▁ 1 4 th ▁District ▁and ▁was ▁based ▁at ▁Hon ol ulu , ▁Hawai i . ▁She ▁arrived ▁there ▁after ▁under going ▁a ▁ref it ▁at ▁the ▁Coast ▁Guard ▁Y ard . ▁In ▁Hawai i , ▁she ▁serv iced ▁a ids ▁to ▁navigation ▁in ▁local ▁waters ▁and ▁the ▁waters ▁around ▁Mid way ▁Island ▁and ▁carried ▁out ▁search ▁and ▁rescue ▁duties ▁when ▁required . ▁She ▁came ▁under ▁naval ▁control ▁in ▁November ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁when ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁drew ▁closer ▁to ▁war . ▁She ▁was ▁mo ored ▁at ▁Long ▁D ock ▁on ▁Mid way ▁Island ▁when ▁a ▁radio ▁message ▁was ▁received ▁indicating ▁that ▁Pear l ▁Har bor ▁was ▁under ▁attack . ▁She ▁immediately ▁got ▁under way ▁and ▁anch ored ▁in ▁Mid way ▁L ago on . ▁A ▁historical ▁pam ph let ▁noted : ▁" This ▁was ▁the ▁day ▁the ▁W AL N UT ▁was ▁to ▁depart ▁for ▁Hon ol ulu , ▁but ▁due ▁to ▁lack ▁of ▁fuel ▁and ▁being ▁un ar med ▁the ▁W AL N UT ▁remained ▁at ▁anchor ▁playing ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁Dec oy ▁in ▁case ▁any ▁enemy ▁craft ▁should ▁appear . ▁For ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁day , ▁the ▁ship ' s ▁crew ▁worked ▁quickly ▁to ▁ex ting u ish ▁all ▁of ▁the ▁islands ▁a ids ▁to ▁navigation , ▁for ▁this ▁was ▁to ▁be ▁Mid way ' s ▁first ▁of ▁many ▁evening ▁black - outs . ▁Then ▁at ▁ 9 : 3 0 ▁that ▁evening , ▁the ▁first ▁shot ▁was ▁heard . ▁The ▁enemy ▁had ▁arrived ! ▁The