Seventy-five years after the attack that plunged the United States into World War II, a Pearl Harbor survivor recalled the devastation and bravery he saw that fateful day.

Earl Chaffee, 93, of West Melbourne, remembers Dec. 7, 1941 like it was yesterday.

The U.S. navy petty officer was 18 years old and just arrived in Hawaii via the Philippines.

That Sunday morning he reported to his duty station as the surprise attack was happening.

Chaffee remembers the low-flying Japanese planes firing guns and torpedoes into the harbor.

He was there as the docked ships were bombed and sunk. Thousands of sailors were killed.

"They spotted us, but they couldn't train their guns down this way, they were shooting over our heads," Chaffee said. "We didn't even throw ourselves to the ground."

Chaffee pulled burned sailors from the water and took them to the nearby hospital, where the wounded were being treated on the grounds outside, because all the beds were full.