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Brookings in Curry County, Oregon — The American West (Northwest)
 

The Japanese Attack on Oregon

 
 
The Japanese Attack on Oregon Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Douglass Halvorsen, September 1, 2012
1. The Japanese Attack on Oregon Marker
Inscription. Prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor, a contingent of Japanese I-Class submarines sailed from Yokosuka via the Marshall Islands to take up positions off Hawaii and the coast of North America. Five of these vessels carried midget two-man submarines and 11 carried aircraft.

Early on the morning of September 9, 1942, the Japanese submarine I-25 surfaced off Brookings. The crew quickly assembled a specially designed seaplane, and within a few minutes pilot Nobuo Fujita, observer Shoji Okuda, and two 170 pound incendiary bombs were catapulted airborne. The plane flew toward Cape Blanco Light and crossed the coastline, following a course southeast for about 50 miles to drop its payload on Wheeler Ridge and become the first enemy aircraft to bomb the US mainland.

The Japanese intended to ignite the forests of the Pacific Northwest and cause panic. The attempt was frustrated by an unusually wet fire season and vigilant U.S. Forest Service lookouts atop Mt. Emily and at Bear Wallow. The fires were quickly extinguished and 50 pounds of bomb fragments were turned over to U.S. Military and FBI Investigators.

Twenty days later the I-25 surfaced 50 miles west of Cape Blanco.

This time Fujita crossed the coastline near Port Orford. Forest Service lookouts spotted the plane, and so did ranchers along the
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Sixes River. Firefighters were dispatched, but no fire or bomb debris was discovered.

Fujita returned to Oregon in 1962, but this time his mission was peaceful. While attending Brookings’ annual Azalea Festival, he surrendered his 400 year-old Samurai-type sword to the Mayor as ‘The finest possible way of closing the story. To pledge peace and friendship.’ Nobuo Fujita returned again in 1992, to plant a redwood seedling at the bombed site on the 50th anniversary of the attack.
 
Erected by Oregon Travel Experience.
 
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, World II. In addition, it is included in the Oregon Beaver Boards series list. A significant historical date for this entry is September 9, 1942.
 
Location. 42° 3.34′ N, 124° 16.423′ W. Marker is in Brookings, Oregon, in Curry County. Marker is at the intersection of North Bank Chetco River Road and Oregon Coast Hwy (U.S. 101), on the right when traveling south on North Bank Chetco River Road. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Brookings OR 97415, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 4 other markers are within 11 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. March 11, 2011 Tsunami (approx. 0.4 miles away); Chetco Memorial — Chit-xu Village Site (approx. half a mile away); History of the Chetco People
The Japanese Attack on Oregon Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Douglass Halvorsen, September 1, 2012
2. The Japanese Attack on Oregon Marker
(approx. half a mile away); Memorial (approx. 10.4 miles away).
 
Also see . . .  Oregon Travel Experience - Japanese Attack on Oregon. (Submitted on January 12, 2018, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon.)
 
The Japanese Attack on Oregon Audio Tour image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Douglass Halvorsen, September 1, 2012
3. The Japanese Attack on Oregon Audio Tour
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on January 16, 2018. It was originally submitted on January 12, 2018, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. This page has been viewed 243 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos:   1, 2, 3. submitted on January 12, 2018, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.

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Mar. 28, 2024