5 things about Pearl Harbor

It's among the defining moments in U.S. history. A day that does indeed live in infamy. A "Where were you when you heard?" event, like the day that President John F. Kennedy was shot or the 9/11 attacks. And yes, in the great American tradition, the inspiration for many movies, books and conspiracy theories. Just before 8 a.m. on Dec. 7, 1941, Japanese bombers swooped in to destroy the U.S. Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor in Oahu, Hawaii. The act of undeclared war left Americans angry, indignant, united and ready to fight back. See Page 3B for a story about a Pontiac memorial service being held today.

IN HUMAN TERMS

The dead from the attack numbered 2,390 Americans, including 1,177 on the battleship Arizona.

Today, a monument stands over the submerged, battle-scarred ship at Pearl Harbor. Names of the dead are etched into the memorial's marble walls.

U.S. Navy Ensign Ben Marsh, who was aboard the Arizona, was the Detroit area's first reported casualty of World War II. Marsh, 25, was from Grosse Pointe.

INFAMOUS CODE

Japanese commander Mitsuo Fuchida, who led 184 bombers and fighters over Oahu, sent the message "Tora! Tora! Tora!"

The translation: "Tiger! Tiger! Tiger!" -- which means the attack has caught the enemy by surprise.

On Aug. 4, 1963, Fuchida visited the Detroit area and told members of the Woodlawn Church of God in Royal Oak, "Today, I do only the things that glorify the Lord."

NAMESAKE IN ACTION

The cruiser USS Detroit was docked alongside the USS Raleigh, which sank, and the USS Utah, which capsized during the attack.

Avoiding hits from Japanese planes, the USS Detroit headed into the Pacific in search of the enemy. And at war's end, it was among the first ships to steam into Tokyo Harbor when Japan formally surrendered on Sept. 2, 1945.

THEORIES & DEBATES

Some historians blame U.S. military incompetence -- or arrogance -- for failing to prevent the surprise attack. They say not enough attention had been paid to the ambitious Japanese military buildup.

Some critics contend that President Franklin D. Roosevelt intentionally provoked the attack to justify America's entry into World War II.