Pearl Harbor’s Hidden Heroes: The 18 Medals of Honor Awarded for Bravery in the Hawaiian Islands During World War II: 1941, 1942, and 1945

December 7, 1941, the date of the attack on Oahu, Hawaii and Pearl Harbor, is one of the moments indelibly stamped into the collective American consciousness. The events of that day changed world history and brought the United States into World War II.

In this exhaustively researched historical chronicle, military historian Colonel Charles A. Jones, US Marine Corps Reserve (Retired), shares untold tales of bravery and fortitude in the Hawaiian Islands during World War II. He chronicles the horrors and heroism of war through the stories of the eighteen Medals of Honor (MOH) awarded to Navy and Marine officers and men. Fourteen were awarded for bravery during the Pearl Harbor attack.

But that’s only one part of the story.

Jones also addresses MOHs awarded for bravery at Kaneohe Bay on December 7, Midway in 1942, and during rescue operations in the West Loch of Pearl Harbor in 1945. He includes the story of Billy Mitchell, who made incredibly accurate predictions about the Japanese attack on Oahu and who advocated the military importance of air power in warfare.

While Jones commemorates the heroism of the men who risked their lives to save others, he also argues that not every Medal was earned. His controversial stance challenges two of the three MOHs awarded to officers on the USS Arizona.