DISCLOSURE / FILE
FBI case file 62-HQ-83894, Serial 130: a compendium of 1947 Air Defense Command and Newfoundland Base Command sighting reports on "Flying Discs," including pilot interviews, sworn witness statements, and contemporaneous Birmingham newspaper clippings.
65_HS1-834228961_62-HQ-83894_Serial_130
FBI case file 62-HQ-83894, Serial 130: a compendium of 1947 Air Defense Command and Newfoundland Base Command sighting reports on "Flying Discs," including pilot interviews, sworn witness statements, and contemporaneous Birmingham newspaper clippings.
This release, dated through September 12, 1947, gathers Confidential and Restricted military intelligence reports forwarded up the Air Defense Command chain after the June-July 1947 disc wave. Pan American Airways Captain Alphons O. Powell and navigator Walter I. White describe a cylindrical orange object near their Constellation on the Gander-to-La Guardia run on August 4, 1947, sized to roughly a B-17 fuselage. Sworn statements include Staff Sergeant Ira L. Livingston, 14 153 977, who watched silent luminous discs over Snow Acres, Birmingham, Alabama on July 6, 1947 at 2045 hours. Newfoundland Base Command Final Reports of Sighting from July 10, 20, and 23, 1947 catalog disc trails over Harmon Field, Codroy, and Stephenville, with Dr. Robert V. Leidy reportedly capturing two Kodachrome photographs of a fifteen-mile bluish-black trail.
Its size was about the length of a B-17 fuselage, about 4 to 6 widths, cylindrical in shape.p.1
Mr. Powell appears to be a calm, intelligent individual, not given to flights of fancy, or easily swayed by what he has personally read in the newspapers as regards reports of this type.p.4
I, Staff Sergeant Ira L. Livingston, No 14 153 977, Air Corps, approximately stationed at 1396 Meadow Lane, Birmingham, Alabama (Home Address), do hereby depose and attest concerning the appearance of "Flying Discs" in the vicinity of Birmingham, Alabama.p.14
The discs appeared to be silent and appeared to be composed of a single light.p.14
There was a light which at first appeared to be a shooting star or airplane. It appeared again and several intermittent flashes were seen for a period of approximately three (3) minutes.p.16
Dr. Leidy said it appeared to move at tremendous speed.p.18
Flame colored with a trail of a lighter flame color.p.19
Extracted text · Page 1
Page 1 · vision OCR
CONFIDENTIAL
19-93394-130
HEADQUARTERS
AIR DEFENSE COMMAND
(Interviewer - Alphons O. Powell)
12 September 1947
SUBJECT: Unidentified Flying Object
(Interview - Alphons O. Powell)
SUMMARY OF INFORMATION:
The following information was received 12 August 1947 from Mr.
Alphons O. Powell, 58 Redwood Road, New Hyde Park, Long Island, relative
to the sighting of a possible flying disc saucer.
On 4 August 1947, Mr. Powell, an Airlines Captain with Pan American
Airways, Inc., was the first pilot of a Constellation type aircraft on a
flight from Gander, Newfoundland, to La Guardia Field, New York. Mr. Powell
took over the aircraft at Gander, Newfoundland and departed at approximately
1800 P.M., Eastern Daylight Saving Time for La Guardia Field, New York. At
1900 P.M., at a position approximately midway between the two cities
(approximately 200 miles NW of New York City, which would place the aircraft
above and located 15 miles NW of the same city) both Mr Powell and Mr G.
White, navigator on this aircraft, sighted unidentified flying discs. At
the time of the Constellation, the following weather conditions existed at
that time: 13 miles visibility, 5,000 feet ceiling, 3 layers of clouds.
The objects were at 12,000 feet, and the wind at the 5,000 feet level was
estimated as being 270 degrees at 25 miles per hour. Both the stars and
the moon were visible at that time.
Mr White, who was sitting in the co-pilots seat (the right side of
the cockpit) first called Mr. Powell's attention to a bright orange object.
The object was located to the right of the aircraft and on the same level
as the aircraft. Mr. Powell was unable to see the object, as it was
immediately placed on his side by the object appearing on his left. He
immediately closed in on his object. It was about one mile away at an
altitude of approximately 7,000 feet above the horizon at a 30 degree angle
from the flight level. The object was under observation for approximately
30 seconds, and during this time was viewed as an unidentified flying
object. Its size was about the length of a B-17 fuselage, about 4 to 6
widths, cylindrical in shape. The average color was the exhaust from a jet
aircraft. Mr. Powell estimated the object was travelling at approximately
100 mph. He Powell lost sight of the object, stating that it would have
necessitated a departure from the established airway.
CONFIDENTIALPage 2 · vision OCR
CONFIDENTIAL
HEADQUARTERS
AIR DEFENSE COMMAND
(Interview - Walter I. White)
12 September 1947
SUBJECT: Unidentified Flying Objects
(Interview - Walter I. White)
SUMMARY OF INFORMATION:
The following information relative to the sighting of a possible
flying disc or other airborne object was received 10 September 1947 from
Mr. Walter I. White, Pan American Airways, Inc.
On 4 August 1947, Mr. White, Pan American Airways Inc., was the
navigator of a Constellation type aircraft on a flight from Gander,
Newfoundland, to La Guardia Field, New York. At 1900, at a position
approximately 10 miles NY of Boston, Mass., Mr. White was sitting in the
co-pilots seat. It was made known to him as Mr. White was sitting in the
co-pilots seat that there was an object in the vicinity. Mr. White stated
that he first sighted the object, it appeared to be approximately 100 feet
in length, and from 3 to 4 feet in depth. Mr. White believes that he
started the observation of the object as being 175 miles per hour, and that
it was travelling in an easterly direction at a minimum of approximately
150 miles per hour. Mr. White told the aircraft commander that there was
an unidentified object to the right, and the object appeared to the rear.
At this point, Mr. Powell, the aircraft commander, stated something to the
effect "there it is" and immediately closed in. He White lost sight of the
object. At this point, Mr Powell, the aircraft commander, was trying to
close in on the object. Mr White was unable to see the object on Mr Powell's
side. He stated that he does not know if it had remained on the same course
it was on or not; he felt certain that if it had been on the same route as
he the subject he would have seen it; as the same source would have been
hidden from the observation. Mr White stated that the lights of the city
were the exhaust from a jet aircraft, and even though there was nothing else
the time, he was certain it was not a flying saucer or a jet aircraft. Mr.
White describes the matter as the aircraft size of it was travelling. He
also describes the incident, as a rather matter of fact occurrence. The
entire incident lasted less than a minute and one-half.
CONFIDENTIALPage 126 · vision OCR
Office Memorandum · UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT 6-47 RB 22 AM 11 44 TO: Mr. Ganon, Regional Office No. 1, S.C. DATE: 7/15/47 FROM: Mr. Wright, SSID, Richmond, Va. Restricted SUBJECT: "Flying Disks" We hesitate to make this report concerning our pilot balloon observations in regards to a flying disk because the considerable national skepticism regarding the subject at present. However, local newspapers inform us that the U. S. Government admits no authority for such a ship or object and for its flights. Then we must assume this strange object to be foreign. Therefore, we submit this report for your information. We would be glad to cooperate with anyone who would like to drop the balloon and instead take observations on this disk. Mr. Bloemsaal has observed this strange metallic disk on three occasions through the theodolite while making his pilot balloon runs during the last six months. Miss Baron has reported observing it on one occasion. Miss Baron's report agreed with Mr. Bloemsaal's observations except as to the color-which she reported as a dull metallic luster. Mr. Bloemsaal last observed this disk in April 1947 at the 11000 final observation when the balloon was at 13 thousand feet. The disk was followed for 15 seconds, apparently moving on level flight from east to west to the far north of the station. The object was a metallic like chrome colored something like an ellipse with a flat level bottom and a dome like-round top. The disk appeared below the balloon, was much larger in size to the instrument, and shined like silver. It was impossible to determine the height or speed of the disk except that it appeared to be moving rather rapidly. Also it could not be seen when the balloon passed beyond 13 thousand feet. All days observed were either clear or with very few clouds and good visibility. Very truly yours, George A. Wright [Table with column headers: P.O., ENDC ARCT, FLE, SPIT[ILLEGIBLE], ADE, ADN, SPE, ERC, FISCAL, LABORATORY, ADT, SECRETARY, PLT]
Concatenated page-by-page transcript. Born-digital pages came through pdf.js; scanned pages were transcribed by Claude vision OCR. Pages marked unreadable failed multiple OCR retries (heavy redaction, microfilm artifacts, or blank separators) and are kept in place for audit.
CONFIDENTIAL
19-93394-130
HEADQUARTERS
AIR DEFENSE COMMAND
(Interviewer - Alphons O. Powell)
12 September 1947
SUBJECT: Unidentified Flying Object
(Interview - Alphons O. Powell)
SUMMARY OF INFORMATION:
The following information was received 12 August 1947 from Mr.
Alphons O. Powell, 58 Redwood Road, New Hyde Park, Long Island, relative
to the sighting of a possible flying disc saucer.
On 4 August 1947, Mr. Powell, an Airlines Captain with Pan American
Airways, Inc., was the first pilot of a Constellation type aircraft on a
flight from Gander, Newfoundland, to La Guardia Field, New York. Mr. Powell
took over the aircraft at Gander, Newfoundland and departed at approximately
1800 P.M., Eastern Daylight Saving Time for La Guardia Field, New York. At
1900 P.M., at a position approximately midway between the two cities
(approximately 200 miles NW of New York City, which would place the aircraft
above and located 15 miles NW of the same city) both Mr Powell and Mr G.
White, navigator on this aircraft, sighted unidentified flying discs. At
the time of the Constellation, the following weather conditions existed at
that time: 13 miles visibility, 5,000 feet ceiling, 3 layers of clouds.
The objects were at 12,000 feet, and the wind at the 5,000 feet level was
estimated as being 270 degrees at 25 miles per hour. Both the stars and
the moon were visible at that time.
Mr White, who was sitting in the co-pilots seat (the right side of
the cockpit) first called Mr. Powell's attention to a bright orange object.
The object was located to the right of the aircraft and on the same level
as the aircraft. Mr. Powell was unable to see the object, as it was
immediately placed on his side by the object appearing on his left. He
immediately closed in on his object. It was about one mile away at an
altitude of approximately 7,000 feet above the horizon at a 30 degree angle
from the flight level. The object was under observation for approximately
30 seconds, and during this time was viewed as an unidentified flying
object. Its size was about the length of a B-17 fuselage, about 4 to 6
widths, cylindrical in shape. The average color was the exhaust from a jet
aircraft. Mr. Powell estimated the object was travelling at approximately
100 mph. He Powell lost sight of the object, stating that it would have
necessitated a departure from the established airway.
CONFIDENTIALCONFIDENTIAL
HEADQUARTERS
AIR DEFENSE COMMAND
(Interview - Walter I. White)
12 September 1947
SUBJECT: Unidentified Flying Objects
(Interview - Walter I. White)
SUMMARY OF INFORMATION:
The following information relative to the sighting of a possible
flying disc or other airborne object was received 10 September 1947 from
Mr. Walter I. White, Pan American Airways, Inc.
On 4 August 1947, Mr. White, Pan American Airways Inc., was the
navigator of a Constellation type aircraft on a flight from Gander,
Newfoundland, to La Guardia Field, New York. At 1900, at a position
approximately 10 miles NY of Boston, Mass., Mr. White was sitting in the
co-pilots seat. It was made known to him as Mr. White was sitting in the
co-pilots seat that there was an object in the vicinity. Mr. White stated
that he first sighted the object, it appeared to be approximately 100 feet
in length, and from 3 to 4 feet in depth. Mr. White believes that he
started the observation of the object as being 175 miles per hour, and that
it was travelling in an easterly direction at a minimum of approximately
150 miles per hour. Mr. White told the aircraft commander that there was
an unidentified object to the right, and the object appeared to the rear.
At this point, Mr. Powell, the aircraft commander, stated something to the
effect "there it is" and immediately closed in. He White lost sight of the
object. At this point, Mr Powell, the aircraft commander, was trying to
close in on the object. Mr White was unable to see the object on Mr Powell's
side. He stated that he does not know if it had remained on the same course
it was on or not; he felt certain that if it had been on the same route as
he the subject he would have seen it; as the same source would have been
hidden from the observation. Mr White stated that the lights of the city
were the exhaust from a jet aircraft, and even though there was nothing else
the time, he was certain it was not a flying saucer or a jet aircraft. Mr.
White describes the matter as the aircraft size of it was travelling. He
also describes the incident, as a rather matter of fact occurrence. The
entire incident lasted less than a minute and one-half.
CONFIDENTIALCONFIDENTIAL
In conjunction with contract flying for the AAF, Mr. White states
that he has flown with Mr. Powell on a number of occasions, and he considers
him to be a very stable person completely reliable, and not given to
"flights of fancy."
Related Report: See Summary of Information, 12 September 1947, No 430,
subject, "Unidentified Flying Objects" (Interview - Alphons O. Powell).
Previous Distribution: Evaluation
- None
Distribution of source of information
- AAF (2 copies)
- ADC (2 copies)
dm
CONFIDENTIALCONFIDENTIAL
AGENTS NOTES: Mr. A. O. Powell is a graduate of the Aviation Cadet
Flying Training Program, having graduated from Maxwell Field, Alabama, with
the class of 43-G. Since graduation, Mr. Powell has flown for Pan American
Airways, Inc., and has a total of approximately 9,000 flying hours credit
to his name. Mr. Powell appears to be a calm, intelligent individual, not
given to flights of fancy, or easily swayed by what he has personally read
in the newspapers as regards reports of this type. Mr. Powell has a fear
of publicity and seemed hesitant to even tell his story lest he become the
object of ridicule. Mr Powell was questioned as to the possibility that
what he sighted might have been a tow target, a pilot balloon, or a
radiosonde device. Mr Powell stated that he has seen numerous tow targets,
pilot balloons, radiosonde devices and tow targets, while on flights, and
the object observed on this flight definitely was not one of these.
Previous Distribution: Evaluation
- None
Distribution of source of information
- AAF (2 copies) C 1
- ADC (2 copies)
2
CONFIDENTIALRESTRICTED
RADIO: 1st, 51, BAHTD, Birmingham AAF, Birmingham, Ala., dtd 8 July 47,
subj: Report on local "Flying Disc."
319N/624 D
[ILLEGIBLE], FOURTEENTH AIR FORCE, Orlando, Florida
TO: Commanding General, Air Defense Command, Mitchell Field, New York.
1. Forwarded for information of your Headquarters.
2. This Headquarters has made an investigation of "Flying Disc"
reports because this is an isolated case.
FOR THE COMMANDING GENERAL:
[Signature] Murphy
3 Incls: a/c
92715
24-6
RESTRICTED62 - 83894 - 130
RESTRICTED
MEMORANDUM
HEADQUARTERS [ILLEGIBLE] ARMY AIR TRAINING AND [ILLEGIBLE]
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA
[ILLEGIBLE] July 1947
SUBJECT: Report on Local "Flying Disc."
TO: Commanding General
Fourteenth Air Force, [ILLEGIBLE]
Orlando, Florida
1. Inclosed herewith is a photograph of the "Unidentified Flying
Disc," together with a photograph of the local newspaper covering the
sightings of the [ILLEGIBLE] Discs on the evening of Sunday, 6 July 1947.
2. [ILLEGIBLE] an investigation of the light trail sightings. All
persons who were witnesses to the light which gave attention to the light
trail thought the direction of the light was from south to north. This had
been strongly reinforced by a professional photographer, [ILLEGIBLE] who was
able to state that the two spots shown in the photograph, together with the
trail which they made crossing the photograph, confirm this [ILLEGIBLE]
direction.
3. The undersigned officer did not personally witness the light,
but we have interrogated several citizens of Birmingham in the vicinity
of Birmingham who personally witnessed the light. In Birmingham or in the
vicinity of the city of Birmingham, a person in the Homewood section of the
Birmingham area was informed who was personally witness to the light in the
northern part of the City. Police were also interviewed and they confirmed
the fact that they also saw the light. At one point the light was giving
the form of two lights together, as they were giving the trail. The
sightings appeared to be in the form of a half mile, but the duration of
the sighting was a matter of seconds.
[Signature] J. C. White
Lt. Col.
