That One Time Everett Was Bombed
Editor’s Note: Originally published January 22, 2018. Updated November 7, 2019.
On March 13, 1945 a bomb landed in Everett near Glenwood Avenue.
It was one of 9,000 paper balloons filled with hydrogen that were launched from the beaches of Honshu, an island in Japan. The balloons' paper exteriors were made by Japanese children.
The balloon bombs were called Fu-Gos and they were the first form of intercontinental ballistic warfare used on the United States.
World War II had landed in Milltown.
The Everett Fu-Go didn't blow up. It was quickly taken to nearby Paine Field and detonated.
The U.S. Government didn't alert the press. They didn't want to alarm the public, nor did they want the Japanese to know where the bombs were landing.
Fu-Go "brain center."
Of the 9,000 balloons launched, only 300 were confirmed to have landed. The Fu-Gos dropped as far north as Alaska and as far South as Mexico. Most fell into the Pacific Ocean. A few set small fires. One Fu-Go killed a family in Oregon.
So there ya go. A bit of trivia for your next Everett mixer: Did you know that we were bombed in WWII?
Richard Porter is a writer for Live in Everett.
