Rear Admiral William W. Outerbridge

Middleport native William Outerbridge (1906-1986) initiated the first shots of American involvement in World War II at 6:37 a.m. before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, while commanding the destroyer USS Ward, which engaged and attacked a Japanese midget submarine as it attempted to slip into Pearl Harbor at Hawaii. He reported the action and the sinking of the submarine before Japan's attack. In 2005, the submarine was found, and shell holes in the coning tower confirmed his report. During WWII he later commanded the USS O'Brien, which supported the Normandy D-Day landings on the beaches and at the port of Cherbourg, then served in the Pacific theater until the end of the war supporting American efforts to retake islands from the Japanese. He later commanded the cruiser USS Los Angeles.

Middleport, Ohio · United States