That "Infamous" Morning on the USS Oklahoma-- Part 5: To the USS Maryland

Many of the Oklahoma survivors swam to the USS Maryland which had lost its electric hoist in the attack and the Oklahoma survivors formed a human chain to move munitionws from the armory to the boat deck. The Maryland's captain ordered them off his ship during a lull between the first and second waves of Japanese planes.

They swam to Ford Island where they were not allowed into barracks because they had no identification. They were forced to scavenge and steal food to survive and set up a signal tower.

Mr. Goodyear says he did not have a shower or enter a mess hall until December 15th when the captain of the USS Indianapolis allowed him on board for an hour.

Things were so confused in the aftermath of the attack, that it took the Navy until April 10th to put him back on the payroll and eventually restored all of his back pay except for $12, his pay for six days. The payroll officer told him "How do I know you didn't draw advance payment on December 1?"

Paul Goodyear is now 95 and his account definitely shed things I didn't know. It appears that the Navy wasn't so nice to its victims after the attack. Very surprising.

Thanks, Mr. Goodyear. --GreGen