▁Command ers ▁ ▁Command ers - in - Ch ief ▁ ▁Chief s ▁of ▁Staff ▁ ▁< center >' Some ▁of ▁the ▁command ers ▁of ▁the ▁Kid ō ▁But ai </ center > ▁ ▁Oper ations ▁ ▁Pear l ▁Har bor ▁ ▁The ▁Kid ō ▁But ai ▁( also ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Car rier ▁St rik ing ▁Task ▁Force ) ▁set ▁sail ▁from ▁Hit ok app u ▁Bay , ▁Japan ▁under ▁Vice ▁Admir al ▁Ch ū ichi ▁Nag um o ▁on ▁ 2 6 ▁November ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁arriv ing ▁in ▁Hawai ian ▁waters ▁on ▁Sunday , ▁ 7 ▁December ▁ 1 9 4 1 ▁Hawai ian ▁time . ▁At ▁around ▁ 8 am , ▁the ▁first ▁wave ▁began ▁its ▁attack ▁on ▁the ▁US ▁Pacific ▁Fle et ▁based ▁at ▁Pear l ▁Har bor ▁and ▁on ▁out lying ▁air fields . ▁By ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁day ▁ 2 1 ▁American ▁ships ▁were ▁either ▁s unk ▁or ▁cri pp led , ▁ 1 8 8 ▁aircraft ▁were ▁destroyed , ▁and ▁almost ▁ 2 , 5 0 0 ▁Americans ▁were ▁killed . ▁Japan ▁was ▁now ▁formally ▁at ▁war ▁with ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁ ▁For ▁the ▁attack ▁on ▁Pear l ▁Har bor , ▁this ▁fleet ▁had ▁a ▁strength ▁of ▁ 1 0 3 ▁level ▁bom bers , ▁ 1 2 8 ▁d ive ▁bom bers , ▁ 4 0 ▁tor ped o ▁bom bers , ▁ 8 8 ▁f ighter ▁plan es , ▁and ▁plus ▁ 9 1 ▁plan es ▁with ▁a