If you are not viewing this page as a pop-up window, please visit the FAQ Corner first.

What Role Did The World War II Navy Blimps Serve?

The K-class blimps were used for a wide variety of tasks, but their primary responsibility was to patrol vital shipping lanes for enemy subs. Ships on the Atlantic Coast were routinely sunk by German U-Boats, and the Japanese were becoming a serious threat on the Pacific Coast with a fleet of aircraft-carrying submarines*. In the Pacific Northwest, this often included watching for a Japanese invasion fleet, and escorting the Liberty Ships and Air Craft Carriers being constructed at the Kaiser Shipyards, once they reached the mouth of the Columbia River. NAS Tillamook, also had an additional mission that other LTA Bases did not share. The Japanese had been secretly sending incendiary balloon bombs from their homeland in an attempt to disrupt the timber supply. Each year, at least one blimp was sent on detachment to Quillayute, WA to intercept them. * In June 21, 1942, Japanese submarine I-25 fired upon a coastal gun battery at nearby Fort Steven, OR.

You may close this window at anytime to view answers to other frequently asked questions.