degrees until her tripod masts and superstructure jammed into the mud on the bottom of Pearl Harbor. Less than two-thirds of her crew had escaped; the rest of the crew was trapped within the overturned hull.

Navy and civilian personnel quickly gathered on the overturned hull of the USS Oklahoma. Tools and ships plans were obtained and the search for survivors began. Two trapped crewmembers were discovered and spoken with, through a discharge pipe.

Unfortunately, when they were cut out the rescuers found them dead, most likely killed by fumes from the cutting torch. Soon a party of civilian shipyard workers under the leadership of Julio DeCastro arrived with pneumatic tools and joined in the rescue efforts.

Trapped men were located at frames 22, 78, 116 and 131. Frames are the structural ribs of the ship and numbered from the bow to the stern. Using pneumatic cutting tools, by 8:00 a.m. on Monday, December 8 the first six men were rescued.

By 11:00 a.m. eleven men were rescued from the "Lucky Bag" near Turret No.4. Another five were freed from a 5 inch ammunition handling room by 2:00 p.m.. Eventually, the number of rescued men reached thirty-two. Rescuers continued to search for more survivors. One escapee had reported 125 men in a single compartment of the third deck, but they were never found.

Tapping was heard at frames 70 and 76, but holes cut at these locations revealed no additional survivors. The Navy kept a guard on board the hull to listen for any additional tapping. Finally, at 8:00 a.m. on December 11 Lieutenant Commander Hobby called off the efforts. 429 sailors and Marines perished aboard USS Oklahoma. This was the second greatest number of casualties suffered by any ship at Pearl Harbor.