▁Japanese ▁attack ▁force ▁consisted ▁of ▁two ▁cru is ers ▁and ▁one ▁destroy er , ▁which ▁appeared ▁to ▁be ▁cir cling ▁the ▁island , ▁while ▁they ▁show ered ▁the ▁island ▁and ▁l ago on ▁with ▁mort ar ▁shell s . ▁During ▁the ▁attack , ▁a ▁U . S . ▁P BY ▁F lying ▁Bo at ▁crash ed ▁into ▁Mid way ▁L ago on . ▁In ▁response , ▁the ▁W AL N UT ' S ▁crew ▁immediately ▁launched ▁their ▁small ▁boat , ▁man ned ▁by ▁several ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁ship ' s ▁crew . ▁The ▁small ▁boat ▁quickly ▁arrived ▁on ▁the ▁scene ▁and ▁res cu ed ▁the ▁plane ' s ▁crew , ▁two ▁of ▁whom ▁had ▁been ▁seriously ▁injured ▁in ▁the ▁crash . ▁Meanwhile , ▁enemy ▁shell s ▁were ▁falling ▁within ▁ 1 0 0 ▁ft . ▁of ▁the ▁W AL N UT . ▁The ▁attack ▁last ed ▁approximately ▁ 3 0 ▁minutes , ▁and ▁when ▁it ▁was ▁over ▁the ▁ship ▁and ▁crew ▁had ▁end ured ▁without ▁any ▁cas ual ties . ▁The ▁next ▁two ▁weeks ▁were ▁fairly ▁quiet ▁and ▁work ▁went ▁on ▁as ▁usual . ▁Due ▁to ▁prev ail ing ▁circumstances , ▁the ▁W AL N UT ▁depart ed ▁for ▁Hon ol ulu . ▁One ▁evening ▁ad ▁the ▁W AL N UT ▁approached ▁their ▁destination , ▁an ▁enemy ▁sub marine ▁was ▁sight ed ▁at ▁a ▁nearby ▁island , ▁which ▁was ▁on ▁the ▁ship ' s ▁present ▁course . ▁L uck ily , ▁the ▁W AL N UT ▁managed ▁to ▁s lip ▁past ▁without ▁being