First wave of Japanese aircraft takes off for Pearl Harbor 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Dec 7 1941)


Video: 'Pearl Harbor Minute by Minute' (10-video playlist that covers the attack on Pearl Harbor in real time from 6:10-11:10 a.m. Hawaii Standard Time)

(Sunday, December 7, 1941, 6:10 a.m. in Honolulu/11:40 a.m. in Washington/Monday, December 8, 1941, 1:40 a.m. in Tokyo; during the Attack on Pearl Harbor, part of the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of World War II) — The first wave of 183 planes took off from Japanese aircraft carriers this morning approximately 230 nautical miles (430 km; 260 mi) north of Oahu, headed south to launch an attack against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii.

Commanded by Mitsuo Fuchida, the initial attack wave included torpedo planes, high-level bombers, dive-bombers and fighters.