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Retired Navy master chief petty officer recalls the 'real' Tora! Tora! Tora!

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Daniel Riley
  • 375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  "I was emptying a trash can when the bombs started falling," said retired Navy Master Chief Petty Officer Mike Kovach, who visited Scott AFB during the air show and shared his story of the 'real' Tora! Tora! Tora!

He was aboard the USS Whitney on that fateful day in Pearl Harbor, Dec. 7, 1941.

He was on the top deck of his ship when the Japanese Zeroes came flying overhead.

The ship had one sailor that was wounded in the attack from the Japanese aircraft strafing the ship. The alarm sounded in enough time for most of the sailors get to safety before they were hit.

"General quarters was sounded, so I went down below to my station," he said. Soon after the attack the ship's .50 caliber machine guns lit up the sky, and the Whitney's larger anti-aircraft guns began firing at the attacking Japanese aircraft.

Because of where the Whitney was located during the attack, Chief Kovach didn't see the bombs go off, but he heard and felt their power. He also heard the Zeroes flying overhead strafing every ship in the bay, including the Whitney.

In the immediate aftermath of the devastating attack, Chief Kovach "was aboard the same ship for over 14 days," he said. "We were working parties taking ammunition and supplies onto other ships (in preparation for going to war).

"After the attack I think we hit every island between Pearl Harbor and Japan. I was gone for four years."

Upon returning to the United States after the war, Chief Kovach left the Navy, but he didn't stay away for long. "I missed it; I ended up serving more than 20 years."

He retired on Jan. 7, 1971 and now lives outside of Carbondale, Ill., with his family, calling Scott AFB home. Before he left he asked about the location of the passenger terminal, where he used to catch space-available hops around the world.

While attending the air show Chief Kovach watched the 'Tora! Tora! Tora!' flight demonstration.

"The act was good - the whole show was great!" said Chief Kovach.