As he looked into the USS California's CL compartment located on the ship's lower level, John McGoran "...saw pure horror, my first realization that the game was now for keeps. I saw bodies, many bodies, some of which I knew, just by their eyes, were lifeless." Like the rest of the US Pacific fleet battleships moored at Ford Island's "Battleship Row", the USS California had been hit by torpedoes in the massive surprise attack against the US Naval base of Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941. The surprise attack shattered the fragile peace the US had precariously maintained amid gathering war clouds. In the aftermath of the blood attack, loss of life was staggering - 2,638 officers and enlisted men including 68 civilians. McGoran's buddies were among the dead.

"You're not going to leave me here to die?" Sgt. George Barlow asked his buddy, John Snyder. Barlow had just saved the lives of everyone in his squad by throwing himself on a live grenade the Japanese had hurled into their machine gun emplacement at Iwo Jima. Barlow's lower torso had been blown away, and Snyder knew his friend wouldn't survive until morning without help. Pinned down, could Snyder find a medic?