- City's Black-Out Called Success
-
- Los Angeles Times December 11th, 1941
-
-
- Southland Plunged Into Darkness as Army Reports Presence
of Unidentified Aircraft; Searchlights seen and gunfire reported
-
- A gigantic black-out, covering the area from Bakersfield
south to San Diego and eastward to Boulder City and Las Vegas, Nev., went
into effect shortly after 8 o'clock last night on orders from the Army
Fourth Interceptor Command. It continued until 11:03 p.m.
-
- As Los Angeles went dark amongst considerable confusion
and uncertainty, The Interceptor Command announced, "this is not a
practice black-out."
-
- A yellow signal, indicating the approach of enemy air
raiders, was flashed on the state-wide teletype at 7:35p.m.. Police said
the signal indicated the presence of unidentified airplanes approaching
Los Angeles from the sea but did not necessarily mean they were enemy.
-
-
- FORT GUNNERS SCRAMBLE TO POSTS
-
-
- Anti-aircraft and machine gunners scrambled to their
weapons at Ft. Mac Arthur, which was promptly placed on alert basis.
-
- Reports that the sound of gun fire could be heard could
not be verified from listening posts at the beach or at the harbor.
-
- Definite indication that the Interceptor Command meant
business by calling for the black-out was contained in a statement from
a spokesman who said:
-
- "There are planes over the south of Los Angeles
that are unidentified. The area will be blacked out until we can identify
them."
-
-
- PLANES SENT UP TO INVESTIGATE
-
-
- When asked if Army planes had been sent aloft to contact
these aircraft the spokesman said:
-
- "You can assume there have been."
-
- Thousands of Angelenos, listening for straining ears
for sounds of aircraft, were unable to distinguish sounds of motors, however.
-
- A few minutes after the black-out was ordered, the flashing
of what appeared to be Army searchlights was visible in the higher portions
of Los Angeles, 25 miles from the water front.
-
- Headquarters of the Fourth Interceptor Command, calling
the black-out a success, said they a had a report that unidentified planes
were in the vicinity of Los Angeles.
-
-
- < remainder of article unavailable
|
|
 |
