On February 25, 1942, the city of Los Angeles experienced a mysterious and chaotic event known as the "Battle of Los Angeles." Following a Japanese submarine attack on the Ellwood Oil Field in Santa Barbara, California, just two days prior, the city was already on high alert. In the early hours of February 25th, three separate radar stations detected an unidentified flying object (UFO) approaching Los Angeles. As the object drew closer, antiaircraft batteries were put on high alert, and gunners prepared for an attack. Despite the lack of an actual strike, the military opened fire, expending over 1,400 rounds of antiaircraft artillery. The barrage lasted for several hours, but no planes were shot down, and no bombs were dropped.
The incident remains shrouded in mystery, with conflicting accounts from witnesses and military officials. The US military initially attributed the event to a Japanese reconnaissance mission or a group of commercial planes flown by enemy agents. However, subsequent investigations and declassified documents suggest that the incident may have been caused by a combination of factors, including the misidentification of a weather balloon, wartime anxiety, and inadequate radar equipment.
Over the years, various theories have emerged, including the possibility that the UFO was an extraterrestrial spacecraft. However, there is no conclusive evidence to support this claim. The incident remains a topic of debate and speculation, with many questions still unanswered.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. On February 25, 1942, a mysterious event occurred in Los Angeles, known as the Battle of Los Angeles.
2. The event started with a blackout of major cities along the Pacific Coast of the United States due to concerns of an incoming enemy attack.
3. Powerful searchlights scanned the sky, and the army opened fire, causing a barrage that lasted for over an hour.
4. The army fired over 1,400 rounds of antiaircraft artillery, but no enemy planes were shot down, and no bombs were dropped.
5. The event was initially reported as an enemy attack, but later investigations found no evidence of enemy involvement.
6. The Japanese had attacked Pearl Harbor just a few months prior, on December 7, 1941, which led to the United States declaring war on Japan.
7. Japanese submarines had been patrolling the Pacific Coast, and there were concerns about a potential Japanese invasion.
8. On February 23, 1942, a Japanese submarine had shelled the Ellwood Oil Field near Santa Barbara, California.
9. The shelling lasted for 20 minutes, and over a dozen exploding shells hit the docks and nearby installations.
10. The attack caused minimal damage and no casualties, but it had a significant impact on public fears and the threat of a Japanese invasion.
11. On the evening of February 24, 1942, Naval Intelligence issued a warning that an attack could be expected within the next 10 hours.
12. The southern California coast was put on Yellow Alert, and the situation was tense.
13. At 1:44 AM on February 25, three separate radar stations picked up an unidentified flying object approaching Los Angeles.
14. The object was tracked to within 5 kilometers of the city before it vanished from radar scopes.
15. The army opened fire, and the barrage commenced shortly after 3:00 AM.
16. The firing became sporadic, and a variety of targets were reported, including enemy planes, balloons, and a blimp.
17. The barrage concluded shortly after 4:00 AM, and the blackout persisted until dawn.
18. Initial reports indicated that multiple enemy planes had been shot down, but investigations found no evidence of this.
19. The Western Defense Command announced that no bombs had been dropped, and no planes had been shot down.
20. The Secretary of the Navy, Franklin Knox, claimed the incident had been a false alarm, while the Secretary of War, Henry Stimson, believed that up to 15 unidentified planes had flown over the city.
21. An investigation by the army concluded that Japanese involvement was unlikely, and the incident was likely caused by a weather balloon.
22. A former Army Air Force Major, William Goss, researched the incident and concluded that weather balloons were responsible.
23. The investigation found that the radar equipment used at the time was inadequate and prone to plotting false tracks.
24. Radar personnel lacked sufficient training to properly operate the stations.
25. The conditions of the Western Defense Command were described as "entirely inadequate" in an analysis by the army.
26. Despite the lack of evidence, the incident remains one of the most enduring unsolved mysteries of World War II.