Chief of Staff [ILLEGIBLE]
5 Incls
n/c
RESTRICTEDRESTRICTED
"Report on local 'Flying Disc'"
[ILLEGIBLE]
2nd Ind
NO., AIR DEFENSE COMMAND, Mitchel Field, New York, 25 July 1947.
TO: Commanding General, Army Air Forces, Washington 25, D. C.
ATTN: AC/AS-2
Forwarded for your information.
FOR THE COMMANDING GENERAL:
[Signature] B. H. Smith
Colonel, GSC
Asst Chief of Staff-Intell.
3 Incls:
A/S
dm[Newspaper clipping]
62-83894-3130 THE WEA[THER]
n News
★ ★ PRICE: 5 CENTS
'Flying Saucers' Reported
From 39 States, But Seem
To Be Concentrated Here
City Is Baffled By
Dazzling Display
Of Spooky Discs
[Article text - partially legible:]
The strange things that have
been in sight skies since June 25,
when a private pilot first reported
them from the Pacific...they are
round, saucer-like...After the city
saw the discs that startled wit-
nesses this baffling discs...they
did not [ILLEGIBLE] out of [ILLEGIBLE].
Some said the objects were
[ILLEGIBLE], some said they weren't...
[ILLEGIBLE] remained in the air.
There was sound [ILLEGIBLE]...these
from the earth. They had defied
to remain stationary. They did
nothing...they seemed to be moving
approximately 100 miles per hour...
So far the things that they know
about the strange objects are this:
...Washington State, they definitely
[ILLEGIBLE] of the objects are this:
[ILLEGIBLE] actually [ILLEGIBLE]
[ILLEGIBLE]
CAMERA HERE CATCHES 'FLYING SAUCER'--Robert Crom-
land, Age-Herald copy holder, has caught what the much-dis-
cussed 'Flying Saucer' that [ILLEGIBLE] appeared. The photo
was made near the Associated Press [ILLEGIBLE]. He made his
exposure at approximately [ILLEGIBLE] 35mm camera. By a
chance exposure [ILLEGIBLE].[Newspaper clipping - THE BIRMINGHAM NEWS] Mysterious Flying Saucers Reported In Birmingham Skies [Article text - partially legible due to small print and image quality] [ILLEGIBLE] flying saucers were reported [ILLEGIBLE] Birmingham skies [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [Second newspaper clipping - right side, partially legible:] [ILLEGIBLE] Birmingham [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] believed to be [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] several [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] stated [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] going fast [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] something to be reported [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] anything other [ILLEGIBLE] and [ILLEGIBLE] by a disc-shaped [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] from 4,000 to 5,000 feet. He was ob- serving [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] some 1,000 feet. He stated [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] from [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE]
[Newspaper clipping]
MONDAY, JULY 7, 1947
RADIO-GUIDED, SAYS LAD
[Article text - partially legible:]
[ILLEGIBLE] to tell from the [ILLEGIBLE]
[ILLEGIBLE] the flying saucer [ILLEGIBLE]
[ILLEGIBLE] knew what the discs [ILLEGIBLE]
[ILLEGIBLE] what the discs [ILLEGIBLE]
[ILLEGIBLE]
The grammar school pupil,
[ILLEGIBLE] is [ILLEGIBLE] radio-
guided [ILLEGIBLE] seen by [ILLEGIBLE]
In the skies above [ILLEGIBLE]
Birmingh[am] [ILLEGIBLE] gave
[ILLEGIBLE]
[ILLEGIBLE] will be radio-
guided [ILLEGIBLE] for [ILLEGIBLE]
[ILLEGIBLE] objects [ILLEGIBLE]
[ILLEGIBLE] going [ILLEGIBLE] fast [ILLEGIBLE] found [ILLEGIBLE]
[ILLEGIBLE]
[ILLEGIBLE] at [ILLEGIBLE] Street.[Newspaper clippings] Charles E. Bradley, [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] and the bit [ILLEGIBLE] be all [ILLEGIBLE] reviewed [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] flying saucer [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [Clipping - upper center:] [ILLEGIBLE] of the flying saucers [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] page 1 [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [Clipping - "Scores Of People Report Seeing Mysterious Discs"] Residents of East Lake, [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] Wing [ILLEGIBLE] of East Lake [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] a number seeing objects at [ILLEGIBLE] The [ILLEGIBLE] at [ILLEGIBLE] S. T. Hubbard, 1[ILLEGIBLE]4 Meadow Lane, [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] "flying saucers" moved [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] J. L. Korda, 230 Choate Street, [ILLEGIBLE] were going very fast," he [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] John Simms, 261 South [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] Street, [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] reported [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [Clipping - lower right, partially legible:] [ILLEGIBLE] and Mrs. J. B. Martin and Mr. [ILLEGIBLE] Mrs. Tom Arnold, [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] Beacon Avenue, had just [ILLEGIBLE] others every other noticed, and [ILLEGIBLE] started last night [ILLEGIBLE] out the [ILLEGIBLE] four discs which [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] they were round, moving at a high rate of speed. There was no [ILLEGIBLE] [Additional clipping:] [ILLEGIBLE] reported [ILLEGIBLE] saw [ILLEGIBLE]
[Newspaper clippings] [Left clipping - continuation of witness accounts:] A citizen of [ILLEGIBLE] Birmingham [ILLEGIBLE] the flying discs when seen moments in a flying discs when seen [ILLEGIBLE] had seen [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] and Mrs. J. B. Martin and Mr. [ILLEGIBLE] Mrs. Tom Arnold, of [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] were there [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] "About 10 of those saucer-ful [ILLEGIBLE] moving along at [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] speed," said [ILLEGIBLE] of these [ILLEGIBLE] [Clipping - center:] J. A. Culver, [ILLEGIBLE] Avenue 3, Gas. [ILLEGIBLE] South Court [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] A number of other [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] L. H. McAteer, 4[ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] "They looked like saucers." [Clipping - lower center:] Frank B. Lovland, [ILLEGIBLE] for [ILLEGIBLE] Government [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] talked about the size of a dinner plate [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] S.Sgt. I. L. Livingston, of the Air Corps, [ILLEGIBLE] who also witnessed [ILLEGIBLE] from the Glen Glenn Areas. [ILLEGIBLE] H. M. WADDON, 52, who served [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] places in Easter Highlands, "I never heard a sound. They were round like plates and they [ILLEGIBLE] were real saucers the [ILLEGIBLE] they were real [ILLEGIBLE] Jimmy Granberry, [ILLEGIBLE] of [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE], July 4th [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] He [ILLEGIBLE] for [ILLEGIBLE] that they were [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [Clipping - lower right:] "Searchlight Reflection Theory Is Advanced" The mysterious "flying saucer" ob- served in Birmingham and vicinity, fifteen miles south of Birmingham, it was pointed out by Birmingham Army in the Pacific, said he was [ILLEGIBLE] caused by searchlights which actually [ILLEGIBLE] could be seen [ILLEGIBLE] in [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] Mr. Harre is a point.
RESTRICTED
S-T-A-T-E-M-E-N-T
I, Staff Sergeant Ira L. Livingston, No 14 153 977, Air Corps,
approximately stationed at 1396 Meadow Lane, Birmingham, Alabama (Home
Address), do hereby depose and attest concerning the appearance of "Flying
Discs" in the vicinity of Birmingham, Alabama.
At 2045 hours, 6 July 1947, while I was sitting outside at my
residence at 1396 Meadow Lane, Snow Acres, Birmingham, I called my next
door neighbor, Mr. Herman H. Gambrel, to call for my services to the front
door that there were some "Flying Discs" outside. I walked to the front
yard to investigate. In a South-Western direction. They appeared to be
approximately 2000 feet above the horizon at a 30 degree angle from where
I was standing, at an unidentified distance away. The objects appeared to
be approximately five (5) to six (6) hundred miles per hour. Occasionally,
the objects appeared to appear to stay stationary, but not always in the
same spot. Moving in a definite shape. The path of the object appeared to
be definitely a definite path (diagonal). On altitude up to approximately
7,000feet, it started off in different directions as if gathering. I did
not count them at any one time, one at the time and even though they could
have been only one, my personnel opinion is that there were about (7) to
six (6). The discs appeared to be silent and appeared to be composed of a
single light.
[Signature] Ira L. Livingston
Staff Sergeant, 14 153 977
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 7th day of July of 1947.
[Signature] George F. War [ILLEGIBLE]
Capt.
Asst AGD
RESTRICTEDCONFIDENTIAL
3/3·3
HEADQUARTERS
NEWFOUNDLAND BASE COMMAND
ATLANTIC DIVISION, AIR TRANSPORT COMMAND
FORT PEPPERALL, NEWFOUNDLAND
APO 862, c/o Postmaster, New York, N.Y.
[ILLEGIBLE] July 1947
IN REPLY
REFER TO:
SUBJECT: Letter of Transmittal.
TO: Commanding General
Atlantic Division, ATC
Fort Totten, Long Island, N.Y.
(ATTENTION: AC/S, Intelligence)
Reference: Letter of Transmittal, this office, dated 28 July
1947, with four (4) inclosures (Inclosures 1, 2 and 3, Final Reports
of Sighting and Inclosure 4, Signed Statement), transmitting Final
Reports of Sightings of "flying saucers" in Newfoundland and vicinity
listed as follows: Classifying the transmitter is Final Report of
Sighting as communicated at 03452, 23 July 1947.
FOR THE COMMANDING GENERAL:
[Signature] Marion C. Miller
Marion C. Miller
Captain, Air Corps,
AC/S, Intelligence.
1 Incls
Final Rpt of Sighting, 23 Jul 47
1st Ind.
NO. ATLANTIC DIVISION, ATC, FORT TOTTEN, L.I., NEW YORK 6 Aug 47
TO: Commanding General, Air Transport Command, Washington 25, D.C.
ATTN: Chief of Staff
Forwarded in accordance with instructions outlined in TAG CS-69,
your Headquarters.
[Signature]
J. G. BONHAM, JR.
Col., A.C.
AC/AS-2
4 Incls
A/S
RESTRICTED
CONFIDENTIALCONFIDENTIAL
RESTRICTED
FINAL REPORT OF SIGHTING [ILLEGIBLE] July 1947
1. Organization: 1395th AAF Base Unit
APO 862, c/o Postmaster, New York, N.Y.
2. Sighting: Flying Disc or other airborne object.
3. Place: Harmon Field, Stephenville, Newfoundland.
4. Time: 0345Z, 23 July 1947.
5. Altitude: Approximately 10,000 feet high.
6. Weather: High scattered condition; visibility better than
fifteen (15) miles.
7. Heading: From South, heading 25E (approximately 30°).
8. Speed: High velocity; stated to be faster than a conventional
airplane.
9. Description: There was a light which at first appeared to be a
shooting star or airplane. It appeared again and a number of intermittent
flashes were seen for a period of approximately three (3) minutes. The
flashes were reddish in color. Observers stated it was not a falling star
because it did not appear as such; nor was it an airplane, because there
was no engine sound or red or green aircraft lights. The observers
concluded there was no airplane and it looked like "a high altitude
aircraft."
10. Reported by: Miss Patricia Abbott, (Newfoundland National) Government
Employee and Lt. Hammeter, Navigator and Public Relations Officer.
11. General: The informants (noted in Par.10) were walking when they
noticed a peculiar reddish light. Both Miss Abbott and Lt. Hammeter stated
that at first, they thought it was a falling star or a comet. It appeared
reddish again; they thought it might be a plane flying at a very high
altitude. The observers concluded, because of the absence (no landing)
and struck dance of the light, that this was definitely not an aircraft
and it would have be said on the record, they had never seen anything like
it before.
[Signature] Kathleen [ILLEGIBLE]
Captain, Air Corps,
Intelligence Officer
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CONFIDENTIAL
HEADQUARTERS
Newfoundland Base Command, ATID-ADO
Fort Pepperall, Newfoundland
APO 862, c/o Postmaster, New York, N. Y.
26 July 1947
SUBJECT: Letter of Transmittal.
TO: Commanding General,
Atlantic Division, ATC
Fort Totten, Long Island, N. Y.
1. Transmitted herewith, as Inclosures 1, 2 and 3, are Final
Reports of Sightings of "flying saucers" in Newfoundland and vicinity
listed as follows:
Final Report of Sighting - 2000B, 10 July 1947
" " " - 0130B, 20 July 1947
" " " - 0011B, 23 July 1947
2. Reference TRI - TR 14149, this headquarters, dated 12[ILLEGIBLE]
July 1947, regarding sightings of "flying saucers" by Constable [ILLEGIBLE]
RCMP 4th day of July 1947, midnight, at Grand Falls, Newfoundland, as
stated at that night, as statement at that night, statement is signed by
Constable [ILLEGIBLE] as Inclosure 4.
FOR THE COMMANDING GENERAL:
[Signature] Marion C. Miller
Captain, Air Corps,
AC/S, Intelligence.
4 Incls:
1. Final Rpt of Sighting, 10 Jul 47
2. " " " " , 20 Jul 47
3. " " " " , 23 Jul 47
4. Signed Statement - Const [ILLEGIBLE]
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FINAL REPORT OF SIGHTING [ILLEGIBLE] July 1947
1. Org: 1395th AAF Base Unit, ATID, ATC, Harmon Field,
Newfoundland.
2. Sighting: Flying Disc or other airborne objects.
3. Place: Approx. six (6) miles NNW of Harmon Field.
4. Time: 2000Z, 10 July 1947
5. Altitude: 8-10,000 feet.
6. Weather: Clear, Scattered Cumulus 8 - 10,000 ft.
7. Heading: NNE (horizontal course).
8. Speed: High.
9. Shape & Size: Circular like a wheel, estimated to be same size as a
B-54 [ILLEGIBLE] from 20,000 ft.
10. Color: Translucent or Silvery, left a bluish black trail approx.
15 miles long.
11. Photographs: Dr. Robert W. Leidy reported that he took two (2)
Kodachrome snap shots of the trail. Dr. Robert W. Woodruff, John W.
Woodruff, and Dr. Robert V. Leidy reported the same to the 1395th AAF
Base Unit, Harmon Field. A Flash Report was TRd at to : Action copy
Commanding General, No 7. July 10 as well as part of the original report.
Info applies: Concerning these more detailed information. Western
observers going to Harmon Field and Leidy were witness from the western
section of the scene. Dr. Woodruff was the first to see the disc, it
appeared to rest or split the cloud formation, as it passed through and
left a bluish black trail approx. fifteen (15) miles long behind it. The
trail was similar to the afterburner of a powerful landing light shining
down from an aircraft, but very crisp and definite, and it glowed. The
object maintained a straight and horizontal course. Dr. Leidy said it
appeared to move at tremendous speed. Mr. Leidy stated it appeared to be
on a great curved course on a horizontal plane. The object disappeared
into the clouds, North Northeast. Mr. Leidy says he took two (2)
Kodachrome photographs of the trail. Film has been sent to the Asst.
Chief of Staff, Intelligence, Newfoundland Base Command for processing.
[Signature] [ILLEGIBLE]
CAPT. A.C.
Intelligence Officer
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FINAL REPORT OF SIGHTING [ILLEGIBLE] July 1947
1. Organization: 1395th AAF Base Unit
APO 862, c/o Postmaster, New York, N.Y.
2. Sighting: Flying Disc or other airborne objects.
3. Place: Codroy, Newfoundland, 59°05' N Long., 1[ILLEGIBLE]°00' W Lat.
4. Time: 0000 hours, 11 July 1947.
5. Altitude: Approximately 6,000 feet.
6. Weather: Clear; an indication [ILLEGIBLE].
7. Heading: From northeast heading eastward.
8. Speed: Very high velocity.
9. Shape & Size: Disc shaped; was reported as being the size of a plane
object (approximately the size of a plane object) that is flying high.
The trail of the object was approximately two and a half feet in diameter.
10. Color: Flame colored with a trail of a lighter flame color.
11. Reported by: Mr. John Legge, Mr. Mr. Evans and Albert Samms of
Codroy, Newfoundland.
12. General: Mr. Legge and Mr. Evans were standing outside Mr.
Legge's store when they both sighted the object. Both men stated that
the object was very bright with an obvious direction. The trail made the
object look like a comet. It was a very clear night. In order to
illustrate high velocity of the flying disc, Mr. Legge stated first he
thought it was a shooting star, then he [ILLEGIBLE] it for a plane or a
falling star. Besides the two men, the object appeared the following
night to a boy Albert Samms and to Lt. Hammeter stated that Albert was
in on this story about the object that he was alone and on his way home
when he sighted it, and watched it while it was in the air. After a
couple of observation of the object, he came to the conclusion that it
definitely was not a plane, but definitely was flying object.
