PRIOR INVESTIGATIONS CONCERNING THE PEARL HARBOR ATTACK
Appendix A. Prior investigations concerning the Pearl Harbor
attack .......................................................... 269
The Roberts Commission .......................................... 269
The Hart Inquiry ................................................ 269
The Army Pearl Harbor Board ..................................... 269
The Navy Court of Inquiry ....................................... 270
The Clarke Inquiry .............................................. 270
The Clausen Investigation ....................................... 270
The Hewitt Inquiry .............................................. 271
PEARL HARBOR ATTACK 267
Appendix A
PRIOR INVESTIGATIONS CONCERNING THE PEARL HARBOR ATTACK
268 PEARL HARBOR ATTACK
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PEARL HARBOR ATTACK 269
APPENDIX A
PRIOR INVESTIGATIONS CONCERNING PEARL HARBOR ATTACK
THE ROBERTS COMMISSION
The Roberts Commission was organized under an Executive order, dated
December 18, 1941, of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, which defined the
duties of the Commission thus: "To ascertain and report the facts
relating to the attack made by Japanese armed forces upon the Territory
of Hawaii on December 7, 1941. The purposes of the required inquiry and
report are to provide bases for sound decisions whether any derelictions
of duty or errors of judgment on the part of United States Army or Navy
personnel contributed to such successes as were achieved by the enemy on
the occasion mentioned; and, if so, what these derelictions or errors
were, and who were responsible therefor." This inquiry was commenced on
December 18, 1941, and was concluded on January 23, 1942. The record of
its proceedings and exhibits covers 2,173 printed pages. Members of the
Commission were Sir. Justice Owen J. Roberts, United States Supreme
Court, Chairman; Admiral William H. Standley, United States Navy,
retired; Rear Adm. Joseph M. Reeves, United States Navy, retired; Maj.
Gen. Frank R. McCoy, United States Army, retired; and Brig. Gen. Joseph
T. McNarney, United States Army.
THE HART INQUIRY
The inquiry conducted by Admiral Thomas C. Hart, United States Navy,
retired, was initiated by precept dated February 12, 1944, from
Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox to Admiral Hart "For an Examination of
Witnesses and the Taking of Testimony Pertinent to the Japanese Attack
on Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii." The precept stated " * * *
Whereas certain members of the naval forces, who have knowledge
pertinent to the foregoing matters, are now or soon may be on dangerous
assignments at great distances from the United States * * * it is now
deemed necessary, in order to prevent evidence being lost by death or
unavoidable absence of those certain members of the naval forces, that
their testimony, pertinent to the aforesaid Japanese attack, be recorded
and preserved, * * *" This inquiry was commenced on February 12, 1944,
and was concluded on June 15, 1944. The record of its proceedings and
exhibits covers 565 printed pages.
THE ARMY PEARL HARBOR BOARD
The Army Pearl Harbor Board was appointed pursuant to the provisions of
Public Law 339, Seventy-eighth Congress, approved June 13, 1944, and by
order dated July 8, 1944, of The Adjutant General, War Department. The
board was directed "to ascertain
270 PEARL HARBOR ATTACK
and report the facts relating to the attack made by Japanese armed
forces upon the Territory of Hawaii on December 7, 1941, and to make
such recommendations as it may deem proper." The board held sessions
beginning July 20,1944, and concluded its investigation on October 20,
1944. The record of its proceedings and exhibits covers 3,357 printed
pages. Members of the board were Lt. Gen. George Grunert, president;
Maj. Gen. Henry D. Russell and Ma;. Gen. Walter A. Frank.
THE NAVY COURT OF INQUIRY
The Navy Court of Inquiry was appointed pursuant to the provisions of
Public Law 339, Seventy-eighth Congress, approved June 13, 1944, and by
order dated July 13, 1944, of the Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal.
