This Isn’t the First Time Montana Has Been Threatened by Balloons

The now infamous "balloon sightings" have been all over the news lately. As US jets continue to shoot down floating objects in the skies. The first sighting was just a little over a week ago when Montanans spotted a strange UFO in the skies over Big Sky Country. The call to shoot it down was not answered until this sphere made it across the entire continental United States. President Biden claims it was not shot down over Montana, due to fear that the wreckage would fall and damage property or kill civilians. Meanwhile, everyone in Montana is saying that this state would probably be one of the better places to shoot something down over. Considering our wide open spaces and small population density.

This is not the first time that Montana has been threatened by enemy balloons in our skies.

During World War Two, American forces were destroying much of the Japanese homeland with constant barrages of bombings. Japan tried to find a way to return the favor and bomb the US mainland. Instead of sending warships and massive bombers to do the job, they chose a low-tech way of launching a bombing run.

According to formontana.net

During World War II, Japan released 9,300 balloon bombs that were intended to be carried to the United States by a high-altitude wind known today as the "jet stream". Less than 400 of the bombs are known to have made the 6,000-mile journey. At least 35 of these bombs are known to have landed in Montana. When inflated with hydrogen, each 33-ft. wide balloon could carry up to 794 lbs. of ballast and bombs.

It is believed that these bombs were not only attempting to inflict harm on civilian populations but were also intended to create havoc in the vast forest of the Pacific Northwest, by sparking massive forest fires and draining our resources.