Most Americans know about Pearl Harbor — but few realize Japan also attacked the U.S. mainland during World War II.

In this chapter of Our WWII Dad, brothers Chris and Ken Cangilla uncover the hidden story of wartime California, including the Japanese submarine attack on the Elwood Oil Fields near Santa Barbara, the mysterious Fu-Go balloon bombs, and the fear and confusion surrounding the Battle of Los Angeles.

Joined by special guest Pat Pattison of Pat Pattison’s Best of California, the episode explores the overlooked role Southern California played during WWII through historic locations, rare artifacts, and personal family stories connected to the war.

Pat also shares the story of his father, Raylinn Pattison, who served in the Pacific with the 96th Infantry Division during the Battle of Okinawa. Together, Chris, Ken, and Pat reflect on the lasting qualities they’ve discovered in their WWII fathers — humility, resilience, sacrifice, and quiet strength.

From California coastlines and wartime defenses to hidden attacks on American soil, this episode connects personal stories and forgotten history in a powerful new chapter of Our WWII Dad.

Follow Our WWII Dad for cinematic WWII storytelling, battlefield journeys, family history, and untold stories from the Greatest Generation.

CHAPTERS

0:01 — Introduction
2:40 — Chris’ Southern California WWII Journey
3:38 — 10th Mountain Division Exhibit
4:22 — Finnish Lahti L-39 Anti-Tank Rifle
5:36 — The Ski Trooper
6:09 — WWII Pup Tent
6:50 — M1 Garand and Bayonet
8:00 — The Pack Mule
8:30 — M29 Weasel
9:28 — Women’s Army Corps (WAC)
10:34 — The 99th Infantry Battalion
11:15 — German POW Escape at Camp Hale
13:18 — German Mountain Infantry Uniform
14:01 — 60mm Mortar
15:14 — Captured Nazi Banner
15:53 — M1A1 Bazooka
17:11 — WWII Souvenirs and the Italian Beretta

19:02 — Pat Pattison and His WWII Dad
21:33 — Growing Up in California
22:16 — Life Before the War
23:51 — The Samurai Sword Story
28:15 — Life After the War

30:16 — Okinawa and the Ryukyu Islands
32:44 — The 96th Infantry Division: The Deadeyes
34:26 — Raylinn Pattison and Fellow Soldiers
36:56 — Commemorative Air Force SoCal
40:30 — Why Many WWII Veterans Stayed Silent

47:01 — Tustin Blimp Hangars: Then and Now
50:41 — The Meaning Behind WWII Uniform Pins

53:52 — Japan Attacks the California Coast
55:47 — The Battle of Los Angeles
57:21 — Goleta’s WWII Connections

1:01:58 — Pat Pattison’s Best of California

1:07:15 — Fu-Go Balloon Bombs and U.S. Casualties
1:09:30 — California Before and After WWII