[Signature] William H. Smith
Captain, Air Corps,
Intelligence Officer.
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Final Report of Sighting [ILLEGIBLE]
General cont'd:
Albert Samms is a twelve year old boy. He was alone when he
saw the flying object, he was very definite about it and had never seen
anything like it before. His [ILLEGIBLE] took him to the Post Mistress
of the town, and after hearing Albert's description, felt that it
answered to the description of a "Flying Disc". Mr. Legge reported
his sighting shortly afterwards to Mrs. Samms home so he was sure it
should be made known to her in order that the incident might be reported
by telephone immediately.
There was one other sighting reported from a River Warden at
South Branch. The man could not be contacted at time of interview with
other parties. However, a second-hand description of the sighting was
obtained, and it agreed with the sightings at Codroy.
WILLIAM H. SMITH
Captain, Air Corps,
Intelligence Officer.
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FINAL REPORT OF SIGHTING
1. Organization: 1388th AAF Base Unit
APO 865, c/o Postmaster, New York, N.Y.
2. Sighting : Flying Disc or other Airborne Object.
3. Place : On board Steamship "BURGEO" enroute from Sydney,
Nova Scotia to Port aux Basques, Newfoundland,
about one hour out from Sydney.
4. Time : 0015Z 20 July 1947.
5. Altitude : 30° off the horizon at an estimated quarter mile range.
6. Weather : Clear and dark.
7. Heading : NNE (30° East of True North) on horizontal plane.
8. Speed : High velocity, stated to be faster than a tracer bullet.
9. Description: Observers did not see the object, they saw its flashes
and all four observers agreed there were four (4) or
five (5) flashes approximately one (1) second apart
and equidistant. The flashes were said to be silvery
to reddish in color, and were described by two observ-
ers to be like those of a Fire Fly only larger and at
equal intervals, and did not look like a shooting star
or airplane.
10. Reported by: Messrs Maitland, Larkin, Douglas and Hamilton of
Hamilton, Metcalfe and Kansas City Bridge Companies
which concern is doing the construction at Harmon Field.
11. General : The four gentlemen (noted in Par.10) and Captain Gullage,
Master of the "Burgeo", were standing on the starboard
deck, and as the Captain was trying to describe a previous
sighting, he saw the flashes; the other four gentlemen
also saw them as described herein, and believed that it
was not a meteorite or airplane because of its speed,
color, and evenly spaced discharges or flashes.
Captain Gullage told the four gentlemen that he had seen
the same thing at approximately the same time and location
(ship's position) on the evening of 15 July 1947, except
at that time, the object or flashes were traveling faster
and frequently changing course (he said it changed course
abruptly several times) and was headed generally to the
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Final Report of Sighting:
General cont'd : SSW. The Captain also told the four gentlemen
that he was willing to make a complete report
if the information is desired for official
purposes.
WILLIAM H. SMITH
Captain, Air Corps
Intelligence Officer.
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14CONFIDENTIAL
RESTRICTED INTELLIGENCE OFFICE
HEADQUARTERS 1388TH AAF BASE UNIT
NEWFOUNDLAND BASE COMMAND, ATLD-AIO
APO 865, c/o Postmaster, New York, N. Y.
16 July 1947
Interrogation of JOHN E. WOODRUFF, Chief Mechanic, Pan American
Airways, Harmon Field, Newfoundland, taken at 1415 EST, 16 July 1947,
by Captain William H. Smith, AC, Intelligence Officer.
Q. Did you see one of the so called "Flying Disks" or other object
on the 10th July?
A. Yes, I did.
Q. Can you give the approximate time?
A. Approximately 1700.
Q. Tell me the circumstances under which you saw this object.
A. We were coming back from a fishing trip, and coming over the hill
between here and Stephenville Crossing you can see the cloud for-
mation ahead. I saw the object break out where the clouds opened
and it left its trail behind it.
Q. Had you been drinking?
A. No.
Q. You were riding in a car at the time you saw it?
A. Yes, in the front seat of the Pan American car.
Q. What was the weather like that day?
A. It was very clear and the clouds were very scattered.
Q. What was the approximate altitude of the clouds?
A. I'd say from 8000 feet to 10,000 feet.
Q. Did you see the Disk itself?
A. Yes, what it appeared to be was a translucent disk like a wheel
travelling at a terrific rate of speed and opened the clouds as
it went through the air.
Q. How was this Disk travelling, horizontal, descending or ascending?
A. It was horizontal.
Q. About how big did it appear to you?
A. From the height of it, I'd say it was about the size of a B4 or a
Constellation.
Q. About how far apart did it break the clouds?
A. It spread the clouds out about half mile.
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Interrogation of John E. Woodruff (Cont'd)
Q. What kind of a break did it make in the clouds?
A. It cut a straight path right through the cloud.
Q. Did it leave a trail?
A. Yes, it left a trail dark bluish in color similar to a high power
light. The trail was from approximately fifteen (15) to twenty
(20) miles long.
Q. Have you ever seen a meteor?
A. Yes.
Q. Do you think this was a meteor?
A. No, I don't think so, it was cut too clean. This was as straight
as an arrow.
Q. What was the course of the object?
A. Well, looking at the map I'd say North North East.
Q. Have you been working around airplanes long enough to know the
size of an aircraft and the height from a distance?
A. Yes.
Q. How long have you been working around aircraft?
A. Seven (7) years.
Q. Were you in the Army during the time of the War?
A. No.
Q. Did you take any pictures?
A. No, I did not, but one of the boys took some.
Q. Do you think the pictures will show up?
A. Yes, it was an ideal day for pictures.
John E. Woodruff
JOHN E. WOODRUFF
Chief Mechanic
Pan American Airways
Sworn and subscribed to before me
this 17 day of July 1947.
CONFIDENTIAL S. L. Gibson, Jr
Captain, Air Corps
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16RESTRICTED INTELLIGENCE OFFICE
HEADQUARTERS 1388TH AAF BASE UNIT
NEWFOUNDLAND BASE COMMAND, ATLD-AIO
APO 865, c/o Postmaster, New York, N. Y.
16 July 1947
Interrogation of JOHN N. MERRIMAN, JR., Supervisor and Mechanic,
Trans World Airways, Harmon Field, Newfoundland, taken at 1430 EST,
16 July 1947, by Captain William H. Smith, AC, Intelligence Officer.
Q. How long have you been associated with aircraft and aviation?
A. Since approximately 1936.
Q. Were you in the Army during the War?
A. Yes.
Q. What did you do in the Army?
A. Aerial Gunner.
Q. Did your job during the war entail you to be able to judge distances
and sizes of objects and ranges?
A. Yes.
Q. On the evening of 10 July 1947, did you see one of the so called
"Flying Disks" or an object in the sky?
A. Yes, we were coming up over the mountain between here and Stephen-
ville Crossing. The car was going up hill and we could see the sky
through the windshield. Mr. Woodruff said "look at the cut in the
sky". I looked up and saw a bluish black vapor trail.
Q. Did you see the object?
A. No, I just saw the trail as it was left behind.
Q. Can you describe the effect the object had on the cloud formation?
A. The clouds were very scattered and were about from 8000 feet to
10,000 feet, the object passed through and cut the cloud leaving a
gap where you could see the blue sky, like a weld, as if you cut a
sheet. The edges were feathered similar to a weld, as if you cut a cloth in half.
Q. Did the object appear to be descending, ascending, or horizontal?
A. It was horizontal and seemed to remain on struo course.
Q. What was your estimate of the course?
A. Approximately North North East.
Q. Can you give my estimate as to the size of the object?
A. I did not see the object.
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Interrogation of John N. Merriman, Jr
Q. Can you describe the trail?
A. It was bluish black in color, very easily distinguished from the
blue sky. A diesel exhaust would be similar to it.
Q. Was the trail fan shaped?
A. No it was more or less a band across the sky in a straight path.
Q. Did it make a noise?
A. No noise.
Q. What went on in the car when you sighted the object?
A. We stopped the car and got out and looked at it. One of the boys
had a camera and took a photograph of the trail that the object
left.
Q. What was the name of the man who took the photograph?
A. Robert Leidy.
Q. Do you know what type of film Mr Leidy was using?
A. Kodachrome, I believe.
Q. Do you know whether Mr. Leidy saw the Disk or object?
A. I don't believe so.
John N. Merriman, Jr.
Supervisor and Mechanic
Trans World Airways
Sworn and subscribed to before me
this 7 day of July 1947.
S. L. Gibson, Jr.
Captain, Air Corps
Adjutant
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17CONFIDENTIAL
RESTRICTED INTELLIGENCE OFFICE
HEADQUARTERS 1388TH AAF BASE UNIT
NEWFOUNDLAND BASE COMMAND, ATLD-AIO
APO 865, c/o Postmaster, New York, N. Y.
16 July 1947
Interrogation of ROBERT V. LEIDY, Station Mechanic, Pan American
Airways, Harmon Field, Newfoundland, taken at 1430 EST, 16 July 1947,
by Captain William H. Smith, AC, Intelligence Officer.
Q. Were you with Mr. Woodruff and Mr. Merriman on the evening when they
saw an object or flying disk passing over the sky on 10 July 1947?
A. Yes, I was.
Q. Were you or any members of the party drinking?
A. No, I had one can of beer, that was about half hour before that.
Q. Can you tell me the circumstances under which you saw the object
or the trail?
A. Well, Mr. Woodruff saw it first and said he saw the thing travelling
through the sky. He did not believe him at first but then he was so
concerned about it we stopped the car and got out. I had my camera
and took a picture of it. There was a bluish streak left in the sky
which could not have been a cloud or cloud formation. It was a definite trail
and caused the clouds to break open as it went through.
Q. Did it cut a path through the clouds?
A. Yes, it was very clear, and you could see the trail right through
the cloud, it looked to be travelling in a big circle and it left
sharp edges in the clouds.
Q. What was the trail like?
A. I would not say it was exhaust, it looked as if an object passed
through similar to that of a pebble leaving a ring in the pond.
Q. Was there any difference in the color?
A. No, it looked as if the object broke the cloud and left this opening.
Q. Was the trail horizontal, going up, or coming down?
A. It looked horizontal.
Q. What was the altitude of the clouds?
A. I don't know, sir, they were pretty high though.
Q. What time was this?
A. I don't know exactly sir, but it was between three and five o'clock
in the afternoon, we were coming back from fishing.
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Interrogation of Robert V. Leidy (Cont'd)
Q. Did you see the object?
A. No.
Q. How long do you think the trail was?
A. I don't know, sir, but the trail was very long, that is why I think
something went through the sky because of the trail and blank space
it left, you could certainly see it.
Q. Was the trail on a straight course?
A. Well, as I said before, it looked to us from the ground, that it was
travelling at a terrific rate of speed in a circle because of the
area in the path.
Q. Have you ever seen a meteor?
A. No.
Q. Can you estimate the size of the cut in the clouds?
A. No.
Q. How long have you been working around planes, etc?
A. Six (6) years.
Q. Were you in the Army during the war?
A. No.
Q. How many pictures did you take?
A. Two.
Q. What type camera did you have?
A. An Argus, F-2.
Q. Was the film black and white or kodachrome?
A. It was kodachrome.
Q. Where are the film now?
A. Well, I took three or four rolls and I am not sure which one the
pictures are on.
Q. I understood from Mr. Woodruff that they are being developed.
A. I think it is out of the camera sir, but I have not sent them
out yet.
Q. Will you give us the four rolls of film so we can have them processed
officially?
A. Yes, sir.
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Interrogation of Robert V. Leidy (Cont'd)
Q. Are you willing to give the Army a copy of the pictures of the
trail?
A. Yes.
Robert V. Leidy
ROBERT V. LEIDY
Station Mechanic
Pan American Airways
Sworn and subscribed to before me
this 17 day of July 1947.
S. L. Gibson, Jr.
Captain, Air Corps
Adjutant
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STATEMENT OF MR. JOHN P. LEGGE, CORBOY, NEWFOUNDLAND. TAKEN BY
MERCEDES BURKE OF THE INTEL IGENCE OFFICE, HARMON FIELD, NEWFOUND-
LAND. 17 July 1947.
At approximately 10 o'clock in the evening of 10 July 1947
I was standing by my store door. I happened to look up and saw
what appeared to be a "FLYING SAUCER". It definitely was not a
shooting star; I'd seen several stars shoot before, but never like
this; nor was it an airplane, it was too "lit up" and traveling
at too great a speed. It wasn't an airplane on fire because it
would have fallen in the water. It was a nice clear night, no
clouds, it was just getting dark. I would say it was traveling at
the rate of a shooting star but much closer. I'd say roughly at
6,000 feet. It was visible for about fifteen (15) seconds. It
came from the North West heading Eastward. The circle looked to
be about the size of a barrel head, and the trail behind looked
to be about fifteen (15) feet long. The trail behind the disc
made the whole object look like a cone. Another thing that makes
me feel sure it wasn't a shooting star is that a shooting star usually
leaves a temporary streak, this object I saw left no streak only
the one that appeared to travel behind the circle which looked like
an after-glow. The circle was a bright red, nearest I could des-
cribe it would be the color of a flame, the after-glow(cone-shaped)
was a fainter shade. What I saw last Thursday night resembled a
shooting star in no way whatsoever. There was only one.
John P. Legge
JOHN P. LEGGE
Witness: F.W. Tomkins
Witness: Mercedes Burke
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STATEMENT OF MR. WM. EVANS, CORBOY, NEWFOUNDLAND. TAKEN BY
MERCEDES BURKE OF THE INTELLIGENCE OFFICE, HARMON FIELD, NEW-
FOUNDLAND. 17 July 1947.
At approximately 10 o'clock in the evening of 10 July 1947,
I was standing outside Mr. Legge's store talking with him. We
both saw this thing dash across the sky. I couldn't be accurate
about the directions. If it was a shooting star, I'd never seen
one as large before, and it was much brighter than anything I've
ever seen in the sky. It looked to be a round object, I couldn't
say it was anything else, it was round; it had a tail on it which
showed yellowish, but not as bright as the circle which appeared
and nearest I could describe it would be sort of red and yellow.
The streak behind, I would say, was little over a yard long; the
circle looked to be about the size of a large dinner plate. It
went so fast, it was hardly in sight before it disappeared. I
could not give any idea of the height; all I can say is it was
much closer than a shooting star and travelling at a great speed.
Whatever it was it was flying through the air, it wasn't just
a streak across the sky. To me it wasn't in any way like a
shooting star, and I am sure it wasn't an airplane. I called it
a "FLYING SAUCER" because it seemed exactly like what we had been
hearing so much about on the radio.
Wm. Evans
W. EVANS
Witness: F. W. Tomkins
Witness: Mercedes Burke
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STATEMENT OF ALBERT JONES, CORBOY, NEWFOUNDLAND. TAKEN BY
MERCEDES BURKE OF THE INTELLIGENCE OFFICE, HARMON FIELD, NEW-
FOUNDLAND.
Last Thursday night I was out by our house. I happened to
look up and saw what I thought was an airplane. It was flying
at the height of a plane that is flying high. Then I thought
it couldn't be an airplane because it was going too fast and
so bright, planes do have a light or two, but this thing was very
bright - sort of a bright reddish yellow. I only saw it for a
minute because it was travelling at a terrific speed. It shot
out of sight so quickly I thought it strange if it was an air-
plane. Then, I remembered what I'd been hearing about "FLYING
SAUCERS" I ran in and told my mother.
Albert Jones
Witness: [ILLEGIBLE]
Witness: Mercedes Burke
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Albert rushed in and told me about this thing he'd just seen.
At first he thought it was an airplane but then he remembered
having heard about "FLYING SAUCERS" and he thought that's what
it must have been. I questioned him, he said it couldn't have
been a plane because a plane couldn't shoot down like that did,
besides it was too "lit up".
Mr. Legge reported the same thing to me in order that I might
report same to St. John's in the morning.
MRS JOHN SAMMS
Mrs John Hamms
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25NEWFOUNDLAND CONSTABULARY
STATION Grand Falls,
DATE July 13th, 1947.
SUBJECT Re:- Strange objects seen flying over Grand
Falls on night of July 9th. at approx.
11.10 and 11.40.
