Mitchell Recreation Area
Encyclopedia
Mitchell Recreation Area is a small picnic area near Bly
, Oregon
, United States
. It is also known as Mitchell Monument. It is the only location in the continental U.S. where Americans were killed during World War II
as a direct result of enemy action. The deaths were caused by a Japan
ese balloon bomb
. The site is maintained by the United States Forest Service
and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
On May 5, 1945, Reverend Archie Mitchell
took his pregnant wife and five Sunday school children, from the Christian and Missionary Alliance
church where he was minister, on a picnic and fishing trip. The group found the logging road they followed blocked, so they stopped next to Leonard Creek, eight miles (13 km) east of Bly near Gearhart Mountain
. While Mitchell was unloading the food, he heard one of the children say, "Look what I found!" His wife and the children ran to see what had been found. Moments later, there was an explosion. Mrs. Mitchell and all five children were killed instantly.
The children had found the remains of a Japanese balloon bomb
, one of approximately 9,000 balloon bombs launched from Honshū
, Japan
between November 1944 and April 1945. The balloons drifted across the Pacific Ocean
to North America
via the jet stream
in about three days. The hydrogen-filled balloons were 33 feet (10.1 m) in diameter and carried five bombs, four incendiaries
and one anti-personnel
high explosive. It is believed that as many as 1,000 balloons may have reached the United States and Canada
. However, there were only 285 confirmed sightings on the west coast, and two balloons were later found in Michigan
. Except for Elyse (aka Elsie) Mitchell and the five children killed near Bly, the bombs caused no injuries.
The Mitchell Monument site was originally owned by Weyerhaeuser Corporation
. In 1998, Weyerhaeuser donated land around the monument to the Fremont National Forest (now the Fremont-Winema National Forests
). A small picnic area was developed around the monument.
Today, the Bly Ranger District maintains Mitchell Recreation Area as a day-use picnic area. It is adjacent to Leonard Creek and is sheltered by large ponderosa pines
. In addition to the monument, the site offers fishing, hiking, and wildlife viewing opportunities. The site is normally open from mid-May until the end of October.
Bly, Oregon
Bly is an unincorporated community in Klamath County, Oregon, United States. It is about east of Klamath Falls. , the population was 486.- History :...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is also known as Mitchell Monument. It is the only location in the continental U.S. where Americans were killed during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as a direct result of enemy action. The deaths were caused by a Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese balloon bomb
Fire balloon
A , or Fu-Go, was a weapon launched by Japan during World War II. A hydrogen balloon with a load varying from a incendiary to one antipersonnel bomb and four incendiary devices attached, they were designed as a cheap weapon intended to make use of the jet stream over the Pacific Ocean and wreak...
. The site is maintained by the United States Forest Service
United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
History
Archie E. Mitchell
The Reverend Archie Emerson Mitchell was a minister with the Christian and Missionary Alliance. He was born in Franklin, Nebraska. He attended Simpson Bible College and Nyack Missionary College...
took his pregnant wife and five Sunday school children, from the Christian and Missionary Alliance
Christian and Missionary Alliance
The Christian and Missionary Alliance is an evangelical Protestant denomination within Christianity.Founded by Rev. Albert Benjamin Simpson in 1887, the Christian & Missionary Alliance did not start off as a denomination, but rather began as two distinct parachurch organizations: The Christian...
church where he was minister, on a picnic and fishing trip. The group found the logging road they followed blocked, so they stopped next to Leonard Creek, eight miles (13 km) east of Bly near Gearhart Mountain
Gearhart Mountain Wilderness
Gearhart Mountain Wilderness is a wilderness area located within the Fremont National Forest in Lake County and Klamath County, south-central Oregon. This area was established in 1943 as a Wild Area and designated as Wilderness with the Wilderness Act of 1964. In 1984, an additional were added...
. While Mitchell was unloading the food, he heard one of the children say, "Look what I found!" His wife and the children ran to see what had been found. Moments later, there was an explosion. Mrs. Mitchell and all five children were killed instantly.
The children had found the remains of a Japanese balloon bomb
Fire balloon
A , or Fu-Go, was a weapon launched by Japan during World War II. A hydrogen balloon with a load varying from a incendiary to one antipersonnel bomb and four incendiary devices attached, they were designed as a cheap weapon intended to make use of the jet stream over the Pacific Ocean and wreak...
, one of approximately 9,000 balloon bombs launched from Honshū
Honshu
is the largest island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaido across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyushu across the Kanmon Strait...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
between November 1944 and April 1945. The balloons drifted across the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
to North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
via the jet stream
Jet stream
Jet streams are fast flowing, narrow air currents found in the atmospheres of some planets, including Earth. The main jet streams are located near the tropopause, the transition between the troposphere and the stratosphere . The major jet streams on Earth are westerly winds...
in about three days. The hydrogen-filled balloons were 33 feet (10.1 m) in diameter and carried five bombs, four incendiaries
Incendiary device
Incendiary weapons, incendiary devices or incendiary bombs are bombs designed to start fires or destroy sensitive equipment using materials such as napalm, thermite, chlorine trifluoride, or white phosphorus....
and one anti-personnel
Anti-personnel weapon
An anti-personnel weapon is one primarily used to incapacitate people, as opposed to attacking structures or vehicles.The development of defensive fortification and combat vehicles gave rise to weapons designed specifically to attack them, and thus a need to distinguish between those systems and...
high explosive. It is believed that as many as 1,000 balloons may have reached the United States and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. However, there were only 285 confirmed sightings on the west coast, and two balloons were later found in Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. Except for Elyse (aka Elsie) Mitchell and the five children killed near Bly, the bombs caused no injuries.
The Mitchell Monument site was originally owned by Weyerhaeuser Corporation
Weyerhaeuser
Weyerhaeuser is one of the largest pulp and paper companies in the world. It is the world's largest private sector owner of softwood timberland; and the second largest owner of United States timberland, behind Plum Creek Timber...
. In 1998, Weyerhaeuser donated land around the monument to the Fremont National Forest (now the Fremont-Winema National Forests
Fremont-Winema National Forests
The Fremont–Winema National Forests are two United States National Forests, Fremont National Forest and Winema National Forest, that were administratively combined in 2002. They cover territory in southern Oregon from the crest of the Cascades on the west, past the city of Lakeview to the east. ...
). A small picnic area was developed around the monument.
Monument
The Mitchell Monument was built by Weyerhaeuser in 1950. It is constructed of native stone and displays a bronze plaque with the names and ages of the victims of the balloon bomb explosion. It commemorates the "only place on the American continent where death resulted from enemy action during World War II". Weyerhaeuser donated the monument along with the land surrounding it to the Fremont National Forest in 1998. The monument site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on 20 February 2003.Recreation area
Ponderosa Pine
Pinus ponderosa, commonly known as the Ponderosa Pine, Bull Pine, Blackjack Pine, or Western Yellow Pine, is a widespread and variable pine native to western North America. It was first described by David Douglas in 1826, from eastern Washington near present-day Spokane...
. In addition to the monument, the site offers fishing, hiking, and wildlife viewing opportunities. The site is normally open from mid-May until the end of October.
