The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1942-02-24
OIL REFINERY IS
SHELLED BY JAPS
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| tanned it's fire at intervals for about
Is minutes. Observers who watched
it from shore in the twilight said
it remained on the surface until af-
ter dark. They described it as very
large.
| 1t was the first attack on the
United States mainland since 1918,
when a German U-boat lobbed shells
at a Cape Cod objective with SINH
larly trifling results.
Targets of Japs
An official communique of the
18th naval district revealed that the
refinery Of the Bankline Oil COM
pany of Elwood and the adjoining
coastline oil field were its targets.
The communique quoted the &C
count of F. w. Borden, superinten-
dent of the company, as follows:
"At ITO p. m. one large submar-
inc came to the surface about one
mile offshore and fired approx
mately is shells from a deck gun.
Zone direct hit was registered on
a well, causing minor damage to
the pumping unit and the derrick.
There we're several close misses on
crude oil storage tank and a
gasoline tank.
Apparently no damage was
caused by these shells. A COM
plete survey of the ground has not
yet been made and there may be
superficial damage. Whatever other
damage is discovered will not be
extensive.
mo fires we're started as a result
of the firing. No tanks were hit.
From fragments of shell found and
marks on the ground it is believed
a four or five inch gun was used.
The firing was done leisurely, ap-
parently only one gun being used.
1t required about Is minutes to
fire approximately Is Shells"
The Smelling came at the end of
day marked by the forced evacua-
ton of Japanese aliens from Ter
minal Island in Los Angeles har-
Dor and other stra tegic California
areas where fifth column activities
have been feared. 1t was followed
by black-out which went into eff
feet at p. m. oil p. m. EWT) Is
minutes after the last shell was
fired. The blackout extended along
the coast from Santa Barbara to
Ventura, 80 miles to the southwest
and was not lifted until 1910 a. m.
today (3:10 a. m. EWT). A number
of Japanese aliens and Japanese
American citizens were found wan
dering in the black out in Ventura
and were arrested.
Police said two of the japanese
arrested were armed and were
cruising in a BACKED out station
wagon. The men admitted visiting
the Goleta area earlier, police said
No charge was filed against them.
Radio stations went off the air
during the black out. Their broad
casting of President Roosevelt's war
report to the nation was not inter-
rupted.
Last Time 1t Happened
Orleans, Mass, Feb. 24.-(UP)--
The last previous time enemy shells
landed on the United States main
land occurred here July 81, 1919
when a German U-boat attacked a
tug and three barges and one OF
it's shots went wide. .....-
The Uboat fired thre torpedoes
at its quarry but all missed their
mark. It's deck gun rained shells
on the tug and barges and one shot
went SO wide it landed close to spec
tators on shore.
All Al persons aboard the boats
escaped safely, as did the submar-
inc. The World War I attack &C.
CURED on a Sunday morning two
miles offshore and resulted In a
loss of $945,0O
Widespread Search
Washington, Feb. 24.-(UP)-The
War Department announced today
that army and navy aircraft ano
ships have begun widespread
search for the japanese submarine
which shelled an oil refinery last
night near Santa Barbara, Cal.
! News Of the search was contained
In departmental communicate that
said the submersible fired Is rounds
of five inch shells at the Bankline
Oil Refinery near ElWood, which is
IL miles west of Santa Barbara.
The communique said that only
slight damage was done in the at
tack, which began about 7:20 p. m
Pacific war time and that there were
no casualties. the submarine, ac-
cording to the communique, was
about one quarter of a mile off Ell
wood and opened fire from two five
inch guns.
The communique reported con-
tinuation of illll in ground activi-
ties on Bataan peninsula during the
past "a hours. Although Japanese
planes dropped considerable num-
Der" of incendiary bombs behino
Gen. Douglas MacArthur's lines or
Bataan peninsula.