Southern Oregon war history told in documentaries

IF YOU GO

What
WWII Documentary Screenings

When
February 28, 6:00 PM

Where
Ross Ragland Theater
218 N. 7th, Klamath Falls

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. - Two documentaries that recall unique incidents in Southern Oregon history during World War II will be shown at the Ross Ragland Theater Friday, Feb. 28. Ilana Sol’s Samurai in the Oregon Sky and On Paper Wings.

“Samurai in the Oregon Sky,” a film released in late 2019, tells the story of Nubuo Fujita, a Japanese pilot who launched an airplane from a submarine off the coast of Brookings, and dropped a bomb in the forest nearby.

The documentary was produced by Ilana Sol, an independent film maker who lives in Portland. The film also recounts Fujita’s peacetime visit to Brookings some 20 years after the war, and subsequent connections he developed with the Oregon town.

“The story of this bombing attack has many parallels to the Japanese balloon bomb incident that many Klamath Basin residents are familiar with,” said Todd Kepple, manager of the Klamath County Museum, which is sponsoring the free screening of the films.

Also to be shown is “On Paper Wings,” a 2008 documentary produced by Sol on the Bly balloon bomb explosion that killed six Klamath County residents in May 1945.

“As we prepare to observe the 75th anniversary of the Bly incident this year, we hope these films will help local residents gain a deeper understanding of the unusual wartime events that impacted residents of our area,” Kepple said.

The Klamath County Historical Society is a cosponsor of the film screenings.

Screen times will be 6 p.m. for “On Paper Wings,” and 7:30 for “Samurai in the Oregon Sky.” Each film is close to one hour long.

Sol will be present for a question-and-answer session after the films.

Donations to offset the cost of renting the theater and other expenses will be welcome.

For more information contact the museum at (541) 882-1000.