by Laurel | June 11th, 2010
June 11, 1944
Planes Will Drop 2000 Paper Bombs, With Event Starting at 2:35 — Usual Raid Signals to be Given
There will be a mock bombing of the city today and the usual procedure for bombing raids will be carried out with the exception that Holyokers may remain outdoors and witness the entire event. Vehicular and pedestrian traffic must stop during the “plane overhead” period but contrary to usual, they will not be required to take shelter.
They may then witness the giant planes from the nearby air bases making their bombing runs over the city and loosing 2000 paper bombs. Incidents resulting from the bombs will set the civilian defense organizations through their paces and about this time the paper salvage group under the urging of William E. Cases is to salvage the paper bombs.
To excite youngsters in this operation, Mr. Cases will reward each boy bringing to him on the City Hall lawn, between 4 and 7 tomorrow afternoon, 10 paper bombs. The reward will be a 10-cent war stamp.
The bombing raid signals for tomorrow are as follows: First warning from Springfield to the local report center is due about 2:36 in the afternoon, then will follow a blue at the report center and the accompanying audible signal which will be long siren wailings for two minutes indicating that enemy planes have been sighted; 10 minutes later will come the red signal, meaning that planes are overhead and the signals will then be up and down siren wailings; the blue signal indicating that enemy plans have left the immediate vicinity is due at about 3:08 and the all clear will be about 3:38.
The paper bombs will carry colored streamers, indicating their character as follows: Incendiary, red; Explosive-Incendiary, orange; High Explosive, blue; Unexploded bomb, green; Gas bombs, yellow.
From The Springfield Republican.