A letter from
George C. Marshall to
President Roosevelt about the
Los Angeles Air Raid. The government always denied this the existence of this
memorandum, but it was declassified under the
Freedom of Information Act in 1974.
SECRET
February 26, 1942.
OCS 21347-86
MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT:
The following is the information we have from GHQ
at this moment regarding the air alarm over Los Angeles of
yesterday morning:
"From details available at this hour:
"1. Unidentified airplanes, other then American
Army or Navy planes, were probably over Los Angeles, and
were fired on by elements of the 37th CA Brigade (AA)
between 3:12 and 4:15 AM. These units expended 1430
rounds of ammunition.
"2. As many as fifteen airplanes may have
been involved, flying at various speeds from what is
officially reported as being very slow to as much
as 200 MPH and at elevations from 9000 to 18000 feet.
"3. No bombs were dropped.
"4. No casualties among our troops.
"5. No planes were shot down.
"6. No American Army or Navy planes were in
action.
"Investigation continuing. It seems reasonable to con-
clude that if unidentified airplanes were involved they may
have been from commercial sources, operated by enemy agents
for purposes of spreeding [sic] alarm, disclosing location of
antiaircraft positions, and slowing production through
blackout. Such conclusion is supported by varying speed
of operation and the fact that no bombs were dropped."
Gen. George C. Marshall
Chief Of Staff