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["All","Battleships","Books","Books \u0026 Media","Our Parks_Pearl Harbor (Oahu)","USS Ward","World War II"]
In 1940, the threat of war in the Pacific forced the United States to expand its fleet quickly. This effort included reconditioning and recommissioning “four stackers” from the navy’s reserve fleet. Built in 1918 to fight German submarines, the USS Ward earned at Pearl Harbor the distinction of firing the first shot in America’s war against Japan. In the three years that followed, it was bombed, shelled, strafed, and finally sunk (on December 7, 1944), yet none of her crew of 125 men ever lost a life in combat. Information is drawn from naval records as well as from interviews with surviving crewmen. Appendices provide Ward technical data, chronology of major events, listings of citations earned in World War II and of amphibious landings, and a roster of personnel.
World War II historian Richard P. Klobuchar is a retired civil engineer in transportation. He frequently lectures on Pearl Harbor and is the author of Pearl Harbor: Awakening a Sleeping Giant. He lives in Rochester, Minnesota.
Soft cover. 268 pages. Includes photographs. Book measures approximately 7 inches by 10 inches.
Bought this book from Pacific Historic Parks some time back and it is a great, informative read. While the USS Ward was sunk on the 3rd anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack, her gun that fired the first shot was removed in a refitting before its sinking. The gun that fired the first shot and sunk the midget sub, sits on the grounds of the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul, MN. The men that manned the Ward on December 7th were primarily from Minnesota. There was a DVD that Pacific Historic Parks used to sell called First Shot that tells more about the USS Ward but the DVD is not sold anymore. It's a great documentary. Highly recommend this book.
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I am completely satisfied with the quality and graphic design on some coffee mugs I recently purchased. When I have my morning coffee the pictures of Pearl Harbor remind me of the great price that was paid for liberties that most people take for granted. Being a veteran and coming from a family with many veterans makes me feel even more honored to live in the U.S. Thank you for keeping the memories of our warriors alive.
I was so excited to gift this ornament to my son this year. Shipping took too long and it arrived with the plastic coating crinkled and there was a hole in the ornament.
I’m collecting shot glasses from the 50 states. I was in Hawaii several years ago and wasn’t collecting them at the time. So I had to order it online and they did not disappoint.
We were planning a trip to Hawaii and came across the Pacific Historic Parks website. I noticed that they offer a flag that will be flown on any day of the year. My Son-In-Law lost his Mother & Aunt in a accident on December 7, 2017. I thought this would be an awesome gift in honor of them. I wrote a letter of the circumstances to let them know why this was such a wonderful opportunity to honor a loved one. We gave the Flag to him on Christmas and it was very emotional. It came with a certificate that stated when it was flown and in honor of his Mom and Aunt's names.
I purchased a flag as a gift for my son who is very patriotic. The Flag was flown over the Arizona on December 7, 2025 and arrived in time for Christmas. Communication with the folks at Pacific Parks was exceptional. I had no doubt that the Flag would arrive in time. Thanks for great customer service.