KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – On May 5th, 1945 a Japanese “Fu-Go” Balloon Bomb exploded and killed six people out on a picnic & fishing trip to the mountains just east of Bly, Oregon. It was the only time during World War Two that death resulted from enemy action on the North American Continent.
Something like 5000 of the Fu-Go balloon bombs were manufactured and released by Japan during the war in hopes of starting vast forest fires in the Pacific Northwest. The Klamath County Museum has many artifacts related to this attack on display. During this Field trip we will visit the site where it actually happened.
U.S. Forest Service Ranger Michelle Durant will explain what happened on that day and the actions that followed.
The mother of one of our current Historical Society members was the phone operator on duty that day in the town of Bly and was sworn to secrecy as were others who were called in during the aftermath.
For further information about the event, location and directions, go to: http://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/fremont-winema/recreation/mitchell-monument-documentary-sitehttp://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/fremont-winema/recreation/mitchell-monument-documentary-site
The presentation, which is free is open to anyone interested.
This program is presented by the Klamath County Historical Society & the Klamath County Museum
For more information call (541) 882-1000.
