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Bat Bomb: World War II's Other Secret Weapon

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BAT BOMB covers a quite unknown but important part of World War II history. It got good reviews, but the public seemed to neglect it (I don't know why). This book is not only an important history lesson, it is also a wildly entertaining read. Don't YOU neglect this book. Read it. You'll love it.

Bat Bomb is the story of a small group of people shortly after the beginning of World War II, involved in an unlikely scheme to defeat the Japanese. The plan is to strap small incendiary devices (napalm) to millions of bats and drop them at dawn over Japanese cities. Written by a young member of the team, the story of their eccentric scientist leader, how money was obtained from Washington, and their first encounter with the now-famous bat caves in the Carlsbad area is sometimes sobering, often hilarious, and always fascinating. For example, they were particularly disturbed to find out that the government was spending millions on atomic research in the same part of the country. To quote the bat scientist, "We got a sure thing like the bat bomb going, something that could really win the war, and they're j--ing off with tiny little atoms. It makes me want to cry." A wonderful and mostly overlooked book.

I read this at about the same time I discovered Richard Rhodes' "The Making of the Atomic Bomb". The contrast between the seemingly insane bat bomb and the almost farcial nature of it's builder's quest contrasted wonderfully with the serious and dark tones of the Manhattan project. This book has parts that made me laugh out loud, which is something that few history books can do.

The story of prospecting the cave is priceless, and it gives me the heebie-jeebies just thinking about it...

An unknown but funny and very well-written chapter in history. The bat bomb carried zillions of bats, each of which had an incendiary device tied to it. The goal was to burn down Japanese towns. During its first test, it accidentally burned down the building housing the project! Talk about just desserts. This will cure anyone who thinks history is boring.

This book contains the funniest line I have ever read, already quoted by another reviewer: "We got a sure thing like the bat bomb going...." But there is much more to this book. The writing is incredible. For example, the author describes what happens when they use movie lights to illuminate the inside of one cave for the first time in its history. The description of almost being suffocated by clouds of bats so thick is first rate. Also, the tender retelling of his romance with Arlie is top notch. Who would have expected such deft handling of first love in a book about bat bombs? It made me want more of this material. I also treasured the retelling of the tiger mascot, "Top Sarge." Or when our hero tries to beat the cowboys at their own game in calf-roping. I could go on and on. I think the key to the success of this book is how the author treats all the characters with upmost respect. There is nothing snarky about how the author treats the self-important Patsy, who was Capone's driver, or the guano salesman.

Read this book. You won't be disappointed.

This edition doesn't have the photograph of the original letter addressed to Eleanor Roosevelt with her marginalia and then FDR's marginalia saying "This man is not a nut - FDR" But it's a MUST for any history buff.

GREAT book!

Wonderfully humorous and hilarious factual account of one of the most bizarre "weapons" developed by the United States during WW-II.

Dr. Lytle S. Adams, an oral surgeon and inventor proposed bombing Japan with millions of delayed-action incendiary bombs attached to bats. His letter was forwarded to Roosevelt who endorsed the plan -- "This man is not a nut."

Jack Couffer was a 17-year-old senior at Glendale High School in California at the start of the war and worked part time in for Jack C von Bloeker, Jr., an authority on bats. Both men joined Project X-Ray under Dr. Adams, a group which included Louis F. Fieser, an expert on incendiaries, Patricio (Patsy) Batista, a "colleague" of Al Capone; and Tim Holt, an actor and flight-test bombardier.

There were millions of Mexican free-tailed bats in Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico, and experiments showed a bat could carry its own weight. Fieser produced a napalm bomb with a time-delay fuse. Bat and bomb weighed about an ounce.

Carlsbad Caverns proved too public and a Texas guano miner led the team to two caves containing about 30 million bats. One of the best sections of the books discusses these caves and how the bats lived in them.

Project X-Ray designed a sheet-metal bomb that held 1,040 bats. At 4,000 feet, an altimeter triggered a parachute, released the bats, and pulled the pins on the times fuses. A test worked perfectly, too perfectly in fact. Six bats burned down a new air base in New Mexico.

Couffer assembled many formerly classified documents to tell the story, but has to speculate on why the project was terminated in 1944. The closest thing to an explanation comes in this extraordinary passage from the book:

"I heard the damnedest thing while I was in D.C.," Doc [Adams] said when he got back from Washington. "Some general I met regarding appropriations confused our secret project with another secret project that's apparently going on somewhere. It's the silliest nonsense you ever heard of. And evidently this project has got the backing of the president and they're blowing millions of dollars on it."

Von Bloeker looked up through his smoke and frowned.

"This general practically threw me out of his office, he was so enraged at the waste of time and money. `Don't tell me you're the one promoting that crazy notion of making bombs out of atoms?'"

"I had a hell of a time convincing him I had nothing to do with that kind of fraud," Doc continued.

"What are atoms?" Frank Benish asked.

"The smallest particles of matter. You know, everything's made out of cells. You break down cells and you've got something even smaller--- atoms --- something like that."

"And they think they can make bombs out of them?" Benish shook his head. "Man, they don't know sic `em from come here."

"Can you imagine such an idea?" Doc said. "They're throwing away millions, and I can't get a staff car and driver!"

"Where's all this happening?"

Doc shrugged. "As soon as he found out I had nothing to do with it he clammed up. But he first got the idea I was involved when I said we had some work to do in New Mexico."

"Unbelievable!"

"Yeah! We got a sure thing like the bat bomb going, something that could really win the war, and they're jerking off with tiny little atoms. It makes me want to cry."

***

This book is a wonderful adventure story, but more than that, a true story of American ingenuity at war. I enjoyed reading every minute of it.

Robert C. Ross 2008

A Five Stars Plus story, and no caveats required. Funny, charming, intelligent, perceptive and informative, "Bat Bomb" has to be the best little-known book I have ever read, and is significantly better than most bestsellers. Jack Couffer writes with clarity, flair and humor of the implausible (but conceivably decisive) weapons research he participated in as a teenager during WW II. The story and cast of characters would entertain even in clumsy hands; in Couffer's hands, they shine. At the going rate for a used copy of $8-10 including shipping, this book is one of the best deals out there, entertainment per dollar. Get it. Read it. Loan it out. Demand a reprint.

Read this while in Afghanistan and was blown away! From the inventor of napalm to the origins of the fable that "all bats carry rabies" this book has it all. To bad they never got to pull it off because it would have been a great way to end that war.If you could look past the painful incineration of thousands of bats.