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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