Lookout Air Raids

Lookout Air Raids
Part of World War II, Pacific War
I-25
Date September 9 and September 29, 1942 Location Oregon Mountains, near Brookings, Pacific Ocean Result Japanese fail to ignite forest fire.
Belligerents
United States	Empire of Japan
Commanders
N/A	Tagami Meiji, Nobuo Fujita
Strength
N/A	1 Yokosuka E14Y, 1 submarine
Casualties and losses
no human casualties, minimal private property damage	none

The Lookout Air Raids were minor, but historic World War II events that occurred in the mountains of Oregon, several miles outside Brookings.^[1]

Overview and Background

On September 9, 1942, a Japanese submarine, the I-25, launched a "Glen" Yokosuka E14Y floatplane that dropped two incendiary bombs on Wheeler Ridge with the intent to start a forest fire. The mission was foiled by a group of Fire lookouts and favorable weather conditions. The attack was the first time the continental United States was bombed by an enemy aircraft.^[2]

Twenty years later, the floatplane's pilot, Nobuo Fujita, was invited back to Brookings, and served as Grand Marshall for the local Azalea Festival.^[1] At the festival, Fujita presented his family's 400-year old samurai sword to the city as a symbol of regret. Fujita made a number of visits to Brookings until the end of the century, serving as an "informal ambassador of peace and friendship".^[2] Fujita died in 1997, the same year Brookings made him an honorary citizen.^[3]

Air Raid

Nobuo Fujita standing by his Yokosuka E14Y "Glen" seaplane.

On Wednesday morning, September 9, 1942, the Japanese submarine I-25, Lieutenant Commander Meiji Tagami, surfaced west of Cape Blanco. The submarine launched a "Glen" Yokosuka E14Y floatplane, flown by Warrant Officer Nobuo Fujita^[4] and Petty Officer Okuda Shoji, with a load of two incendiary bombs of 76 kilograms (170 lb) each.^[5]

Howard "Razz" Gardner spotted and reported the incoming "Glen" from his fire lookout tower on Mount Emily in the Siskiyou National Forest. Razz said he could hear the engine of the airplane and it had sounded like the backfiring of a Model-T.

Although Razz did not see the bombing, he saw the smoke plume and reported the fire to the dispatch office. He was instructed to hike to the fire to see what suppression he could do. Dispatch also sent USFS Fire Lookout Keith V. Johnson from the nearby Bear Wallow Lookout Tower.

The two men proceeded to the location and were able to keep the fire under control. Only a few small scattered fires were started because the bombs were not dropped from the correct height.^{[citation needed]} The men stayed on scene and worked through the night keeping the fires contained. In the morning, a fire crew arrived to help.

A recent rain storm had kept the area wet, which helped the fire lookouts contain the blaze.

Aftermath

A full investigation was launched by the FBI, which resulted in locating several bomb fragments. The story was reported in several newspapers on September 10, 1942.

Lieut. Gen. John L. DeWitt, the area commander announced, "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."^[6]

The floatplane carried had two bombs. Both were dropped, according to the Japanese records, but no trace has yet been found of the second bomb.

Fujita and his observer made a second attack on September 29, again causing only negligible damage.

Postwar aftermath

Nobuo Fujita was invited back to Brookings in 1962, after the Japanese government was assured he would not be tried as a war criminal. He gave the City of Brookings his family's 400-year-old samurai sword in friendship. Impressed by his welcome in the United States, Fujita invited three female students from Brookings to Japan in 1985. During the visit of the Brookings-Harbor High School students to Japan, Fujita received a dedicatory letter from an aide of President Ronald Reagan "with admiration for your kindness and generosity." Fujita returned to Brookings in 1990, 1992, and 1995. In 1992 he planted a tree at the bomb site as a gesture of peace. In 1995, he moved the samurai sword from the Brookings City Hall into the new library's display case. He was made an honorary citizen of Brookings several days before his death on September 30, 1997, at the age of 85. In October 1998, his daughter, Yoriko Asakura, buried some of Fujita's ashes at the bomb site.

See also

• Attacks on United States territory in North America during World War II
• Bombardment of Fort Stevens
• Operation K

References

External links

• Los Angeles Times news story of September 15, 1942
• Trail Dedication at Japanese Bombing Site Set - U.S. Forest Service

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