Why a third Pearl Harbor strike might matter

Would a third Pearl Harbor strike have been worthwhile?

Possibly, because added damage to repair capacity and support systems could have cumulative operational effects despite the additional risk.

The claim that a third wave would achieve nothing remains debatable because the issue turns on cost versus benefit. Fuel reserves, dry-dock support, repair ships, and related systems could matter as much as another direct hit on a battleship. Damage across several support functions would accumulate and slow the Pacific Fleet's recovery even if no single target decided the war. This remains a defensible interpretation rather than a certain outcome because assessments weigh the additional Japanese losses and damage ashore differently.