Surgeon tells firsthand of attack

Lt. Cmdr. Paul E. Spangler, a surgeon stationed with his family at Pearl Harbor, provided the "Izee Reds," his hunting buddies back in Portland, Ore., with a firsthand account of the historic events of Dec. 7, 1941. Although the letter, which has some minor mistakes, was typed 10 days after the attack, Spangler decided to wait a year before mailing it because of censorship.

This is an excerpt from that letter.

>> Dec. 17, 1941

Dear Reds,

Just a note to tell you hams that you ain't seen no shootin yet. We had a little disturbance here a week ago Sunday and it was sumpin. I must hasten to tell you that we all survived it without a scratch but I expected to see my maker most any moment that Sunday morning. They are beginning to evacuate those who want to go but the family will stay here until ordered home.

I was resting peacefully in bed when I noticed rather more "practice fire" than I had heard before and then I realized that it was strange to be practicing on Sunday morning. About that time Clara and the kids came home of Church and their curiosity was aroused. Then I got the fatal word to report to the Hospital immediately. I still was not certain what was going on untill I came off the hill on my way to the Hospital. Then I saw the smoke from several fires and saw the antiaircraft shells exploding. I opened her up then and with my Pearl Harbor plates on I had the right of way and I was out there in nothing flat. I arrived just in the lull between waves of attacks about 30 minutes after the first shooting.

There was one big (enemy) bomber in the sky flying over Hickam Field and Fort Kamahamaha but no one seemed to be doing anything about it. One (enemy) plane was down in flames at the Hospital and it had fired the Laboratory and one of the quarters which forutnately had been vacated because they were starting on the big new drydock. I met the Exec. at the door and he told me to go up and take charge of the Surgery. I hurried up to the Surgery and all ready the the causualties were pouring in. I did the first oepration on a causal in this war if that is anything.

I spent the next 72 hours in four-hour shifts at the operating table. During my first shift we were under almost constant boming and the A-A fire kept up a constant din. They didn't actually hit the hosptial but one explosion was so close it blew all the windows out of the work room which was right next to the room I was operating. I thought my time had come for sure. It was hell for a while. These poor devils brought in all shot up and burned. Many of them hopeless. We gave them pletny of morphone and sent them out to the Wards to die. The others we patched up as best we could. Some we opend their bellies and sewed up performations in their bowels. It was all a nice party but personally I don't want to see any more like it."