Timeline of attacks on the Unted States during World War II Search the archive for more information on attacks on the United States during World War II
1941: December 7 The Japanese launch a surprise attack on the American Naval Station at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The attack draws the United States into World War II. Read Article (pictured on the right) Japan Attacks U.S. In Pacific The Galveston Daily News, December 7, 1941 1942: February 23 A Japanese submarine fires 25 5-inch shells at the Bankline Oil Refinery near Ellwood, California. The attack caused no casualties and negligible damage to the facility. The US Army and Navy begin an immediate hunt for the submarine. Read Article Jap Sub Hunted Off California The Oakland Tribune, February 24, 1942 1942: February 25 Anti-Aircraft guns in Los Angeles, California, fire several thousand shells at unidentified aircraft over the nearby city of Santa Monica. No bombs are dropped and the Navy later confirms the event was a "false alarm." Read Article L.A. Guns Shell Mystery Aircraft The Modesto Bee & Herald, February 25, 1942 1942: June 24 The Department of the Navy releases information on the activities of German U-Boats off the coast of the United States. U-Boat attacks were responsible for one quarter of all wartime sinkings. Read Article Sinking of 15 Ships Is Disclosed The Sheboygan Press, June 24, 1942 1942: June 3 Japanese aircraft bomb Dutch Harbor in the Aleutian Islands and eventually take control of the string of islands off the coast of Alaska. American and Canadian forces will recapture the islands in August of 1943. Read Article (pictured on the right) Jap Fleet Heads For America The Winnipeg Free Press, June 4, 1942 1942: June 12 German saboteurs led by John Dasch land at East Hampton, Long Island. Their goal is to destroy power plants at Niagara Falls and three aluminum factories in Illinois, Tennessee and New York. The saboteurs were quickly rounded up and none of their plans were carried out. Read Article Six Saboteurs Executed The Brainerd Daily Dispatch, August 7, 1942 1942: June 21-22 A Japanese submarine fires nine 5-inch projectiles toward Fort Stevens on the coast of Oregon. The move was trumpeted as a success on Tokyo Radio, and military officials believed it was an attempt at creating positive propaganda for the Japanese army. The only damage the attack caused was the destruction of a fence at a nearby baseball field. Read Article (pictured on the right) Jap Sub Fires At U.S. Fort On Oregon Coast The Oakland Tribune, June 22, 1942 1942: May German U-Boats sunk several ships in the St. Lawrence River in Canada. Although the St. Lawrence was never a major target for U-Boats, they managed to sink many ships with relative ease until late in the war. Read Article St. Lawrence Freighter Is Attacked by Sub The Galveston Daily News, May 13, 1942 1942: September 9 A small single engine Japanese sea plane drops an incendiary bomb near Mount Emily in Oregon. It is believed that the bomb is meant to start a forest fire, but rangers were able to easily contain and extinguish the fire caused by the small explosion. Read Article (pictured on the right) Jap Seaplane Bombs Oregon Forests In Effort To Start Forest Fires The News, September 15, 1942 1944-45 The Japanese begin launching thousands of balloons carrying bombs into the jet stream in an attempt to hit targets in the US. The balloons caused minimal damage, but killed six people when a child in Oregon attempted to recover one of the balloons from a tree, causing it to explode. Read Article (pictured on the right) Jap Balloons Make Fast Time The Reno Evening Gazette, May 30, 1945		Newspaper Articles (click to view readable full images) The Galveston Daily News December 7, 1941 The Winnipeg Free Press June 4, 1942 The Oakland Tribune June 22, 1942 The News September 15, 1942 The Reno Evening Gazette May 30, 1945