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Bruno Stachel · 23 September 2009, 02:57 PM

Thanks Chock,

I recently viewed a documentary about bomb carrying balloons that the Japanese launched towards the U.S.. Similar concerns were taken into account as the U.S. government wanted to prevent panic, as more and more of the balloons arrived across the western U.S. (as well as Cananda and Mexico). I believe the War Department sent a memo to news editors, asking them to abstain from mentioning the ballon drop and landing sites - also to prevent the Japanese from getting any helpful targeting information.

All this is well and good. But again, I don't understand how it wasn't until after the Freedom of Information act, that all the HMT Rhona information was made public. (The website mentioned that details were released after the Freedom of Information act was invokded. I'm not sure exactly when this happened. I do know that the act was signed into law during Sept. 1966.) At the least, the survivors and next of kin had to wait 20 years before learning the details of what happened to their loved ones.

23 September 2009, 02:57 PM	#4 (permalink)
Bruno Stachel Scout Pilot Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Edgewood, KY Posts: 468	Thanks Chock, I recently viewed a documentary about bomb carrying balloons that the Japanese launched towards the U.S.. Similar concerns were taken into account as the U.S. government wanted to prevent panic, as more and more of the balloons arrived across the western U.S. (as well as Cananda and Mexico). I believe the War Department sent a memo to news editors, asking them to abstain from mentioning the ballon drop and landing sites - also to prevent the Japanese from getting any helpful targeting information. All this is well and good. But again, I don't understand how it wasn't until after the Freedom of Information act, that all the HMT Rhona information was made public. (The website mentioned that details were released after the Freedom of Information act was invokded. I'm not sure exactly when this happened. I do know that the act was signed into law during Sept. 1966.) At the least, the survivors and next of kin had to wait 20 years before learning the details of what happened to their loved ones.