1941: The Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor and bring America into WW II. Two waves of Japanese fighters sink four U.S. battleships and damaged nine others. Overall, the surprise attack kills 2,390 personnel, including 193 airmen at Hickam, Wheeler, and Bellows Fields. They also destroy 64 Hawaiian Air Force planes. Six AAF pilots shoot down ten enemy planes with 2Lt George S. Welch garnering four kills.