War Games in Shelton, 1941

In the summer of 1941 (about four months before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor), the U.S. Army was anticipating a possible Japanese invasion of the West Coast, including southwest Washington. At Fort Lewis, officers of the Army's 41st Division drew up plans for "war games" that would enact, as realistically as possible, a Japanese invasion and the U. S. military response. It would be the job of soldiers from Fort Lewis to hold off invaders attacking at several points along the Washington Coast until supporting troops could be moved north from California. Residents up and down the coast were alerted to the upcoming "battles."

Shelton found itself under attack on Monday, Aug. 18. According to the next day's Journal, "Had it been the real thing, Shelton would be a shambles today. Fortunately, it was only mock war yesterday when Shelton was captured by enemy troops before most of the populace had eaten breakfast, then saved by defending troops who routed the invaders in an attack just before noon as infantry and motorized forces swept through the business section and staged a pitched battle just west of the city limits.

Soldiers still surround Shelton and the town is not safe yet from again falling into enemy hands. Reinforcements from California are expected on Wednesday. There is no doubt that the enemy was driving for the Puget Sound Navy Yard at Bremerton.

The defense reportedly suffered an early defeat in yesterday's battle, although soldiers of the defending forces accused the invaders of failing to abide by the rules. Specifically, the defending soldiers said that they bombed several bridges but the invaders continued to cross them when not watched by the referees.

In retaking Shelton yesterday, the defense sent large numbers of armed infantry marching up Railroad Avenue, while machine gun units mounted on trucks forced their way up Cota Street and other motorized units squeezed in from Franklin, Cedar, Pine, and Alder Streets in a pincer movement to drive the enemy out of town to the west.

Every open spot around and in the town has been occupied by soldiers for overnight camps for the past several nights, and there's no telling when one will bump into a group of soldiers stationed in positions of defense or lookout. Civilian observers driving on rural roads in the maneuver area report the troops have been very effectively camouflaged and it is difficult to detect their whereabouts. Supply trucks have been keeping a steady lineup at city hall, where they are filling water tanks from the city mains in quantities that keep the city water system under full operation to keep up with the demand.

Bombing planes roared into action last night for the first time in the maneuvers, and were again in evidence this afternoon when a lone dive bomber twice "unloaded" in steep dives over Shelton. One objective was believed to be the Rayonier Pulp Mill.

Motorists are warned to stay out of the maneuver area unless they have urgent business, and then to proceed with the utmost caution, as thousands of troops are crossing and recrossing highways, and roads are jammed with moving trucks, tanks, and guns."

On Aug. 21 the Journal wrote: "Talk on the streets is that Secretary of War Stimson and General George Marshall, Commanding Officer of the U.S. Army, are due to fly in on the week-end to view the progress and will visit the headquarters of the defending army, close to Shelton in the Isabella area. The defense, battling to hold their positions until reinforcements arrived from California, had gained two miles in the sector with a surprise attack which pushed the invaders west toward Matlock.

The defenders' success was said by some to be due to the fact that they were getting used to the multiple manpower represented by the invading soldiers, each of whom supposedly represents ten men, a fact the defenders found confusing at first.

The 'mosquito' fleet boats stationed at Henderson Inlet were given their baptism as Army infantry carriers when 12 of the small but swift and powerful motorboats carried 400 infantrymen across the Sound to Allyn, where they held their ground against enemy forces headed by land to Bremerton."

To be continued...

■ Jan Parker is a researcher for the Mason County Historical Museum. She can be reached at [email protected]. Membership in the Mason County Historical Society is $25 per year.