The only fatalities of World War II in the mainland United States due to enemy attack occurred in the forest outside of Bly, Oregon.
"On May 5, 1945, Reverend Archie Mitchell took his pregnant wife and five Sunday school children, from the Christian and Missionary Alliance church where he was minister, on a picnic and fishing trip. The group found the logging road they followed blocked, so they stopped next to Leonard Creek, eight miles (13 km) east of Bly near Gearhart Mountain. While Mitchell was unloading the food, he heard one of the children say, "Look what I found!" His wife and the children ran to see what had been found. Moments later, there was an explosion. Mrs. Mitchell and all five children were killed instantly.
The children had found the remains of a Japanese balloon bomb, one of approximately 9,000 balloon bombs launched from Honsh?, Japan between November 1944 and April 1945. The balloons drifted across the Pacific Ocean to North America via the jet stream in about three days. The hydrogen-filled balloons were 33 feet (10 m) in diameter and carried five bombs, four incendiaries and one anti-personnel high explosive."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitchell_Recreation_Area
I visited the memorial years ago, but didn't stay long. There's still no laughter in those woods.
By 1962 Reverend Archie Mitchell was remarried and doing missionary work in Vietnam. On May 30 1962 he and two other missionaries were carried off into the jungle by the Viet Cong, never to be seen again.
Thanks for sharing Mike.
> Thanks for sharing Mike.
Yes, thank you.
So tragic. I'd read about these. Assembled by school children from rice paper. Ingenious in design but completely indiscriminate. Thanks for sharing.
It's my understanding that these were intended to start forest fires in the Pacific Northwest, and that news that they had made it to North America was suppressed by the news media so that the Japanese never knew they had made it here.
Cause of death: explosion due to undetermined origin
> that news that they had made it to North America was suppressed by the news media so that the Japanese never knew they had made it here.
I believe that's correct Jim... along with the fact that the govt. didn't want to alarm US citizens. Only the military and local law enforcement were privy to the facts.
The scan below from State Archives of the 6 Bly death certificates has cause of death as an explosion due to undetermined origin apparently later written in red is on each death certificate is "Civilian death due to enemy action". War is hell and sacrifices are made
Link to certificates = 
Hi Mike,
I visited the memorial about 15-20 years ago when we were doing boundary work for the USFS in the Fremont (now Fremont-Winema NF). It was a very sad event.
Thanks for the reminder.
