Informative program held on post-WWII Red Lake
bombing
Bemidji Pioneer
This week I plan to sort out
a puzzle that I have wondered about. Why didn't all of the Indians join the
fight in the Indian Wars of the 1850s?
A special thanks to the
Beltrami Historical Society for hosting a most informative meeting on Sunday,
Oct. 8, at the North Beltrami Community Center in Kelliher. Douglas
Johnson’s presentation on the test bombing done in the Upper Red Lake
area was extremely interesting. After the formal presentation, Douglas Johnson
and Jay Johnson fielded questions and concerns from the audience. I found it
very fascinating to listen to people’s questions and reactions to this
historical event.
Mr. Johnson quoted from the Baudette Region
newspaper, Feb. 7, l950, which stated that Baudette might get a bombing center.
This would be a drawback to the wildlife but the benefit of northern Minnesota getting “real roads up this way without any Minnesota money” seemed tantalizing. However, it was decided
that the damage to wildlife would be too great.
I couldn’t decide if I should laugh at my
government or be angry when another news article from the Kansas City Star was
passed around. This was dated July 15, l949, and informed the readers that the
state of Minnesota had hired a branch of the military to drop bombs in the Red
Lake Bog near Red Lake in order to create craters, which would fill with water
and afford the moose and caribou bathtubs.
Some homeowners near the
bombing sites expressed concern of lingering health hazards due to the bomb’s
contents. One person who grew up in Saum told me that
she remembered hearing warnings not to eat the eggs laid by chickens in the
area for several days after the bomb and not to drink the milk from cows. The
dates for the bombing tests have been confirmed from l941 through l954. I
remember hearing warnings on KBUN radio about radioactive material and not to
touch these “streamers” for 24 hours.
I have done research on this topic for
years. It was very rewarding to listen to people from my generation and from my
parent’s generation share their memories. Thanks again to everyone who made
this possible. The frightening memories of windows rattling and the noise of
the bombers has not been erased, but the friendliness
and the warmth of the concerned citizens I met in Kelliher
has added a very positive note to those memories.
Jean Ostlund
Grand Rapids
