Pearl Harbor, from which she served as local guard ship, as well as tending two patrol bomber squadrons. From 15 October-9 November, she sailed to Wake Island, carrying air-crew and cargo to reinforce the garrison. Pearl Harbor When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Curtiss was able to get underway and returned fire at the attacking Japanese aircraft. At 08:36, she sighted the periscope of a Japanese Midget Submarine and opened fire. A torpedo from this submarine missed Curtiss, running over and into a dock at Pearl City. Four minutes later, the same submarine surfaced and was further damaged by gunfire before diving again, after which the destroyer sank the submarine with a ram and depth charge attack. At 09:05, Curtiss hit a Japanese plane which then crashed into her No. 1 crane, causing casualties and starting a fire. Three minutes later, she was attacked by an Aichi D3A dive bomber. The bomb from this plane struck Curtiss in the vicinity of her damaged crane and exploded below decks, setting the hangar, main decks and No. 4 handling room on fire. The damaged aircraft crashed off her port beam. With 19 dead and many wounded, Curtiss crew managed to extinguish the fire and commence emergency repairs. On 28 December, she was underway for San Diego, California, for more permanent repairs and replacement of the damaged crane with a Oerlikon anti-aircraft cannon. Her repairs were completed in just four days and she was back in Pearl Harbor on 13 January 1942, to begin ferrying men and supplies to bases at Samoa, Suva, and Nouméa, until June. Noumea and Solomons Departing Pearl Harbor, on 2 June 1942, Curtiss served as flagship for Commander, Naval Air, South Pacific, at Naval Base Noumea, from 16 June-4 August, then served as seaplane tender, flagship, repair and supply ship for destroyers and small craft engaged in the Solomon operations from Espiritu Santo, until 9 July 1943. After overhaul at San Francisco, she arrived at Funafuti, Ellice Islands, 7 November, to serve as flagship for Commander Air, Central Pacific, based at Funafuti, until 29 December 1943. She then served at Tarawa, from 31 December 1943 – 8 March 1944, Kwajalein, 10 March–26 June, Eniwetok, 27 June–9 August, Saipan, 12 August 1944 – 1 January 1945, and finally Guam, 2 January–7 February. Okinawa After repairs at San Francisco, Curtiss sailed to Okinawa, arriving on 22 May 1945, to serve