Page 8 - 201210 - The 'X' Chronicles Newspaper - October 2012

,9,70;0 D ' !E )0:0 ' % A' !C; Are Japanese Balloon completely verified. The first discovery of a balloon in North Bombs or "FUGOs" America was made by two woodchoppers, who Responsible for US UFO discovered a balloon on the ground near Kalispell, Montana in December, 1944. It was Flaps of 1940's? determined that the balloon originated in Japan by analyzing beach sand from one of the balloon's ballast sandbags. Tight censorship was immediately imposed on further balloon sightings, since it was feared that disclosing when and where balloons were being found would encourage the enemy to launch more balloons and perfect their delivery. It was also thought that the balloons posed little danger to the public at large, so even though some government and military officials and newspapermen knew about the bombing balloons early on, the general public was not told about them until May of 1945, about six months after they were first launched. Rob McConnell The public announcement was finally made due to a tragic event that occurred on May In November, 1944, the Japanese began 5, 1945. A woman and five children, on a church launching unmanned bomb-carrying balloons, picnic, were killed in a remote area near Bly, which travelled on prevailing winds across the Oregon, after they discovered a downed balloon Pacific Ocean to North America. It was hoped with a bomb still attached, and one of them that the balloons would start forest fires and moved the bomb, causing it to explode. These cause general panic among the population. deaths were the only known fatalities on the U.S The balloons measured about 33 feet in mainland from enemy attack during World War diameter and 70 feet from the top of the balloon II. At first it was officially reported that the to the payload at the bottom. They were first deaths were due to an explosion of an 'unknown made of paraffined paper, and later from latex object', but after much debate, it was finally and fabricated silk, and contained hydrogen gas. decided that the public's need to be informed The payload consisted of 36 sand-filled paper about the existence of the bombing balloons bags for use as ballast, 4 incendiary bombs and outweighed any military advantage that the 1 33-pound anti-personnel bomb. enemy might gain from the disclosure. It was The balloons began their three to five also feared that, with the end of the school year day journey from Japan at an altitude of about approaching, there would soon be many 35,000 feet, usually travelling at speeds children exploring in remote areas where between 80 and 120 miles per hour. As gas unexploded bombs were most likely to be slowly leaked from the balloons, they found. So in late May, the general public was descended in altitude. When they fell to about finally informed about the existence of the 25,000 feet, a barometric pressure switch would bombing balloons, although details about cause one of the ballast sandbags to be dropped, individual balloon encounters were still and the balloons would rise again to 35,000 feet. withheld, except for the one fatal incident This up and down pattern continued as the mentioned above. balloons crossed the Pacific Ocean. When the The period of censorship appeared to balloons reached the west coast of North have served its purpose, since it was later America, they were supposed to have exhausted learned that the Japanese scaled down and their supply of ballast sandbags and the bombs eventually abandoned the balloon launchings, would then be used as ballast, with one bomb considering them ineffective since they had Chronicles Newspaper, go to www.xchronicles- being dropped with each descent to 25,000 feet heard of very few balloons reaching U.S. newspaper.com/newspaperstand.htm. For The as they travelled across land. After the final territory. ‘X’ Zone Radio / TV Show and The ‘X’ bomb was dropped, a fuse would be ignited and Many of the balloons had been made by Chronicles Newspaper, I am Rob McConnell. the balloons would destroy themselves in bright patriotic Japanese school children as a part of orange fireballs. the war effort. In 1987, several tried to atone. ABOUT ROB McCONNELL: It is estimated that about 9,000 of the They folded 1,000 paper cranes, a Japanese Rob McConnell has been hosting the balloons were launched by Japan between symbol of healing and peace, and sent them to internationally syndicated radio show, THE 'X' November, 1944 and April, 1945, but it is the families of the Oregon picnickers. Here is an ZONE RADIO / TV SHOW since 1992 and believed that less than 1,000 of them actually excerpt from one of the accompanying letters: publishing THE 'X' CHRONICLES NEWSPAPER, reached North America, with most of the rest "We participated in the building of North America's only Paranormal / Parapsychology self-destructing over, or falling into, the sea. Of weapons used to kill people without / New Age newspaper since 1991. Rob McConnell was featured by the BBC in C*O*N*T*A*C*T in those that did reach land, some were seen understanding much beyond the knowledge that 1997, and was the consultant to the producers of the exploding in the air and others were found on America was our adversary in a war. To think Canadian hit TV Show, CREEPY CANADA for the ground in remote areas, usually with the that the weapons we made took your lives as three years. Rob's broadcast experience includes bomb loads missing but occasionally with some you were out on a picnic! We were 1220 CHSC in St. Catharines, 1290 CJBK in bombs still attached. The balloons reached overwhelmed with deep sorrow." London and Rob was also the Executive Producer of Alaska, Canada, Mexico and 16 U.S. states, To listen to The ‘X’ Zone Radio Show Talk Programming for NewsTalk 610 CKTB. Rob travelling as far east as Michigan and Texas. with Rob McConnell, Monday - Friday from 10 produced TV commercials and features in Quebec as Most of the balloons were sighted or found in pm - 2 am Eastern, on the TalkStar Radio well as in Ontario and has worked with/ produced British Columbia, Washington state, Oregon, Network, visit, www.talkstarradio.com or The shows with Peter Noone (Herman's Hermits), B.J. California, and Montana. Several minor forest ‘X’ Zone Radio Show Archives/Podcasts Thomas and Bobby Curtola. Rob is also an fires, in California and Oregon, were possibly www.xzonepodcast.com. internationally syndicated columnist. To contact Rob McConnell, email caused by the balloons, but this was never To read online editions of The ‘X’ xzone@xzoneradiotv.com. []