Did Japanese bombs from hot air balloons really hit the USA during our war with Japan?

Answer 1

Yes they did. 9000 were launched during late 1944 and early 1945, but few actually reached the mainland and they were very ineffective, killing only six Americans (all in a single attack) and causing minimal collateral damage.

The balloons were basically composed of a 15kg anti-personnel bomb which would explode on impact and attached with two incediary devices, to set off a fire that would cause additional damage to the forest and surrounding land.

It was only a few years before that Japanese scientists discovered a strong and powerful current of winter air flowing at a high altitiude and speed over Japan and the Pacific Ocean, which was later known as the "Jet Stream".

The jet stream flowed at an altitiude of 9.5km, over an impressive distance of 8000km. The balloons were aimed and released in the jet stream where they were carried along by the high speed winds over the Pacific Ocean, to the American mainland in a journey lasting 3 days.

At first, the US Government's reaction to the bombs was to censor all newspapers and radios which were publishing articles about the bombs. But after a single, deadly attack on May 5th 1945 where six people - a teacher and five girls - were killed after trying to pull a balloon that was stuck in a tree, they lifted the censorship to warn the public.

Overall, the bombs thankfully caused much less damage then was intended.
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Hope that helped;).

Answer 2

Hot Air Balloon Japan

Answer 3

Yes they did the only known casualty was a Sunday school outing that found a downed balloon the teacher and the kids messed with it and it went off killing several of them. The purpose of the bombs was to drop incendiary bombs on the large forest of the northwest and deny the forest from the war effort and to tie up man power fighting the fires this fortunately didn't happen.

Answer 4

They did float balloons into the Pacific Northwest, but bombs from them were never dropped. They were rigged with a nasty bomb and a couple of incendiary charges, the better to start forest fires in the Pacific Northwest, but while the balloons made it - the bombs never exploded. I linked a complete history of them below for you. Hope that helps.

Answer 5

I don't believe that they were hot air balloons, I think they were lighter then air balloons (helium or some other gas). yes they hit the U.S., the bombs were incendiary, and I believe there were causalities, very few though.

Answer 6

I heard that some of those balloons made it over here, but the impact was far less than the Japanese had hoped.

Answer 7

no basically 2 planes each and each conserving one bomb there the position basically 3 of them made on the time 2 of them the position drop on japan and one replaced into examined in death valley or the position ever it replaced right into a sneak attack japan did not even understand they the position coming

Answer 8

A few fires in Oregon, for instance, were reported, but the bombs were few and small, and the impact was minimal.

Answer 9

Well, they did have a lot of hot air, but, nothing to back it up.
During/After the attack on Pearl Harbor, one of Japan's Naval Officers stated; "We have awakened a sleeping giant"! May not be exact words, but, he knew the "What and Why"!
Above answers already answered your question, I just add a little insight.

Answer 10

Yes, but they were very unaffective. Two people were killed in yellowstone from one, but thats about it. They are still finding remains from bombs that didn't work right in the woods.