Pearl Harbor 80th Anniversary
Pearl Harbor fighter pilots pose with a P-36 Hawk.
During the attack on Pearl Harbor, 14 US airmen were able to take off in their fighters.
During the ensuing dogfights, 12 Japanese planes were shot down by these five young USAAF officers.
Left to right they are-
1st Lt. Lewis M. Sanders. credited with one kill. Flying a P-36A
2nd Lt. Philip M. Rasmmussen, credited with one kill. Flying a P-36A while still wearing his purple pajamas.
2nd Lt. Kenneth M. Taylor, credited with four kills. Flying a P-40B
2nd Lt. George S. Welch, credited four kills. Flying a P-40B
2nd Lt. Harry W. Brown, credited with one kills. Flying a P-36A
Not present is 2nd Lt. Gordon H. Sterling, Jr. who also made it into the air and shot down a Japanese aircraft, but was then shot down over water and drowned after bailing out of his P-36A.
Photograph taken 17 December 1941
United States Air Force photo