The court was ordered to thoroughly "inquire into the attack made by
Japanese armed forces on Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii, on 7
December 1941 * * * and will include in its findings a full statement of
the facts it may deem to be established. The court will further give its
opinion as to whether any offenses have been committed or serious blame
incurred on the part of any person or persons in the naval service, and
in case its opinion be that offenses have been committed or serious
blame incurred, will specifically recommend what further proceedings
should be had." The court held sessions beginning July 24, 1944, and
concluded its inquiry on October 19, 1944. The record of its proceedings
and exhibits covers 1,397 printed pages. Members of the court were
Admiral Orin G. Murfin, retired, president; Admiral Edward C. Kalbfus,
retired, and Vice Adm. Adolphus Andrews, retired.
THE CLARKE INQUIRY
The investigation conducted by Col. Carter W. Clarke "regarding the
manner in which certain Top Secret communications were handled" was
pursuant to oral instructions of Gen. George C. Marshall, Chief of
Staff, United States Army. Colonel Clarke was appointed by Maj. Gen.
Clayton Bissell, Chief of the Military Intelligence Division, War
Department, under authority of a letter dated September 9, 1944, from
The Adjutant General. This investigation was conducted from September 14
to 16, 1944, and from July 13 to August 4, 1945. Testimony was taken
concerning the handling of intercepted Japanese messages known as Magic,
the handling of intelligence material by the Military Intelligence
Division, War Department, and the handling of the message sent by
General Marshall to Lt. Gen. Walter C. Short at Hawaii on the morning of
December 7, 1941. The record of the proceedings of this investigation,
together with its exhibits, covers 225 printed pages.
THE CLAUSEN INVESTIGATION
Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson announced on December 1, 1944, that
the report of the Army Pearl Harbor board had been submitted to him, and
that: "In accordance with the opinion of the Judge Advocate General, I
have decided that my own investigation should be further continued until
all the facts are made as clear as possible, and until the testimony of
every witness in possession of material
PEARL HARBOR ATTACK 271
facts can be obtained, and I have given the necessary directions to
accomplish this result." By memorandum dated February 6, 1945, for Army
personnel concerned, Secretary Stimson stated that "Pursuant to my
directions and in accordance with my public statement of 1 December
1944, Major Henry C. Clausen, JAGD, is conducting for me the
investigation supplementary to the proceedings of the Army Pearl Harbor
Board." This investigation was commenced on November 23,1944 and was
concluded on September 12, 1945. The record of its proceedings and
exhibits covers 695 printed pages.
THE HEWITT INQUIRY
The inquiry conducted by Admiral H. Kent Hewitt, United States Navy, was
initiated under precept dated May 2,1945, from Secretary of the Navy
James Forrestal to conduct "Further investigation of facts pertinent to
the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii, on 7 December
1941." The precept stated that upon review of the evidence obtained by
the examinations conducted by Admiral Thomas C. Hart and by the Navy
Court of Inquiry, "the Secretary (of Navy) has found that there were
errors of judgment on the part of certain officers in the Naval Service
both at Pearl Harbor and at Washington. The Secretary has further found
that the previous investigations have not exhausted all possible
evidence. Accordingly he has decided that the investigation directed by
Public Law 339 of the 78th Congress should be further continued until
the testimony of every witness in possession of material facts can be
obtained and all possible evidence exhausted. * * * You are hereby
detailed to make a study of the enclosures (Proceedings of Hart Inquiry
and Navy Court of Inquiry) and then to conduct such further
investigation, including the examination of any additional persons who
may have knowledge of the facts pertinent to the said Japanese attack,
and to reexamine any such person who has been previously examined, as
may appear necessary, and to record the testimony given thereby." This
inquiry commenced on May 14, 1945, and was concluded on July 11, 1945.
The record of its proceedings and exhibits covers 1,342 printed pages.
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Page maintained by Larry W. Jewell, lwjewell@omni.cc.purdue.edu. Created: 12/5/96 Updated: 12/5/96
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