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Indian Wars and Frontier Conflicts

Japanese Submarine Shelling of Ellwood Oil Field

1942
California
Era
Indian Wars and Frontier Conflicts
Year
1942
Location
California
Status
Historical record
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Neither
Forces
Ellwood oil facilities
VS
Victor
Neither (inconclusive)
Forces
Japanese submarine I-17 (Commander Kozo Nishino)
Outcome
13 shells fired at the Ellwood oil field on February 23, 1942. Minor damage to a pump house and catwalk. No casualties.
The Battle

History & Significance

First attack by a foreign power on the continental United States since the Fort Stevens shelling 2 days earlier (actually it preceded Fort Stevens by months — Fort Stevens was June 1942). The Ellwood shelling on February 23, 1942 occurred the night before President Roosevelt's fireside chat, and the next day the famous "Battle of Los Angeles" anti-aircraft barrage occurred (a false alarm). Contributed to the atmosphere of panic that led to Japanese-American internment.

Casualties & Losses

None

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

When did Japanese Submarine Shelling of Ellwood Oil Field take place?
Japanese Submarine Shelling of Ellwood Oil Field took place in 1942.
Where was Japanese Submarine Shelling of Ellwood Oil Field fought?
Japanese Submarine Shelling of Ellwood Oil Field was fought in California, United States.
What was the outcome of Japanese Submarine Shelling of Ellwood Oil Field?
13 shells fired at the Ellwood oil field on February 23, 1942. Minor damage to a pump house and catwalk. No casualties.
What was the significance of Japanese Submarine Shelling of Ellwood Oil Field?
First attack by a foreign power on the continental United States since the Fort Stevens shelling 2 days earlier (actually it preceded Fort Stevens by months — Fort Stevens was June 1942). The Ellwood shelling on February 23, 1942 occurred the night before President Roosevelt's fireside chat, and the
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Source

Content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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