Pearl Harbor Artifacts Now at WWII Museum in Natick

Natick, MA -- America commemorates the 74th anniversary of Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7.

Natick’s Museum of World War II is exhibiting a number of rare Pearl Harbor artifacts as part of this commemoration.

Kenneth Rendell, founder and executive director, acquired a collection that includes pieces of Japanese planes shot down over Pearl Harbor, personal equipment of pilots, binoculars and a sailor’s cap from the USS Arizona, the first newspaper account of the attack, reported in The Honolulu Star-Bulletin, a Japanese postcard celebrating the attack on Pearl Harbor, and a woman’s Christmas card, sent from Honolulu to Long Island, that gives an eyewitness account of the attack and describes how she “has no heart for Christmas after the wholesale murder at Pearl Harbor.”

“Perhaps most impressive in the collection is the original telegram warning the U.S. Navy of the attack,” said a spokesperson for the museum. “The telegram was sent by the “Commander Aircraft, Scouting Force”, Lt. Cmdr. Logan Ramsey, from Pearl Harbor to ‘All U.S. Navy Ships present Hawaiian area,’ giving the first news: ‘AIRRAID ON PEARL HARBOR X THIS IS NO DRILL.’”

The museum also houses the formal declaration of war by Japan on the USA. Its contents were broadcast over Japanese radio on the afternoon of 7 December 1941, hours after the surprise attack on Hawaii. It reads:

“By the grace of Heaven, Emperor of Japan … We hereby declare war on the United States of America and the British Empire. The men and officers of our army and navy shall do their utmost in prosecuting the war. Our public servant of various departments shall perform faithfully and diligently their respective duties; the entire nation with a united will shall mobilize their total strength so that nothing will miscarry in the attainment of our war aims. To ensure the stability of East Asia and to contribute to world peace is the far-sighted policy.”

The Museum of World War II houses more than 7,000 World War II artifacts and 500,000 documents, making it the most comprehensive collection in the world. To schedule a visit to the museum, email museumofworldwarii@yahoo.com.

Photos and information via Museum of World War II