USS Helena at Pearl Harbor
7 December 1941

Orientation
Page 1

The Orientation Section
is designed to familiarize you with various aspects of
the layout of Pearl Harbor.

On 7 December 1941 the Helena was at the 1010 Dock.
Her usual place was with the other cruisers as shown in the first aerial photograph



Some of the details of where the Helena fits in came from

Chester J 'Ski' Biernacki, USS Helena CL-50, 1939 - 1943.
Ski's assistance allowed me to add captions to the below photos

In this page are:

The Mooring & Berthing Plan,

An aerial photo of Pearl Harbor taken 31 October 1941,

A diagram of ship locations on 7 December 1941,

and a Google Map focusing on the 1010 Dock and Ford Island across the channel.

The Helena and other cruisers usually were berthed back in the area close to Aiea.

The white clusters of circles are the tank farms that were not
an assigned target during the attack.

Berth F-9 is explained in

Page 2, Carrier Row


At this time ( December 2021 ) I am uncertain as to which
direction the aircraft dropping torpedoes
towards the Helena came from.

The Google map shows possible directions from Berth F-9 and the USS Utah.

 

PDFs of two of the below images
allow enlargement without distortion

 

MOORING AND BERTHING PLAN

THE HELENA WAS USUALLY WITH OTHER CRUISERS
IN THE AREA OF THE BLUE OVAL

ON 7 DECEMBER 1941 SHE WAS AT
THE 1010 DOCK
BERTH B2



source: The John Szalay Collection

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OCTOBER 1941 AERIAL PHOTO OF PEARL HARBOR

THE HELENA WAS USUALLY MOORED IN THE AREA
OF THE WHITE OVAL



source: Naval History and Heritage Command
80-G-182874

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SAME AERIAL PHOTO AS ABOVE

HANDWRITTEN LOCATIONS FROM
CHESTER J 'SKI' BIERNACKI

clarifications added by Doug Graff Comella

source: Naval History and Heritage Command
80-G-182874

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SHIP LOCATIONS 7 DECEMBER 1941



source: Pearl Harbor Visitor Center

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THE 1010 DOCK

2000 FOOT LINE IS THE DIRECTION FROM BERTH F-9

3000 FOOT LINE IS DIRECTION FROM USS UTAH

TORPEDO HIT CLOSE TO AREA BETWEEN ARROWS

source: Google Map

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