You're right, Susan, "Only six Americans were known to have died from balloon bombs. On May 5, 1945, a balloon bomb exploded and killed Elsie Mitchell and five children near Lakeview, Oregon. Although these bombs were psychologically effective, the U.S. press didn't publish news of them to prevent the Japanese from learning of the effect they had on the American people." http://www.centennialofflight.gov/essay/Lighter_than_air/Airships_in_WWII/LTA10.htm *California State Military Department* *The California State Military Museum* A United States Army Museum Activity */Preserving California's Military Heritage ------------------------------------------------------------------------ /* *California and the Second World War* *The Japanese Balloon Bomb Attack at Hayfork* Hayfork is a small community in northern California about 40 miles west of Redding. On February 1, 1945 a Japanese bombing balloon was spotted by several local residents drifting over the Trinity National Forest area and slowly descending. No one knew what it was, but an alert forest ranger called the military authorities at the Presidio of San Francisco and reported it. Meanwhile the balloon came to rest atop a 60 foot dead fir tree in the forest near a local road. In the next few hours several people gathered in the area to gaze up at the strange object. Shortly after dark there was a tremendous blast. The balloon's gas bag disappeared in a fireball and the balloon's undercarriage came crashing to the ground. No one was hurt. Forest rangers kept the curious well back from the fallen debris until Army personnel arrived, Upon examination, it was found to be a Japanese bombing balloon with four incendiary bombs and one high explosive bomb still aboard and the bomb releasing mechanism still very much intact. It later proved to be one of the most intact bombing balloons yet to fall into American hands. As was usual in instances of this sort, the local people were told what it was and were asked to keep secret what they had seen. http://www.militarymuseum.org/Hayfork.html Susan D Slade Grossl wrote: > Jim, > > Didn't the balloon land in Oregon and kill one person? or where there two > balloons and one lit in California? > > Susan > Boise, Idaho, USA > > -----Original Message----- > From: norcal-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:norcal-bounces@rootsweb.com]On > Behalf Of James R Smith > Sent: Friday, January 15, 2010 11:04 AM > To: norcal@rootsweb.com; socal@rootsweb.com; SF Genealogy > Subject: [NORCAL] Notorious California Events > > My grandmother grew up in the Tri-county area (Colusa/Sutter/Yuba) and > talked about the Joaquin Murrieta gang there and the shooting of sheriff > Buchanan at Spanish Camp (Sonora Camp). He & her Uncle Billy were friends. > My GG-grandfather logged his arrival in California in 1850 as "arriving > in Hangtown, now Placerville,where during the vigilence (sic) days, they > saw the celebrated gambler "Dick" hanged." I still haven't found a local > record of that event but no matter. > I have a recollection of my aunt (by marriage) telling of a Japanese > balloon landing on the north coast carrying a bomb during WWII. It > didn't go off. > > What was the most notorious or ill-famed event noted by those in your > California family tree (yourself included)? If it was you, have you > documented the event? Genealogy includes documenting the times, good & bad. > > I have an ulterior motive. I'm working on a follow-on to SNATCH & am > looking for the state's darker events. I thought about this when I was > speaking to a hotel manager at a San Francisco Convention & Visitors > Bureau event last year. He mentioned that Billy Holiday was busted for > drugs in his hotel. To him, that had impact. > > Thanks! > Jim > > > > ----------------------------------------- > NORCAL ARCHIVES: > http://archiver.rootsweb.com/ > Enter NORCAL. Browse by month. > Or click the "Search all archives" link to search by keyword. > ----------------------------------------- > To post a message to the NORCAL mailing list, send an email to NORCAL@rootsweb.com > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to NORCAL-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > >

My dad told me about the kids being killed when I was younger, and I read a story (don't remember where) about it but for some reason I thought it was a family on a picnic. I believe they were built to go off after descending to a certain altitude. Susan Boise, Idaho, USA -----Original Message----- From: James R Smith [mailto:jim@historysmith.com] Sent: Friday, January 15, 2010 4:08 PM To: sdsladegrossl@cableone.net; norcal@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [NORCAL] Notorious California Events You're right, Susan, "Only six Americans were known to have died from balloon bombs. On May 5, 1945, a balloon bomb exploded and killed Elsie Mitchell and five children near Lakeview, Oregon. Although these bombs were psychologically effective, the U.S. press didn't publish news of them to prevent the Japanese from learning of the effect they had on the American people." http://www.centennialofflight.gov/essay/Lighter_than_air/Airships_in_WWII/ LTA10.htm California State Military Department The California State Military Museum A United States Army Museum Activity Preserving California's Military Heritage ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- California and the Second World War The Japanese Balloon Bomb Attack at Hayfork Hayfork is a small community in northern California about 40 miles west of Redding. On February 1, 1945 a Japanese bombing balloon was spotted by several local residents drifting over the Trinity National Forest area and slowly descending. No one knew what it was, but an alert forest ranger called the military authorities at the Presidio of San Francisco and reported it. Meanwhile the balloon came to rest atop a 60 foot dead fir tree in the forest near a local road. In the next few hours several people gathered in the area to gaze up at the strange object. Shortly after dark there was a tremendous blast. The balloon's gas bag disappeared in a fireball and the balloon's undercarriage came crashing to the ground. No one was hurt. Forest rangers kept the curious well back from the fallen debris until Army personnel arrived, Upon examination, it was found to be a Japanese bombing balloon with four incendiary bombs and one high explosive bomb still aboard and the bomb releasing mechanism still very much intact. It later proved to be one of the most intact bombing balloons yet to fall into American hands. As was usual in instances of this sort, the local people were told what it was and were asked to keep secret what they had seen. http://www.militarymuseum.org/Hayfork.html Susan D Slade Grossl wrote: Jim, Didn't the balloon land in Oregon and kill one person? or where there two balloons and one lit in California? Susan Boise, Idaho, USA -----Original Message----- From: norcal-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:norcal-bounces@rootsweb.com]On Behalf Of James R Smith Sent: Friday, January 15, 2010 11:04 AM To: norcal@rootsweb.com; socal@rootsweb.com; SF Genealogy Subject: [NORCAL] Notorious California Events My grandmother grew up in the Tri-county area (Colusa/Sutter/Yuba) and talked about the Joaquin Murrieta gang there and the shooting of sheriff Buchanan at Spanish Camp (Sonora Camp). He & her Uncle Billy were friends. My GG-grandfather logged his arrival in California in 1850 as "arriving in Hangtown, now Placerville,where during the vigilence (sic) days, they saw the celebrated gambler "Dick" hanged." I still haven't found a local record of that event but no matter. I have a recollection of my aunt (by marriage) telling of a Japanese balloon landing on the north coast carrying a bomb during WWII. It didn't go off. What was the most notorious or ill-famed event noted by those in your California family tree (yourself included)? If it was you, have you documented the event? Genealogy includes documenting the times, good & bad. I have an ulterior motive. I'm working on a follow-on to SNATCH & am looking for the state's darker events. I thought about this when I was speaking to a hotel manager at a San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau event last year. He mentioned that Billy Holiday was busted for drugs in his hotel. To him, that had impact. Thanks! Jim ----------------------------------------- NORCAL ARCHIVES: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/ Enter NORCAL. Browse by month. Or click the "Search all archives" link to search by keyword. ----------------------------------------- To post a message to the NORCAL mailing list, send an email to NORCAL@rootsweb.com ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to NORCAL-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message