Sir:
I respectfully report for your information that on
Wednesday night, the 9th. inst. I arrived home from
duty at approx. 11.30.
Upon arrival at home I joined my wife, my mother-in-law,
and Mr. John Jackman a resident of St. John's and friend
of the family, who were sitting on the front steps of
the house. I was asked by my wife if I had seen the
"flying saucers" I thought she was joking and replied
that I had seen nothing flying. My wife and my mother-
in-law then told me that they had really seen four objects
flying in an easterly direction just before I arrived.
I asked them to describe what they had seen. Jackman said
that four round shaped figures had passed overhead at a
terrific speed and were flying side by side.
On looking skywards again my wife, Jackman, and myself
saw a object which I would describe as being a huge jelly-
fish flash across the the sky. It would be difficult to
determine its height and speed owing to the brief period
it was visible. It's colour also would be hard to say,
but there seemed to be a phosphorus glow about it. It
was round in shape and about the size of a barrel head;
it appeared to be flying in a rocking motion.
This sir, is about all I can say about the matter, we
continued to scan the sky for about a half hour but no
sign of them were seen again.
Eric Kearney
Constable.
L.Strang Esq., J.P.,
Chief of Police.
Respectfully Submitted.
L.Strang Esq., J.P.,
Chief of Police.
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26NEWFOUNDLAND CONSTABULARY
STATION Grand Falls,
DATE July 13th, 1947.
SUBJECT Re:- Strange objects seen flying over Grand
Falls on night of July 9th. at approx.
11.10 and 11.40.
Sir:
I respectfully report for your information that on
Wednesday night, the 9th. inst. I arrived home from
duty at approx. 11.30.
Upon arrival at home I joined my wife, my mother-in-law,
and Mr. John Jackman a resident of St. John's and friend
of the family, who were sitting on the front steps of
the house. I was asked by my wife if I had seen the
"flying saucers" I thought she was joking and replied
that I had seen nothing flying. My wife and my mother-
in-law then told me that they had really seen four objects
flying in an easterly direction just before I arrived.
I asked them to describe what they had seen. Jackman said
that four round shaped figures had passed overhead at a
terrific speed and were flying side by side.
On looking skywards again my wife, Jackman, and myself
saw a object which I would describe as being a huge jelly-
fish flash across the sky. It would be difficult to
determine its height and speed owing to the brief period
it was visible. It's colour also would be hard to say,
but there seemed to be a phosphorus glow about it. It
was round in shape and about the size of a barrel head;
it appeared to be flying in a rocking motion.
This sir, is about all I can say about the matter, we
continued to scan the sky for about a half hour but no
sign of them were seen again.
Eric Kearney
Constable.
L.Strang Esq., J.P.,
Chief of Police.
Respectfully Submitted.
L.Strang Esq., J.P.,
Chief of Police.
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26From detailed study of reports selected for their impression of
veracity and reliability, several conclusions have been formed:
(a) This "flying saucer" situation is not all imaginary or seeing
too much in some natural phenomenon. Something is really flying around.
(b) Lack of topside inquiries, when compared to the number of
demanding inquiries that have originated topside upon former events,
give more than ordinary weight to the possibility that this is a domestic
project, about which the President, etc. know.
(c) Whatever the objects are, this much can be said of their physical
appearance:
1. The surface of these objects is metallic, indicating a metallic
skin, at least.
2. When a trail is observed, it is lightly colored, a Blue-Brown
haze, that is similar to a rocket engine's exhaust. Contrary to a rocket
of the solid type, one observation indicates that the fuel may be throttled
which would indicate a liquid rocket engine.
3. As to shape, all observations state that the object is circular
or at least elliptical, flat on the bottom and slightly domed on the top.
The size estimates place it somewhere near the size of a C-54 or a Constellation.
4. Some reports describe two tabs, located at the rear and
symmetrical about the xxxx axis of flight motion.
5. Flights have been reported, from three to nine of them, flying
good formation on each other, with speeds always above 300 knots.
6. The discs oscillate laterally while flying along, which could
be smoking.
27CONFIDENTIAL
HEADQUARTERS FOURTH AIR FORCE
Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff, A-2
Intelligence
Hamilton Field, California
4AFDA 25 August 1947
333.6/1208-I
SUBJECT: Investigation of Flying Disc.
TO: Headquarters, Army Air Forces, Washington 25, D. C.
ATTENTION: AC of AS-2
1. The attached true copy of the letter of Mr. F. M. Johnson of
Portland, Oregon, was received by this officer 22 August 1947.
2. Your attention is invited to the similarity of statement by
Mr. Johnson and Mr. Arnold.
3. This letter is being referred this date to the Special Agent
In Charge, FBI, San Francisco, for any investigation they may care to
make.
Ronald L. Springer
RONALD L. SPRINGER
Lt. Colonel, GSC
AC of S, A-2
1 Incl:
Cy of ltr fr F.M.Johnson
(in dup)
CONFIDENTIAL
Acc 107CONFIDENTIAL
PORTLAND, OREGON, August 20th 1947
Lt. Col. Donald L. Springer, Assistant Staff
Sir: Saw in the portland paper a short time ago in regards to
an article in regards to the so called flying disc having any basis
of fact. I can say am a prospector and was in the Mt. Adams district
on June 24th the day Kenneth Arnold of Boise Idaho claims he saw a
formation of flying disc. And I saw the same flying objects at about
the same time. Having a telescope with me at the time I can assure you
they are real and noting like them I ever saw before they did not pass
very high over where I was standing at the time, plobly 1000 ft.
they were round about 30 foot in dimater tapering sharply to a point in
the head end in an oval shape, with a bright top surface. I did not
hear any noise as you would from a plane. But there was an object in
the tail end looked like a big hand of a clock shifting from side to
side like a big magnenet. Thare speed as far as I know seemed to be
greater than anything I ever saw. Last veiw I got of the objects they
were standing on edge Banking in a Cloud.
Yours Respectfully
/s/ F. M. Johnson
106 No. West 1st Ave
Portland, Oregon
A TRUE COPY:
Donald L. Springer
DONALD L. SPRINGER
Lt. Colonel, GSC
AC of S, A-2
CONFIDENTIAL
Acc 101CONFIDENTIAL
PORTLAND, OREGON
30 July 1947
C-E-R-T-I-F-I-C-A-T-E
On 30 July 1947 Mr Richard Rankin, 834 N. E. Simpson Street,
Portland, Oregon was interviewed by this agent and stated in substance as
follows:
My name is Richard Rankin. I am 47 years old and have flown since
I was nineteen years old. I first soloed in an aircraft in 1919. I have flown
over all the western parts of the United States as many times and have mapped
all of the western part of the United States during the years before the
start of the war for the US Forest Service. I am familiar with almost every part of
the western United States. During a great part of my life I have done stunt
flying for air shows and various other commercial exhibitions. My flying
brother was "Tex" Rankin who was quite well known in both civilian and military
flying circles for many years before his death and during the late war ran
thousands of flying students through primary training schools owned and oper-
ated by him. To date I have accomplished 7000 hours in the air as pilot of
both civilian and military aircraft. I am well acquainted with most articles
on the subject of flying and believe that I am well qualified to say
when I see articles flying through the air, although I would not attempt to
explain it. I am well available and state that I positively identify every
object that might be flying through the air. The following is an account of
what I saw on 11 June 1947 from the yard of my home at 133 South Elm St,
Bakersfield, California.
At approximately 1200 noon on the 11 of June I was lying in the
front yard of my home. There was a lad mowing the lawn at the time. I looked
up into the sky and saw ten articles flying from the South to the North at what
I had judged to be about 300 ft. The objects were approximately at what I
would judge to be 350 miles per hour. As I have stated before, I have done
quite a lot of map work for the US Forest Service and can remember at times
at the time I saw the articles I told the lad who was still mowing the
lawn at the time. I told the lad that the objects were in all probability
some sort of Army or Navy aircraft and asked the lad to tell me what he
thought. In general I attempted to explain to the lad mowing the lawn that the objects
were in all probability army or navy training aircraft. Having quite a knowledge of aircraft in
general I attempted to explain to the lad mowing the lawn that the objects
were in all probability Army or Navy training aircraft of the Army or Navy.
At that time I did not give the slightest thought to anything but that the
objects were some sort of test ship for the Government. I had seen many
strange-shaped pictures of aircraft that I have in my library, the so called "flying
Flap[s] of [ILLEGIBLE] that the Navy is testing. After the objects disappeared
proceded into the house and had my lunch. During that time the lad I went
back into the yard and lay in the shade. At this time the objects re-
appeared going from North to South, although this time there were only 9
of the articles instead of the ten I originally saw. They were flying
in a "V" formation with one object seemingly straggling in the rear of the
formation. When the objects appeared the second time they were still in V
formation. At this time there was may seven of the objects at this time. I
remember at this time that I told the lad, who was still mowing on the lawn,
that probably three of the objects had peeled off. I base on this only
from visual count. I actually thought that this was the case, that the other three
objects had probably gone back to their base on the other side of the mountains.
I then received a letter from an airman claiming from Bakersfield claiming
that he had seen them fly over the Cajon Mountains in
Encl 1CONFIDENTIAL
Washington I realized that the articles that I saw were probably the same thing.
I was still reluctant to mention this to anyone thinking that they would prob-
ably say that I was crazy. After some time I mentioned the incident to the
editor of the "Oregonian", a Portland, Oregon newspaper. At this time I was
in Portland for the remainder of the summer. The results of the conversation
with the editor of the paper is put forth in the accompanying newspaper
article.
I fully realize that this is a broad statement in view of the fact
that there has been so much publicity [REDACTED] put forth in various news-
papers of the country. I am of sound mind in every respect and I am firmly
convinced that the articles I saw are actually some sort of flying machines
although I cannot say from where they come or to where they were going. I say
what I have said with no idea of publicity or personal gain.
SIGNED Richmond Rankin
Richmond Rankin
Portland, Oregon
30 July 1947
CONFIDENTIAL
[ILLEGIBLE]CONFIDENTIAL Pilot Recalls Seeing Discs Dick Rankin Tells Of Odd Aircraft More reports of "flying flap- jacks" turned up Wednesday, one from no less than Dick Rankin, brother of the late Tex Rankin, and himself an expe- rienced pilot of more than 7000 hours' flying time. Rankin, who is recovering from an old back injury re- ceived in an automobile acci- dent, came to Portland over the week end to spend the sum- mer. He saw the "silver sau- cers" over Bakersfield, Cal., June 23, while lying on the lawn sun bathing, he told The Oregonian. "I hesitated to say much about them," Rankin said, "un- til I noticed all the hullabaloo in the papers. I puzzled over their strange shape for a while and finally concluded that they were the navy's new XF5U-1 flying flapjacks, which are thin and round, with twin propellers and stubby tail." Only One XF5U-1 Built (The navy and the manufac- turer have announced official- ly that only one such machine was built and that it never left Connecticut.) "These planes were flying high, maybe 9000 feet, and fair- ly fast, about 300 or 400 miles an hour. I first counted ten of them in formation, going north. About 2:15 P. M. they returned on the reverse course, headed south. But there were only sev- en in the formation. "They were not weaving or bobbing in formation I couldn't make out the number or loca- tion of their propellers and couldn't distinguish any wings or tail. They appeared almost round. They looked like pic- tures of the navy's flying flap- jack," Rankin said. Rankin, who plans to spend the summer here at 834 N. E. Simpson street, is now able to resume a little flying for fun, but not commercially, he said. He now operates a string of auto courts, spending his win- ters at Palm Springs. THE OREGONIAN, THURSDAY, JULY 3, 1947 11 "THE OREGONIAN" Portland, Oregon. 3 July 1947 Incl #1 lee s k CONFIDENTIAL 32
August 20, 1947 65-420 Director FBI SAC Butte FLYING DISCS Refer teletype to the Bureau dated August 15, 1947. C O P Y Enclosed please find the newspaper account carried by the Twin Falls, Idaho "Times News" on August 15, together with a sheet of paper on which A. C. URIE attempted to sketch his impression of the instrument which he claims to have seen. Concerning URIE's sketches, it may be noted that he believed the felled outer edge which he attempted to create in his drawing to have been about a foot through. URIE likewise believed that the tubish or exhaust flame which he and his sons claim to have seen was about a foot through and extended at least to the back end of the device. The flame did not appear to taper off not to widen out toward the back. BILLY and KEITH URIE stated that they could see a knot on the side of the device from which the flames were shooting, and that they could see day- light between the exhaust flame and the side of the device. The flames did not leave any smoke or odor. The URIE boys thought that the "side view" sketch should show that the device was more sharply angled from bottom to top, while URIE himself thought that it was more streamlined and curved. URIE said that the instru- ment came to a pointed or rounded top. In his notations, URIE mistakenly said that he had seen it on Thurs- day. During interview, he stated that it actually had been on Wednesday, August 13, 1947, when he and his sons saw the contrivance about 1100 P.M. URIE explained that he had sent his boys to the river to get some tops from his boat. When he thought they were overdue, he went outside his tool shed to look for them. He noticed them about 300 feetaway looking in the sky and he glanced up to see what he called the flying disc. He said he could only see it for a moment before it disappeared behind a hill which obscured his view. URIE further stated that the contrivance was about seventy-five feet in the air. URIE resides in the depths of the Snake River Canyon, which is about four hundred feet deep and twelve hundred feet across at that place. According to his account, the contrivance was about three hundred feet below the rim of the canyon and he saw it against the steep walls of the canyon on the far side. He described its color as sky blue and stated that he doubted if it could be seen against the sky. He likewise said that it was purely by chance that he saw it. Itdi not spin like a top. 2ee/115
As the machine went by the URIE place, the trees over which it almost directly passed (Herman Populare) did not just bend with the wind as if a plane had gone by, but in URIE's words, "spun around on top as if they were in a vacuum." KEITH URIE, eight years of age, said he first saw the machine coming down the canyon, heading from east to west and following the con- tours of the ground. BILLY, age ten, saw it almost immediately. Both watched it fly out of sight behind a tree in a matter of moments. They said they then ran to their Father and learned that he too had seen the machine. URIE seemed completely sincere about the incident. He said his wife and daughter were in the house at the time and had not seen the machine. He questioned his brother, who also lives in the canyon, but his brother had been eating at the time and had seen nothing. URIE and his two boys maintained that they had never before seen one of the discs. URIE, when interviewed, appeared to be a sober, middle-aged man. JOHN BROSNAN, the "Times News" reporter who originally furnished Special Agents with information about the incident, likewise stated that URIE appeared completely sincere about the machine. No further attempt was made to locate L. W. HAWKINS, inasmuch as J. H. BROWN, who was with HAWKINS at the time, was interviewed. BROWN's name was withheld from the newspaper because HAWKINS and BROWN were fishing at Salmon dam while BROWN was supposed to have been working in Twin Falls. BROWN said simply that he and HAWKINS could hear a roar. They looked up and could see two instruments flying at a great height, which BROWN mentioned might have been between four thousand and six thousand feet. However, he said he had no idea how large the devices were and consequently, they may have been several miles away. He said that he and HAWKINS were satisfied they had seen something and they were very doubtful that they had seen two planes. C O P Y 2ee/115 35
imes-New Regional Newspaper Serving TWIN FALLS Nine Irrigated Idaho Cou TWIN FALLS, IDAHO, FRIDAY, AUGUST 15, 1947 Member of Associ Heads Up, Folks! The Discs Are Flying Again [Drawing: artist's conception of flying disc, labeled SIDE VIEW, BOTTOM VIEW, END VIEW, with measurements 10ft height, 20ft diameter] This is an artist's conception of the flying disc that A. C. Urie saw sweeping through Snake river canyon six miles west of Blue Lakes ranch. It seemed to be powered by jets emitting a fiery glow on both sides, and could well be the inspiration for something new in women's hats, such as a "flying saucer" creation. (Drawing by Vic Goertzen, staff engraver) * * * * * * * * Flying Saucer Reported Flashing Down Canyon At 1,000 Miles Per Hour; Two Others Are Seen By JOHN BROSNAN Just as Magic Valley and the nation were starting to let go of lamposts after reeling under a welter of flying saucer reports, two more Twin Falls county men re- vived speculation on the mystery with vivid descriptions of discs they saw. From A. C. Urie, who operates the Auger Falls Trout farm six miles west of Blue Lakes ranch in Snake river canyon, came perhaps the most detailed account of one of the fast-flying objects the nation has yet produced. The flying saucer Urie saw was sweeping through Snake river canyon at a height of about 75 feet at 1 p. m. Wednesday. At 9:30 a. m. the same day, L. W. Hawk- ins, Twin Falls county commis- sioner and former county sheriff from Filer, also saw two circular objects soaring along at a great height near Salmon dam 40 miles southwest of Twin Falls. Here is Urie's eye-witness de- scription of the flying discs seen by him and his son, Keith, 8, and Billy, 10: "I obtained a close-up view of the flying saucer as it passed by the trout farm at 1 p. m. Aug. 13 going down Snake river canyon at a height of about 75 feet from the canyon floor. I would estimate the speed at about 1,000 miles per hour." Urie explained that this incident occurred while the two boys were coming across the river from the north side in a boat. He had be- come concerned about what was de- laying them, and had walked down toward the river to see if they were all right. "I had a side view at a distance of about 200 feet and almost on a level with the thing," Urie con- tinued. "Two of my boys, Keith and Billy, were below me and they also saw it at about a 45-degree angle. They both got a bottom and a side view, and we were all look- ing at it from the south side of the (Continued on Page 8, Column 4)
'Saucer' Seen Flying Down Snake Gorge (From Page One) river facing toward the north. The boys saw it coming about half a mile up the canyon, and we all lost sight of it in less than a mile." While the impression was still vivid in their minds, the three got together and made rough sketches of what they had seen. These, in turn, were the basis for the artist's conception of the strange affair by Vic Goertzen of Twin Falls for the Times-News. "It was all one color—sort of a light sky blue with a red, tubular fiery glow at the side of the top or hood," Urie continued. "The canyon floor is rough at that particular point, and it rode up and down over the hills and hol- lows at a speed indicating some type of control faster than the reflexes of man. It is my opinion that it is guided by instruments and must be powered by atomic energy, as it made very little noise—just a s-w-i-s-h as it passed by." Urie described the size as about 20 feet long by 10 feet high and 10 feet wide, giving it an oblong shape. It might be described as look- ing like an inverted pie-plate or broad-brimmed straw hat that had been compressed from two sides. Pressed for his candid opinion of just what it was, Urie said that he was convinced that there was some- thing to the flying saucer situation. "I know a number of the people who have also seen them and I know that they're not just imagining something or trying to get their names in the paper," Urie com- mented. "I do know that it scared the boy- s and made me feel pretty uneasy," he added. Tracing down a rumor that County Commissioner Hawkins had seen an unusual object in the air on the same day as Urie's experience, the Times-News called him at his Filer home. "Yes, I did," he replied without hesitation. "I'll have to admit I've been skeptical all along until I saw it with my own eyes. I can't say what it was, but I can say there's something in the air." Hawkins related that while at Salmon dam Wednesday morning, a sound resembling the echo of a motor caused him to look upward, and there he saw two circular ob- jects that reflected light. They were flying at a great speed, higher than most airplanes, accord- ing to Hawkins. Aside from this, he declined to add details, except to say, "There's something in the air." His general description, however, corresponds closely to those of hundreds of persons who reported seeing flying saucers after Kenneth Arnold, a Boise businessman, had touched off the deluge by telling of seeing nine disc-like objects while he was flying in his private plane in Washington. Thereafter the saucer reports tapered off into a few scattered in- cidents until the question was re- vived by this week's occurrence. Speculation has ranged from theory to fact. Some people could army or navy guided missile experi- ments, that they could be similar experiments by some foreign coun- try, to "something out of this world." Whatever they are, a lot of people have seen "something."
