“1944: Japan launches the first of some 9,000 hydrogen-filled balloon bombs towards the U.S. and Canada. By war’s end, only six Americans would be killed and a small amount of damage is inflicted by the bombs.”
I didn’t even know six people died. I thought it was only one person. Well, learn something new every day.
“...I didn’t even know six people died...” [vladimir998, post 4]
Happened in early May 1945. The US casualties were neither military personnel, nor civilian defense workers.
All were noncombatants: a Sunday school class on a picnic outing near Bly, Oregon. The minister’s wife died, and five students.
The first inkling to US authorities that something was going on occurred days after that first balloon-bomb launch. The federal government requested that the civilian press keep silent, to prevent the Imperial Japanese from collecting feedback on how successful their efforts had been.
A few weeks after the incident in Oregon, the feds altered security policy, releasing some information about the bombs, and promulgated warnings to the public.
In addition to the US West Coast and most Western states, balloon bombs have been found in Alaska, Canada, Mexico and as far east as Michigan. Wilderness-goers should note that the warnings are still valid: in October 2014, a bomb was discovered in British Columbia, still live.
The Japanese balloon-bomb campaign is recognized as the first known use of an intercontinental weapon.