The Battle of Los Angeles

In the early morning hours of February 25, 1942, just weeks after Pearl Harbor, air raid sirens wailed across Los Angeles as anti-aircraft batteries opened fire on mysterious objects in the sky. Over 1,400 rounds were fired, but nothing was shot down.

The Event

Beginning around 2:25 AM:

• Air raid sirens activated
• Searchlights scanned the sky
• Anti-aircraft guns opened fire
• Over 1,400 shells fired
• Total blackout ordered

What Was Seen

Observers reported:

• One or more large objects
• Moving slowly across the sky
• Illuminated by searchlights
• Not responding to gunfire
• Various descriptions of shape and size

The Famous Photo

The LA Times published a photo showing:

• Searchlight beams converging
• Apparent object in convergence
• Anti-aircraft bursts
• Became iconic UFO evidence

Casualties

The incident caused:

• 5 deaths (heart attacks, accidents)
• Property damage from falling shells
• Widespread panic
• Traffic accidents during blackout

Official Response

The military stated:

• Initially attributed to enemy aircraft
• Later blamed on “war nerves”
• Secretary Knox called it a “false alarm”
• Army said it was unidentified aircraft

Investigations

Examinations found:

• No enemy aircraft in the area
• No bombs dropped
• No aircraft shot down
• No wreckage recovered

Theories

Proposed explanations:

• Japanese aircraft (never confirmed)
• Weather balloons
• Psychological factors
• Actual unidentified craft

Wartime Context

The event occurred:

• Weeks after Pearl Harbor
• During heightened anxiety
• When Japanese submarine shelled California
• Amid invasion fears

Significance

The Battle of Los Angeles is significant for:

• Mass witnesses (entire city)
• Official military response
• Documented in newspapers
• Never satisfactorily explained
• The famous photograph

Legacy

The incident remains one of the most dramatic mass UFO events in American history. The military’s inability to explain what triggered the massive response has fueled speculation for decades.