Balloon Bombs

 

Many People think that the only American Territory the Japanese attacked during World War 2 was Pearl Harbor in the then US Territory of Hawaii.

In fact the Japanese also invaded and occupied parts of Alaska (then a US Territory) from 1942-1943, the US Territory of Guam from 1941-1944 and the then US Territory of the Philippines from 1942-1945.

I just watched “The Great Balloon Bomb Invasion” on TV. I knew about the Japanese using Balloon Bombs over the US, Canada and Mexico during World War 2, but this show goes more in-depth.

From November 3, 1944 until April 1945 the Japanese used 9,300 Balloon Bombs (designed as a cheap weapon intended to make use of the Jet Stream over the Pacific Ocean and drop bombs on American cities, forests, and farmland.)

While most of the Bombs did little to no damage on May 5, 1945 a Minister Archie Mitchell, his Pregnant Wife Elsie  and five Children from Mitchell's Sunday School Class (Dick Patzke, 14; Jay Gifford, 13; Edward Engen, 13; Joan Patzke, 13; and Sherman Shoemaker, 11) were on a Saturday morning picnic outside of Bly, Oregon when a Japanese Balloon Bomb landed and killed all of them except the Minister – who was looking for a place to park the car – survived. The Boys (Dick, Jay, Edward and Sherman) were killed immediately, the Girl (Joan) initially survived but later died and Elsie initially survived, btu died as her Husband (Archie) used his hands to put out the fire on her.