CONFIDENTIAL
HEADQUARTERS
FLYING DIVISION, AIR TRAINING COMMAND
Office of the Commanding General
Randolph Field, Texas
10 July 1947
333.5
SUBJECT: Unidentifiable Objects
TO: Commanding General
Tenth Air Force
Brooks Field, Texas
Attn: ACofS, A-2
1. The inclosed MOIC is forwarded for your information.
2. In the event that Lt. E. B. Armstrong has been interviewed
by your Headquarters, request that a copy of the MOIC be furnished
to this Headquarters.
FOR THE COMMANDING GENERAL:
1 Incl H. L. CRESIER
MOIC Lt. Colonel, G.S.C.
Asst. Chief of Staff, A-2
333.5 1st Ind DC
HEADQUARTERS TENTH AIR FORCE, OFFICE OF THE ASST CHIEF OF STAFF, A-2,
BROOKS FIELD, SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, 16 July 1947
TO: Commanding General, Flying Division, Air Training Command, Randolph
Fld., Texas
ATIN: Asst Chief of Staff, A-2
Inclosed is Memorandum for the Officer in Charge in reference to
Lt. E. B. Armstrong, as suggested in paragraph 2, basic communication.
1 Incl S.H. MORROW
MOIC, dtd 15 July 47 Colonel, GSC
1 Incl withdrawn Asst Chief of Staff, A-2
MOIC, dtd 7 July 47
Incl 2
CONFIDENTIAL 37UNIDENTIFIABLE OBJECTS Williams Fld, Chandler, Ariz. 15 July 1947 MEMORANDUM FOR THE OFFICER IN CHARGE: 1. On 14 July 1947, 1st Lt Eric B. Armstrong, O-2059709, 170th AAF Base Unit, Ferry Division, Brooks Field, San Antonio, Texas was interviewed and the following information was obtained: Lt Armstrong departed Williams Field, Arizona at 1400 CST on 28 June 1947 in a P-51 for Portland, Oregon, by the way of Medford, Oregon. At approximately 1515 CST on a course of 500 degrees, altitude 10,000 feet, approximately thirty miles northwest of Lake Meade, Nevada, Lt Armstrong sighted five or six white, circular objects at four o'clock, altitude approximately 6,000 feet, course approximately 120 degrees, and an estimated speed of 285 MPH. Lt Armstrong said the objects were flying very smoothly and in a close formation. The estimated size of the white objects were approximately 36 inches in diameter. Lt Armstrong stated that he is sure the white objects were not birds, since the rate of closure was very fast. Lt Armstrong was certain that the white objects were not jets or conventional type aircraft since he has flown both types. AGENT'S NOTES: Lt Armstrong was very sincere in the explanation and was not the exaggerating type. He merely stated what he saw and has drawn no con- clusions as to what the white objects were. Lawrence R. King, Jr, Special Agent, CIC, ADC [RECEIVED stamp] 4e 98 37
CONFIDENTIAL UNIDENTIFIABLE OBJECTS WILLIAMS FIELD, CHANDLER, ARIZONA. 7 July 1947 MEMORANDUM FOR THE OFFICER IN CHARGE: 1. On 1 July 1947, Lt William G. McGinty, USN, 195803, P-80 Student, Williams Field, Chandler, Arizona, was interviewed by this Agent, and stated in substance: That on 30 June 1947, at about 0910, MST, he was flying at 25,000 feet over Grand Canyon, Arizona, in a P-80 type aircraft. He stated that he was heading south towards Williams Field, Arizona, when he saw two round objects going at inconceivable speeds, straight down. He further stated that his reactions were to turn away from the objects. He further stated that one of the uniden- tifiable objects followed the other seconds apart. He further stated that due to the speed of the objects, he could only see that they were circular, and that they were possible light gray in color. He further stated that it was his opinion that the objects were approximately eight feet in diameter. In conclusion, he stated that the objects would have probably hit the ground approximately twenty-five miles south of the South Rim of Grand Canyon, Arizona. AGENT'S NOTES: Lt McGinty gave his permanent address as: N.A.M.T.C., Point Mugu, Port Hueneme, Calif. 2. On 1 July 1947, Captain Malcolm C. Armstrong, O-73A168, Instructor, Single Engine, Williams Field, Chandler, Arizona, was interviewed by this Agent and stated in substance: That his brother, 1st Lt E. B. Armstrong, stationed at Hq, 10th AAF, Brooks AAF, Texas had related to him that he saw a formation of unexplainable objects circular, and that they were near Lake Mead, Nev. Captain Armstrong further stated that his brother stated the objects were heading south, and were at approximately 10,000 feet altitude. AGENT'S NOTES: Captain Armstrong could not give too much information on the objects that his brother had seen. Lt. E. B. Armstrong can be contacted at Hq, 10th AAF, Brooks Field, Texas for further information. [stamp: RECEIVED] 4e 38k Lynn C. Aldrich, Special Agent, GIC-AAF, FDTC THIS IS A TRUE COPY JOHN K. OHN, Major, A.C. CONFIDENTIAL Incl #1 39
CONFIDENTIAL [struck through]
Prelce
16
Unidentifiable Objects.
D 333.5 ID (16 Jul 47) 1st Ind.
HQ AIR DEFENSE COMMAND, Mitchel Field, New York, 21 July 1947.
TO: Commanding General, Army Air Forces, Washington 25, D. C.
ATTN: AC/AS-2.
1. Forwarded for your information and utilization.
FOR THE COMMANDING GENERAL:
James J. X. O'Connell
R. H. SMITH Lt Col R.
Info cy: Colonel, GSC
CG, AMC, for Asst Chief of Staff-Intell.
4 Wright Fld,
Dayton, O.
4 2 Incls:
n/c
see 130
CONFIDENTIAL [struck through] f177 40CONFIDENTIAL [struck through]
Unidentifiable Objects. 1st Ind.
D 333.5 ID (16 Jul 47) 1st Ind.
HQ AIR DEFENSE COMMAND, Mitchel Field, New York, 21 July 1947.
TO: Commanding General, Army Air Forces, Washington 25, D. C.
ATTN: AC/AS-2.
1. Forwarded for your information and utilization.
FOR THE COMMANDING GENERAL:
R. H. SMITH
Info cy: Colonel, GSC
CG, AMC, Asst Chief of Staff-Intell.
Wright Fld,
Dayton, O.
2 Incls:
n/c
1ee/10
[stamp: RECEIVED
HQ 10TH AAF
BROOKS FIELD, TEXAS]
CONFIDENTIAL [struck through] 41CONFIDENTIAL [struck through]
HEADQUARTERS
TENTH AIR FORCE
BROOKS FIELD, SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS
Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff, A-2
IN REPLY REFER TO:
DC 333.5 16 July 1947
SUBJECT: Unidentifiable Objects
TO: Commanding General
Air Defense Command
Mitchel Field, New York
ATTN: Asst Chief of Staff, A-2
1. Inclosed herewith for your information is investigation relative
to Unidentifiable Objects which was initiated at Headquarters, Flying Divi-
sion, Air Training Command, Randolph Field, Texas. This Office assisted,
as noted in Inclosure 2, by completing a Memorandum for the Officer in
Charge.
2. No further action is contemplated by this Headquarters concerning
investigation of this incident.
2 Incls: S.H. MORROW
1. MOIC dtd 7 July 47 Colonel, GSC
2. Ltr, FDATC, w/1 Ind Asst Chief of Staff, A-2
and 1 Incl, MOIC, dtd
15 July 1947
CONFIDENTIAL [struck through]
6S1-9
21 JUL 1947 A2To: CG, AAF (ATTN: A2/AS-2) From: DIR. OF INTEC. DATE: 5 AUG 47 MAJ FISHER / #4738 2636 Magnolia Ave., Los Angeles 7, Calif. August 1 1947 Director of Military Intelligence, War Department, Washington 25, D.C. Dear Sir: On Sunday afternoon, July the Sixth, I observed something very strange ; it is related —— at least in my own mind—— with the phenomena of the "Fabulous Flying Saucers" and I cannot report on this second phemomena , without speaking of the first. As I do not wish to be considered the victim of mass psychology, a crack-pot or visionary , it is rather hard for me to make this report. I am doing it because I consider it my duty. A newspaper article spoke of the Bureau of Standards as "Having a finger in the pie " in many experiments so not knowing where to write or who to write to I wrote to the Bureau, and Mr. Hugh L. Dry- den has suggested that you were the one to report to. I had been amused at accounts of the " flying saucers ". Everyone was talking , laughing and joking about them and I did not believe in them . The Hollywood Tarzana Bus was parked at the Tarzana end of the line and the driver was busy making out his reports preparatory to making the return trip./ I was the only one in the bus and I sat in the middle of the side next to Ventura so the bus was parked north and south As I looked to my right , a "Saucer appeared out of nowhere appar- ently out of nowhere and it was followed by several others ; they were of uniform size and spaced at regular intervals and it seemed as if they turned a corner from the West and they rolled along at great speed to the Northward and parallel to Ventura Boulevard . " As soon as I became convinced that what I saw was not an illusion but what every one was talking about I began to study them and it was right then that my eyes seemed to be drawn to this other phenoma in the air between me and the "Saucers". What I saw was milky white rays in the sunlight that seemed to cris cross like the search lights do at night ; it was nothing like the sun shining on some bright object for the rays were not spaced and they were not so close together and they cris crossed. However, they did seem to converge toward a center but they did not meet there . In this center —— a radious of about eighteen inches it seemed from I sat, there were spinning objects of some red substance 4208 43
2 about the color of the semi- precious stone Cornelian: these fragments were sharp and irregular and shiny. They were flying about as if flying to a magnet . This was momentary and I looked to see if the "Saucers" were still there. I saw one or two but the same thing happened again and I saw the second phenomena for a second . By this time the "Saucers" were out of sight. All the way home I was trying to find some logical explanation for the "Saucers" but my mind kept reverting to the second phenomena and as I dwelt on it I could not help surmising if perhaps these rays I saw did not come out of the red fragments that were spinning in the vortex. I couldnt help wondering if this substance had been shot from the "Saucers" as they turned the corner from the west on their way to the North/. As our army would not be shooting deadly rays over toward a very crowded highway and as this whole thing seems fantastic to say the least, I thought I had better trust some ones Judgement who really knows what is going on and so you have my report on what I really saw, and what I am very curious about. Thanks to Mr. Dryden for his courtesy in letting me know just who to relate this incident to, and thanks to you for listening and I hope that it makes the right kind of impression. Sincerely yours, M. Lenore Corey
HOOCAMA FORM NO. B-506
31 MAY 1945
AFN/KDS/eb
OKLAHOMA CITY AIR MATERIEL AREA
TINKER FIELD
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA
IN REPLY REFER TO:
#3724-I 30 July 1947
MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECURITY OFFICER, OCAMA
Subject: DAN NELSON, Attorney-at-Law, 926 Perrine Building,
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Re: Flying Saucer Mystery Solved.
On 30 July 1947 DAN NELSON was interviewed at his office, 926 Perrine
Building, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, relative to his alleged solving of the
Flying Saucer Mystery.
Subject, whose age is 53, is at present engaged in practicing law and
is the agent for the Dual Parking Meter Company. Subject advised he is
married and has two sons, ages seven and ten, residing at 2613 N.W. 14th
Street, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Nelson stated he was a sergeant in World
War I, being wounded in action while serving with Company I, 58th Infantry,
and that before entering the service he had an eighth grade education. After
leaving the service he finished his education and graduated from the University
of Oklahoma in 1929. He advised that since 1929 he has practiced general
law in both Norman and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Subject stated he notified the War Department by letter on 19 July
1947, advising them of his discoveries concerning the Flying Saucer Mystery.
He received an answer dated 23 July 1947 advising his his letter had been
referred to the Air Forces. NELSON stated he heard no more from the War
Department as of 29 July 1947, at which time he released his statement to
the "Daily Oklahoman," Oklahoma City local newspaper.
Subject advised the basis for his theory concerning the Flying Saucer
Mystery was obtained from simple experiments which he conducted while driving
his automobile. NELSON stated he believed that many people had seen lights
or shining objects cast onto their windshields and side ventilator windows
of their automobile and reflected as a saucer or disc shaped object. He
stated that the movement of the automobile, plus the fact that the glass was
not a perfect mirror and passing objects could be seen in relation to the
objects gave them an appearance of great speed.
