phl@drusd.UUCP (LavettePH) (09/10/85)
>.......................Also, near the end of the war, the Japanese >made lots of parachute bombs that they would release high in the >atmosphere to be blown by winds over to the U.S. Though most >landed harmlessly in the ocean, a few made it to the mainland. >One of them landed in a tree in Oregon; when a woman went up to >investigate, it exploded, killing her. BTW, the Japanese did >invade Guam, which was (and still is, I think) a U.S. territory. >Craig Anderson. Not parachute but balloon bombs, Craig. Hundreds of them landed in Canada, the US and Mexico. The farthest penetration was Detroit. The effectivness of the bombs was one of the best kept secrets of the war. The news media agreed voluntarily to censor all reports and nothing was broadcast or printed about any sightings or landings. The Japanese gave up after their spys heard and read nothing and considered the whole effort a failure. There is a fascinating account of the baloon attacks included in the Smithsonian's "Annals of Flight" series. BTW, Wake Island and the Philippines were also US territories when they were invaded. - Phil