FUN WITH MAPS ISSUE 2026-029

By Steve Kovacs (Introduction by Chuck Gibson)

LOVELAND, OH (February 24, 2026) – This issue of Fun with Maps visits an unexplained uprising in the sky over Los Angeles more than 80 years ago.

The Battle of Los Angeles

In the early hours of February 24, 1942 air raid sirens went off, search lights scanned the sky and anti-aircraft guns discharged their bullets over Los Angeles.  Why?

The three theories are:

• Japanese attack.  But no planes were shot down and after the War Japan indicated that they never launched a squadron over Los Angeles.
• Weather Balloon.  On was launched a few hours before.  War nerves might have taken over the gunners.
• UFO.  When in doubt it is a UFO.  The UFO gang claims that the item identified in the blurry pictures in the sky was a UFO and not weather balloon.

You pick. 

There once was a different Battle of Los Angeles, as illustrated here by Emory from 1848.  It was part of the Mexican-American war that resulted in much of today’s US southwest annexed to the US, including California. 

Steve Kovacs and his wife Theresa reside in Loveland, Ohio where they raised their two children. He is a passionate collector of antique maps.

Visit his antique map boutique world-on-paper online. Watch for his daily feature Steve Kovacs: Fun with Maps here on Loveland Beacon.