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Indian Wars and Frontier Conflicts

Fu-Go Balloon Bomb — Hanford Site Near Miss (1945)

1945
Washington
Era
Indian Wars and Frontier Conflicts
Year
1945
Location
Washington
Status
Historical record
The Combatants

Who Fought

Forces
Not recorded in historical accounts
Forces
Hanford nuclear reactor facility (B Reactor)
VS
Victor
Not recorded in historical accounts
Forces
Japanese balloon bomb
Outcome
A balloon bomb snagged overhead power lines supplying the Hanford B Reactor (producing plutonium for the Manhattan Project), cutting power and causing an automatic shutdown
The Battle

History & Significance

The only known enemy attack on a US nuclear facility. The near-miss was classified for decades — if the reactor had been damaged, the Manhattan Project timeline would have been affected.

Casualties & Losses

No injuries; electrical line cut, B Reactor temporarily shut down

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

When did Fu-Go Balloon Bomb — Hanford Site Near Miss (1945) take place?
Fu-Go Balloon Bomb — Hanford Site Near Miss (1945) took place in 1945.
Where was Fu-Go Balloon Bomb — Hanford Site Near Miss (1945) fought?
Fu-Go Balloon Bomb — Hanford Site Near Miss (1945) was fought in Washington, United States.
What was the outcome of Fu-Go Balloon Bomb — Hanford Site Near Miss (1945)?
A balloon bomb snagged overhead power lines supplying the Hanford B Reactor (producing plutonium for the Manhattan Project), cutting power and causing an automatic shutdown
What was the significance of Fu-Go Balloon Bomb — Hanford Site Near Miss (1945)?
The only known enemy attack on a US nuclear facility. The near-miss was classified for decades — if the reactor had been damaged, the Manhattan Project timeline would have been affected.
More from this era

Other Indian Wars and Frontier Conflicts Engagements

Camp Lewis Mobilization, Washington
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Centralia Armistice Day Massacre
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Japanese Submarine Operations off Cape Flattery
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Charge up Kettle Hill
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Spanish-American War — Puerto Rico
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Battle of Santiago de Cuba (Naval)
1898
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Battle of Guayama
1898
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Battle of Las Guasimas
1898
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Siege of Santiago
1898
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Battle of Ponce — Puerto Rico
1898
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Battle of Yauco (Puerto Rico)
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Battle of Coamo — Puerto Rico
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Battle of El Caney
1898
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All battles in Washington›
Source

Content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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