To a certain extent, Rafe McCawley (Ben Affleck) is based on real fighter pilot Joe Foss, who had thirty-two confirmed kills during the War, and many more probables. McCawley’s speech about the plane feeling like an extension of his body was taken almost verbatim from a conversation Michael Bay had with Foss.

Are Rafe and Danny based on real people?

The film dramatically portrays the events of this historic day by depicting the lives of two First Lieutenants in the U.S. Army, Rafe McCawley and Danny Walker, who are best friends. These two characters are based on two real U.S. Army Air Corps Second Lieutenants.

Is the movie Pearl Harbor based on real people?

Although only one scene in the movie is related to them, Pearl Harbor most closely resembles the accounts of Kenneth Taylor and George Welch, second lieutenants in the U.S. Army Air Corps and two heroic pilots who bravely defended Pearl Harbor in the time of most desperate need.

Is Rafe alive in Pearl Harbor?





Rafe is alive. Resurfacing mere days before the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor, he learns, after his months-long ordeal in occupied France, that his best friend and the love of his life have turned the page after an (extremely abbreviated) mourning period. Then Pearl Harbor happens.

How accurate is the film Pearl Harbor?

It’s historically inaccurate.



It also includes E-2 Hawkeyes, which weren’t used until the 60s. And the Jeep they drive across the golf course during the bombing is a Korean War-era M-38. And the kicker: the raid on Tokyo in retaliation for Pearl Harbor definitely didn’t go down the way it was portrayed in the movie.

How many Japanese planes shot down at Pearl Harbor?

29 aircraft



The Japanese lost 29 aircraft and 5 midget submarines in the attack. One Japanese soldier was taken prisoner and 129 Japanese soldiers were killed. Out of all the Japanese ships that participated in the attack on Pearl Harbor only one, the Ushio, survived until the end of the war.

Is the pearl based on a true story?

This story is based upon a true story (parable) that Steinbeck heard when he was there on a marine biology expedition. The Pearl is a novella, which is a shorter novel that tells a story with several characters and may have more than one plot, with complex levels or situations, and it presents a picture of real life.



Was Pearl Harbor a flop?

The Disney boss responsible for Pearl Harbor has quit after the second world war epic flopped at the US box office. The wartime romance starring Ben Affleck and British actress Kate Beckinsale had been touted as the next Titanic but is so far nowhere near breaking even.

Why did Japan hit Pearl Harbor?

Japan intended the attack as a preventive action. Its aim was to prevent the United States Pacific Fleet from interfering with its planned military actions in Southeast Asia against overseas territories of the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and those of the United States.

How many came back from the Doolittle Raid?

Of the 16 USAAF crews involved, 14 complete crews of five returned to the United States or to US forces elsewhere – one crew was killed in action. Eight US aviators were captured by Japanese forces in Eastern China and three of these were later executed.

Who did Evelyn love Danny or Rafe?



They kiss and end up spending the night together. The following morning, Evelyn and Danny meet again, where he tells her that he of his feelings for her. The two begin dating, and are very much in love.

Is Rafe McCawley still alive?

Rafe shocks Evelyn by saying that he has joined the Eagle Squadron and is leaving the next day. During a mission to intercept a Luftwaffe bombing raid, Rafe is shot down over the English Channel and is presumed killed in action. Danny and Evelyn mourn Rafe’s death together, which spurs a romance between the two.

Who is the father of the baby in Pearl Harbor?

Pearl Harbor (2001) – William Fichtner as Danny’s Father – IMDb.

How many people died at Pearl Harbor?

A total of 2,390 American service members and civilians were killed at Pearl Harbor due to the attack on Dec. 7, 1941. Of the 2,341 service members that died on Dec. 7, 1941, almost half died on the USS Arizona, a total of 1,177.

Was the Doolittle Raid Successful?



All sixteen crews reached their targets and dropped their bombs on Japan—after months of planning and many great technical innovations, the raid was a success. However, the Doolittle’s raiders had to find their way on to China, and then hope to find allies on the ground in a country full of Japanese occupying forces.

Who were the two pilots at Pearl Harbor?

During the attack on Pearl Harbor, U.S. pilots George Welch and Kenneth Taylor managed to get airborne under fire—twice—and shot down at least six Japanese planes between them.

Where was Pearl Harbor filmed?

Most of the film was shot around California, including the ‘Tennessee’ fields of the opening, which are at Somis, between Thousand Oaks and Ventura, northwest of Los Angeles. The movie kicks off on the East Coast, supposedly in ‘New York’.

Is Pearl Harbor still active?

Today, Pearl Harbor remains an active military base, Headquarters of the Pacific Fleet, and a National Historic Landmark that’s home to four unique attractions: from the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor that started it all, to the surrender of the Japanese on the deck of the mighty Battleship Missouri, these four

How long did the battle of Pearl Harbor last?

In just over an hour, the Japanese destroyed more than 180 aircraft and destroyed or damaged more than a dozen ships. More than 2,400 U.S. military members and civilians were killed. Learn more in this infographic.