on 10 december 1941, two days after the outbreak of war in the philippines, a heavy japanese air attack devastated cavite, the base of the asiatic fleet, near manila. standing in from the corregidor minefields, "tulsa" anchored off the burning base as the last japanese planes departed. she called away all of her boats and sent fire and rescue parties ashore to bring off what wounded could be rescued from the holocaust. at 19:00, she recalled all hands that were ashore; and, within hours, "tulsa", , , and retired toward balikpapan, borneo.