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In a scene seemingly right out of "On the Town," sailors on leave head for good times in Manhattan in October 1941. After being cooped up in giant rolling tin cans for weeks, sailors were known to visit strip clubs, bars, tattoo parlors and girls, with Times Square one of their first ports of call.

This photo appeared on the cover of The Times Magazine with the headline, "Men of our first line of defense" and the caption, "Shore party for Manhattan," on November 2, 1942. Ready to let off steam, the sailors were riding the Staten Island Ferry.

Just over a month later, the party was over. On Dec. 7, 1941, Japanese warplanes attacked the home base of the American Pacific fleet at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, drawing the United States into World War II. More than 2,300 Americans were killed.

"Reports from Hawaii indicated that Honolulu had no warning of the attack," The Times noted. "Japanese bombers, with the red circle of the Rising Sun of Japan on their wings, suddenly appeared, escorting by fighters. Flying high, they suddenly dive-bombed, attacking Pearl Harbor, the great Navy base, the Army's Hickam Field and Ford Island. At least one torpedo plane was seen to launch a torpedo at warships in Pearl Harbor."

The next day, President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared that Dec. 7, 1941, was "a date which will live in infamy." Within an hour, Congress declared war against Japan with only one dissenting voice.