Subject advised that the vibration of the car gave the objects an
appearance of rotating and that the reflections caused them to appear flat
or saucer shaped. NELSON stated that any number of objects might be seen
according to the direction that the car is traveling and the number of bright
objects being reflected onto the window. He further stated that these objects
might be seen in an ordinary window in a house according to the lighting
Incl #1 45conditions, and that the objects might be either vertical or horizonal. The subject related that any change in speed of the car resulted in a change in speed of the object, and that changes of direction resulted in a change in the angle of travel of the object. NELSON stated he has not talked to any persons that had actually seen flying saucers or discs but he believed that these reflections plus the excitement and hysteria caused by other reports has been the basis for most flying saucer reports. Subject also stated that this same theory could be true in relation to flying saucers seen from aircraft. Attached hereto is a detailed statement by NELSON covering his findings and explaining his solution to the so-called Flying Saucer Mystery. Kalman D. Simon KALMAN D. SIMON C.I., U.S. Army 2 46
FLYING SAUCER MYSTERY SOLVED July 12, 1947. The most impressive reports of the so-called flying saucers or discs were those from aviators who claim they saw disc-shaped objects flying through the air in various formations at high altitudes and at a high rate of speed. The first report was from an aviator who stated that these so-called flying discs had a somewhat shiny appearance and would fly in formation and change their position from time to time. Most reports stated that they appeared in the late afternoon or about dusk. Most all reports were to the effect that these objects had the appearance of an inverted disc or saucer, and some of them reported that they appeared to be rotating in their flight. The mystery of the flying saucers or discs may be sol- ved by the use of a little applied science along with a few simple experiments. These flying discs or saucers can be observed by any motorist traveling along the highways when the sun is shining on most any afternoon or evening. During the day- light most of these so-called flying discs are reflections from the sun shining upon some bright object in or on the automobile driven by the observer. For instance, if you were driving in a north-westerly direction with the sun shining on the handle of the front or rear door on the left side of the car, you may notice a shiny object appear in the ventilation wing of the window on the drivers left, if it is opened to about a 45° angle.
These shiny objects may have various forms and there may be more than one, depending on the number of reflections. They may appear to be in the sky when the driver looks through the ventilation wing glass. Their position in the sky depends upon the angle at which the object is reflected in the ven- tilation wing and the position of the observer. They may have various forms but very frequently they are of a saucer shape or a flat shape when they appear to be in the sky. The ventilation wing during day-light is not of course a perfect mirror, therefore, it appears to the driver or ob- server that he is actually looking through the glass into the sky. As he moves along, the bright objects appear to be traveling at a high rate of speed in comparison with the stationary objects on the ground, or the distant horizon, that he sees through the window, or in comparison with the faintly silhouetted objects on the landscape which at times are re- flected in the window. The flying saucer appears to be traveling in the same general direction as the automobile but sometimes a little to the right which makes it appear that it will eventually cross the drivers path. The apparent flight direction of the saucer is due to the angle of the ventilation wing glass in its relation to the direction in which the car is traveling. The number and position of the saucers reflected in the glass depend upon the number and contour of objects reflected there- in by the sun. Bright objects on a car approaching from the rear may cast such reflections on your ventilation wing in the daytime. (2) 48
If the ventilation wing window were a perfect mirror the objects causing the reflections would appear therein, as well as all other objects within range, but the ventilation wing being a sort of a semi-mirror, does not reflect the object but only the bright spot, which leaves the impression that the observer is actually looking through the glass and that the object act- ually appears to be in the sky, or at times a long distance away. These results are best obtained in the late afternoon, or after sun down. The aviators who reported seeing flying discs or saucers, undoubtedly were seeing the reflection of bright objects in or on their own plane. They saw them as reflected in their canopy or wind shield, but failed to recognize them as reflections. Otherwise they were reflections from other air craft. As the aviator traveled along observing the movement of the disc in comparison with the mountains, clouds or station- ary objects on the earth, made them appear to be traveling at a high rate of speed. The sloping angle of the aviators wind-shield and his position in the plane made it appear that the discs were in the sky. The position of the discs also depend upon the position of the observer and the angle at which they are reflected in the glass. Some of the reports stated that where there were more than one flying disc, they appeared to be fastened together and frequently performed a dipping or rising motion and when one would dip, they would all go through the same motion sim- ultaneously. The simultaneous movement is due to the reflect- ions all coming from the same object. For instance, if they (3) 49
are reflected from some bright object in or on the car or plane, the up and down motion of the car or plane causes the flying discs to appear to be going through a dipping and rising motion, or, if the reflecting object is stationary and the car moving, the results will be the same. The statement that the discs appeared to be rotating as they sailed through the atmosphere is due to the vibration of the automobile or plane. Vibrations make them appear to be rotating at a very high rate of speed. Vibration is what gives them a flat or disc-like shape also. If you wish to see some flying discs, make a drive at about dusk or at night, open your ventilation wing window at about a 45° angle from the drivers seat and watch the reflections of the stationary electric lights that appear on your left, if you are driving, after you pass them and see how many discs you can observe flying through the air. If there are not too many lights to your rear, you may have a perfect formation of beautiful flying discs which may be red, green or silver according to the color of the electric lights which you have passed. They appear most realistic when traveling about forty-five or fifty miles per hour. If you do not get satisfactory results from your first experiments, try again. After you have learned when and where to look for them, your observations become more pleasing and interesting. Even the lights of an approaching automobile from your rear may appear as one flying disc in your ventilation wing. The reflections of the approaching lights will appear in your ventilation wing unless the side of your car protrudes out so far as to prevent the light beam from shining on the wing. (4) 50
These appear best when the approaching car is some distance away, perhaps a quarter or half a mile. The results at night may not be as impressive as those in the late afternoon because at night your ventilation wing window makes a more perfect mirror and the passing landscape is not as pronounced, therefore, the reflections therein are more easily detected as reflections. In the late afternoon, however, you have a feeling that you are actually looking through the glass and the reflected objects appear more real. The sun shining on a bright ring on your fin- ger with your hand resting on the steering wheel may cast disc- like reflections in your wind shield. The form of the reflect- ion will depend upon the ornamental decorations on your ring. The rear door handle on my automobile reflects nine beau- tiful, little, silver, flying discs in the bright sun-light. These appear in the lower part of the ventilation wing and when traveling on a level highway, they appear to be racing along with me at the road side. These nine discs appear in a form- ation of two rows of four each, with the ninth one in the lead at the center of the formation. They appear as whirling pro- pellers in a vertical position. These discs also have stream- ers which are due to the curveture and decorative pattern on the handle. While traveling north in the early afternoon under a bright sun, these nine discs appeared far below to my left, racing up the valley at a terrific rate. You may be able to see flying discs in your own home. If you will turn on a small electric light in the hall-way and then look through the window at the other end of the hall, (5) 51
you may see as many as three flying discs from one electric light bulb, which may have more or less of a ball shape. These discs many times appear as inverted saucers, and if you will change your position slowly you will see that they change their position also. These are best observed in the late afternoon or between sun down and dusk, when it appears to you that you are merely looking through the window pane at the discs sus- pended in the distance. As darkness comes on, the window pane becomes a more perfect mirror and your discs appear as reflect- ions in a mirror. To watch the discs, through your ventilation wing, sail along with you as you drive through the country, becomes very fascinating, especially if you use a little imagination. It may absorb your thoughts completely, therefore, I would admon- ish automobile drivers watching the flying discs, to be cautious and not run off the road or into some other car. Some of the reports on flying saucers, heretofore not ex- plained in this article, such as those reported seeing bright flashes in the sky, were no doubt reflected sun-light from planes. These light beams chanced to cross the line of vision of the observer. They frequently appear very brilliant and may more or less blind the observer for an instant. If the plane is very high it may not be seen by the observer, which may be due to impaired vision or the great height at which the plane is flying. We very often get these same blinding flashes from automobile wind-shields. Many of the reports around July 4th. were incited by various forms of fire works. (6)
Some reports stemmed from pure imagination or hysteria, while others were deliberate hoaxes. Any other reports can be ex- plained if all the surrounding facts are known. Most all of the reports and descriptions of the flying saucers coincide so clearly with the findings herein, that there could be no doubt but that we have the correct solution. The foregoing statement may not be couched in precise scientific terms, and may not be scientifically exact, how- ever, we believe it is so worded that the average layman can understand it and that it is sufficiently correct to prove the proposition. Personally, I do not believe that the so-called flying saucers or the solution thereof, are of any military value, unless the Government wished to retain this information for the psychological effect upon any potential enemy nation, such as Germany did in regard to their so-called secret weapons during the war. [ILLEGIBLE signature] Oklahoma City
Code 110A
NRL
7 August 1947
MEMORANDUM
SUBJECT: "Flying Saucers"
TO: Asst Chief of Air Staff-2
Collection Branch, AAF
Washington 25, D. C.
1. The inclosure is an excerpt from a letter to
Dr. E. Tousey, Micron Waves Section Head, Naval Research Labora-
tory, from Mr. John F. Cole, pertaining to some unidentified objects
which Mr. Cole reports to have seen some time prior to the first
reports of "flying saucers" in the New England area.
2. Dr. Tousey states that Mr. Cole is a well-known astronomer
and a reliable observer as a result of his training.
3. The inclosure is in addition to information contained
in previous letters to your office taken from interviews at the
request of Lt. Col. G. D. Garrett, AAF A-2.
1 Incl.
/ Excerpt fm ltr to
Dr. Tousey 2
WILLIAM P. MELLEN
Major, Air Corps
AMC Liaison Officer
Naval Research LaboratoryExcerpt from letter to Dr. R. Tousey from
Mr. John F. Cole
COPY
South Brooksville, Me.
July 26, 1947.
Having in mind the ridicule which has been heaped on those innocent
or perhaps gullible individuals who have reported disks, I would be a little
cautious in interpreting. But it is safe to say truthfully, that something
unusual attracted my attention, and I was in a perfectly sober condition,
barring the mild stimulation afforded by some spring water filtering through
North Haven greenstone cracks. It should be easy to determine if the "disks"
were a new type jet plane, or bomber, or rocket. The fact that it was July
3, about 2:30 P.M., summer time, at or near Deer Isle, Me., might suggest
that they were engaged in some naval demonstration from Eastport, or Bar
Harbor. The group appeared to be at an altitude of about 60° — I suffer
from mild cortical arthritis — but as my eyes are subject to acceler-
tion and hypermetropia, and I doubt if my cerebral cortical lesions are suffi-
ciently advanced to affect my balance. What first made me look up was the un-
usually loud roar and I was surprised at first to see a well defined group of planes
quite near. Instead I had to look rather sharply to see the bunch of very
light colored objects, in a general northerly direction and travelling roughly
in a NW (true) direction. This was reasonably correct, as I was on Cole's
hill, and looked over towards Backwood's Mount, that is the conspicuous flat
top planted hill at Harborside. The group could hardly have covered more
than 1½° angular diameter in the sky, and bunched rather closely with no
regular formation. There might have been 10, I couldn't say and with 90° of
objects. As a group they were going so as to cover 30° of arc, estimated of
course, in perhaps 10 or 15 seconds. If one of them, say, subtended 1/10°,
with a possible wing spread of 100 feet, it would put it at a distance of
over 10 miles, and quite invisible for a light plane. The sides, with 300
arc of travel at a 10 mi. distance would be roughly 5 miles in 15 seconds
or 20 mi./flight feet at a 1200 mi. per hour! — much too fast for a bomber — hi.
assumption as to distance, and a reasonable assumption as to angular
elevation, the object would be at a low altitude, considerably below
500 feet, and then perhaps assuming a typical airplane, say 30 feet
across. The shape may have been round, oval, discal, or irregular; at
the speed with which it travelled, I could only perceive it as a "blob."
I do not consider the distance may have been much closer. The loud
roar, because had it been, I feel sure that, late in the evening and with all
my windows open, I would have heard some sound, which I definitely did
not in this case. At night the plane's distance and location by wood vision
prompted two of the men to think that there were more of the unidentified
objects in the sky. At times the object seemed to hover in the air and then
start on again at about FIFTEEN KNOTS speed. The other object was climb-
ing, very fast towards the east almost directly into the wind.OFFICE OF THE AIR INSPECTOR
25 JULY 1947
MEMORANDUM TO: AC/AS-2, Counter Intelligence Branch
1. Information contained herein and opinions expressed are based
upon conversation with and request by Mr. Butler of your office. All
pertain to certain phenomena connected with recent widespread talk of
"flying saucers".
2. Approximately three weeks ago, on or about 7 July 1947, I
prepared to go to bed around 2230 or 2300 EDT. I was living at 2807
North Glebe Road, Arlington, Virginia, with my wife. Illustration No. 1
shows the general layout of the room we occupied at that time. See
Illustration No. 1.
[DIAGRAM: Hand-drawn floor plan of a room showing placement of bed, desk, radio, and windows with label "4 Casement windows"]
Illustration 13. I had just turned off the light by my bedside, but sat down on the side of the bed to listen to the end of a radio program before reclining. In the meantime, my wife and I were having some conversa- tion about the selection of certain furniture for a home we had just purchased. At the time of these events, as I sat facing the windows, a light appeared at the right-hand edge of the extreme end window and moved rapidly along to disappear below the trees or horizon, or to be extinguished in some fashion at some place in a general southerly direction. This is illustrated on the following page by a very tenta- tive sketch. See Illustration No. 2. [DIAGRAM: Hand-drawn sketch showing trajectory of light with annotations including "Light appeared in this direction", "appeared in this direction", and "Illustration No. 2"] 2
4. At the time, since my attention was divided and absorbed among the subjects mentioned, my reaction was simply that "a light passed by," and I gave no further thought to the matter. Only some moments later, when the thought came to me that I had never seen such an object before, and that although the first explanation would have been that a meteor had fallen toward earth in that direction, it did not have the appearance of any meteor or "shooting star" I had ever seen. Thinking of the then- prevalent talk of flying disks, I reflected that probably some such thing as I had just seen was the source of many of the newspaper and radio publicity on the subject. The next morning I destingly announced in the office that I saw a flying saucer the night before and thought that it was funny to my colleagues. Once they were flying live. I then went on to say that I supposed it was a shooting star, but that it did look somewhat peculiar. After we had discussed the general topic for some time, I dropped the subject, not wishing to add to the supposed rumors, which I envisioned as a source of serious panic over the country. 5. A description of the light, or object is almost impossible, since observation of it was so limited. As shown in Illustration No. 2, the object appeared in very close proximity to me at the time it came into view. All of my mental calculations were based upon some impression or conception of its distance at the closest point, (C). I had no way of judging this, except in the form of very crude depth- perception. If this by any chance were correct, and instead of a dis- tant object, the object had passed near-by, I would assume for purposes of description that the distance AC on the sketch was some three quarters of a mile. One factor which I could judge quite reliably was the angular elevation. This must have been approximately 2 or 3 degrees; at any rate, the light was intermittently behind the tallest trees forward of my position as it passed, and these trees are of a normal height, perhaps sixty or eighty feet, at a distance of some 200 feet. Based upon a mild assumption as to distance, and a reasonable assumption as to angular elevation, the object would be at a low altitude, considerably below 500 feet. And so, even an airplane or airship, say 30 feet across. The speed with which it travelled, I could only perceive it as a "blob." I do not consider the distance AC must have been much closer. The loud roar, because had it been, I feel sure that, late in the evening and with all my windows open, I would have heard some sound, which I definitely did not in this case. At night the plane's distance and location was quite prompted two of the men to think that there were more of the unidentified objects in the sky. At times the object seemed to hover in the air and then start on again at about FIFTEEN KNOTS speed. The other object was climbing up very fast towards the east almost directly into the wind. a mile. One factor which I could judge quite reliably was the angular elevation. This must have been approximately 2 or 3 degrees; at any rate, the light was intermittently behind the tallest trees forward of my position as it passed, and these trees are of a normal height, perhaps sixty or eighty feet, at a distance of some 200 feet. Based upon a mild assumption as to distance, and a reasonable assumption as to angular elevation, the object would be at a low altitude, considerably below 500 feet, and then perhaps assuming a typical airplane, say 30 feet across. The shape may have been round, oval, discal, or irregular; at the speed with which it travelled, I could only perceive it as a "blob." I do not consider the distance may have been much closer. The loud roar because had it been, I feel sure that, late in the evening and with all my windows open, I would have heard some sound, which I definitely did not in this case. At night the plane's distance and location was quite prompted two of the men to think that there were more of the unidentified objects in the sky. At times the object seemed to hover in the air and then start on again at about FIFTEEN KNOTS speed. The other object was climbing ing, very fast towards the east almost directly into the wind.
6. Although I could not accurately judge the time, I seem to
recall the object or light was visible for a couple of seconds.
Taking this figure literally and applying it to the sketch, No. 2,
one could roughly compute the speed of the object at 1350 mph; however,
I did not sense that it was moving with such great speed as this. It
rather appeared to move with the speed of a jet-powered airplane. It
did not deviate from a straight course while I observed it, and did not
perceptibly lose altitude.
