GOEPNER-OSCAR

FIRST  SHOTS  OF  WORLD  WAR  II

SANK  JAPANESE  SUBMARINE

The USS WARD (DD-139), a World War One destroyer, was decommissioned in 1921 but brought back into active service in January 1941 because of the hostilities in Europe.  On the morning of Sunday, December 7, 1941, WARD was conducting a precautionary patrol off the entrance to Pearl Harbor when she was informed at 0405 by signals from a nearby minesweeper that a submarine periscope had been sighted.  An initial search by WARD failed to locate the submarine until 0640 when a lookout sighted an object which was thought to be either a buoy or submarine conning tower.  Several lookouts observed the object, including LTJG Oscar William Goepner, the WARD’s Gunnery Officer.  After reporting their sightings to the commanding officer that they believed the object was a submarine conning tower, the commanding officer authorized firing on the object as it was in a restricted area where U.S. submarines had strict orders to operate only on the surface with a destroyer escort. 

As the Gunnery Officer, LTJG Goepner gave the order to his gun crews to fire on the target at 0645.  Witnesses advised they saw a shell strike the base of the submarine’s conning tower and then observe the submarine rise momentarily before beginning to roll and slip beneath the surface.  This action was followed by a depth charge attack.  The WARD immediately notified Naval Command at Pearl Harbor of the attack.  Some of the witnesses, including LTJG Goepner, questioned the nationality of the submarine they had attacked until 0755 when the first of 353 Japanese planes arrived in the skies over Pearl Harbor.  WARD was attacked by bombers during the battle but was not hit.  Historical records reflect that the shots by WARD were the first to be fired in defense against the Japanese in World War II and resulted in the sinking of the first Japanese ship.  In 2002, researchers from the University of Hawaii succeeded in locating a Japanese 2-man submarine in the ocean off the Pearl Harbor entrance and confirmed that it indeed had structural damage to the conning tower and undoubtedly sank due to water flooding into the vessel through the shell holes.

LTJG Goepner recorded the events of that day in the WARD’s log for the 0400-0800 watch:

“Steaming as before.  0405 Exchanged calls with USS CROSSBILL.  0408 Sounded general quarters and searched for unidentified submarine.  0435 Secured from general quarters.  P525 USS CROSSBILL and USS CONDOR stood in channel.  0506 Exchanged calls with USS ANTARES.  0640 Sighted unidentified submarine 1 point off starboard bow.  Sounded general quarters.  All engines ahead full, curse 125 degrees. And PGC, 118 degrees PSC.  0645 Commenced firing on submarine.  Fired two salvos.  Observed second salvo to be direct hit on enemy submarine conning tower.  0645 Commenced depth charge attack.  0646 ceased firing and ceased depth charge attack.  0648 stopped sampan number 248 (32A453) in vicinity of attack and notified Coast Guard to escort sampan to Honolulu.  0703 Established sound contact on enemy submarine.  Steaming on various courses and speeds conforming to attack.  0705 Commenced depth charge attack.  0706 Sighted black oil bubble 300 yard astern.  0706 Ceased depth charge attack.  0754 Sighted squadrons of Japanese planes approaching from Barber’s Point heading for Pearl Harbor.  0755 Japanese planes commenced bombing attack on Pearl Harbor.”

          /s/  O.W.Goepner, LTJG, USNR

Oscar William Goepner served in the Navy during the remainder of World War II and retired in 1964 with the rank of Captain.  He reportedly held several commands during the war, the last as commanding officer of a squadron of destroyer escorts.  He died on January 24, 1982, in Coronado, California, and in accordance with his wishes there was no funeral planned and his body was cremated.

NOTE:  The 4-inch (100/mm)/50 cal. gun from WARD which fired the first shot of World War II was removed when the ship was converted to a high speed transport.  The gun has been installed at the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul as a memorial to the members of the Minnesota Naval Reserve who manned the gun on December 7^th.

Submitted by CDR Roy A. Mosteller, USNR (Ret)