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On Tuesday, September 2, 2025, Minnesota’s military and veteran community will be joined by the public to commemorate two significant milestones in American history. At 11:00 a. m. , the ceremonial removal of the USS Ward gun will take place outside the Veterans Service Building in St. Paul. This historic naval gun—manned primarily by St. Paul-based Naval Reservists—announced the United States’ entry into World War II when it sank a Japanese midget submarine near Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The gun will be carefully removed, restored, and permanently installed at the new Minnesota Military & Veterans Museum near Camp Ripley, scheduled to open in late summer 2026. Immediately following the brief ceremony, the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs will host a formal event on the 5th floor of the Veterans Service Building recognizing the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender in Tokyo Bay, which took place on September 2, 1945. RSVP . custom-rsvp-btn { display: block; width: 100%; padding: 16px 0; /* vertical padding only, full width handles horizontal */ background-color: #002244; /* your brand color */ color: #fff; text-transform: uppercase; font-weight: bold; font-size: 20px; border-radius: 0; /* squared edges */ text-decoration: none; text-align: center; /* center text */ transition: background 0. 3s ease; } . custom-rsvp-btn:hover { background-color: #004488; /* hover color */ } The location of the USS Ward Gun is located on the west side of the Veterans Services Building between Lot H and Lot I. 101 West 12th Street Saint Paul, MN, 55155