7. In color, the subject had the appearance of a reflected white
light, a cool, bright white light with no red in it, like the moon on a
clear night. There was no train visible to me, in the form of fire,
smoke, or sparks. The weather at the assumed time and date was checked
through records of the Bolling Field weather office, and consisted of
scattered to broken clouds with visibilities of 10 - 12 miles. The cloud
condition is further indication that the object was not necessarily a
meteor, since it might have been impossible to see a meteor. I do not
personally remember the weather condition, except that I am sure it was
not raining.
8. At the time of this occurrence, I was not inclined to think of
it seriously enough to wake my wife and describe it to her, nor by any
reasoning to make official report. As time passed, I thought considerably
about the fleeting glimpse I had of whatever I saw, and am still somewhat
confused, but feel that it was some natural phenomenon which occurs but
rarely. I have flown approximately 2500 hours during the past seven
years and being generally familiar with aspects of aviation can emphati-
cally state that (a) it was no weather balloon, (b) it was not the flash of
a beacon on the cloud-base, (c) it could hardly have been an airplane on
fire, since it would have at least crashed in this general area, (d) it
was not entirely a result of imagination, and (e) it was not spending
much time in one place.
JAMES O. COBB
Lt Colonel, Air CorpsADDRESS REPLY TO
DIRECTOR, NAVAL RESEARCH LABORATORY
WASHINGTON 25, D. C.
AND REFER TO:
Code 110
ARMY LIAISON OFFICE
NAVY DEPARTMENT
NAVAL RESEARCH LABORATORY
WASHINGTON 25, D. C.
28 July 1947
SUBJECT: Flying Saucers
TO: Asst Chief of Air Staff-2
Collection Branch, AAF
Washington 25, D. C.
Supplemental to that contained in a letter to your office,
dated 18 July 1947, re interview with Mr. H. John who purports
to have seen an unidentified flying object, the following additional
information was obtained on 21 July from C. C. Rockwood, who was mentioned
in that letter as having also seen the object.
C. C. Rockwood reports the object to have been either a silvery
sphere or disc, which he would have taken to be a meteorological balloon
except for the fact that it was travelling at a much higher velocity
than the automobile and approximately in the same direction. The auto-
mobile was going about 60 mph. There was little, if any, surface wind.
When first seen at an elevation of about 45° it appeared about of
the same size as the sun. He could hear nothing above the noise of the
car. He saw no smoke or contrails.
Its motion was apparently all horizontal. Its aspect did not change
so far as could be observed during the time of observation. He thought
it disappeared by simply becoming too small to see.
William P. Mellen
WILLIAM P. MELLEN
Major, Air Corps
AMC Liaison Officer[FLIGHT PATH ↓] [ILLEGIBLE] 44 130
[PHOTOGRAPH: Black and white image showing a contrail or streak of light against a cloudy sky over what appears to be a body of water]
[PHOTOGRAPH: Black and white image showing a sky with a faint diagonal streak or contrail, a utility pole silhouetted in the foreground, and trees along the horizon]
This is an unparaphrased code (Cypher) message. Text must be paraphrased
if essential to retransmit it in another system or to communicate its con-
tents to persons outside British or U.S. Government Services. One-time
pad messages are exempted from this rule.
JOINT COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE 9421
T.O.O: 080800 Aug. 1947
[SECRET] REC'D: 1200 EDT 9th Aug.
FROM: A.M. LONDON
TO: FAPDEL CIPHER MESSAGE
AIX 6328 Aug. 8th 1947
Your AIT 14 July 29th.
During normal night flying practice at 2230 hours on 16th
January, 1947, one of our Mosquitos was vectored on to an unidentified
aircraft at 22,000 feet. A long chase ensued commencing over the North
Sea about 50 miles from the Dutch coast and ending at 2300 hours over
Norfolk. Two brief AI contacts were made but faded quickly. The un-
identified aircraft appeared to take efficient controlled evasive action.
2. No explanation of this incident has been forthcoming nor
has it been repeated.
[ACTION COPY stamp]
A.C.M.
A.M.
C.I.O. (Action)
/ec[CONFIDENTIAL]
62-83894-130
FLYING DISCS
30 July 1947
For purposes of analysis by AFIIR-CO, eighteen reported sightings
of "Flying Discs" were selected for breakdown into detailed particulars. Each
report was assigned a number and each number appears in the left-hand column
of the data on the following pages.
One report, Number 7, has not yet been received and therefore no
information is included other than Date, Name of Observer, and Location. The
Fourth Air Force is attempting to secure a statement from this observer.
Four reports, Numbers 2, 4, 17, and 18, have not been analyzed.
The subject headings on which the breakdown has been made are:
Date
Hour (Local Standard Time)
Location
Observer's Name
Observer's Occupation
Observed from Ground or Air
Number of Objects Sighted
Altitude
Direction of Flight
Speed
Distance Covered
Length of Time in Sight
Deviation from Straight Flight
Color
Size
Shape
Sound
Trail
Weather
Manner of Disappearance
Remarks
[CONFIDENTIAL]Report Number Date *Hour Location 1 19 May 1215 Manitou Springs, Colorado 2 23 May Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 3 22 June 1130 Greenfield, Massachusetts 4 25 June 5 26 June 2120 Roswell Field, Alabama 6 29 June 1130 Kera White Sands, New Mexico 7 1 July Bakersfield, California 8 4 July 2015 Emmett, Idaho 9 6 July 1345 Clay Center, Kansas 10 6 July Fairfield-Suisun, California 11 6 July East Troy, Wisconsin 12 7 July 1430 Mt. Baldy, California 13 7 July 1250 Grand Falls, Newfoundland 14 10 July 1040 Harmon Field, Newfoundland 15 12 July 1930 Elmendorf Field, Alaska *Local Standard Time /a
Report
Number Observer's Name Occupation Observed
From
1 D. A. Houser Railroad Employee Ground
F. J. Smith " "
L. D. Jamison " "
2 Byron Savage Businessman-Pilot Ground
3 R. J. DeBone Not stated Ground
4 Kenneth Arnold Business-man Pilot Air
5 Wilson H. Kayko Captain, AAF Ground
John M. Cantrell "
Redman "
Theodore Dewey 1st Lieut., AAF
6 C. H. Zohn Employee, NRL Ground
J. R. Kuuke "
C. C. Rockwood "
Nancy Rockwood
C. C. Rockwood Wife of C.C. Rockwood "
7 Richard Rankin Civilian Pilot Ground
8 L. J. Smith United Air Lines Pilot Air
Ralph Stevens " " Co-Pilot
A. B. Browning Major, AAF Air
9 Ian. B. Burniston Captain, AAF Ground
10 Not Stated CAP Instructor Air
" CAP Student "
11 Not Stated CAP Pilot Air
" CAP Passenger Air
12 Alvin E. Moorman 1st Lieut., ACUNG Air
13 Eric Kedney 1st Lieut., ACUNG Ground
Constabulary
14 Mr. Mehrman TWA Representative Ground
Mr. Woodruff PAA*
15 Graham Major, AAF Ground
and several other officers
*From letter received, observer
is obviously well educated.
42Report
Number Deviation from Color Size
Straight Flight
1 Climbed, dove, hovered overhead, re- Silver Apparently small
sumed original course
2 Silver, very Small
bright
3 None reported Not stated Not stated
4 Zig zag course "much like a water- Slightly great- Not stated
bug" er than a star;
Same solar spec-
ular reflection
5 None reported Almost dusk; Impossible to
could not dis- determine
tinguish
6 None reported Very bright and 30-50' in diameter
highly colored
Reflection from
Not stated
7
8 None reported Not stated Comparable to a
C-54 at 10,000'
9 Cantered sidewrise, stopped at 4,000' Not stated Not stated
and assumed horizontal position. Pro-
ceeded in horizontal flight for 15
seconds, stopped again, then disapp-
eared
10 None reported Not stated Not stated
11 None reported Not stated Apparent depth of
a 7-51
12 None reported Phosphorous- Not stated
color
13 None reported Not stated Moon span as a
C-54 at 10,000'
Not stated
14 None reported
15 None reported
16 Followed contours of mountains five Resembled a Approx. 10' in
miles away from observers grayish balloon diameter
5Report
Number Shape Sound Trail Weather
1 No definite shape could be None None CAVU
determined
2 None None
3 Irregular; round. Dis not None None Not stated
appear particularly disc-
shaped
4 None None Clear moonlight
5 None stated; seemed like None None
a bright light
6 No details other than that None Possible vapor CAVU
shape was uniform with no trails
protuberances
7
8 None definite, but seemed None None CAVU
flat on base with the top
slightly rough in contour
9 Round, disc-shaped None None CAVU
10 No shape could be distin- None None Sunny
guished
11 Not stated, but report re- None None CAVU
fers to "saucer" several
times
12 Same as Report No. 11 None None CAVU
13 Flat object, of light-re- None None Not stated
flecting nature which appear-
ed to be without vertical
fin or any visible wings
14 Egg-shaped, or like barrel None None CAVU
head
15 Circular in shape, like None Bluish black Clear with scat-
wagon wheel trail approx. tered cumulus
15 mi. long at 8 to 10,000'
16 Resembled balloon None None Not stated
6Report
Number Manner of Remarks
Disappearance
1 Climbed very fast and out of sight No definite shape could be determi
ned and even with the aid of 4 to 6 po
er binoculars object could not be
brought into focus
2
3 Obscured by a cloud bank From letter this observer wrote, i
is obvious he is a well-educated
person. Seeks no publicity.
4
5 Lost in brilliancy of the moon Observers (2 rated, 2 air intell.)
phoned Field Ops to ascertain no
scheduled experimental a/c were in
vicinity. Sky chart attached to re
6 Cannot explain, except that reflec- Observer is Admin.Asst. in the Roc
tion angle may have changed abruptly et Const.Sect. of NRL. Two other
"scientists", and wife of one, wer
in party and made same observation
7
8 Don't know whether they put on a tre- Observers were Pilot, Co-Pilot, of
mendous burst of speed, or disintegr- scheduled UAL DC-3. Stewardess al
ated. However, they did disappear into saw objects. Suggest reading of ve
sunset detailed statement.
9 Unexplained When first sighting object near ho
izon, observer looked at chart in
his lap to check position. When he
looked out window again, object wa
off his left wing at 11 o'clock
position. Observed side 3 times i
its path across the sky. Sun refle
ted from top side, but never from u
nrside, even when turning
10 Disappeared at an angle of about 30° Observer contacted bases in area w
above the earth's surface reported no a/c in air at time
11 Unexplained First 4 discs flying line-a-trail
12 Unexplained seemed to cut clouds open as it
13 Pilot (at 300MPH) attempted to keep passed thru. Trail was like beam
object in sight, but unable to do so seen after a high-powered landing
14 Unexplained light. Object was observed paralle
15 Unexplained Object was observed paralleling th
course of a C-47 then landing.
16 Not stated
7HEADQUARTERS FIFTEENTH AIR FORCE
Colorado Springs, Colorado
2 July 1947
SUBJECT: Supersonic Platters
SUMMARY OF INFORMATION:
The following information was related to Counter Intelligence Corps
Personnel at Headquarters Fifteenth Air Force, Colorado Springs, Colorado on
27 June 1947 by Mr. D. A. Hauser, 24 North Chestnut Street, Colorado Springs,
Colorado; Mr. F. J. Smith, 25 North Chestnut Street, Colorado Springs, Colorado;
L. D. Jamison, 24½ North Glebe Road, Colorado Springs, Colorado. All three of the
men are employees of the Pikes Peak Railway, Manitou Springs, Colorado.
"On or about 19 May 1947 during their lunch period (121-1315) a mem-
ber of a train crew called attention to a silver object in the sky approaching
from the North East. It appeared to be traveling North, at a great speed. All
three men stated that the altitude of the object was very difficult to deter-
mine because of its apparent smallness. They further stated that because of
this it was difficult to view the object as being large and having high
altitude or small and being at a relatively low altitude. They did say though
that it appeared to be higher than the top of Manitou Mountain which is over
8,000 feet higher than the tops which are situated at its base. No definite
shape of the object could be determined and even with the aid of binoculars it
still could not be brought into focus. The binoculars used were of about 4 to
6 power. The men stated that they were certain that the object did not have
any of the physical characteristics of modern conventional aircraft.
The day was discribed as being clear and sunny with not a cloud in the
sky and no ground wind.
On reaching the area just North of Manitou Mountain the object remained
in the immediate area for several minutes during which time it was seen to
execute maneuvers such as climbing, diving and reversal of direction of flight.
This happened every few seconds. Its distance and location by wood vision
prompted two of the men to think that there were more of the unidentified
objects in the sky. At times the object seemed to hover in the air and then
start on again at FIFTY mph, very fast towards the east almost directly into the wind.
Previous distribution: Evaluation
None of source of information
E O
DISTRIBUTION:
Hq SAC 3 copiesHOOAMA FORM NO. S-509
31 MAY 1945
OKLAHOMA CITY AIR MATERIEL AREA
TINKER FIELD
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA
IN REPLY REFER TO: OCAFB/XCG:cp
#3724-1 24 July 1947
MEMORANDUM TO THE SECURITY OFFICER, OCAMA, TINKER FIELD.
SUBJECT: BYRON B. SAVAGE, Field Engineer, Radio Corporation of
America, Dallas, Texas. (Residence: 416 N. W. 29th Street,
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.)
RE: Flying Disc.
On 23 July 1947, BYRON B. SAVAGE was interviewed at his residence,
416 N. W. 29th Street, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, relative to the alleged
viewing of a flying disc over the vicinity of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Subject, whose age is 36, advised he is married and has one child,
and is presently the holder of a Private Pilot's License, No. 39101,
(Single Engine, Land). Subject averred he has extensively studied electron-
ics, sound engineering and aeronautics, and his present occupation, which is
Field Engineer for Radio Corporation of America, offices of which are
located in Dallas, Texas, is that of installing theater sound equipment.
SAVAGE stated that between the dates 17 May to 7 July 1947, just after dusk,
he observed an object which he believed to be a small aircraft in the south.
SAVAGE advised that the sun had just gone down and the moon had not arisen
on the horizon. He advised that he and his wife had just departed
their residence and had started to enter their car in the driveway at
416 N. W. 29th Street, Oklahoma City. He judged the time to be between
8:30 P.M. and 9:00 P.M., and the lights from the city of Oklahoma City
appeared to be shining on this object when he first saw it. He judged the
object to be about 160° in the south when he first saw it, and as it moved
toward him he remarked to his wife that "a big white plane was coming over."
SAVAGE stated that when this object was at a 45° angle from him, he
realized it was not a conventional aircraft. It appeared spherical
at first and as it moved closer it appeared perfectly round and was flat.
SAVAGE advised the object, which appeared to him as a disc, had no appearance
of being spherical and had a ratio of approximately 10 to 1, appearing
mately 10 to 1, appearing thicker in the center, but this could not be
positively ascertained. SAVAGE judged the object to be at an altitude of
between 15,000 and 18,000 feet, and it had no trailing effects. SAVAGE
related that it appeared to be in bulk as big as the bulk of six B-29s at
an altitude of approximately the same height. SAVAGE advised that the object
was in his vision approximately 15 to 20 seconds and travelled at a speed
which he judged to be approximately three times that of jet-propelled aircraft.
1Memo to the Security Officer, OCMA, Tinker Field, dtd 7/24/47, File
3724-1.
SAVAGE stated that there were no protrusions on this object as it
went by he listened for a sound of noise, and at one time thought he dis-
tinguished a swishing sound like the rushing of air. This swishing sound
occurred a few seconds after this object had passed him. SAVAGE averred
this sound was not very loud and did not last very long, and it is very
possible that the sound was not made by the object itself. SAVAGE stated
he was not sure of the sound. SAVAGE related that he called his wife to
see this object but it had disappeared before she could focus her eyes on
it. Subject stated that the object appeared to diminish in size and
speed as it moved away, and it was moving in a direction of 190° to the
south, at about 7,000 to 10,000 feet. SAVAGE stated the object appeared
to have been cherry red to lavender in color at all times.
SAVAGE advised he has held a pilot's certificate since 1934 and
has been flying since 1927. He advised that he would be unable to answer any
technical questions about this object and was unable to determine any
cause for this particular phenomenon. It is the personal opinion of
the interviewer that SAVAGE is a very reliable person and it is felt he
saw something very unusual in the sky. In his opinion it must be
radically built and powered, probably atomic.
