Lookout Air Raids
The Lookout Air Raid of 1942 was a minor, but historic World War II event that occurred in mountains and forests of Oregon on September 9, 1942. A Japanese submarine, known as I-25, launched a "Glen" Yokosuka E14Y floatplane and dropped two incendiary bombs with the hopes of starting a forest fire. The mission was foiled by two quick acting Fire Lookouts and favorable weather conditions.
This attack was the first time the continental United States was bombed by an enemy aircraft.
The Air Raid
On Wednesday morning, September 9, 1942, the Japanese submarine I-25, under the command of Lieutenant Commander Meiji Tagami, surfaced west of Cape Blanco. The submarine launched a "Glen" Yokosuka E14Y floatplane, flown by Warrant Officer Nobuo Fujita and Petty Officer Okuda Shoji with a 340 lb. load of two incendiary bombs.
Howard "Razz" Gardner spotted and reported the incoming "Glen" from his fire lookout tower on Mount Emily in the Siskiyou National Forest. Razz stated that he could hear the motor of the airplane and that it had sounded like the backfiring of a Ford Model-T automobile.
Although Razz did not directly see the bombing, he saw the smoke plume from his position and reported the fire to the dispatch office. Razz was instructed to hike out to the fire to see what suppression he could do. To support him, dispatch also sent USFS Fire Lookout, Keith V. Johnson from the nearby Bear Wallow Lookout Tower.
The two Fire Lookouts proceeded to the location of the bombing and with some effort they were able to keep the fire under control. Only a few small scattered fires were started because the bombs were not dropped from the right height.[citation needed] The lookouts stayed on scene and worked through the night keeping the fire contained. The fire was kept small as a result of their efforts. In the morning, a fire crew arrived to help and mop up.
At the time, there was a radio black-out for weather reports and a recent rain storm kept the area wet, which created conditions that helped the fire lookouts to contain the fire.
Aftermath
A full investigation was launched by the FBI which resulted in locating some bomb fragments. The story was reported to several news papers on September 10, 1942.
Lieut. Gen. John L. DeWitt, the Defense commander stated, "The Western Defense Command is investigating the circumstances surrounding the discovery on Sept. 9 of fragments of what appears to have been an incendiary bomb. These fragments were found by personnel of the United States Forestry Service near Mt. Emily nine miles northeast of Brookings, Or. Markings of the bomb fragments indicated that the missile was of Japanese origin."
The Lookout Air Raid of 1942 became only a small and almost forgotten footnote of the War but it will remain in the history books as the first time that the continental United States was bombed by an enemy aircraft.
Footnote
The "Glen" Yokosuka E14Y floatplane carried two bombs. The second bomb according to the Japanese records was dropped, but no trace of the bomb, or debris has yet been found in the mountains.
See also
External links
- Website - A Place Called Oregon
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