Students of WWII history are familiar with Project X-Ray, a scheme to attach incendiary bombs to bats that would roost in Japanese buildings. The buildings would be set afire when the indendiaries ignited. The plan actually went into extensive testing before being abandoned.
But I just read about another whacky idea: CAT BOMBS! According to the author this plan died a quicker death. (No surprise there.) Quoting from the book *Behind the Lines *by Andrew Carroll:
*"… Attempts to transform harmless animals into forces of destruction have, at times, veered toward the ludicrous. In World War II, a serious recommendation to drop bomb-wielding cats with tiny parachutes over enemy warships was entertained, the thinking being that since most cats dislike getting wet and always land on their feet, they would aim for the ship. Probably from sheer terror, the cat used to test the feasibility of the idea immediately blacked out after being dropped and was, therefore, unable to maneuver itself with any accuracy. The plan was scrapped…" *
I swear, that’s what it says in this otherwise very serious book.
There are so many aspects of this idea that are so far-fetched, I can’t imagine how would it even have made it to the testing phase. Does anyone know if this story is true as described? Cites and further details would be appreciated.