Pearl Harbor “Battleship Row” Made in America Shirt

Our original "Battleship Row" design spotlights the battleships at Pearl Harbor, honoring the servicemen who served in the U.S. Navy during WWII and commemorating the lives lost at Pearl Harbor that morning.

On the front left chest, the American flag that was flying on the U.S.S. St. Louis at the time of the attack, along with the date, December 7, 1941. On the back, the battleships that made up “Battleship Row,” including the six that returned to service and the two that did not. 

And in answer to a couple of questions we've received:

• Yes, the Pennsylvania was in dry dock at the time.
• No, we did not forget the Utah, which had been demilitarized in 1931 and so was not classified as a battleship at the time of the attack.

"Love my Pearl Harbor shirt.
Fine quality and perfect in always then one.
Wore the shirt the day after I received it.
Will recommend this shirt to all Pearl Harbor historians."
— Richard M. ★★★★★

See below for more historical background.

The shirt:

• 100% cotton Made in America shirt in Navy — Knitted, dyed, and sewn in America and screen printed in New England. 4.4 oz.  In S - 4XL. See size chart.

This design is also available in a women's v-neck shirt, 100% cotton long-sleeved shirt, crewneck sweatshirt, dri-fit longsleeved shirt UV protection, shirt in youth sizes, a sticker, and a magnet.

We have another design honoring the servicemen at Pearl Harbor with “History Nerd” with WWII sailor on the front and a historic flag on the back. Available in a crewneck t-shirt, women's v-neck shirt, and sticker.

Browse through other WWII themed products in this collection. 

Our thanks to Martin Quinn (pictured with a WWI naval railway gun) for his invaluable help in ensuring that the profiles of the ships are as they were on December 7, not how they looked after they were repaired. 

Historic Event Behind the Design: December 7, 1941, "a date which will live in infamy"

On the morning of December 7, 1941, a radio operator on Oahu saw a large group of planes  headed toward the islands. Officials believed the sighting to be a group of U.S. B-17 bombers that were scheduled to arrive. At 7:55 am, the Japanese began their attack on Pearl Harbor. A total of 353 Japanese aircraft, two heavy cruisers, 35 submarines, two light cruisers, nine oilers, two battleships, and 11 destroyers were involved. The attack, which took place in two waves, lasted one hour and 15 minutes.

The United States lost 2,403 U.S. personnel and 68 civilians and 19 U.S. Navy ships were destroyed or damaged.

These were the battleships that were damaged or destroyed: 

• USS Arizona (BB-39): Her hull was breached, causing her to sink and trapping 1,177 men inside. Today, the USS Arizona remains in the spot where she sank, and a memorial is located over it.
• USS Oklahoma (BB-37): Capsized after nine torpedos struck her. Four hundred twenty nine men lost their lives. The USS Oklahoma was righted and salvaged, too damaged to return to duty.
• USS West Virginia (BB-48): Hit by nine torpedos, but returned to duty and served in the Philippines, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa campaigns.
• USS California (BB-44): Moored during Pearl Harbor, moderately damage and returning to duty. She served in the Mariana, Palau Island, Philippines, and Okinawa campaigns.
• USS Nevada (BB-36): The oldest ship at Pearl Harbor and the only battleship able to get underway during the attack. The decision was made to beach her so that if she was hit, she wouldn't sink so far recovery would have been difficult or impossible. She was hit, repaired, and returned to duty to served in both the Atlantic (Normandy and Southern France) and Pacific (Iwo Jima and Okinawa) campaigns.
• USS Maryland (BB-46): Received the least amount of damage and was active in helping sailors who jumped from the USS Oklahoma. She served in the Gilbert Islands, Marshall Islands, Marianas Islands, and Okinawa campaigns.
• USS Pennsylvania (BB-38): In dry dock during the attacks and received minimal damage. She returned to duty and supported the Marshall Islands, Mariana, Palau Islands, Philippines campaigns.
• USS Tennessee (BB-43): Received moderate damage and returned to duty in the Gilbert, Marshall Islands, Battle of Tarawa, Philippines campaigns.

Why the Utah wasn't included with the other battleships on the shirt

The USS Utah was a pre-WWI battleship that was demilitarized in 1931 under the London Naval Treaty, which limited the naval forces nations could have. The primary and secondary guns were removed and replaced with anti-aircraft guns, and the USS Utah was recommissioned as a radio-controlled target ship under the classification code AG-16.

At the time of the attack at Pearl Harbor, the USS Utah was located near Ford Island. the leader of the first wave of attacking aircraft at Pearl Harbor, Captain Mitsuo Fuchida, ordered that the Utah not be attacked, but it was mistaken for another ship and was hit with two torpedos. The ship sunk and 58 crew members were lost.

You'll find more information on the Utah here.

You can view the complete listing of all the vessels at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, here. Note how the USS Utah is classified  

About the flag

This flag was flying on the U.S.S. St. Louis (CL-49), eighth of nine Brooklyn-class light cruisers, at the time of the attack Pearl Harbor. It was later flown on the U.S.S. Iowa in Tokyo Bay during Japanese surrender ceremony.

Here's the description from Wikipedia of the St. Louis during the attack on Pearl Harbor:

“. . . was moored to the pier in Southeast Lock at the time of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. At 7:56, Japanese planes were sighted by observers on board St. Louis. Within minutes, the ship was at general quarters, and her operable anti-aircraft guns were manned and firing on the attackers. By 8:06, preparations for getting underway had begun. At about 8:20, one of the cruiser's gun crews shot down its first Japanese plane. By 9:00, two more Japanese aircraft had joined the first. At 9:31, St. Louis moved away from the pier and headed for South Channel and the open sea. 15 minutes later, her 6 in (150 mm) guns, whose power leads had been disconnected, were in full operating order.

As the cruiser moved into the channel entrance, she became the target of a midget submarine. The Japanese torpedoes, however, exploded on striking a shoal less than 200 yd (180 m) from the ship. Destroyers then pounded the bottom with depth charges and St. Louis continued out to sea where she joined Detroit and Phoenix, both of which also left Pearl Harbor during the attack, and a few destroyers in the search for the Japanese fleet. After failing to locate the Japanese strike force, the hunters returned to Pearl Harbor on 10 December. St. Louis turned to escorting transports carrying casualties to San Francisco and troops to Hawaii.

For her success during the attack on Pearl Harbor, the ship was given the nickname 'Lucky Lou.’"

For additional information 

• A Pearl Harbor Fact Sheet
• Ships of Pearl Harbor 

 — Larisa, Regional Editor