NIGHTINGALE, Earl C - USMC

Earl C. Nightingale
Corporal, United States Marine Corps. on 7 December 1941

b. 3 Jan 1907 - d. Mar 1976

Submitted by Russell J. McCurdy

At approximately eight o'clock on the morning of 7 December 1941, I was leaving the breakfast table when the ship's siren for air defense sounded. Having no anti-aircraft battle station, I paid little attention to it. Suddenly, I heard an explosion, I ran to the port door leading to the quarter deck and saw a bomb strike a barge of some sort alongside the Nevada, or in that vicinity. The Marine color guard came in at this point saying that we were being attacked. I could distinctly hear machine gun fire. I believe at this point our anti-aircraft battery opened up. We stood around waiting orders of some kind. General Quarters sounded and I started for my battle station in Secondary Aft. As I passed through casemate 9, I noticed the gun was manned and being trained out. The men seemed extremely calm and collected.

I reached the boat deck and our anti-aircraft guns were in full action firing very rapidly. I was about three-quarters of the way to the first platform on the mast when it seemed as though a bomb struck our quarter deck. I could hear shrapnel or fragments whistling past me. As soon as I reached the first platform, I saw 2nd Lt. Simensen laying on his back with blood on his shirt front. I bent over him and taking him by the shoulders, asked if there was anything I could do. He was dead or so nearly, that speech was impossible. Seeing there was nothing I could do for the Lt., I continued to my battle station.

When I arrived in Secondary Aft I reported to Major Shapley that Mr. Simensen had been hit and there was nothing to be done for him. There was a lot of talking going on and I shouted for silence, which came immediately. I had only been there a few minutes when a terrible explosion caused the ship to shake violently. I looked at the boat deck and everything seemed aflame forward of the main mast, I reported to the Major that the ship was aflame, which was rather needless, and after looking about, the Major ordered us to leave.

I was the last man to leave Secondary Aft because I looked around and there was no one left. I followed the Major down the port side of the port side mast. The railings, as we descended, were very hot and as we reached the boat deck I noted that it was torn up and burned. The bodies of the dead were thick, and badly burned, men were heading for the quarter deck, only to fall apparently dead or badly wounded. The Major and I went between No. 3 and No. 4 turrets to the starboard side and found Lt. Cmdr. Fuqua ordering the men over the side, and assisting the wounded. He seemed exceptionally calm and the Major stopped and they talked for a minute. Charred bodies were everywhere. I made my way to the quay and started to remove my shoes, when suddenly I found myself in the water. I think the concussion of a bomb threw me in. I started swimming for the pipeline which was about 150 feet away. I was about halfway and then my strength gave out entirely, my clothes and shocked condition sapped my strength and I was about to go under when Major Shapley started to swim by, and seeing my distress, he grasped my shirt and told me to hang to his shoulders while he swam in. We were perhaps 25 feet from the pipeline when the Major's strength gave out and I saw he was floundering, so I loosed my grip on him and told him to make it alone. He stopped and grabbed me by the shirt and refused to let go. I would have drowned but for the Major. We finally reached the beach where a Marine directed us to a bomb shelter, where I was given dry clothes and a place to rest.