Tifton in Tift County, Georgia — The American South (South Atlantic)
William W. Outerbridge, Rear Admiral, USN
April 1906 - September 1986
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, April 19, 2022
1. William W. Outerbridge, Rear Admiral, USN Marker
William W. Outerbridge was born in Hong Kong, China on 14 April 1906, and graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1927. He served in several billets before taking command of the destroyer USS Ward at Pearl Harbor. Patrolling off Hawaii hours before the Japanese attack on December 7, 1941, the Ward encountered a Japanese midget submarine trying to penetrate the American naval base. The Ward opened fire and sank the submarine, firing what are widely regarded as the first American shots in World War II.
Outerbridge was transferred to the USS O’Brien. The O’Brien supported the Allied landing on D-Day, 6 June 1944, by hammering German positions near the beach. Days later, the O’Brien supported the Allied troops’ capture of Cherbourg, a vital port. He and the O’Brien then served in the Pacific until the end of the war. Ironically, on 7 December 1944, the O’Brien was ordered to sink the USS Ward which had been severely damaged in a kamikaze attack.
Captain Outerbridge served in various capacities after the war, commanding the cruiser, USS Los Angeles 1953-1955. He retired in 1957 as a rear admiral, and died in 1986. He is buried in Tifton, Georgia.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Patriots & Patriotism
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Location. 31° 27.203′ N, 83° 30.627′ W. Marker is in Tifton, Georgia, in Tift County. Marker can be reached from Main Street (Love Avenue) (U.S. 41) just north of 1st Street East, on the left when traveling north. Marker is mounted on the memorial wall in Tifton Veterans Memorial Plaza. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Tifton GA 31794, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. A.V. "Bubba" Akin (here, next to this marker); Henry Bostick (here, next to this marker); Henry Tift Myers (here, next to this marker); John Larkin Wright, Lieutenant Colonel, USAF (here, next to this marker); "Major" Jack L. Woolard (here, next to this marker); Purple Heart Memorial (here, next to this marker); M60A3 Tank (within shouting distance of this marker); The Olympic Torch Paused at this Site (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Tifton.
Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Tifton Veterans Memorial Plaza
Also see . . .
1. William Woodward Outerbridge.
The Ward, while on patrol near(Submitted on May 12, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)the entrance to Pearl Harbor, was alerted by the cargo ship Antares to the presence of a Japanese midget submarine attempting to infiltrate into the harbor entrance. The Ward opened fire with her number three deck gun, then dropped depth charges, and sank the submarine. This happened just 70 minutes before the Japanese naval air forces commenced their attacks on Pearl Harbor. The action by the Ward's crew was thus the first naval action by U.S. forces in World War II, and the gun that fired the first shot was installed as a memorial at the Minnesota State Capitol in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The midget submarine the Ward sank that morning was finally located in August 2002 in 1,300 feet of water just outside Pearl Harbor.Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, April 19, 20222. William W. Outerbridge, Rear Admiral, USN MarkerMarker is on the memorial wall in Tifton Veterans Memorial Plaza.
2. RADM William Woodward Outerbridge (Find a Grave).
Born in Victoria, Hong Kong to a British Merchant Sea Captain and a Ohio U.S.A. mother. The Sea Captain died unexpectedly whereupon the mother returned to Middleport, Ohio. William attended school there and then was accepted at the Naval Academy where he graduated 1927. William Outerbridge holds the distinction of firing the first shots in defense of the United States of America at America's entry point into(Submitted on May 12, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)World War II.Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, April 19, 20223. Tifton Veterans Memorial Plaza
Credits. This page was last revised on May 12, 2022. It was originally submitted on May 11, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 435 times since then and 35 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on May 12, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
