Fall River in Bristol County, Massachusetts — The American Northeast (New England)
Oerlikon 20mm
The 20 millimeters were the last line of a battleship's air defense. With a kamikaze plane bearing down, these anti-aircraft guns wer enecessary for high-angle, close-range fire. Capable weapons, they were responsible for 48% of all downed Japanese aircraft in the second half of 1942.
Range 2.75 miles
Rounds per minute 450
Gun crew 3-4 men
"When you heard the [20mm] machine guns go off, you knew you were in deep trouble…that means they were right on top of that ship."
-Howard Oedel, Leiutenant Junior Grade
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • War, World II • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1942.
Location. 41° 42.391′ N, 71° 9.812′ W. Marker is in Fall River, Massachusetts, in Bristol County. It can be reached from Water Street west of Davol Street, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1 Water St, Fall River MA 02721, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the South Coast. It is also in the American Northeast, in New England, and
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: 16-Inch Gun (a few steps from this marker); Pearl Harbor Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Welcome Aboard! (within shouting distance of this marker); Camouflage (within shouting distance of this marker); World War II (within shouting distance of this marker); Below Deck (within shouting distance of this marker); Crew (within shouting distance of this marker); Topside (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Fall River.
Credits. This page was last revised on October 5, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 5, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 5 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 5, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
