reduced to caretaker status. Weather hampered missions over the winter, although new B-24Js were received by the 404th Bomb Squadron and longer-range P-38L Lightnings were received by the 54th Fighter Squadron. Along with the mission against the Kuriels, the P-38s were assigned the mission of shooting down Japanese bomb-carrying fire balloons which were launched from Japan along great circle routes near the Aleutians. The balloons were designed to carry incendiary bombs over the United States and start fires in the Pacific Northwest. Although they floated above 38,000 feet, several were shot down, and one landed on Amchatka where intelligence personnel recovered it for inspection. The limited resources assigned to the Eleventh Air Force meant only a limited number of missions could be carried out over the Kuriles. The 404th Bomb Squadron, consisting of a dozen B-24s by May 1945, carried out missions over Paramushiro and lost two aircraft. The 77th Bomb Squadron flew a B-25 mission over the Minami Cape Radar Station and lost two aircraft; both crews captured by the Japanese. Two other B-24 missions over the Kuriles were flown without loss. During the summer of 1945, more missions were flown against the Kuriles the command losing eight B-25s. The 404th lost its last B-24 in June. Missions continued through July, the last combat mission taking place on 13 August, a few days after the United States atomic bomb attacks on Japan. In August, after the Soviet Union declared war against the Japanese Empire, B-24s were dispatched on reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering missions to observe the Russian activity in the Kuriles. Photographic missions were flown beginning on 4 August and continued until 4 September when the B-24s encountered some Russian fighters and turned back without incident. Although allies, the message from the Soviets was clear: The Kuriles were now in Russian hands and off-limits to American aircraft. The news of the surrender of the Japanese was met with enthusiasm; the biggest topic was "When do we go home?" Shemya was rapidly reduced to standby status by demobilization and by the end of 1945 and the base was essentially abandoned. Postwar era With the exception of a small station housekeeping unit, Shemya was abandoned after the war. The island was littered with abandoned Army and Navy aircraft wrecks and deteriorating station structures. Abandoned vehicles, warehouse stores of all types, rations, clothing and all the other tools of war, including ammunition and