If we had been that alert in 1941 the Japanese never would have made it to Pearl Harbor.
Given the superior flying characteristecs of the Zeros protecting the torpedo and bombers at that time and with our carriers not in position, not sure about that. Probably would have diminished the damage but I don’t think they would have stopped the debacle.
re: “If we had been that alert in 1941 the Japanese never would have made it to Pearl Harbor.”
This would have required an ‘alertness’ on several levels including the observing RADAR station (which at the time was just being commissioned), a fighter detail on alert at the airbase, etc.