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.

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