A bit of history

[Tesoro]

I was up shootin last week and took this pic of the mountain in the background. This area is on the extreme Southern Oregon coast. For those who enjoy history, this is the only place in the US mainland where the Japs dropped a bomb from an airplane. They snuck in a sub close to shore and assembled a float plane on deck with an incendiary bomb. The bomb landed close to the peak of the side facing the camera. Their idea was to create a forest fire and mess up the Brookings company lumber supply. Japanese lumber buyers had frequented Brookings in the late 30's early 40's, so this was the intel they gathered to make the attack. The bomb blew up but didn't start a fire. Remnants of it were recovered and there is a trail to the actual bomb site. In the early 1960's the pilot returned to Brookings and presented his family Samurai sword to the Mayor as a jesture of peace.

 

[mattri]

Interesting.

Letting go of the last- something we could use a lot of now.

 

[brokeasajoke]

I was up shootin last week and took this pic of the mountain in the background. This area is on the extreme Southern Oregon coast. For those who enjoy history, this is the only place in the US mainland where the Japs dropped a bomb from an airplane. They snuck in a sub close to shore and assembled a float plane on deck with an incendiary bomb. The bomb landed close to the peak of the side facing the camera. Their idea was to create a forest fire and mess up the Brookings company lumber supply. Japanese lumber buyers had frequented Brookings in the late 30's early 40's, so this was the intel they gathered to make the attack. The bomb blew up but didn't start a fire. Remnants of it were recovered and there is a trail to the actual bomb site. In the early 1960's the pilot returned to Brookings and presented his family Samurai sword to the Mayor as a jesture of peace.
View attachment 1526714


View attachment 1526715

Thanks I didn't know any of this.

 

[bpd459]

There is a great book, “Retaliation”, about the Japanese bombing of the US. Well worth the read.

 

[Tesoro]

Thanks I didn't know any of this.

There is another interesting one that nearly happened and we (usa navy) stopped it accidentally. The Jap navy built a super sub that could store, if I remember right, a couple of large bomber float planes. The plan was to sneak in close to the Panama canal and blow up the Miraflores lock. This would have been disastrous for the US war supply in the pacific theater. The US didnt know about the attack plan but somehow the sub was spotted close to Panama and destroyed. Or something like that. I watched it on the history channel years ago. Might have to look it up and watch again!

 

[AzMedic]

Imperial Japanese Navy I-201 (Sentaka) & I-400 (Sentoku)​

 

[Tesoro]

Nice. I spent alot of time searching for a scuttled U-boat off the coast of Belize! Didn't happen but the history of it was solid.

 

[andym686]

Interesting. Thanks for posting this.

 

[Kittitas George]

I never knew about this. I knew the released incendiary bombs hooked to balloons. One on those landed in Oregon and hurt some school age children at a church outing. Thank you for posting.

 

[jdh47]

It's a lot smaller world today than it was back then.

 

[Bc'z]

I was up shootin last week and took this pic of the mountain in the background. This area is on the extreme Southern Oregon coast. For those who enjoy history, this is the only place in the US mainland where the Japs dropped a bomb from an airplane. They snuck in a sub close to shore and assembled a float plane on deck with an incendiary bomb. The bomb landed close to the peak of the side facing the camera. Their idea was to create a forest fire and mess up the Brookings company lumber supply. Japanese lumber buyers had frequented Brookings in the late 30's early 40's, so this was the intel they gathered to make the attack. The bomb blew up but didn't start a fire. Remnants of it were recovered and there is a trail to the actual bomb site. In the early 1960's the pilot returned to Brookings and presented his family Samurai sword to the Mayor as a jesture of peace.
View attachment 1526714


View attachment 1526715

If I'm not mistaken the Japanese also released balloons carrying ordinance on our coast as well.

 

[Tommie]

If I'm not mistaken the Japanese also released balloons carrying ordinance on our coast as well.

No, that was China.
Like a year ago

 

[M-61]

If I'm not mistaken the Japanese also released balloons carrying ordinance on our coast as well.

They certainly did. Going from memory (?) one landed in Oregon or Northern California. Didn’t do anything and was discovered by a youngster who upon examining it caused it to explode or ignite. She may have been killed. What was killed was any news coverage of the incident (US Government at work).
What is often overlooked is the Japanese occupation of parts of the Aleutian Islands.
The furthest island, Attu, was the scene of a real blood bath. Massacre Bay was one place on Attu and the name is quite appropriate. My father, a combat medic, was there from beginning to end. Only thing he ever said about it was the number of gangrene toes he amputated.

 

[Bc'z]

No, that was China.
Like a year ago

The only American casualties on American soil during WW2 was a woman and children killed by ordinance dropped by a balloon out of Brookings Oregon.

 

[M-61]

The only American casualties on American soil during WW2 was a woman and children killed by ordinance dropped by a balloon out of Brookings Oregon.

Yes, however Alaska like Hawaii was at the time territories of the US. The Aleuts did some dying also.
Thanks for the clarification of the Japanese balloon incident.

 

[M-61]

No, that was China.
Like a year ago

No.
The Japanese launched an unknown number of ‘Fire’ balloons, to be carried by the trade winds to set fire to the United States.
The Chinese balloon (s) , yes a year ago, while possibly not trying to set fire to the USA, certainly had a sinister purpose. Our government chose to let them fly over. Interesting concept.

 

[M-61]

I had a site member tell me HE was the unofficial site historian expert. Expected him to chime in or at least go through his cut and paste routine.
Nice to hear from others!

 

[Tommie]

No.
The Japanese launched an unknown number of ‘Fire’ balloons, to be carried by the trade winds to set fire to the United States.
The Chinese balloon (s) , yes a year ago, while possibly not trying to set fire to the USA, certainly had a sinister purpose. Our government chose to let them fly over. Interesting concept.

Just trying to be funny. Obviously failed.

 

[M-61]

Just trying to be funny. Obviously failed.

No you didn’t. Im a bit slow on the pickup and miss things that I read. ( like humor)

 

[Tesoro]

If I'm not mistaken the Japanese also released balloons carrying ordinance on our coast as well.

The primary payload in their paper balloons was an incendiary bomb to start forest fires. They sent them over on the jetstream with an ingenious system to keep them in it day and night until reaching the coast where they were released by a timer. ( they checked the speed of the jetstream and set timer accordingly)