--- title: "How the Navy once mistook Venus for a Japanese war balloon" description: "The Japanese unleashed Fu-Go balloon bombs in response to the Doolittle Raid." date: "2026-02-01" modified: "2026-02-01" authors: - name: "Bethaney Phillips" job_title: "Contributor, Veteran Spouse" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/bethaneyphillips/" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/history/how-the-navy-once-mistook-venus-for-a-japanese-war-balloon/" categories: - "History" - "War History" - "World War II" tags: - "Military History" - "World War II" --- # How the Navy once mistook Venus for a Japanese war balloon ![Japanese balloon bomb]() *The Japanese let loose roughly 9,300 balloon bombs during World War II. (U.S. Navy)* During World War II, balloons became one of the most feared weapons of the day. Yes, balloons. Although they’re used today to gather weather information, or as celebratory décor, WWII was a time of great uncertainty and mistrust. Seeing a balloon didn’t mean a scientist was gathering data about the atmosphere; it meant an enemy was causing havoc. **Related:** [**That time the Japanese tried to bomb the US using balloons**]() Japan tried to do just that by manufacturing the [Fu-Go balloon bombs](), creating a mobile way to bring injury and chaos to their enemies. Propelled by the jetstream, these massive balloons floated across the Pacific Ocean to land at random. Considering what was on board, it’s no wonder the sight of a balloon caused stress at the time. ### The Japanese’s Response to the Doolittle Raid ![Doolittle Raid]() *Army Air Forces Lt. Col. James Doolittle (left) aboard the USS Hornet. (U.S. Air Force)* The incendiary weapons were first developed in the 1930s before being used in response to the [Doolittle Raid](). After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, one of the U.S.’s initial responses was an air attack on Japanese cities. Led by Lt. Col. James Doolittle, the raid [unleashed 16 B-25 bombers]() from the naval aircraft carrier [USS Hornet]() on April 18, 1942. Fifty people died and hundreds were injured in the bombings. The Japanese responded by finding a way to launch their own [air bombs](). The hydrogen-filled Fu-Go bombs were [massive paper balloons](). They were 33 feet in diameter and contained four incendiary devices, weighing 11 pounds each. A 33-pound, high-explosive bomb added to the cargo’s explosive capability. The balloons’ main purpose was to start fires and cause panic. With no control over where they landed, it was likely the Japanese bombs could do exactly that. If someone spotted one, they might not have been fully aware of what they were witnessing. ### That’s Not a Balloon Bomb, Sailor ![Venus]() *Does this look like a Japanese balloon bomb to you? (NASA)* We’ve all had our eyes deceive us, but it rarely comes with hundreds of bullets lost in the process. Such was the case with the United States Navy when they reported a “Japanese balloon weapon” during World War II. Believing they were attacking an enemy device, they opened fire. They missed their targets by a great distance, which was understandable that they mistook a balloon bomb for the planet Venus. The U.S. Naval Institute [shared the historic event](), which was prompted by the captain of the USS New York. The crew began shooting at an altitude of 5,000 feet, then raised that to 7,500 feet. Noting that the bullets were still landing short, they adjusted for the maximum of 10,000 feet. However, the ship’s navigator soon reported it was actually Venus, not a foreign balloon contraption. In total, 300 rounds had [been spent](). Whether the sailors were relieved or embarrassed at the time (likely both), the event lived on amongst the Navy. It became a cautionary tale about identifying targets. ### ‘Strange-Looking Object’ Killed 6 https://youtu.be/DvXR41uH05E During a five-month period beginning in late 1944, roughly [9,300 Fu-Go balloons]() were launched from Japan. Of those, about 300 were found and/or seen in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The Fu-Go bombs generally caused little damage, except for small fires. The most tragic outcome, though, occurred on May 4, 1945, when a balloon bomb exploded and killed [a reverend’s wife and five children]() in Oregon. They discovered “a strange-looking object” in the forest while on a picnic. “I… hurriedly called a warning to them, but it was too late,” the reverend recalled, according to a [2019 Smithsonian magazine article](). “Just then there was a big explosion. I ran up, and they were all lying there dead.” ### Balloon Bombs Scattered Across the US ![Chinese spy balloon]() *A U.S. Air Force pilot looks down at a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon as it hovered over the central United States on February 3, 2023. (U.S. Air Force)* Balloons were found mainly in the Pacific Northwest, but some also were reported in [Texas](), [Nebraska](), [South Dakota](), [Kansas](), and [Nevada](). More balloon bombs were discovered decades after the war, including one that was detonated in [British Columbia]() in 2014. The U.S. military tried to keep reports of balloon bomb sightings out of the media, but those who saw them couldn’t be kept in the dark. The Fu-Go program was scrapped at the end of World War II, but more balloon remnants were discovered over the years. Then in 2023, a [Chinese spy balloon]() floated over the United States for seven days before the U.S. military shot it down. This time, Venus wasn’t their (unintended) target. ### Don't Miss the Best of We Are The Mighty ##### • [Doolittle Raid: That time America clapped back in WWII]() ##### • [Hirohito was tormented by Japanese conduct in World War II]() ##### • [Japan’s invasion of Alaska and the only World War II land campaign on American soil]() ## Author Bethaney Phillips has contributed to We Are the Mighty and MilSpouseFest since 2015, covering history and military family topics. She also served as the Interim Content and Digital Manager at MilSpouseFest in 2021. Now a veteran spouse, she spent six years in an active duty family and served as an SFRG leader. With a bachelor’s degree in English and Creative Writing, she has more than 15 years of experience in digital and print writing, focusing on researched pieces and human interest stories. She is also a regular contributor to Business Insider, covering family and parenting topics. Her work has been included on Business Insider, Yahoo, Military.com, and Manhattan Magazine. While continuing to freelance, she works as the founding editor of the Clay County Regional, a print and digital newspaper delivered to more than 5,500 recipients. She also serves as the Digital Director/News Director for Taylor Communications out of north-central Kansas. Bethaney spends her free time chasing her two elementary-aged boys, raising chickens, and reading fiction. ### Author social links [Twitter]() [WWW]()