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Do You Believe in Ghosts? The OSS and World War II’s “Ghost Foxes”…
October 19, 2026 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
If you’re a rare & early newspaper enthusiast or a history buff who loves the strange and surreal, you might think you’ve heard every bizarre military scheme concocted during World War II. But few wartime projects can rival the sheer, eerie oddity of the Office of Strategic Services’ (OSS) top-secret psychological warfare plot: Operation Fantasia.
During the height of the Pacific War, intelligence strategists were looking for unconventional ways to demoralize the enemy and spark widespread panic. They turned to anthropologists, who pointed out a deeply ingrained piece of Japanese folklore regarding the Kitsune—supernatural fox spirits. According to tradition, sighting a glowing fox spirit at night, especially one running on its hind legs, was a sure omen of impending doom and disaster.
Taking the myth literally, the OSS sprang into action. They ordered the capture of dozens of wild foxes, secured a dedicated building guarded by covert agents, and tasked chemists with developing a special radium-based paint that would make the animals glow brightly in the dark. The grand vision? Release an army of radioactively glowing “ghost foxes” into the forests of Japan to strike psychological terror into the population.
The tale was brought to our attention when we came across an intriguing post-war issue of the Springfield Sunday Republican (Mass.) dated August 18, 1946. There, featured prominently on the front page, was the newly declassified report revealing just how far the military was willing to go in the name of psychological warfare.
Of course, as compelling as the supernatural scheme sounded on paper, reality had other plans. The early tests were a comedy of errors: the paint was difficult to formulate, the disoriented foxes tried furiously to lick off the glowing chemical, and in field runs, they ended up terrifying each other just as much as anyone else. Between the logistical absurdities of deploying live glowing animals overseas and the sudden end of the war following Japan’s surrender, the “Ghost Foxes” were ultimately retired before ever setting foot on enemy soil.
Below is a photo from the front page featuring the wonderful headline: “Ghostly Foxes That Ran Upright Nearly Haunted Japan’s Forests”. It serves as a hilarious, astonishing reminder of the desperate ingenuity and bizarre tactics birthed in the shadows of wartime intelligence.
October 2026 Newsletter – Rare & Early Newspapers…
October 16, 2026 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
Welcome to the October newsletter from Timothy Hughes Rare & Early Newspapers. Shown below are links to an unusual (fun?) find, newly added catalog items, a fresh set of newspapers (including a handful of gems) discounted by 50%, newly listed Nast/Homer prints at a bargain, links to our most recent posts on the History’s Newsstand blog, and We hope you enjoy.
Newly Added Catalog Items – a list which includes the announcement of Girard College opening to black students, Ben Franklin’s Pennsylvania Gazette at a reduce price, a front page printing of the Louisiana Purchase, the Battle of the Alamo, a newspaper from Carlisle (PA) that is a one-of-a kind, a report on the Liberty Bell being erected in Philadelphia, earliest (?) image of Karl Marx in an American periodical, planning the 1863 dedication and consecration Soldier’s National Cemetery in Gettysburg without even a mention of President Abraham Lincoln, election fraud in 1840 – perhaps the first “October Surprise”, the death of John Lennon from where a was shot, and more.
October’s Discounted Newspapers – a Boston newspaper from 1768, a confederate newspaper with a report on the Battle of Antietam, the death of James Garfield, a North Carolina newspaper from 1861, Adolf Hitler’s call for the extermination of the Jews, the death of Jesse James, a patent by George Washington, Superman debuts in the Macy’s Day Parade – along with a host of others.
Recent Posts on the History’s Newsstand Blog
An Unusual Find – Foxes that glow in the dark! Operation Fantasia
At a Bargain – An updated list of key stand-alone Winslow Homer & Thomas Nast prints
Links to the October Catalog (#371)
- The Complete October Catalog (INCLUDES al catalog items)
- Combined Catalogs (October’s, w/ remnants of September’s)
- PDF Version
As always, thanks for collecting with us!
Fight for a Nation – Introduction…
October 9, 2026 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
During the lead-up to July 4, 2026 – as our country celebrated its 250th anniversary – we brought you Lead-Up to a Nation, a weekly video series using authentic, period newspapers to chronicle the fateful year heading into July 4, 1776.
Now that the Declaration has been made, the real struggle begins.
Starting this month, we’re launching our a monthly video series: Fight for a Nation. Join us over the coming years as we relive the American Revolution through the very pages, ink, and first-hand reporting of those who lived through this incredible period in American and world history.
Check out the first three installments below—we hope you enjoy journeying back in time with us!
Installment from July, 2026
The Declaration Proclaimed – Military Challenges + Growing Confidence (Fight for a Nation – E1)
Installment from August, 2026
A Nation at its Birth – Shaping the Future (Fight for a Nation – E2)
Installment from September, 2026
The Treaty of Jamestown – 1st Permanent English Settlement in America (Fight for a Nation – E3)
Catalog #371 (for October, 2026) – Rare & Early Newspapers…
October 2, 2026 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
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As always, thanks for collecting with us! Sincerely, Guy Heilenman & The Rare & Early Newspapers Team |
A truth… a story… a myth… a discovery – What to do with a 1666 London Gazette?
September 28, 2026 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
Collectors seek out “rare & early” newspapers for a host of reasons. Some use them as primary source material for research. Others collect them to grasp the contemporary response to an historical event, while others use them to chronical a non-revisionist view of an era. Framing them for display is quite common – whether it be to set a mood, or, as is quite common with museums, to aid in telling the story regarding a display of unique items. Yet another group loves to obtain them to enhance their primary collectible (ex. those who collect early sewing machines finding newspapers with matching advertisements, patents, or early commentary on various stages of development). The possibilities are almost endless.
