MILITARY CASE ID:

Great Los Angeles Air Raid - 1942

Massive anti-aircraft barrage over Los Angeles following radar detection of unidentified objects, with no enemy aircraft found despite extensive firing.

FILE METADATA MILITARY
DATE: 1942-02-25
LOCATION: Los Angeles, California, USA
COORDINATES: 34.0522° N, 118.2437° W
SOURCE: Military reports, newspapers, civilian witnesses
TAGS:
military-encounter wwii anti-aircraft mass-sighting california

The Great Los Angeles Air Raid - February 25, 1942

Executive Summary

The “Battle of Los Angeles” or “Great Los Angeles Air Raid” was a significant military incident occurring just months after Pearl Harbor, when U.S. anti-aircraft defenses engaged unidentified objects over Los Angeles. Despite firing over 1,400 rounds and maintaining a sustained barrage for hours, no enemy aircraft were brought down or conclusively identified.

Historical Context

World War II Pacific Theater

Strategic Situation:

  • Pearl Harbor attack occurred December 7, 1941
  • West Coast under high alert for Japanese invasion
  • Submarine attacks documented off California coast
  • Military installations on maximum defensive readiness

Previous Incidents:

  • February 23, 1942: Japanese submarine I-17 shelled Ellwood oil field
  • Heightened fears of Japanese air attacks on mainland
  • Civilian population extremely nervous about enemy action
  • Military forces ordered to shoot first, ask questions later

Incident Timeline

Initial Detection Phase

7:18 PM, February 24:

  • Naval Intelligence receives warning of possible attack
  • Information originated from intercepts suggesting imminent assault
  • Military bases placed on high alert status
  • Anti-aircraft units ordered to battle stations

11:56 PM:

  • First radar contact detected approaching coast
  • Objects tracked moving slowly toward Los Angeles
  • Speed estimated at approximately 200 mph
  • Multiple targets appearing on radar screens

The Air Raid Alert

2:25 AM, February 25:

  • General air raid alarm sounded throughout Los Angeles area
  • Blackout ordered for entire city
  • Estimated 1 million residents awakened by sirens
  • Military units assume combat positions

2:43 AM:

  • First searchlights activated scanning the sky
  • Multiple beams converge on unidentified object
  • Object appears silvery and disc-shaped in searchlight beams
  • Anti-aircraft batteries prepare to engage

The Barrage Begins

3:16 AM:

  • First anti-aircraft shells fired at detected objects
  • 37th Coast Artillery Brigade opens sustained fire
  • Multiple battery positions engage simultaneously
  • Tracers and explosions illuminate night sky

3:16 AM - 4:14 AM:

  • Continuous anti-aircraft barrage for 58 minutes
  • Over 1,400 rounds of ammunition expended
  • Searchlights track objects moving at varying speeds
  • No aircraft observed to be hit or downed

Incident Conclusion

4:14 AM:

  • Cease fire order given to all batteries
  • Objects no longer detected on radar
  • Searchlights continue scanning empty sky
  • All clear signal delayed pending reconnaissance

7:21 AM:

  • All clear signal finally sounded
  • Blackout restrictions lifted
  • Damage assessment teams deployed
  • Media briefings scheduled

Military Response and Documentation

Command Structure Involved

Western Defense Command:

  • General John L. DeWitt, commanding
  • Coordinated overall defensive response
  • Authorized unrestricted engagement rules
  • Reported directly to War Department

4th Interceptor Command:

  • No fighter aircraft launched during incident
  • Pilots on standby throughout engagement
  • Decision made to rely on ground-based defenses
  • Post-incident analysis of fighter deployment

37th Coast Artillery Brigade:

  • Primary unit engaging targets
  • Multiple battery positions participated
  • Coordinated fire control maintained
  • Ammunition expenditure carefully tracked

Official Military Statements

Initial War Department Response:

  • Secretary of War Henry Stimson briefing February 26
  • Confirmed anti-aircraft engagement occurred
  • Stated 15 aircraft participated in attack
  • Later retracted specific aircraft numbers

Revised Assessment:

  • Navy Secretary Frank Knox contradicted Army
  • Described incident as “false alarm”
  • Attributed radar contacts to weather balloons
  • Suggested war nerves caused overreaction

Radar and Detection Data

Radar Tracking Information

SCR-270 Radar Stations:

  • Multiple coastal radar sites reported contacts
  • Objects tracked from ocean approach to inland
  • Speeds varied from stationary to 200+ mph
  • Altitude estimates ranged from 9,000-18,000 feet

Target Characteristics:

  • Intermittent radar returns suggesting metallic objects
  • Size estimates comparable to large aircraft
  • Flight patterns included hovering and rapid acceleration
  • No identification friend or foe (IFF) signals detected

Tracking Anomalies:

  • Objects appeared and disappeared unpredictably
  • Some targets seemed immune to anti-aircraft fire
  • Unusual flight patterns inconsistent with known aircraft
  • Radar operators reported multiple simultaneous contacts

Anti-Aircraft Fire Control

Gun-Laying Radar:

  • SCR-268 sets used for fire control
  • Targets acquired and tracked successfully
  • Fire control solutions computed and transmitted
  • No hits recorded despite direct targeting

Ammunition Performance:

