However, the Pacific theatre of operations extended from the Aleutian Islands to the Solomon Islands and from the Panama Canal to Australia, nearly one sixth of the surface of the Earth. In May, the ship transported marines to Wallis Island and then commenced survey operations at New Caledonia, in the New Hebrides, and finished the year surveying at Tulagi, Solomon Islands.

The Sumner (re-designated AGS-5) was the primary hydrographic survey vessel in the Pacific Fleet for much of the next year and, beginning in January 1942, commenced surveys in the southwest Pacific at potential fleet bases including Tongatabu, Nandi Island and Samoa. Torpedo believed sunk without exploding Gun Captain, Campbell, H.L., BM2c, and Pinter, Pastor, J.M., MM2c, are believed worthy of special commendation for their coolness and promptness in bringing their gun into action and in scoring a hit on the plane.” Thus, hydrographers of the US Navy were among the first to engage the enemy in the opening minutes of US involvement in World War II. Plane’s gasoline tank believed ignited, as plane immediately disintegrated in flames and sank in fragments. Plane continued on its course until it was about 300 yards distant from Sumner’s stern, when it was struck by a direct hit from Sumner’s No. Truitt, commanding officer of the Sumner, in his after action report stated: “0803 Torpedo plane passed close aboard, within about 100 yards of Sumner’s stern, on W course, altitude about 75 feet, leveled off for launching torpedo at BB’s. The Sumner went to general quarters at 07:59 and four minutes later shot down an attacking plane. It was moored at the Submarine Base at Pearl Harbor on the morning of 7 December 1941.Īt approximately 07:55 local time, bombs began raining down on Hawaiian airfields and the battleships moored in the harbour.

This ship had begun its career as the USS Bushnell, a submarine tender, but had been ordered to hydrographic duty and renamed in 1937. In late November 1941, the USS Sumner (AG-32) proceeded to Pearl Harbor and joined the United States Pacific Fleet.

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