Fort Stevens, Located On The Coast Of Oregon Near The Mouth Of The Columbia River, Became The Target Of A Japanese Naval Attack, Marking One Of The Few Instances In Modern History Where The Continental United States Came Under Direct Enemy Fire During Wartime. The Assault, Though Limited In Scale And Effect, Holds Historical Significance Due To Its Rarity, Psychological Impact, And The Tactical Implications It Presented During World War II.
The Japanese Submarine I-25, Commanded By Lieutenant Commander Meiji Tagami, Was Tasked With Reconnaissance And Offensive Operations Along The American West Coast. Having Already Participated In Scouting Missions Over Oregon Using A Small Reconnaissance Aircraft Launched From Its Onboard Hangar, I-25 Was Among A Group Of Submarines Deployed To Disrupt American Coastal Activities Following The Attack On Pearl Harbor. On The Night Of June 21, Tagami Positioned I-25 Off The Oregon Coast Near The Mouth Of The Columbia River. At Approximately 11:30 PM Pacific War Time, The Submarine Surfaced And Fired Seventeen Shells From Its 14-Centimeter Deck Gun Toward Fort Stevens.
The Shells Landed In And Around The Fort's Perimeter, Striking Primarily The Baseball Field, Perimeter Fencing, And Swampland Surrounding The Installation. No One Was Killed Or Seriously Injured, And The Physical Damage Was Minimal. American Forces At Fort Stevens, Operating Under Orders To Avoid Disclosing Their Position, Did Not Return Fire. Instead, They Took Immediate Defensive Measures, Including Blackouts And Radar Surveillance. Although The Attack Failed To Damage Critical Infrastructure Or Cause Casualties, Its Symbolic Weight Was Considerable.
The Shelling Of Fort Stevens Was Not An Isolated Incident But Part Of A Larger Japanese Strategy To Create Anxiety And Distraction Within The American Home Front. Other Japanese Submarines Engaged In Similar Operations Along The West Coast, Including The Shelling Of The Ellwood Oil Field Near Santa Barbara, California, In February 1942. However, The Attack On Fort Stevens Was Unique As It Represented A Direct Assault On A United States Military Installation Within The Continental Borders.
The Fort Itself Had Been Constructed During The Civil War And Played Roles In Both World Wars. By 1942, Fort Stevens Was Part Of The Harbor Defenses Of The Columbia, Alongside Fort Columbia And Fort Canby. Though The Installation Was Equipped With Batteries Of Disappearing Guns And Anti-Aircraft Artillery, These Weapons Were Designed For Large-Scale Naval Engagements And Aerial Attacks Rather Than Hit-And-Run Submarine Offensives. The Decision Not To Return Fire Was Later Justified By Military Commanders Who Argued That Firing Back Would Have Exposed The Fort’s Position And Drawn More Precise Enemy Fire.
Public Reaction To The Incident Was Mixed. While The Military Sought To Downplay The Event To Avoid Panic, Reports Of The Attack Reached Local Newspapers, Leading To Increased Concern Among Civilians Along The Pacific Coast. The Attack Highlighted The Vulnerability Of The Western United States And Prompted Renewed Calls For Civil Defense Preparedness. Measures Such As Air Raid Drills, Coastal Blackouts, And Infrastructure Protection Were Stepped Up In Response.
Strategically, The Shelling Of Fort Stevens Demonstrated The Capabilities And Limitations Of Japan’s Submarine Fleet. Although Technologically Advanced And Capable Of Long-Range Missions, The Submarines Were Ill-Suited For Sustained Operations Against Well-Defended Shore Targets. The Fort Stevens Incident Ultimately Had No Lasting Military Impact, But It Served As A Reminder That America’s Geographic Isolation Did Not Guarantee Immunity From Direct Hostilities.
The Event Remains A Noteworthy Chapter In World War II History For Its Psychological And Symbolic Resonance. Fort Stevens Stands Today As Part Of Fort Stevens State Park, Where Visitors Can Still View The Remains Of The Historic Batteries And Learn About The Night When Enemy Fire Fell On American Soil. The Incident, Though Minor In Tactical Terms, Underscores The Global Reach Of The War And The Need For Constant Vigilance Even Far From The Front Lines.
References / More Knowledge:
Costello, John. The Pacific War: 1941–1945. New York: Harper Perennial, 1982.
Office Of The Chief Of Military History, United States Army. Chronology 1941–1945. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1950.
Pike, John. “Imperial Japanese Navy Submarine I-25.” GlobalSecurity.org. Accessed June 2025. https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/japan/i-25.htm
Oregon State Parks. “Fort Stevens History.” Accessed June 2025. https://stateparks.oregon.gov/index.cfm?do=parkPage.dsp_parkPage&parkId=129
Schom, Alan. The Eagle and the Rising Sun: The Japanese-American War 1941–1943. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2004.