The Snapshots in Time Collection

Sailors at 20mm Oerlikon Gun Mount with Pearl Harbor in Background, 1945

Sailors at 20mm Oerlikon Gun Mount with Pearl Harbor in Background, 1945

A U.S. Navy gun crew mans a 20mm Oerlikon anti-aircraft mount on the deck of their ship, with Pearl Harbor's crowded anchorage and a floating dry dock visible astern. Taken circa 1945, this snapshot from a serviceman's personal album captures the everyday routine of shipboard gunnery watch at the height of the Pacific War, set against the harbor that came to symbolize America's entry into the conflict. Project: 218349