Opana Radar Site: Difference between revisions

On December 7, 1941, the Opana Radar Site was manned by Private Joseph L. Lockard and Private George Elliot, who detected approaching aircraft at 7:02 am (past the end of the site's scheduled operating day). Since the truck to take them to breakfast was late, the pair continuinedcontinued to practice with the radar equipment.<ref name=nhlsum /><ref name = nrhpinv />

The men reported their findings to the temporary information center at [[Fort Shafter]]. Pvt Joseph McDonald took the call. Private McDonald found Lt Kermit Tyler when he entered the plotting room when he timed the message. Tyler told him that it was nothing. McDonald called back the Opana Radar site and spoke to Pvt Joseph Lockard. Lockard was excited , he had never seen so many planes.Infected with Lockard's excitement, McDonald returned to Tyler. McDonald suggested to Tyler to call back the plotters and notify Wheeler Field of the sighting. When Tyler again indicated that it was nothing , McDonald insisted that Tyler talk to Lockard directly.<ref name = nrhpinv /> The information center staff had gone to breakfast and Lt. [[Kermit Tyler]]<ref>Tyler died January 23, 2010, aged 96. See {{cite news| url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article7042650.ece | work=The Times | location=London | title=The Times obituary Kermit Tyler | date=2010-02-27 | accessdate=2010-05-20}}</ref> received the report.<ref name = nrhpinv /> Tyler reasoned that the activity was a flight of Army [[B-17 Flying Fortress]] bombers, and advised the radar crew not to worry. Tyler told investigators that a friend in the Bomber group advised him that whenever the radio station played Hawaiian music all night, a flight from the mainland was arriving, and using that for navigation homing. McDonald was releviedrelieved at about 7:40 and returned to his tent waking his tent mate up by saying "Shim the Japs are coming". Elliot and Lockard continued plotting the incoming planes until 7:40 when contact was lost. Shortly before 8:00 am they headed to Kawailoa for breakfast and only learned about the attack when they arrived. Elliot and Lockard rushed back to Opana and operated the radar until the attack ended.<ref name = nrhpinv />