USS West Virginia

Famous Pearl Harbor photo of USS West Virginia. This is not colourized. Two dramas are unfolding here. Man rescued recently identified as S/F 3/c John Chapman. A part-time Waikiki Lifeguard, he was swimming into the channel to retrieve a loose WV lifeboat for rescue use. He first told Bluejackets to leave home alone but they pointed and he saw USS Nevada charging up Battleship row, soon to run him over. Navy photographer in another boat snapped a quick series of pics, then this Kodachrome shot before all scrambled out of the way.
 The second drama is bomb had hit between Bridge and first smokestack, taking out only stairs to Bridge. Lt. Fred White and ships Bugler, Dick Fiske are seen on Bridge side. Port crane was manually turned toward them, where they snagged crane cable and used come-along ratchet (seen under them)
To pull tight.  All on Bridge swung hand over hand to crane and climbed down. Captain Bennion (KIA, MOH) had just been placed in the open area above them.
 The only colour photo of recently painted Battleships, it was used to determine true colour of these ships-deep blue-gray.