As some of you already know the US is monitoring a Chinese surveillance balloon that is hovering above Montana the same state where the United States stores its nukes. The Pentagon has been keeping tabs on the balloon for a number of days, according to Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder. This isn’t the first time a enemies’ balloon has floated across the United States. During WWII Japan launched balloon bombs across the United States.
The Japanese Balloon Bomb was a weapon designed by the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. It consisted of an unmanned balloon filled with hydrogen, with a small bomb attached to it. The balloon was released from Japan, and would travel on the jet stream to reach the western United States. It was an effective way for the Japanese to reach targets in the United States without having to launch a long-range bomber.
The balloon bombs were first launched in November 1944, and over 9,000 were released during the course of the war. The balloons were intended to cause widespread destruction and terror in the United States, but they were mostly ineffective. The balloons were not designed to land in a specific area, so they landed randomly across the United States and Canada.
One of the most notable victims of the Japanese Balloon Bomb campaign during WWII was Elsie Mitchell, a Sunday schoolteacher in rural Oregon. On May 5th, 1945, Elsie was enjoying an afternoon picnic with five of her children and their friends at a local beach. Unbeknownst to them, a Japanese balloon bomb had descended from the sky and landed near them. The bomb exploded, killing Elsie and five of her children, as well as four of their friends. Elsie’s death was one of the most devastating losses of the balloon bomb campaign, which killed a total of six people and injured seven others in the United States. This tragedy gained national attention and sparked fear concerning the potential threat of Japan’s balloon bombs. The United States military was left scrambling to find a way to protect the citizens of the country from these untraceable bombs.
The Japanese balloon bomb campaign was a unique part of WWII, and Elsie Mitchell’s death will always be remembered as one of the most tragic casualties. Elsie was a beloved teacher and mother, and her death shocked her small Oregon community. Despite the tragedy of her death, Elsie’s legacy lives on in the countless students she taught throughout her
Today, the Japanese Balloon Bomb is mostly remembered as a historical curiosity. It was an interesting attempt by the Japanese to use a new type of weapon, but ultimately the effort was unsuccessful. The Japanese Balloon Bomb serves as a reminder of the ingenuity and determination of the Japanese people during the war, even if their attempts did not always bear fruit.
