Near Bly in Lake County, Oregon — The American West (Northwest)
Mitchell Monument
Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, June 24, 2012
1. Mitchell Monument Marker
In memory of:
Elsie Mitchell Age 26
Dick Patzke Age 14
Jay Gifford Age 13
Edward Engen Age 13
Joan Patzke Age 13
Sherman Shoemaker Age 11
Who died here May 5, 1945 by Japanese bomb explosion.
Only place on the American Continent where death resulted from enemy action during WW II
Erected 1950 by Weyerhaeuser Company Eastern Oregon Region.
Topics and series. This monument and memorial is listed in these topic lists: Disasters • War, World II. In addition, it is included in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) series list. A significant historical date for this entry is May 5, 1945.
Location. 42° 25.91′ N, 120° 51.607′ W. Monument is near Bly, Oregon, in Lake County. It can be reached from National Forest Development Road 348, on the right when traveling east. Located 11 miles east of Bly, at Mitchell Recreation Area. Touch for map. Monument is in this post office area: Bly OR 97622, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this memorial monument is in the High Desert and in Eastern Oregon. It is also in the American Mountain West and in the Lewis & Clark Corridor. Globally, it is in North America, the Pacific Rim, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere.
Other nearby markers. At least 3 other markers are within 10 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Mitchell Monument Shrapnel Tree (a few steps from this marker); War Doesn't Discriminate (within shouting distance of this marker); Balloon Bomb (approx. 9.8 miles away).
More about this monument. The Mitchell Monument is located about 65 miles northeast of Klamath Falls. Mitchell Recreation Area is typically open from mid-May through the end of October. The site offers fishing, hiking, and wildlife viewing opportunities in addition to being an historic landmark.
As you are leaving Klamath Falls, take Highway 140 east for approximately 50 miles to the Bly Ranger
this page online
Also see . . .
1. National Register of Historic Places Registration Form.
NRHP Registration Form Statement of Significance: The Mitchell Recreation Area is historically significant for its association with military events as the site of the only fatalities by enemy action in the Continental United States during World War II. The explosion of a Japanese Balloon Bomb at this site on May 5, 1945 killed six local residents. This particular event is the most recognized representation of the use of a Japanese strategic weapon against the United States during a major global war and documents the first use of an intercontinental ballistic weapon in history.(Submitted on February 18, 2025, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon.)
The area is historically significant as a commemorative property for its association with social history. On August 20, 1950, The Weyerhaeuser Timber Company dedicated the property surrounding the bombsite as The Mitchell Recreation Area. It has become a traditional place for those wishing to offer condolences and to remember the eventsof a major global war. The area has become a peace symbol that has inspired an increasing amount of dialog between Japanese and Americans affected by the events of WWII.Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, June 24, 20122. Mitchell Monument Marker
2. Balloon Bombs.
The Mitchell Monument marks the spot near Bly, Oregon, where six people were killed by a Japanese balloon bomb during World War II. Designated by the National Register of Historic Places in 2003, this is the only place on the continental United States where Americans were killed by enemy action during World War II.(Submitted on February 18, 2025, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon.)
Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, June 24, 2012
3. Mitchell Monument
Dedicated in 1950. Placed on the National Register of Historic Places 2003. Site of fatal Japanese balloon bomb explosion during World War II. The blast on May 5, 1945 killed six residents of Bly, Oregon.
Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, June 24, 2012
4. Mitchell Recreation Area entrance
Credits. This page was last revised on February 25, 2026. It was originally submitted on January 11, 2018, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. This page has been viewed 1,594 times since then and 169 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on January 11, 2018, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. 4. submitted on January 12, 2018, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
Editor’s want-list for this marker. Photos of three interpretive signs, on their own marker pages. • Can you help?
