How 2 Hungover Pilots Defended Pearl Harbor

This is the remarkable story of how two hungover pilots bravely defended Pearl Harbor during the surprise Japanese attack. Despite being heavily outnumbered, Lieutenants Ken Taylor and George Welch displayed incredible courage and skill, turning the tide in one of America’s darkest hours.

The Worst Wake-Up Call

After a night of partying, Lieutenants Ken Taylor and George Welch were jolted awake in the early morning hours by the sound of alarms—the Japanese were attacking Pearl Harbor. With little time to spare, and still in their tuxedo trousers, the two pilots raced to their temporary training airfield at Haleiwa, 10 miles away.

They jumped into Welch’s car, speeding toward the airfield as enemy planes flew overhead, taking potshots at them. Miraculously, they arrived at Haleiwa to find it untouched. Without hesitation, they ran to their P-40 Warhawk fighter planes. The aircraft were fully fueled but only loaded with .30 caliber ammunition. With no time to arm themselves further, they took off, determined to protect Pearl Harbor from the onslaught.

Outnumbered but Undeterred

Within moments, the duo spotted 12 Japanese D3A1 dive bombers. Despite being vastly outnumbered, they launched into battle without a second thought. The Japanese pilots were focused on ground targets, allowing Taylor and Welch to swoop in unopposed from behind. Flying side by side, they opened fire, downing two enemy bombers in quick succession and scattering the formation.

As the tail gunners of the dive bombers fired back, Taylor ran low on ammunition and broke away to land at Wheeler Field for resupply. There, he found Welch, whose plane was damaged but still operational. The officers on the ground scolded them for attacking without orders, but the pilots ignored the reprimands when another wave of enemy bombers appeared on the horizon.

An Epic Dogfight

Ignoring the orders to stand down, Taylor and Welch rushed back to their cockpits just as the enemy planes approached. They took off again, engaging the incoming bombers head-on.

During the fierce exchange, shrapnel hit Taylor, wounding him. Despite his injury, he pressed on, struggling to evade a pursuing bomber. Welch saw his partner in trouble and dived in, firing on the enemy plane and engulfing it in flames, saving Taylor’s life.

The two pilots split up once more. Taylor pursued another bomber, opening fire before spotting a new formation of Japanese Zeros heading their way. He wisely broke off his attack, preparing for another clash. However, the incoming formation veered away, avoiding further combat. Welch, in the meantime, managed to shoot down another Zero before both pilots headed back to Haleiwa Airfield.

A Heroic Stand

Despite the overwhelming odds, Taylor and Welch both survived the attack. Welch ended the day with four confirmed kills, while Taylor had two confirmed and two probable kills. Their daring actions likely prevented a full-scale assault on Haleiwa Airfield, sparing the men and equipment there from devastating damage.

Both pilots received the Distinguished Service Cross for their heroism. Lt. Welch was also nominated for the Medal of Honor, but the nomination was denied because he took off without orders. Lt. Taylor was awarded the Purple Heart for the injuries he sustained during the battle.