St. Louis's crew went to general quarters after sighting Japanese aircraft and began preparing the machinery within minutes. Her anti-aircraft battery claimed several aircraft while the ship secured permission to leave the harbor. She became the first vessel to break out through the south channel with her 6-inch guns ready for surface action. A Japanese submarine fired during the departure, but its torpedoes struck a shoal and arriving destroyers counterattacked with depth charges.
Chapter · 1:10:16-1:12:15
St. Louis fights out of Pearl Harbor
The cruiser rapidly brought machinery and weapons into action, then became the first ship to break out through the south channel under submarine threat.