1945 12 00 American Legion Chamberlin

Magazine Overview

Title: THE AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE
Issue Date: December 1945
Publisher: The American Legion
Country of Publication: USA
Original Language: English

This issue of The American Legion Magazine features a cover illustration depicting a soldier decorating a plant with a star, titled 'O Tannenbaum' and noted as a Christmas story by Mackinlay Kantor. The main article, 'The Foo Fighter Mystery' by Jo Chamberlin, delves into the unexplained aerial phenomena reported by Allied pilots during World War II.

The Foo Fighter Mystery

The article details numerous sightings of unidentified flying objects, colloquially termed 'foo-fighters,' by American pilots during the final stages of World War II. These objects were described as 'balls of fire' or glowing spheres that exhibited unusual behavior, including following aircraft, changing color (from orange to red to white), and maneuvering at high speeds.

Reports from the Pacific Theater:

Crews of B-29 bombers operating over Japan reported seeing these 'balls of fire' that would occasionally come close to their aircraft, change color, and then disappear as mysteriously as they appeared. Some B-29 crews found they could lose the objects through evasive maneuvers, while others reported the objects kept pace even at high speeds. One B-29 made evasive maneuvers within a cloud, and upon emerging, found the 'ball of fire' still following in the same relative position. The object was described as phosphorescent orange, approximately three feet in diameter, with no visible wings or fuselage.

Similarly, a B-24 Liberator crew flying over Truk lagoon observed two red lights that rose rapidly from below and followed the plane. The lights changed color from red to orange, then white, and appeared to be the size of a basketball. Radar stations reported no enemy planes in the sky.

Reports from the European Theater:

In Europe, specifically over Germany, the 415th Night Fighter Squadron encountered similar phenomena. Lieutenant Ed Schlueter, a pilot from Oshkosh, Wisconsin, along with radar observer Lt. Donald J. Meiers and intelligence officer Lt. Fred Ringwald, reported seeing eight to ten orange balls of fire moving at a terrific speed in the hills. These lights disappeared and reappeared, eventually vanishing. Other pilots from the 415th, including Lt. Henry Giblin and Lt. Walter Cleary, reported seeing large red lights moving at high speeds. Lt. David L. McFalls and Lt. Ned Baker observed a glowing red object that shot upwards, performed a wing-over, and then dove and disappeared, suggesting a controlled flying device.

The term 'foo-fighters' originated from the comic strip 'Smokey Stover,' where 'Where there's foo, there's fire' was a common phrase. The 415th squadron adopted this name for the mysterious lights.

Explanations and Investigations:

Various explanations were proposed for the 'foo-fighters,' including experimental German weapons, jet planes, flying bombs, weather balloons, and flak bursts. However, none of these explanations fully accounted for the observed behavior. Scientists in New York suggested it might be St. Elmo's fire, an electrical phenomenon, but the pilots of the 415th, familiar with such phenomena, dismissed this theory.

AP reporter Bob Wilson investigated these sightings, and his story was published in American newspapers on January 1, 1945. Despite the ongoing mystery, the 415th squadron continued its combat missions. The article notes that the 'foo-fighters' never prevented Allied planes from completing their missions, but they were unnerving.

The last recorded appearance of the 'foo-fighters' in Germany occurred when a pilot turned into them, causing them to disappear. The pilot later saw the object again after executing a maneuver within a cloud. The phenomena ceased when Allied forces captured areas east of the Rhine, believed to be the location of German experimental stations.

The article concludes that the 'foo-fighter' mystery remained unsolved, with no definitive explanation for what the pilots had seen over both Germany and Japan.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine appears to focus on topics of interest to veterans and the general public, with a strong emphasis on military history, personal accounts of wartime experiences, and unresolved mysteries. The editorial stance, as reflected in the 'Foo Fighter Mystery' article, is one of presenting factual accounts from credible sources (pilots, reporters) and exploring potential explanations without definitively concluding. There is an implied interest in the unexplained and the extraordinary aspects of war, encouraging readers to ponder the possibilities.

Other Content:

The cover also mentions 'O Tannenbaum,' a Christmas story by Mackinlay Kantor, suggesting a blend of wartime narratives and seasonal content. The magazine is dated December 1945, a pivotal month marking the end of World War II.