The topic at hand was recently revived when a collector, who had just purchased a London Gazette dated August 9, 1666 containing a brief report on the week’s mortality bill from the Great Plague (shown below), informed us of his purpose in collecting the newspaper – which we found fascinating… and which eventually led to a discovery.
A Purpose – He purchased to use as inspiration for an event-tethered short story (historical fiction?). If you have a little time, I’m sure he would not mind if you took a gander: THE KING’S BAKER
A Discovery – After reading his story I decided to dig a little deeper into the 1665-6 London Plague and was drawn in by an article posted by the London Museum titled: THREE MYTHS ABOUT THE GREAT FIRE OF LONDON
A MYTH – I don’t want to give anything away, but suffice to say, I need to go back to a lot of people and correct what I once thought was true. Yikes!
A Truth – For those who like to pine for the past, during the week prior to the above newspaper’s distribution in 1666, 42 people in London alone were known to have died from the bubonic plague. Life was not easy; but death often was.
September 2026 Newsletter – Rare & Early Newspapers…
September 18, 2026 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
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Who’s Who in Newspapers? Larry Walters edition (1982)…
September 4, 2026 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
If you’re a fan of quirky American folklore, you might recognize the name “Lawn Chair Larry.” Yet few realize the sheer audacity – and immediate, nationwide intrigue that surrounded the moment 33-year-old Larry Walters actually took off into the Southern California sky.
On July 2, 1982, Walters tied 42 helium-filled weather balloons to an ordinary aluminum lawn chair in the backyard of his girlfriend, Carol Van Deusen, in San Pedro. Armed with a pellet gun, a CB radio, a camera, and a parachute, his plan was simple: float lazily across San Pedro toward the Mojave Desert. Instead, when his tether line unexpectedly snapped, Walters shot skyward like a rocket, losing his glasses in the process and soaring to an astonishing 16,000 feet! Freezing in the high-altitude air, he startled commercial airliner pilots who radioed in shock to report a man sitting in a lawn chair in controlled airspace. To descend, Walters systematically popped several balloons with his pellet gun, eventually landing tangled in power lines in a Long Beach neighborhood – unharmed, but briefly causing a local blackout.
His story came to light quite by accident during a search through our archives for something completely unrelated. Our gaze was immediately drawn to the front page of the Los Angeles Times from July 3, 1982, which featured a remarkable photograph of a man taking flight from the comfort of a lawn chair.
If you are fascinated by eccentric dreamers who take “seat-of-the-pants” ambition to literal new heights, spending a little time reading contemporary accounts of Larry Walters’ flight is pure joy. It serves as an amusing, incredible reminder of human ingenuity, boundless determination, and the unpredictable nature of backyard aviation.
To the right is a photo from the front page of the Los Angeles Times our friend was seeking, complete with the bold headlines “Seat-of-the-Pants Pilot Goes Aloft in Lawn Chair” and the iconic snapshot showing Walters airborne over San Pedro.
Catalog 370 (for September, 2026) is now available!
September 1, 2026 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
September’s catalog (#370) is now available. This latest offering of authentic newspapers is comprised of over 300 new items, a selection which includes the following noteworthy issues: the earliest printed Treaty of Jamestown?, one of two “protest” issues of the ‘Pennsylvania Gazette’, a newsbook report re: the inauguration of Oliver Cromwell, the famed Old West newspaper ‘Tombstone Epitaph’, the Louisiana Purchase Treaty, the Declaration of Independence, and more. To view the entire catalog, go to:
Catalog #370 (for September, 2026)
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We know a piece like the Treaty of Jamestown isn’t an everyday acquisition; however, the 1652 newsbook is so special we couldn’t resist bringing it to center stage. We invite you to take a look and enjoy a truly one-of-a-kind piece of history.
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What remains of last month’s discounted issues may be viewed at:
Discount (select items at 50% off)
Recent posts on the History’s Newsstand Blog may be accessed at:
Our most recent video:
A Nation at its Birth – Shaping the Future (Fight for a Nation – E2)
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August 2026 Newsletter – Rare & Early Newspapers…
August 14, 2026 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
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Who’s Who in Newspapers? George Ray Tweed edition (1944)…
August 10, 2026 by GuyHeilenman · 1 Comment
If you’re a World War II history enthusiast, you might recognize the name George Ray Tweed — a U.S. Navy radioman known to the world as the “Ghost of Guam.” Yet few realize the sheer grit, luck, and quiet resistance required to pull off one of the most remarkable survival stories in American military history.
When Japanese forces invaded Guam in December 1941, Tweed refused to surrender alongside his comrades. Instead, he slipped into the island’s rugged jungle with little more than a rifle, a radio, and an unwavering determination to stay free. For over two and a half years, Tweed evaded intense enemy patrols, relying on the immense courage of local Chamorro families who risked torture and execution to keep him hidden, fed, and supplied. Using his background as a technician, he even built a crude radio receiver to gather Allied news, transforming himself into a symbol of hope for the occupied islanders.
If you are fascinated by human resilience—and the incredible bravery of civilians who risked everything in wartime—spending a little time researching Tweed’s survival on Guam is deeply inspiring. It serves as a powerful reminder of how ingenuity, faith, and the loyalty of brave allies can overcome seemingly impossible odds.
We discovered him quite by accident as we were searching for a client’s request for a “birthday newspaper“ from the same week. Thankfully, while extracting the date he wanted, we noticed this headline and corresponding photo (in the Minneapolis Morning Tribune, Aug. 11, 1944) which motivated us to see what we could learn about him.
Below is a photo featuring the bold front-page headline: “Dodges Japs 2 1/2 Years on Guam”.