Ngaphandle kokufa okungathethekiyo, ubhubhane, ukubulawa kwabantu abaninzi, amalinge akhohlakeleyo, ukungcungcuthekisa kunye nezinye izinto ezininzi ezingaqhelekanga; abantu abahlala kwi Imfazwe yeLizwi II Ixesha libone inani leziganeko ezingaqhelekanga nezingachazwanga ezisalikhathaza umhlaba, kunye nesory ye Umkhosi wamanzi waseMelika uBlimp L-8 ngokukodwa enye yazo.
NgoFebruwari 1942, enye yeendawo zokucoca ioyile zaseMelika yahlaselwa ngumkhosi waseJapan eSanta Barbara, eCalifornia. Ngenxa yokoyika ukufumana uhlaselo ngakumbi kwiindleko zalo zasentshona, uMkhosi waselwandle wase-US uphendule lo msitho ngokuthumela ii-blimps ezininzi zokubeka iliso kwimisebenzi yotshaba elunxwemeni.
Nge-Agasti 16, 1942, a Umkhosi waselwandle ibizwa ngokuba yi L-8 liweyo “Uhambo 101” uthathe uhambo kwi-Treasure Island kwi-Bay Area kwimishini yokubona inkwili kunye nabaqhubi beenqwelomoya ababini.
Abaqhubi beenqwelomoya babeneminyaka engama-27 uLt.Ernest Cody kunye no-Ensign Charles Adams oneminyaka engama-32. Bobabini babengabaqhubi beenqwelomoya abanamava, kodwa yayilixesha lokuqala lokuba uAdams abhabhe kwi-blimp encinci njenge-L-8.
Iyure enesiqingatha emva kohambo, ngentsimbi yesi-7: 38 kusasa, uLt Cody unomathotholo kwikomkhulu lomkhosi eMoffett Field. Ucacisile ukuba ubekwe kwiikhilomitha ezintathu kwimpuma yeeFarallon Islands. Emva kwemizuzu emine, wafowuna kwakhona, esithi ebephanda ioyile ekrokrisayo, emva koko baphulukana neempawu.
Emva kweeyure ezintathu zokuthula, i-blimp ngokungalindelekanga ibuyele emhlabeni yaza yadibana IDaly City isitalato. Yonke into eyayikhwele yayimi endaweni yayo; khange kusetyenziswe zixhobo zonxunguphalo. Kodwa abaqhubi beenqwelo moya? Abaqhubi beenqwelomoya bapheliswa bangaze bafumaneke.
I-blimp yaqatshelwa ngamangqina aliqela kuloo ndawo ebaleka kangangemizuzu eliqela. Indlu yomfazi omnye yaphantse yahlaselwa yi-blimp. Yarhuqa phezu kophahla lwayo emva koko yawela kwisitrato esikufutshane neso sixeko. Ngethamsanqa, akukho mntu emhlabeni owonzakeleyo.
Amagosa esiXeko saseDaly ebekhona kwindawo engephi ngemizuzu. Bafumanise ukuba ibhegi ye-blimp ye-helium yayivuza kwaye amadoda amabini awayekhwele ayengekho. Xa kwakugqogqwa igondola kuye kwadideka abaphandi. Ucango lwaluvaliwe luvulekile, olwalungaqhelekanga phakathi kwenqwelomoya. Ibha yokhuseleko yayingasekho endaweni. Imakrofoni ebotshelelwe kwisandisi-lizwi sangaphandle yayijinga ngaphandle kwegondola. Ukutshintsha kombane kunye nerediyo bekusaqhubeka. Umnqwazi kaCody kunye nebrifkheyisi enamaxwebhu ayimfihlo ayesekhona. Iibhatyi zobomi ezimbini zazilahlekile. Nangona kunjalo, akukho namnye owababonayo behla kubugcisa. Kungekudala i-blimp yabizwa ngokuba yi "Ghost Blimp" ngenxa yendlela amadoda aphela ngayo ngaphandle kwengcaciso.
Uphando lwaselwandle lwafumanisa ukuba i-blimp ibonwe ziinqanawa kunye neenqwelomoya phakathi kwe-7 kunye ne-11 kusasa ngomhla wesiganeko. Abanye babesondele ngokwaneleyo ukuba babone abaqhubi beenqwelo moya ngaphakathi. Ngelo xesha, yonke into yayibonakala njengesiqhelo. Ngomhla ka-Agasti 17, 1943, omabini la madoda acingelwa ukuba aswelekile ngokusemthethweni.
