WORLD WAR II AND THE PARANORMAL: Article #1

As World War 2 began to draw to a close, the Allied and Axis pilots fighting in the European Theatre began
to report strange goings-on in the skies over Germany.  Apparently, the sightings of small, enigmatic balls of
light that would follow and dodge aircraft, seemingly defy the laws of physics and execute fantastic aerial
performances had begun in 1944.

At the time, the Americans believed the Germans had perhaps developed a secret weapon (and vice-versa,)
but no harm or outright aggression was ever attributed to them.  Soon after, they would begin to be referred
to as "Foo fighters" by the American pilots.  Although the exact origin of the term has been debated, some
believe the moniker was contrived from 'feu' the French word for fire.  Others concede that the word is
a nonsensical term from the comic strip "Smokey Stover", which was popular during that time period.

Today, as back then, no satisfying explanation has ever been offered as to the true identity of the
anomalies.  Some theories, based purely on conjecture, have been examined in the past.  These include:

 Ball Lightning.  A rare but not unheard of form of regular lightning.  It has been reported that ball
lightning fits the criteria of the foo fighters in several ways.  These include size (6" x 24" diameter),
color (invariably described as red, violet, white and green) and the eerie ability to demonstrate what
appears to be autonomous, intelligent behavior.

Misidentification of misinterpretation of common events or objects.  Under the difficult emotional and
physical conditions of combat, airmen may be been prone to vivid hallucinations. There have been pilots
who have confessed to having mistaken the planet Venus or other astronomical bodies
for enemy aircraft or weaponry.


Psychological Warfare.  A not very likely but intriguing possibility that The Axis had secretly
discovered a way to "manufacture" the glowing orbs as a way of confusing or frightening the enemy.

Alien presence.  As the least likely theory, it has been maintained by some fringe UFO proponents that
the lights were alien in origin.  Perhaps to study, or to spy on the technology and/or warfare capabilities
of the human race.

As much as I would like to believe that the foo fighters were something that could easily be explained, and when all of the possibilities have been examined, it seems virtually impossible to assign any kind of classification to the bizarre phenomena.  As
innocuous as they appeared to be, what was their purpose, if any?  The sightings made by numerous, well-trained pilots make the probability of their existence impossible to dismiss.  Perhaps the mystery of the foo fighters may never be solved and will
remain one of the strangest and most fascinating secrets of World War 2.

Perhaps that's the way they like it.