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During a foggy night in early September 1942, a local forest ranger spotted a floatplane dropping materials from its fuselage on top of the dense Oregonian forest.

As the droppings touched the ground, they created a bright flash of light, and the ranger quickly rushed to the spot. With the help of two persons, they put out the small fire and sent the recovered materials to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The ensuing inquiry confirmed that the object was a Japanese incendiary bomb, making it the first time an enemy aircraft attacked the contiguous United States. However, said aircraft was nowhere to be found.

The Lookout Air Raids were only possible because of the Yokosuka E14Y floatplane, a one-of-a-kind aircraft that could be launched from a submarine, and its pilot, Nobuo Fujita, who would later become an honorary citizen of the United States.

As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas.