WWII historical marker dedication planned in Kure Beach to recognize 1943 U-boat attack

KURE BEACH, NC (WWAY) — A dedication ceremony will be held next month in Kure Beach for a World War II American Heritage City historical marker recognizing a German U-boat attack near the Ethyl-Dow Chemical Plant in 1943.

The event is scheduled for Thursday, March 12, 2026, at 5 p.m. at Ocean Front Park on Atlantic Avenue. The public is invited to attend the free ceremony.

Organizers say witness and circumstantial evidence showed that a German submarine surfaced off the coast of Kure Beach on the night of July 25, 1943, and fired three shells at the chemical plant. The shells reportedly landed in the Cape Fear River.

The attack is believed to have been the only German assault on the United States during World War II.

The marker placement is part of the America 250 World War II Wilmington initiative led by the WWII Wilmington Home Front Heritage Coalition in partnership with the Town of Kure Beach.