On the morning of the invasion, several members of the rangers who owned airplanes were cruising around in the sky. Just as the Van Doos had finished unloading and deplaning, they swooped in and began their bombing run, dropping small bags filled with lamp black as their "bombs". The fine carbon powder got into everything the Van Doos had, including their tents, sleeping bags, and rations. The "bombing" was so successful that if real bombs had been used, the whole invading force would have been wiped out. The umpires supervising the operation declared that the rangers had won their first battle.