Detroit evening times., 1945-07-16
JAMES
YOUNG
Road
TO Tokyo


4 JAPANESE military spokes-
n man. 1t. Col Shozo Naka-
lima, predicts that the United
States mainland Will he at
tackled IN the near future by
bomb carrying stratosphere
balloons manned ny death-defy"
ing Japanese pilots
Balloons 10 date, he said in A
broadcast from Singapore picked
up by FEC monitors, have been
experimental.
Major scale assaults with Sol-
dierS manning balloons will be
lunched, he prophesied.
Suicide planes are manned by
young officers, and l believe
that almost any soldier in the
emperor's forces would love 10
pilot a balloon to the United
States.
Americans Scoff at such fanat-
iclSm. but with the Japanese it
is the spirit of Yamato Damashi
and the essence of Bush do.
COL. NAkAJIMA Is correct IN
" one claim that his suicide
halloonlSts could attack us!
Wind currents Of the north Pa
clfc favor the Japanese.
| made A study Of the balloon
journeys last winter, during A
trip through the western states
where emergency warnings had
been issued.
l had available first hand re-
ports from western L. S. and
Canada on the "banZai baka
bakudan.' -
The balloons travel AT from
so 10 l25 miles an hour depend
ing on air currents. They have
no motive power.
The suicide manned equip
ment mentioned by Col. Naka-
lima may be a mechanically
propelled gas bag.
The presentcrop OF manleSs
balloons drifts with the winds.
Wind and wave currents from
Japan 10 our West Coast were
recorded in 1876.
Charles Wolcott Brooks that
wear told a meeting Of the Cali
fornia Academy OF SclenCe Of
sailing boats from Japan which
drfted ashore.
Small fishing lunks, when
caught in Pacific monsoon
were quickly forced off their
course.
Their rudders gone. the boats,
az that time built like a tub,
were carried 10 American shores
by the kuro Shlo, the Black
Current of Japan.
IN RECENT years West Coast
Il residents have been familiar
with glass fishing floats which
came ashore in considerable
numbers.
Water currents brought these
glass bulbs, and air currents
today at great attitudes carry
incendiary balloons.
Every one with whom I have
talked is in agreement that the
balloons travel at $1,000 feet
d-NIlh-gpnatar-uetH+et--ftt fire.
quenCN than in summer.
Cold air currents IN the north
Pacific clash in winter thereby
maintaining substantial baro-
metric pressure.
Alrmcn in Alaska thought
that subs were releasing the
balloons
The Japanese. I recall from
their writing prior 10 the war,
predicted the use Of airplanes
from submarines 10 start West
Coast fires
Soon after hostllltles com.
menced, the Japanese people
were told that San Francisco
had been destroyed.
An Oregon forest fire was at
tempted by plane believed TO
have been catapulted from
sub.
Perhaps this was a prelude to
burn West Coast timber areas,
then invade.
A Japanese officer in Tokyo
told American prisoners of war
that following the invasion. i'm
perlal field headquarters would
he established at Salt Lake
City. that the United States
would be- defeated but that the
long walk from Utah TO Wash
ington. ID. G., was the most
difficult task
4 GOVERNMENT warning 10
"A every one west of the Mis-
SlSSlppl IS indicative OF the vast
area Sublect1o balloon hazards.
Nnc months Of the year bal.
loon pa s are on two high
storm ira ks 10 the United
States
o b tanned storm track
chart IN PoCatello, Idaho. pre-
pared by Prof. w. j. Humphreys,
covering 20 years of meteoro-
logical studies.
PnCafelln is hetunnr the hirh