The Case:
The granddaughter of a World War II veteran from Austin, Texas has a wartime memento with a note claiming it is a piece of Japanese balloon that floated across the Pacific Ocean in 1945.
The alleged balloon scrap could be evidence of a unique weapon in modern warfare: the Japanese Balloon Bomb.
More than 9,000 of these incendiary weapons were launched from Japan during the war via the jet stream with the intention of causing mass disruption and forest fires in the American West. These Balloon Bombs caused the only fatalities on the U.S. mainland due to enemy action during World War II.
The existence and purpose of the Balloon Bombs were kept secret from the American public for security reasons until a tragic accident forced a change in policy.
History Detectives investigates whether this scrap of fabric is a missing piece of an ingenious secret weapon.
Season 6, Episode 3
Season 7, Episode 9
Detective:
Tukufu Zuberi
Location:Austin, Texas and Washington, D.C.
Related Content
Video:
Blog Post:
Technique:
Technique:
Technique:
Related Links
Explore
-
Also with Tukufu Zuberi
Army Muster Roll
What can a Continental Army muster roll tell us about this remarkable African-American soldier?
-
Related Investigation
Flint Lock Rifle
Was this the gun of one of the most infamous bandits operating to undermine the birth of our nation?
-
Also in Season 6
Monroe Letter
Does this letter link America's President to the high seas piracy of U.S. merchant ships in the early 1800s?
-
Also with Tukufu Zuberi
Mail Order Brides
Are these images evidence of mail order brides in 1890s Chicago?
-
Related Investigation
Drone Propellor
Could this propellor have powered a top secret weapon that transformed modern warfare?
-
Also with Tukufu Zuberi
Birthplace Of Hip Hop
Did this Bronx apartment building give birth to a culture that now spans the globe?
Comments
This is a place for opinions, comments, questions and discussion; a place where viewers of History Detectives can express their points of view and connect with others who value history. We ask that posters be polite and respectful of all opinions. History Detectives reserves the right to delete comments that don’t conform to this conduct. We will not respond to every post, but will do our best to answer specific questions, or address an error.