The Battle of Los Angeles Incident (1942)

The Battle of Los Angeles Incident is one of the most intriguing and mysterious UFO stories of all time. It took place on February 24, 1942, just a few months after the United States entered World War II. At the time, the country was on high alert due to the ongoing conflict, and a possible Japanese attack was expected. However, what happened that night was far from any conventional military action. Here’s the full story.

The incident began at around 7:15 pm when military radars detected an unidentified object moving towards Los Angeles. The object was later identified as an enemy aircraft, and the air raid sirens were sounded throughout the city. People were urged to take cover, and the military was alerted to prepare for an imminent attack. The entire city was in chaos and fear as the tension escalated.

At around 3:16 am, the military spotted the object near the coast of Santa Monica. Several artillery units were ordered to open fire on the object. The sky lit up with tracer bullets as anti-aircraft guns were fired at the mysterious craft. The barrage of bullets lasted for more than an hour, and the object was hit multiple times. However, it appeared to be impervious to the attacks and kept moving slowly across the sky.

Despite firing 1,430 rounds of artillery and multiple eyewitness reports from civilians and military personnel, officially no aircraft was shot down, leading many to believe the object wasn’t a conventional aircraft.

The military continued to fire at the object until it disappeared from sight at around 4:14 am. Despite the heavy bombardment, officially no debris or wreckage was found, and there were no reports of any crashes or enemy aircraft downed. The next day, the military claimed that the incident was a false alarm caused by “war nerves,” and that no enemy aircraft were present in the area. They also stated that the incident was a result of “a case of mistaken identity,” with the object being identified as a Japanese balloon or weather balloon.

The incident gained further attention in 1949 when a photo was published in the Los Angeles Examiner, showing the object amidst the gunfire and searchlights. The photo, which became iconic, showed a large, glowing, disc-shaped object hovering over the city.

In a memo dated eight days after the event, Army Chief of Staff George Marshall reported to President Franklin D. Roosevelt that the unidentified objects were likely of “interplanetary origin.” This document, along with later reports, suggested that the military recovered craft that were not of earthly origin, and some claim this marked the beginning of reverse-engineering efforts aimed at developing advanced technologies​.

The exact text from General George C. Marshall’s memo, dated March 5, 1942, to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, is as follows:

“As indicated in my February 25 memorandum to you regarding the air raid over Los Angeles, it has been learned by Army G2 that Rear Admiral Anderson, through the Office of Naval Intelligence, has informed the War Department of a naval recovery of an unidentified airplane off the coast of California. Unlike conventional explanations, it bears no connection to any known aircraft. Further investigations revealed that the Army Air Corps recovered a similar craft in the San Bernardino Mountains, east of Los Angeles. It could not be classified as a conventional airplane either.

Headquarters has come to the determination that these mystery airplanes are in fact not earthly in origin. According to secret intelligence, they are in all probability of interplanetary origin. As a consequence, I have issued orders to Army G2 to establish a special intelligence unit to further investigate the phenomenon. Any significant connections between recent incidents and other reports collected by the director of the Office of Coordinator of Information must be explored.

I have also ordered a thorough review of all War Department files concerning unconventional aerial phenomena reported since 1897. At present, GHQ has no further information that would invalidate this conclusion. Pending any further developments, investigations into this matter will be confined to personnel authorized by you.”

This memo was central in establishing the Interplanetary Phenomenon Unit (IPU) to investigate these incidents further​. It further suggests that two objects were recovered: one at sea and another in the San Bernardino Mountains. These documents also hint at the involvement of U.S. presidents and top military officials in overseeing top-secret projects focused on non-terrestrial technologies.

In 1983, the Office of Air Force History conducted a study on the incident, which concluded that the object was most likely a weather balloon or a blimp. In recent years, the Battle of Los Angeles Incident has gained renewed attention, with many documentaries, TV shows, and books exploring the various aspects of the story.

In light of the evidence surrounding the Battle of Los Angeles, the military actions that night brought down not one but two unidentified flying objects. Despite the official narrative dismissing the event as a false alarm or misidentification of a weather balloon, key documents, such as General George C. Marshall’s memo to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, strongly imply the recovery of two non-terrestrial craft—one at sea and another in the San Bernardino Mountains. Eyewitness reports, coupled with the sheer volume of artillery fired, suggest that the objects were not conventional aircraft, further supporting the idea that these UFOs were not only real but were successfully engaged by the U.S. military, leading to their eventual recovery.