The first Japanese aircraft reached Pearl Harbor at about 7:55 a.m. on December 7, 1941. Their arrival marked the opening of the main aerial assault on the U.S. Pacific Fleet.
The Japanese force had departed from aircraft carriers operating north of Hawaii. Its first wave included fighters, high-level bombers, dive bombers, and torpedo planes assigned to attack ships and airfields across Oahu.
The timing was strategically important. Many American service members were beginning their Sunday morning routines, while aircraft were concentrated on runways and ships were in harbor. The raid achieved surprise despite earlier warnings and suspicious reports.
A second Japanese wave followed at about 8:40 a.m. The two waves attacked ships, airfields, and other military facilities before the Japanese force withdrew. The United States suffered severe losses, but its aircraft carriers were not present in the harbor.