  • 12.8-pound high-explosive shells used
  • Proximity fuses not yet available (developed 1943)
  • Time-fused shells set for estimated altitude
  • No debris or evidence of successful hits found

Civilian Observations

Eyewitness Accounts

Searchlight Operators:

  • Objects appeared metallic and disc-shaped
  • Estimated diameter of 200+ feet
  • Moved independently of wind patterns
  • Seemed unaffected by anti-aircraft fire

Civilian Witnesses:

  • Thousands observed from streets and rooftops
  • Objects described as silvery and luminous
  • Multiple objects seen simultaneously
  • Some reported formation flying patterns

Press Photographers:

  • Los Angeles Times photographer captured famous image
  • Shows searchlight beams converging on object
  • Multiple newspaper photographers documented event
  • Images widely published and remain iconic

Damage Assessment

Civilian Casualties:

  • 5 deaths attributed to incident stress and accidents
  • 3 died from heart attacks during air raid
  • 2 killed in vehicle accidents during blackout
  • Multiple injuries from falling shell fragments

Property Damage:

  • Shell fragments damaged buildings and vehicles
  • Unexploded ordnance found throughout area
  • Windows broken by concussion
  • No structural damage to military targets

Investigation and Analysis

Military Investigation

Army Air Forces Review:

  • No evidence of enemy aircraft participation
  • Weather balloon theory proposed and disputed
  • Radar malfunction possibility examined
  • Operator error and misidentification considered

Office of Naval Intelligence:

  • Submarine threat assessment conducted
  • No Japanese aircraft carriers detected in range
  • Intelligence intercepts re-examined
  • Foreign agent sabotage theory investigated

Alternative Explanations

Weather Phenomena:

  • High-altitude weather balloons suggested
  • Atmospheric inversion effects on radar
  • Temperature gradients causing false returns
  • Wind patterns and object movement analysis

Mass Hysteria Theory:

  • War nerves and heightened anxiety
  • Confirmation bias in target identification
  • Psychological pressure on military personnel
  • Civilian panic influencing military response

Equipment Malfunction:

  • Radar system reliability assessment
  • Potential electronic interference
  • Calibration errors and false targets
  • Inter-system communication problems

Unexplained Aspects

Target Behavior:

  • Hovering capability beyond known aircraft
  • Apparent immunity to anti-aircraft fire
  • Rapid acceleration and deceleration
  • Coordinated movement patterns

Physical Evidence:

  • No aircraft wreckage recovered
  • No parachutes or aircrew found
  • Extensive search yielded no enemy materials
  • Shell fragments only physical evidence

Government Response and Cover-up Allegations

Official Explanations

War Department Position:

  • Initially confirmed enemy attack occurred
  • Later changed to false alarm explanation
  • Blamed weather balloons and war nerves
  • Classified detailed reports for decades

Censorship and Information Control:

  • Press coverage initially encouraged for morale
  • Later discouraged to prevent enemy intelligence
  • Key witnesses transferred or reassigned
  • Technical details classified indefinitely

Declassified Documents

Released Military Records:

  • Ammunition expenditure reports
  • Radar tracking logs and data
  • Command decision documentation
  • Damage assessment surveys

Continuing Classification:

  • Some technical details remain classified
  • Intelligence sources and methods protected
  • Radar capability information restricted
  • Complete incident files never fully released

Historical Significance

Military Preparedness

Defense Capability Demonstration:

  • Rapid response to perceived threat
  • Coordination between multiple services
  • Civilian cooperation with military directives
  • Weaknesses in identification procedures exposed

Lessons Learned:

  • Need for improved aircraft identification
  • Fighter aircraft deployment protocols
  • Radar operator training requirements
  • Civilian defense coordination procedures

UFO Research Context

Early Modern Sighting:

  • Predates Kenneth Arnold sighting by 5 years
  • Mass witnessed event with official documentation
  • Photographic evidence preserved
  • Government investigation and explanation attempts

Research Precedent:

  • Template for analyzing mass sighting events
  • Importance of multiple witness corroboration
  • Official response pattern establishment
  • Media coverage and public reaction study

Modern Analysis and Conclusions

Evidence Assessment

Strengths:

  • Extensive official documentation
  • Multiple independent witness accounts
  • Radar tracking data available
  • Photographic evidence preserved
  • Military chain of command involvement

Limitations:

  • No physical evidence of craft recovered
  • Conflicting official explanations
  • War-time stress and pressure factors
  • Limited technology for positive identification
  • Possible psychological influences on witnesses

Alternative Theories

Conventional Explanations:

  • Weather balloons released from local base
  • Atmospheric phenomena affecting radar
  • Japanese submarine-launched reconnaissance
  • False alarm due to heightened tensions

Unconventional Possibilities:

  • Unidentified aerial vehicles of unknown origin
  • Experimental aircraft testing
  • Foreign technology beyond known capabilities
  • Natural atmospheric phenomena misidentified

Historical Impact

The Battle of Los Angeles remains one of the most significant mass UFO sightings in American history, combining extensive official documentation with thousands of civilian witnesses. Whether representing misidentified conventional objects or genuine anomalous phenomena, the incident demonstrates the challenges of accurate identification under wartime conditions and established patterns that would recur throughout the modern UFO era.

The event’s significance lies not only in its scale and documentation but in its demonstration of how military and civilian authorities respond to unexplained aerial phenomena during periods of national stress and uncertainty.