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the assault mounted on the Pacific Fleet in Pearl Harbor, simultaneously
the air base at Wheeler Field came under heavy attack, most
of the P-40s and P-36s neatly lined up making easy targets for
the marauding Japanese aircraft. Almost all were hit.
Bleary-eyed from an all-night party, two
young USAAF pilots, Kenneth Taylor and George Welch, quickly
assessed the situation: Not waiting for instructions Taylor
called Haleiwa Field in the north of the island, and ordered
their 47th Pursuit Squadron P-40 Tomahawk fighters to readiness.
Running through a hail of gunfire and shrapnel, they leapt
into Taylor's car and raced northwards, bullets chewing up
the road as they went.
Surviving the strafing, within minutes
of arrival at Haleiwa the two pilots got their P-40 Tomahawks
airborne. Only then did they realize what they were up against:
"There were between 200 and 300 Japanese aircraft,"
said Taylor "There were just two of us!" Winging
southwards towards Ewa Field they ripped into a dozen or more
enemy planes attacking the marine field. Diving into the formation
they each downed "Val" fighter-bombers.
Low on fuel and ammunition they
landed at Wheeler, where ground crews got them back in the
air replenished in minutes. As he followed Welch into the
air, Taylor's aircraft was hit and the young pilot was wounded
in shoulder and leg. Welch jumped on his attacker immediately
scoring his third kill. Ignoring his injuries Taylor continued
into the fray. Wheeling and turning in the humid air above
the lush green terrain of Oahu, Taylor and Welch continued
their solitary combat against the hordes of Japanese, bringing
their total to at least six victories before the Japanese,
having done their worst, headed out to sea. For their quick
thinking, and courageous action both Taylor and Welch were
awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. They were the first
American pilots to strike back at an enemy that would take
four long years to defeat.
Robert Taylor's carefully researched
painting shows Ken Taylor in his P-40 Tomahawk bringing down
his second enemy aircraft on December 7, 1941, an Aichi D-3A1
"Val" dive-bomber. George Welch is in close company
as a group of Japanese planes head for the sea over Barbers
Point. In the background palls of smoke rise from Hangar 6 housing
the naval float planes, and the up-turned battleship Oklahoma.
Joining the artist and Brigadier General Ken Taylor in signing
this important collector print are four highly distinguished
American veteran pilots from World War II. |
|
Overall print
size: 30 1/2" wide x 23 1/4" high.
Image size: 24" wide x 16" high.
A dramatic reconstruction of the
very first air combat sequence fought by American pilots following
the surprise attack upon Pearl Harbor. In less than one hour
America struck back in a war that was to end in total victory.
| America
Strikes Back by Robert
Taylor |
| 550 s/n prints w/FIVE
signatures. |
US $295 |
|
| 25 Artist's Proofs w/FIVE
signatures. |
US $500 |
|
There are few truly defining moments
in the history of a State - single episodes that touch every
citizen, and cast a nation's future. Epoch-making events that
influence the entire world are even more uncommon. The events
that took place in the space of less than two hours on the morning
of December 7, 1941 were of such defining importance, their
memory is now deeply embedded into the history of the Twentieth
Century.
Morning Thunder is an exclusive commemorative
limited edition published in association with the Admiral
Nimitz Museum, Fredericksburg, Texas.
ADMIRAL
NIMITZ
MUSEUM
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