23 Feb 1942
United States
United States
- Just after sunset, shortly after President Franklin Roosevelt began his Fireside Chat radio broadcast, I-17 surfaced and approached the Ellwood oil refinery at Goleta, California. I-17’s deck gun fired 17 rounds, with some falling short into the sea, some firing long into ranchland beyond the refinery, and some landing within the refinery’s boundaries. I-17 then withdrew, steaming on the surface southward through the Santa Barbara Channel. The shelling had caused only superficial damage to the installation. This was Japan’s first naval bombardment of the continental United States in World War II. ww2dbase [Japanese Attacks on the Continental United States | Ellwood, California | TH]
Please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 per month will go a long way! Thank you. Please help us spread the word: Stay updated with WW2DB: |
Search WW2DB
News
- » Wreck of Teruzuki Found (27 Jul 2025)
- » USS Orlean's Bow Found (22 Jul 2025)
- » The Emperor of Japan Planned to Honor WW2-era Japanese POWs in Mongolia (4 Jul 2025)
- » US State Lawmaker John Winter Caught Using Racial Slur "Jap" and Apologized (11 Jun 2025)
- » US Government Plans to Purge WW2 Information (17 Mar 2025)
- » See all news
Current Site Statistics
- » 1,182 biographies
- » 337 events
- » 45,119 timeline entries
- » 1,248 ships
- » 350 aircraft models
- » 207 vehicle models
- » 376 weapon models
- » 123 historical documents
- » 261 facilities
- » 470 book reviews
- » 28,411 photos
- » 365 maps
Famous WW2 Quote
"Goddam it, you'll never get the Purple Heart hiding in a foxhole! Follow me!"Captain Henry P. Jim Crowe, Guadalcanal, 13 Jan 1943
Support Us
Please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 a month will go a long way. Thank you!
Or, please support us by purchasing some WW2DB merchandise at TeeSpring, Thank you!