On May 5, 1945, a quiet Sunday school outing became the site of a little-known milestone in U.S. history.
A balloon bomb launched from Japan — one of thousands sent across the Pacific — was discovered in the forest near Bly, Oregon, by a group of children preparing for a picnic after church. It exploded, killing Elsye Mitchell, the pregnant wife of a local pastor, and five children. They were the only people killed by enemy action on the U.S. mainland during World War II.
For author and illustrator K.C. Winters, the tragedy was a long-held family mystery. Mitchell was her aunt. Winters was three years old at the time.
Growing up, it was “one of the family campfire stories,” Winters said. “But there were never any details.”
The lack of information was not accidental. The U.S. government imposed strict censorship on the incident to prevent panic and deny Japan useful intelligence. The policy also limited public awareness of the event for decades.
Years later, Winters inherited a large album of memorabilia from her Aunt Thelma that helped clarify the story.
After retiring, she spent 17 years researching and assembling the material into her book, “One Balloon: Silent Attack on the American Homeland.” The collection included newspaper clippings, letters and photographs, many of them deteriorating with age.
Winters began by illustrating scenes from the story before writing the text. The book examines not only the explosion but also the relationships that developed in its aftermath. She highlights what she described as “the intensity of the forgiveness” between victims’ families and Japanese women who were conscripted as children to help manufacture the balloons.
The book follows a chronological structure and includes an illustrated foldout timeline. It also features individual accounts, including a Japanese boy, Yuzuru, whose family was sent to an internment camp, and Reiko, a girl forced to work for the Japanese military, producing the balloon that carried the bombs.
The story culminates decades later with a visit to Oregon by people connected to the balloon program to place peace cranes at the Bly memorial site.
Winters said she sees the book as a way to restore what she calls a lost piece of American history.
“I would love to see the book get put into history classes,” she said, adding that she hopes future generations will learn about and visit Bly.
Guest
- K.C. Winters, author and illustrator of "One Balloon: Silent Attack on the American Homeland"
Events
K.C. Winters will discuss her book, “One Balloon: Silent Attack on the American Homeland,” at several locations in Southern Oregon:
- RVML Community Resource Center
1757 Ashland St., Ashland
Thursday, April 30, 7 p.m. - Klamath County Museum
1451 Main St., Klamath Falls
Saturday, May 2, 1 p.m. - Standing Stone Church
61125 Highway 140 E, Bly
Sunday, May , 10:30 a.m.
