Friday, June 12, 2009

FORT STEVENS TOOK ENEMY FIRE

Its a little know fact that:
The only military base in the United States to be fired on by an enemy since the Civil War was Fort Stevens. A Japanese sub fired on fort Stevens during WWII but failed to inflict much damage.
Remains of a century old wreck, the Peter Iredale is visible on the south jetty which is an excellent spot to watch ships.
Fort Stevens was one of the early forts on the Columbia near Fort Clatsop and served during the Civil War from 1862 and on through to World War II. Most of the buildings were leveled long ago, but the Guard House is intact with grounds and a park where this Single Bore cannon stands as a reminder of its role in protecting U.S. shores from entrance by an enemy through the Columbia. The 3,800 acre park has one of the largest public campgrounds in the U.S.
The intact Guard House mostly punished drunken servicemen and had generous sized cells in a bunkhouse style. The Fort was decommissioned in 1946.


1 comment:

Anonymous said...

You have completely discounted U.S. army forts in the west being fired on during the American Indian Wars. They also took enemy fire.