Page 9
Another season began for the Chateau at the Oregon Caves
National Monument with Illinois Valley Community Response
team serving as concessionaire.
The gift gallery, featuring fine arts and craft pieces from local
artisans, and (limited service) coffee shop opened on Friday, May
2. The lodge will be officially open on Friday, May 16, but
groups are being booked before that. Any club or organization
looking for a place to hold a retreat or just a day meeting can
phone Oregon Caves Outfitters at 592-3400.
Grayback Campground
IVCRT is partnering informally with the U.S. Forest Service
to support and promote Grayback and Caves Creek campgrounds
-- two important valley assets. Hosts for both are being sought.
The host is responsible for keeping an eye on the campgrounds,
welcoming guests and getting them settled, and some cleaning
and light maintenance.
In return, the forest service will provide a spot for the host’s
camper or RV, free power and local telephone service. CRT will
chip in with a small stipend and commission for selling firewood
and camp staples. Phone CRT at 592-4440 for more info.
In an effort to create income-generating opportunities and to
provide more ways for visitors to learn about and connect with
the treasures in the valley, CRT is looking for people who would
like to share their interest and knowledge with guests staying at
the lodge or campgrounds. This could take the form of an activity
such as a guided Nature hike, stargazing, storytelling or a formal
workshop in a craft or music, etc. Phone CRT for more details.
Down By The Riverside - May 17
It’s spring cleaning time again. In addition to sprucing up
“Forks” State Park, this year CRT will be working at Grayback
and Caves Creek.
In addition to the cleanup, Grayback is in need of repairs for
damage inflicted over the winter by vandals. There will be a
meeting at “Forks” Park to organize the work crews at 9 a.m. on
Saturday, May 17. At 1 p.m. the crews will reconvene at the park
for a potluck lunch (hot dogs and drinks will be provided; please
bring a favorite dish) followed by music. For more information,
phone Audrey Moore at 597-2470.
Speaking of community service, all volunteers (with special
kudos to Gordon Lyford who organized it), should be acknowl-
edged for their efforts during the Recycle Round-up. Despite rain
most of the day, this dedicated group was there helping to unload
recyclables. Southern Oregon Sanitation, which provided the
dumpsters; and to I.V. Chamber of Commerce, which provided
insurance coverage, should also be acknowledged.
New VISTA Participant
Emily Ring just joined the CRT staff, coming in from Wis-
consin. Ring has a degree in anthropology and considerable back-
ground as a community volunteer.
She will be working in the housing referral program and help-
ing out with other CRT activities. She is a member of Volunteers
In Service to America (VISTA).
Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, May 7, 2003
Page 9
K-9 DEPUTY KEITH HUBBARD AND ‘SMITTY’
MARSHALL HAMILTON DEMONSTRATED TAI CHI
PHYSICAL THERAPIST GREG REDFERN
Career Day at Lorna Byrne Middle School
DAN FISKE, DVM WITH RACHEL DUDLEY AND ‘SKIDMARK’
Numerous professionals participated in the annual LBMS
Career Day on Wednesday, April 30 to provide students in-
sights into preparing for various careers. Participants in-
cluded Joe Hoelzle, DVM; woodcarver Dudley Douglas; Terry
Taylor of Taylor’s Sausage Country Store; Jim Nordal, MD;
Robert Hirning of Country Plumbing; therapist Heather Lin-
nemeyer; Daniel Vidlak, OD; EMT Greg Gilbert; glassblowers
David and Susan Kendall; mechanic John Ragsdale; Kevin
Teagle, DC; artist Jill Birmingham; and Wildlife Images aides.
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During World War II, three of the Japanese attacks on the
U.S. mainland affected Oregon.
The first was on June 21, 1942 when a single submarine fired
shells near Ft. Stevens at the mouth of the Columbia River. This
caused minor damage but caused much concern with the soldiers.
The second attack was on Sept. 9, 1942 when the same sub-
marine launched a float airplane, which dropped incendiary
bombs on the forest near Brookings. Small fires were started, but
were quickly put out, and didn’t develop into the hoped-for forest
fires. The pilot of the plane, Norita Fujita, was invited back to
Brookings in 1962, when he gave his family’s cherished samurai
sword to the city; and again in 1992, and was warmly accepted by
the community. He also hosted a group of Brookings-Harbor
High School students a few years before his death.
The third attack was much more widespread and reached
many different states, as well as parts of Canada. Beginning in
November 1944, hydrogen balloons were launched into the high-
altitude jet stream. Each balloon had a shrapnel bomb as well as
incendiary bombs and it was hoped they would destroy buildings,
kill many people, and start forest fires.
Each balloon had a diameter of approximately 33 feet and
was made of laminated mulberry bush paper. They also had bags
of sand which would automatically drop if the balloon descended
too low before it reached land.
More than 9,000 were launched by the Japanese military, and
some 300 were observed or found in the United States. From
Alaska to California and as far east as Wyoming, the balloons
were seen, or the special paper was discovered on the ground.
Some exploded on landing, but only one injured or killed people
or caused much damage.
At first it was thought that the balloons were launched from
submarines or coastal landing parties because Japan was so far
away. Then the U.S. Geological Survey made a careful analysis
of the sand in the bags. By studying the diatoms, microscopic
pieces of shells, and the mineral content, they showed that the
sand had to come from the western coast of the Pacific Ocean.
News reports of the balloons were curtailed in order not to
cause a panic in America and also so that the Japanese leaders
would not learn of their success. By April 1945, the balloon op-
erations were stopped because the hydrogen plants had been
bombed, and no success reports had been received.
On May 5, 1945 the Rev. Archie Mitchell took his wife and
five young Sunday school members on a picnic. They were all
from Bly, Ore., which is between Klamath Falls and Lakeview.
They traveled by car northeast of Bly and up onto Gearhart moun-
tain to enjoy the spring and do a little fishing. The five kids were
in ages between 12-15 and were glad for the Saturday outing.
After stopping at a good spot the students went exploring. One of
the kids said, “Look what I found.”
Mrs. Mitchell and all the kids went to see what was partially
stuck in a snowbank.
As Mitchell unloaded the car he heard an explosion and found
all six people killed at the scene by the explosion of a balloon
bomb. They were the only people killed by enemy action during
the war within the continental United States.
Mitchell later remarried and became a missionary in Vietnam.
In May 1962, he was taken captive by the Viet Cong and never
seen again. Today there is a U.S. Forest Service Monument
marker at the site, about 10 miles from Bly. It is easily reached by
car if the roadside signs are followed.
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THURSDAY, MAY 8
Country fried steak
sandwich, cheeseburger,
pepperoni pizza, ham &
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FRIDAY, MAY 9
Cheesy pretzel, ham-
burger, sausage pizza,
turkey & cheese roll,
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MONDAY, MAY 12
Chicken nuggets,
hamburger, cheese pizza,
peanut butter & jelly
sandwich, Chef salad
TUESDAY, MAY 13
Rib-b-que sandwich,
cheeseburger, pepperoni
pizza, ham & cheese roll,
garden salad
WEDNESDAY, MAY 14
Corn dog, hamburger,
cheese pizza, tuna pita,
cobb salad, chocolate
chip cookie