world war ii balloon attack on north america michael e. unsworth michigan state university libraries
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WORLD WAR II BALLOON ATTACK ON NORTH AMERICA
Michael E. UnsworthMichigan State University Libraries
REVENGE FOR THE DOOLITTLE RAID
(APRIL 18 ‘42)
DEFEAT AT MIDWAY (JUNE 3-4, 1942) COMPLICATED PLANNING
JAPAN’S POST-MIDWAY STRATEGIC SITUATION
I-15 CLASS SUBMARINE LAUNCHING YOKOSUKA E14Y1
("Glen”) FLOATPLANE
RESEARCHERS OF THE NINETH
MILITARY TECHNICAL RESEARCH
INSTITUTE AT NOBORITO
THE “FU-GO” WEAPON “FU" is the thirty-
second character in the Japanese syllabary (alphabet).
"GO" was the Japanese equivalent for "Number”
"FU-GO" was Weapon No. 32 of the Japanese Military Scientific Laboratory.
"FU" also happens the first part of "FUSEN", the Japanese word for balloon.
TOP: TYPICAL FLIGHT PROFILEBOTTOM: TYPICAL JET STREAM IN WINTER
A-TYPE PAPER FU-GO
Gas Release Valve & Envelope From North Dorr, Michigan, Incident (March ‘45)
A-TYPE FU-GO CHANDELIER
U.S. NAVAL AVIATORS EXAMINING CHANDELIER
CHANDELIER, BOMBS & SANDBAG FROM BOUNDARY BAY, B.C. INCIDENT (APRIL '45)
CHANDELIER RELEASING SANDBAG
NEW YORK TIMES (MARCH 17, 1995)
PAPER MAKING
PAPER MAKING
ROOM OF FINISHED SHEETS
GLUING SHEETS TO FORM LAMINATE PANELS
TEST INFLATION OF FU-GO ENVELOPE
LAUNCH CREW MANHANDLING TEST BALLOON
LAUNCH SITE WITH THREE PADS IN OPERATION
FU-GO AIRBORNE AFTER LAUNCH
FU-GO OVER THE PACIFIC
BATTERY BOX
ENVELOPE IN THE PACIFIC (APRIL 17, ‘45)
“Japanese Balloon Incidents Prepared By CAORG From Canadian And U.S. Reports,
26 April 1945”
MEXICAN RECOVERY(MARCH 1945)
“35 m. N.W. of Whitehorse” (Aug. 15 or 16, ‘45)
NORTH DORR, MICHIGAN(MARCH ‘45)
COUNTERMEASURES:Responsibilities
North American defense – Canada & U.S. had control of their own territories. Full information sharing
U.S.:Military – Navy over water; Army
over landCivilian – F.B.I.
COUNTERMEASURES:Detection: Sunset Project (Spring ’45)
COUNTERMEASURES:Interception: Sumas, Wash.
(Feb. 21 ’45)
COUNTERMEASURES:Interception: Coal Harbour, B.C.
(Mar. 12 ’45)
COUNTERMEASURES:Interception: Coal Harbour, B.C.
(Mar. 12 ’45)
COUNTERMEASURES:Interception: Coal Harbour, B.C.
(Mar. 12 ’45)
COUNTERMEASURES:Investigations - Newcastle, Wyoming
(Feb. 8, ’45)
INVESTIGATIONS :Nixon, Nevada
(Mar. 29, ’45)
INVESTIGATIONS :Glacier National Park, Mont.
(July 27, ’45)
INVESTIGATIONS :Oxford House, Manitoba
(Mar. 12, ’45)
FOREST FIRE THREAT: WHITEWATER, B.C. CHANDELIER
(MAY 31, 1945)
INCENDIARIES
FOREST FIRE THREAT Majority of Discovered Balloons Had
Incendiaries Most of the Western U.S. & Canada Was
Forested Fire Danger for Jan.-Mar. Was Nonexistent April - September Was the Most Dangerous
Period Prevailing Summer Winds Might Bring More
Balloons to Canada Than to the U.S. Japanese Development of a Phosphorus-
treated Cardboard Squares (“Incendiary Leaves”) Posed a Particular Danger
COUNTERMEASURE:FIRE FLY PROJECT
FIRE FLY PROJECT:555TH Parachute Infantry Battalion
ACTUAL FOREST FIRE DAMAGECAUSED BY BALLOONS:
None. The Japanese ceased launching
balloons in early April 1945
THE CHEMICAL WARFARE/BIOLOGICAL
WARFARE (CW/BW) THREAT
MOST LIKELY AGENTS: HUMAN MALADIES
B-Encephalitis
Rift Valley Fever
Meliodosis Bacilli
Rickettsia Diseases
Cholera SalmonellaTyphoid
DysenteryPsittacosisBrucellosisPlagueVariolaChemical Agents
MOST LIKELY AGENTS: ANIMAL MALADIES
Rinderpest Foot-and-Mouth Disease Contagious Pleural PneumoniaFowl Plague Newcastle’s DiseaseChemical Agents
Decontamination Practise
THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT THE BALLOONS CARRIED
CHEMICAL OR BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS
CENSORSHIP Imposed on the U.S. and Canadian media
in early January 1945 Aggressively enforced by authorities Reached even this comic strip “Smilin'
Jack” New York Sunday News (Aug. 5, ‘45)
SECURITY BLANKET STARTED TO UNRAVEL ON MAY 5, 1945:
A WOMAN AND FIVE CHILDREN WERE KILLED NEAR BLY, OREGON
ONE OF THE BIGGEST SECURITY BREACHES :
TORONTO DAILY STAR. HOME EDITION MAY 31, 1945
CENSORSHIP WAS THE MOST EFFECTIVE COUNTERMEASURE: THE JAPANESE STOPPED
THE BALLOON ATTACK IN APRIL 1945 DUE TO THE LACK OF FEEDBACK
HANFORD, WASHINGTON, INCIDENT
MARCH 10, ‘45
JAPANESE BALLOONS REPORTED DURING WW II
COUNTRY NUMBERCanada 78United States 200Mexico 2At sea 5TOTAL 285
“U.S.” BALLOONS REPORTED DURING WW II
Oregon 40 Nebraska 5Montana 32 Colorado 3Washington 25 Iowa 3Alaska 24 Texas 3California 22 Arizona 2Idaho 8 Michigan 2 S. Dakota 8 N. Dakota 2 Wyoming 8 Hawaii 1 Nevada 6 Kansas 1
MICHIGAN BALLOON INCIDENTS
NORTH DORR/BYRON CENTER: February 23 '45
Property of Chris Stein:Intersection of 146 Avenue and 21st Street
ROPE FROM BALLOON
Fein Family Farm House
RECOVERED ENVELOPE & GAS RELEASE VALVE
ROPE & HOOKS
Don Piccard’s Balloon “Recycling”Feb. 16, ’47 - Minneapolis
FARMINGTON:Mar. 25/June 8 ‘45
FARMINGTON:20951 Gill Road
FARMINGTON:20951 Gill Road
INCENDIARIES
WHY YOU HAVEN’T HEARD ABOUT IT:COMPETED WITH V-J DAY STORIES
WHY YOU HAVEN’T HEARD ABOUT IT: FEW CASUALTIES SAME PRINCIPLES USED FOR COLD
WAR U.S. SPY AND ANTI-CROP WARFARE BALLOONS
FU-GO IN LITERATURE:Liam Callanan. The Cloud Atlas
New York : Delacorte Press, c2004.http://www.liamcallanan.com/
POSTSCRIPT: AL-QAEDA USE?
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