First American engagement in World War II
Determining when the first engagement of the United States in World War II occurred depends on the scholar and if such actions led to formal entry of the United States into the conflict.
Attacks on American armed forces
The attack on the United States gunboat USS Panay in 1937 by Japanese forces in China (usually referred to as the Panay incident) could be considered as the first hostile American action during World War II. Although the war was not officially declared in Europe until Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939, Japan had been involved in military actions against China since 1931.
The first American military death in the European Theatre occurred on April 21, 1940, during the German invasion of Norway. Military attaché Robert M. Losey was killed during a German bombardment of Dombås while assisting with the evacuation of U.S. embassy personnel and others to Sweden.
Either the casualties inflicted on USS Kearny by U-boat U-568 on October 17, 1941, or the sinking of the USS Reuben James by U-552 on October 31, 1941 might be considered the first American naval losses of World War II. The United States was neither officially involved in the war at the time nor did the incidents cause them to declare war.
Attacks by American armed forces
The first American hostile action against Axis forces was on April 10, 1941, when the destroyer USS Niblack attacked a German U-boat that had just sunk a Dutch freighter. The Niblack was picking up survivors of the freighter when it detected a U-boat preparing to attack. The Niblack attacked with depth charges and drove off the U-boat. There were no casualties on board the Niblack or the U-boat. By coincidence, the Niblack was in the same convoy as the Reuben James when the Reuben James was sunk and picked up survivors from the Reuben James.
The first American hostile action against Axis forces that resulted in physical destruction was on 14 September 1941, when destroyed a German weather station in northeast Greenland. The action was based on an agreement with Ambassador to the United States Henrik Kauffmann in April 1941 to patrol the Danish island.
The first American-caused casualties occurred on December 7, 1941 when the USS Ward attacked and sank a Japanese midget submarine near the entrance to Pearl Harbor prior to the commencement of the Japanese air attack upon Hawaii later that day. As a result of the attack on Hawaii, America declared war on Japan on December 8, 1941. Germany and Italy declared war on the U.S. three days later.
The first planned offensive action by Americans in World War II came in January 1942 when the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise attacked Japanese bases in the Marshall Islands.
See also
- SS Robin Moor
External links
- USS Niblack site
- USS Ward, Report of Pearl Harbor Attack Naval History & Heritage Command
References
ja:ワード号事件