The first Japanese bombs fell on Pearl Harbor at about 7:55 a.m. local Hawaiian time on December 7, 1941. The opening strikes came from the first wave of Japanese carrier aircraft.
The attackers approached in two major waves. The first wave concentrated on battleships, airfields, and other high-value military targets, while the second wave attacked additional ships and facilities. The assault continued for roughly two hours.
The timing was early enough to catch many U.S. personnel at breakfast or preparing for the day. It was also a Sunday morning, when many aircraft were parked closely together on airfields, partly to reduce the risk of sabotage.
The start time is sometimes reported as 7:48 or 7:53 a.m. because accounts differ slightly over whether they mark the first aircraft sighting, the first bombs, or the first torpedo attack. About 7:55 is the standard rounded time for the opening attack.