PBS NOVA Series: Killer Subs in Pearl Harbor, Broadcast Wednesday May 23

Many people were not aware until recently that stealth Imperial Japanese mini-subs plied the waters of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. They were part of the December 7, 1941 attack that brought America into World War II.

On Wednesday, May 23 PBS will re-broadcast a NOVA series documentary, 'Killer Subs in Pearl Harbor.'

 "NOVA dives beneath the waters of Pearl Harbor to trace provocative new clues to one of the most tragic events of World War II—the sinking of the USS Arizona. More than 1,000 crew members perished in the greatest single loss of life in United States naval history. For decades, it has been thought that a bomb dropped by a Japanese aircraft sank the Arizona. But the discovery of a group of Japanese midget subs in and around Pearl Harbor has raised questions about the battleship's final hours.

NOVA's team of expert investigators journey to the seafloor to explore the wreckage of the most mysterious of these subs. Did this mini-sub and its two-person crew make it into Pearl Harbor and fire torpedoes at the Arizona? They pursue this puzzle with unprecedented access to the remains of the Arizona and other unique evidence, including aerial photos taken by Japanese aircraft and moving testimonials from U.S. and Japanese veterans. "Killer Subs in Pearl Harbor" is a gripping investigation of the possibility that these tiny but lethal mini-subs may have played a crucial and previously unsuspected part in the tragic events of that "Day of Infamy."


History Education Hawaii highly recommends this broadcast. Among those featured is Burl Burlingame who was recently appointed as the first curator of the Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor.

You can watch the full episode at this link to hulu.com and at this link on the PBS web site. We also call your attention to this detailed description courtesy of GreatHistory.com.