Too Little, Too Late

News of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor reached General Douglas MacArthur's Headquarters in Manila very early Monday Morning, December 8, 1941. U.S. forces were placed on alert for possible Japanese attacks on the Philippines. Lt. Joseph Moore, Commander of the 20th Squadron, stood by his P-40 awaiting word from High Command, when at 12:35 PM a large force of aircraft approached from the Northwest. Moore immediately ordered his fighters into the air. Just airbourne, he looked back to see the entire field erupt in dust and smoke as bombs from fifty-four Japanese bombers marched across quarters, barracks, hangers and grass runways. Of all his squadron, only two P40s were with him. Two had been destroyed during the take-off roll and the rest as they were taxiing. Climbing for altitude, Joe Moore and his wingmen engaged nine Zeros west of Clark, destroying three. Responding to calls for help, two new P40Es from Nichols Field, south of Manila, arrived. Diving to attack, Lt. Sam Grashio received the fire of another Zero from above. Petty Officer First Class Saburo Sakai registered hits on Grashio's aircraft, claiming his first victory over an American adversary in World War II. Countersigners: Lt. Gen. Joseph H. Moore, Col. Samuel C. Grashi and Lt. (jg) Saburo Sakai.