EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2013: Pearl Harbor Attack Commemorated by Tora! Tora! Tora! Team

Fred Harl, Carmelo Turdo

December 7, known in the United States as Pearl Harbor Day,  presents another opportunity to pause and remember those who perished in the attack on U.S. Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii and other south Pacific military installations by the Imperial Japanese Navy.  The importance of this event cannot be understated, as it brought the United States into World War II through direct attack on her territory and changed the course of history.  The event has been respectfully recreated since 1972 throughout each airshow season by the Commemorative Air Force's Tora! Tora! Tora! Team at venues across the nation.  The original six replica aircraft used in the demonstration were from the 1970 movie, "Tora! Tora! Tora!" and have since been augmented by others.  Throughout the performance, the narration tastefully describes the action as if it were the actual attack, yet reinforces the theme of reconciliation that has turned the United States and Japan into strong allies today.  The Aero Experience was there to witness the Tora! Tora! Tora! team in action during EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2013 airshow, which included a dogfight between a replica Zero fighter and a P-40 Warhawk.  As an added bonus, a dogfight between an authentic Navalized Zero and another P-40 Warhawk is also included here.