“Columbia 1942,” ‘Hallaux’s third novel, was released in May.

A small but important piece of United States history puts the North Coast briefly front and center in the chronicles of World War II. Fort Stevens, in Warrenton, was the location of the only known U.S. mainland attack.

Although Japanese forces attacked Pearl Harbor in Hawaii in 1941 and fought on two of the Aleutian Islands of Alaska a year later, the only recorded time they attacked the continental U.S. was the June 21, 1942 shelling of Fort Stevens.

It was one of three forts strategically built near the Columbia River Estuary, along with Columbia and Canby, enabling watchers to triangulate.

Astoria author Jim Hallaux has drawn on Fort Stevens’ historic records and archives of The Astorian for his novel, “Columbia 1942,” which begins in that year. “The shelling is as accurate as I can get it,” Hallaux said.

In highlighting the incident, he has revived a question that remains, 81 years later.

“The Japanese submarine comes up from the Pacific depths and fires off between four and 14 shells, nobody is confident about the exact number,” he said. “The shells appeared to be not aimed, just random, and the first question is, ‘why didn’t we return fire?’”

Chilling memoriesHallaux is a 1970 graduate of Astoria High School. His grandparents operated an Astoria paint store. He and his boyhood pals used to bicycle to Fort Stevens, sneak over the fence and explore forbidden nooks.

A scare inside one of the wartime batteries evokes chilling memories many decades later. “One day we heard the doors close,” he recalled. “We ran like crazy. I think we determined it was the wind.”

‘Columbia 1942’

A novel by Jim Hallaux

Available for $20 at Astoria Sunday Market, Ilwaco Saturday Market, Godfather’s Books and Espresso in Astoria and online

When Hallaux retired from a career in men’s apparel, mostly in southern California, he moved back to Astoria with his wife, Robbie.

“Columbia 1942” is his third book. He previously published “Wind Without Rain” in 2019 with co-author Calvin Cahail and his first solo work, “Astoria Steak Deluxe! A Mystery” a year later.

Hallaux writes on his portable computer while manning bookselling booths at the Ilwaco Saturday Market and Astoria Sunday Market. “You’re not busy all the time,” he said. “I wrote most of it at the markets. A customer walks up to the table and I say, ‘Hang on, just one sec.’”

Hallaux described his joy at his third book being published. “There’s a big sense of satisfaction when you have an idea, put it on paper and see it printed on the page — yeah, that’s pretty rewarding.”

OrdersThe author paints a picture of daily North Coast life during wartime through the eyes of his characters. One is a U.S. Army surgeon drinking irresponsibly after a family tragedy; another is a German spy who takes the name of Jukka, mingling with Finnish people around town while seeking the best location on the Naselle River to conceal a commando team.

Of particular interest to readers with experience in the military is how Hallaux reconstructs curt radio transmissions between the forward spotter who comes under fire and his superiors.

The hapless soldier, equipped with a pistol and a flashlight, excitedly asks permission to seek safety. The reply is unequivocal. “Private, this is Sgt. McNary. Stay there or I will come down and run a bayonet through you!”

“Order understood.”

‘Big’Hallaux does not attempt to sustain 360 pages around the brief submarine attack, so a significant portion of the action shifts into a love story; the two main characters meet when the woman’s arm is broken by a Naselle football player careening off the field. Hallaux’s description of the football game is a delicious comedy.

Without spoiling anticipation for readers, the narrative sees further gunfire. Did any on-the-ground conflict take place? “I wrote it like it was a movie,” he said. “The book has got to have a big ending and the ‘Battle of Skamokawa’ is it.”

Next for Hallaux is more historical fiction, as yet untitled, inspired by a true story of a woman involved in politically motivated crimes during the 1970s who created a new persona, escaping capture for decades. Hallaux will again set his adventure in Astoria.