Local Pearl Harbor Survivor Passes Away in 2012-- Part 1

From the October 22, 2012, Kitsap (Washington) Sun.

Fred Westford was 21 and stationed at the major Navy seaplane base at Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, on the east coast of Oahu on that day.  Only the three PBYs out on patrol were fit for service after the attack.  The base was a new facility with some of the buildings still under construction.

The base housed three Patrol Squadrons with 33 PBYs on the ground or floating just off shore.  All but six were destroyed and those were damaged.

Westford was working at the mess hall when the attack began.when he heard low-flying planes.  he thought the engines were real loud and stepped outside and saw the Rising Suns on the planes and knew they were under attack.  Then the strafing and bombing began.

--GreGen