“Unveiling the Shadowy Secrets Behind the Deadly Balloon Barrage: What Really Happened?”

Not knowing anything about it, the kids and Elsie went to investigate, with the last words Archie ever heard his wife say, according to the Oregon newspaper, The Mail Tribune, being “Look what I found, dear!”

Richard Barnhouse, one of the construction workers, reported to the Tribune what happened next: “There was a terrible explosion. Twigs flew through the air, pine needles began to fall, dead branches and dust, and dead logs went up.”

When the construction workers and Archie rushed over, they found Elsie and the children’s bodies on the ground around a gaping hole in the earth. Their clothes were on fire, which was quickly put out. All of them but one of the young girls, Joan Patzke, died instantly from the blast. Joan lived for a few minutes after, but then passed away.

After these deaths, the U.S. Office of Censorship rescinded their former blackout on mention of the balloons and the public was informed of them and told if they found any to keep their distance and contact the authorities.

After six months of launches, the balloon attacks stopped abruptly in April of 1945. Allied forces had blown up two Japanese hydrogen plants, cutting resources needed for the balloons. In addition, Japanese commanders, seeing the balloon attacks weren’t very effective relative to the resources expended, discontinued the program.

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