/s/ [ILLEGIBLE] D. [ILLEGIBLE]
LEHMAN D. SIMS
1st Lt., U. S. Army
2RESTRICTED
181 Meridian Street
Greenfield, Massachusetts
July 10, 1947
Commanding Officer
Westover Field
Chicopee, Massachusetts
Dear Sir:
After having read several accounts of eye-witnesses who claim they
had seen the so-called "flying discs", it brought to mind a strange experi-
ence I had some two weeks ago. The reason I write to you is that radio and
newspaper reports state that the Air Forces have been asked to investigate
these mysterious objects. Assuming that you are interested, I have assembled
the following report in the belief that it might possibly be of help to you. I
do not desire to have any kind of publicity whatsoever in this connection.
About 11:30 AM, Sunday, June 22d, I was working outdoors on a step-
ladder, looking up, and suddenly there appeared before my line of vision a
speeding, brilliant, small, round-shaped, silvery-white object at an altitude
I would judge to be about 1,000 ft. or more. It was moving very fast in a
straight, northeasterly direction — I would say as fast or possibly faster
than a speeding plane. It was so unusual and strange a sight that it arrest-
ed my attention for about 8 or 10 seconds until it was obscured by a cloud-
bank.
Naturally my curiosity was considerably aroused and I tried to think
what this object might have been. I doubted very much that it could have been
a weather balloon because it was not at all like any weather baloons I had seen
before. The object I saw, although small, reflected the sunlight very strong-
ly as though it were of polished aluminum or silver, and I can assure you was
very real. It appeared to have an irregular round shape and while it could
have been disc-shaped, it did not particularly impress me as such.
I have attempted to give you this information as accurately and
clearly as I know how, free from any imagination or exaggeration. Further-
more, my experience took place before I had any inkling that "flying discs"
were reported seen.
This information is being passed on to you for whatever it may be
worth, purely and simply in the interests of national security, and once
more request that you do not publicize my name.
Sincerely yours,
/s/ Edward L. DeRose
Edward L. DeRose
A CERTIFIED TRUE COPY:
/s/ ARCHIE F. ROY
ARCHIE F. ROY
Captain, Air Corps
Received AFOIR-CO
24 July 47
3[REDACTED]
HEADQUARTERS FOURTH AIR FORCE
Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff, A-2
Intelligence
Hamilton Field, California
6AFDA 17 July 1947
333.6 ID
SUBJECT: Investigation of "Flying Discs"
TO: Commanding General, Army Air Forces, Washington 25, D. C.
ATTENTION: AC of AS-2
1. Attached statements and MOICs forwarded to your office per
request TWX from Headquarters Air Defense Command, Mitchel Field, N. Y.,
dated 10 July 1947.
2. This headquarters is unable to locate Richard Rankin, however,
as soon as he is located, statement and MOIC will be forwarded direct to
your office.
3. Information copies furnished Headquarters Air Defense Command.
DONALD L. SPRINGER
4 Incls: Lt. Colonel, GSC
1. MOIC 16 Jul/Brown (dap) AC of S, A-2
2. MOIC 16 Jul/Brown (dap)
3. MOIC 16 Jul/Brown (dap)
4. MOIC 16 Jul/Brown (dap)
Info cc to ADC
4
CONFIDENTIALIncident
LAY 1205 I
16 July 1947
MEMORANDUM FOR THE OFFICER IN CHARGE:
1. On 12 July 1947, a call was made at the newspaper office of
the "Idaho Daily Statesman", Boise, Idaho. The aviation editor of the
paper, Mr. David N. Johnson, was interviewed in regard to how well he
knew Mr. Kenneth Arnold of Boise, Idaho and as to the credibility of
any statements made by Mr. Arnold. The purpose of this interview was an
attempt to verify statements made by Mr. Kenneth Arnold on 25 June 1947,
to various national news services to the effect that he, Mr. Arnold,
had seen 9 objects flying in the air above the arcade Mountain Range
of Washington. These objects were subsequently referred to as flying
saucers or flying disks and will here-in-after be referred to as such
in this report. Mr. Johnson stated that he had known Mr. Arnold for
quite a period of time, having had relations with Mr. Arnold on various
occasions, due to the fact that he had recently purchased a $5,000 airplane
in which to conduct his business to the extent of which is explained in the
attached exhibit. It is the personal opinion of the interviewer that Mr.
Arnold actually saw what he stated he saw. It is difficult to believe
that a man of Mr. Arnold's character and apparent integrity would state
that he saw objects and write up a report to the extent that he did if he
did not see them. To go further, if Mr. Arnold can be proven to be of the
character that he did while not having seen the objects that he claimed
saw, it is the opinion of the interviewer that Mr. Arnold is in the wrong
business, then he should be writing Bug Rodgers fiction. Mr. Arnold is
very outspoken and somewhat bitter in his opinions of the leaders of the
U.S. Army Air Forces and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in not having
investigated reports of this nature before. Part of the statements
made by Mr. Arnold in this report would make it a voluminous volume, however,
after having checked an aeronautical map of the area over which Mr. Arnold
claims that he saw these objects it is determined that the estimates made by
Mr. Arnold in regard to the distances involved, speed of the objects, course
of the objects and size of the objects, could very possibly be facts. The
distances are covered by Mr. Arnold in his report, are within a short distance
of the actual distances on aeronautical charts of this area, although Mr.
Arnold has never consulted aeronautical charts of the type the Army uses.
Military personnel that his business required of him increased greatly since his report
on July 25 due to the fact that at every stop or the business routes, large
crowds of people were waiting to question him as to just what he had seen.
Mr. Arnold finds it very difficult, due to the pressure, to say anything
in the sky, to quote Mr. Arnold directly, "If I see a ten story building
FRANK M. BROWN, S/A, CIO 4th AF [ILLEGIBLE]COPY CONFIDENTIAL
Statement of David N. Johnson
at Boise, Idaho, July 12, 1947.
To Whom It May Concern:
On the sixth day of July, 1947, I received from James L. Brown,
general manager of the Statesman Newspapers, incorporated in Idaho as
The Statesman Printing company, an assignment which was in substance:
"Conduct an aerial search of the northwest states in an effort to
see and photograph a flying disc. Conduct this patrol for so long a time
as you believe reasonable, or until you see a flying disc."
In accordance to these instructions, I took the Statesman's airplane,
and with Kenneth Arnold as passenger, flew a seven and one-half hour mission
on the seventh day of July, 1947. This mission was without result. It
covered an area embracing the confines of the Hanford plant in Washington,
and territory between and around Mt. Rainier and Mt. Adams, where Arnold
first reported seeing objects henceforth described as saucers or discs.
On the eighth day of July, 1947, I took an AT-6 of the 190th Fighter
squadron, Idaho National Guard, of which I am a member, and flew to northern
Idaho, into northwestern Montana briefly, to Spokane, Washington, and back
to Boise by way of Walla Walla, Washington, and Pendleton, Oregon. This
search also was negative.
On the ninth day of July, 1947, I continued the search, again using a
national guard AT-6, this time centering my efforts over the Owyhee mountains
west and southwest of Boise, a portion of the Mountain Home Desert on a track
southeast of the Mountain Home army air base, thence into the Sawtooth moun-
tains, and back in the general direction of Boise on a line carrying me well
to the north of the Shafer Butte forest service lookout station, into the
Horseshoe Bend area, and thence back in a southwesterly direction to a point
EXHIBIT "B"
CONFIDENTIALCONFIDENTIAL
between Boise and the village of Meridian, west of Boise a few miles.
During this search, which lasted approximately two and one-half
hours, I flew under and around rapidly forming cumulus clouds over that
area known as the Camas Prairie, east of Boise. The clouds were near the
village of Fairfield in that valley, and Fairfield is 76 miles airline
distance east of Boise. At that time I saw nothing in the vicinity of
these clouds.
At the time I reached the point between Boise and Meridian, I was
flying at an altitude of 14,000 feet mean sea level, which would be a mean
average of 11,000 feet above the earth in this area, not considering errors
in the altimeter induced either by barometric changes since my takeoff, or
by the temperature at that altitude.
I turned the aircraft on an easterly heading, pointing toward Gowen
Field, and had flown on that course for perhaps a minute when there suddenly
appeared in the left hand portion of my field of vision an object which was
black and round.
I immediately centered my gaze on the object. At that time, due to its
erratic movement, I thought I was seeing a weather balloon. I called the
CAA's communication station at Boise, and asked if the weather station had
recently released a balloon. The reply from communicator Albertson was that
the Bureau had not. I do not remember his exact wording; I am under the
impression he said "not for several hours" or gave me the exact time of the
previous release, which was around 08:30 that day.
Upon hearing this response, I turned the aircraft broadside to the
object, rolled back the plexiglass covering to avoid any distortion, took
my camera from the map case, and exposed about 10 seconds' duration of eight
millimeter motion picture film. During the time the camera was at eye level,
CONFIDENTIALCONFIDENTIAL
I could not see the object because of minuteness of scope introduced by the
optical view finder with which the camera, an F1.9 Eastman, was equipped.
Taking the camera away and once again centering my gaze on the object,
I observed it to roll so that its edge was presented to me. At this time it
flashed once in the sunlight. It then appeared as a thin black line. It
then performed a maneuver which looked as if it had begun a slow roll, or
a barrel roll, which instead of being completed, was broken off at about
the 180-degree point. The object rolled out of the top of the maneuver at
this point, and I lost sight of it.
This entire performance was observed against the background of clouds
previously forming over the Camas Prairie. The object appeared to me,
relatively, as the size of a twenty-five cent piece. I do not know how
far away it was. I do not know, nor can I truthfully estimate, its speed.
I can only say it was not an airplane, and if it was at a very great dis-
tance from me, its speed was great, taking into consideration that apparent
speed is reduced to the viewer if an object is a very great distance away.
I forgot to look at my clock to determine the exact time I saw the
object. The CAA's log of radio contacts shows my first contact to have been
made at 12:17 hours. But a few seconds elapsed between the time I first saw
the object, and the time I called the CAA's station.
I subsequently related over the radio a description of what I saw, and
communicator Albertson may remember it. The control tower may have a record-
ing of the conversation. I have not checked to determine that.
The purpose of my relating over the air what I saw was to enable rapid
transmission of the report to the newspaper, for at that time I was on
an assignment and my energies thenceforth were devoted to (1) transmitting the
information and (2) conducting a further search, which I did after landing
for fuel and to make some telephone calls.
CONFIDENTIALCONFIDENTIAL
The next search, begun within half an hour after landing from the
first one, consumed another two hours, but was negative. I explored thorough-
ly the region where I saw the object.
Immediately after sighting the object, I asked if there were other
aircraft in the area. There was a F-51 of the 190th squadron practicing
maneuvers in the vicinity of Buna, but that was behind me. A C-82 passed
over Boise, but I saw that aircraft go beneath me by some 2,000 feet.
The F-51 in the vicinity of Buna proceeded to the area where I saw
the object, at my request, and conducted a search. It was negative.
During the afternoon, flights of F-51s were sent out to cover the area,
and some of them flew high altitude missions on oxygen. These searches
were negative.
I was subsequently informed that personnel on both the United Air
Lines side of Gowen field, and on the national guard side, observed a black
object maneuvering in front of the same cloud formation, which by now had
grown so that the clouds reached a probable height of 18,000 or 20,000 feet
from a mean base of 13,000 or 14,000 feet, near sea level. Three of these
men were national guard personnel and I talked to them, asking them to
describe what they saw, before telling them my story, in order to avoid
suggestion or inference of a leading nature. They saw the object (from
the ground) while I was on my second search. They believed the time to
have been 14:00 hours. The object performed in the same erratic manner,
they said, as I observed.
The above is the extent of the story, and information concerning
myself is now in order.
I have approximately 2800 hours of flying time in equipment ranging
from primary trainers to B-29s. Of course, that does not increase my
powers of observation except as to those practiced daily by an airman.
CONFIDENTIALCONFIDENTIAL
It does not make my eyesight any sharper except again as to the incidental
demands upon the eyes of a pilot.
At the time of the experience related above, I had flown fourteen
and one-half hours on an assignment to find a disc and if possible, to
photograph it. In all frankness, I was tired. I may have been suffering,
although slightly, from want of oxygen.
Prior to sighting the object, I had concluded there was no point in
pressing the search, that I probably would never see the disc-like objects
referred to by Arnold and by Captain Smith of United Air Lines.
At all times during the search, both on that day and the two preceding
days (particularly when I was with Arnold) I had literally talked to myself
to keep beating into my head that I would not fall victim to the power of
suggestion or self-hypnosis arising from a naturally very intent desire to
find a disc and bring success to the assignment given me.
I therefore do not believe that I was the victim of suggestion or
hypnosis. I am familiar with the optical illusion of a fixed object begin-
ning to move after it is watched a sufficient length of time. I know what
tricks the eyes will play as to moving bodies, and have learned of this
particularly during night formation flying.
I saw the object appear suddenly. If it had moved in a jerky fashion
(as it did at first) for the full length of time I observed it, I would not
be so strong in saying that I saw something not an aircraft, not a balloon,
and not a cormorants moving across the retina of either eye. The maneuver
described by the object when its edge was presented to me convinces me that
I saw an object actually performing in an erratic flight path.
The question remains, of course, whether I saw it. The motion picture
film, developed and processed by R. H. Stohr in the Eastman laboratories at
CONFIDENTIALCONFIDENTIAL
241 Battery Street, San Francisco, showed no trace of any object. Stohr
says that if it was more than a mile distant from me at the size I described,
the object would not have registered sufficiently on the film to be shown.
He said it probably was too far away to be apparent even through great en-
largement of the negative, and enlargement in that case is limited because
of the size of the film and the fact I did not have any telescopic equipment
on the lens. The exposure was f.16, stop set at infinity, at a speed of 16
frames per second.
I have worried over this matter a great deal since seeing it. I "took
myself aside" and said, "come now, Johnson, don't be stupid." But I cannot
bring myself to the point of believing that if I did not see anything. The
impression of the moment was too vivid, too realistic, and I knew in the air when I saw
that partial slow roll or barrel roll, that I was not a victim of illusion.
I trust this matter will be of help to those investigating the flying
disc phenomena which have been reported.
A chart is attached depicting the movements of the object as I saw it.
This statement is made voluntarily and freely, in response to the
request of Mr. Brown and Captain Davidson, who called on me this morning.
/s/ David N. Johnson
Subscribed and sworn to before me, a notary public, this 12th
day of July , 1947.
/s/ Geo. L. Flaherty
Notary public for Ada
county Idaho. My
commission expires Jan 2, 1949.
COPY
CONFIDENTIAL[REDACTED] Chart to which reference is made on page six, statement of David N. Johnson. [DIAGRAM - shows a flight path with numbered positions 1-5, connected by a dotted line showing erratic movement] This sketch depicts the movements of the object to which reference is made in the attached statement. At all times the object appeared as black. Positions (1), (2) and (3) show the jerky, erratic motion. Position (4) is where the object rolled, presenting its edge to me. It then followed the dotted line, rolling near the top of the maneuver and disappearing at position (5). CONFIDENTIAL
Incident
LAF 1205 I
16 July 1947
MEMORANDUM FOR THE OFFICER IN CHARGE:
1. On 12 July 1947, Mr. Kenneth Arnold, Box 387, Boise, Idaho,
was interviewed in regard to the report by Mr. Arnold that he saw 9
strange objects flying over the Cascade Mountain Range of Washington
State of July 25th. Mr. Arnold voluntarily agreed to give the interviewer
a written report of exactly what he had seen on the above mentioned date.
The written report of Mr. Arnold is attached to this report as Exhibit A.
AGENT'S NOTES: Mr. Arnold is a man of 32 years of age, being married and
the father of two children. He is well thought of in the community in
which he lives, being very much the family man and from all appearances
a very good provider for his family. Mr. Arnold has recently purchased a
home on the outskirts of Boise, recently purchased a $5,000 airplane in
which to conduct his business to the extent of which is explained in the
attached exhibit. It is the personal opinion of the interviewer that Mr.
Arnold actually saw what he stated he saw. It is difficult to believe
that a man of Mr. Arnold's character and apparent integrity would state
that he saw objects and write up a report to the extent that he did if he
did not see them. To go further, if Mr. Arnold can be proven to be of the
character that he did while not having seen the objects he claimed
saw, it is the opinion of the interviewer that Mr. Arnold is in the wrong
business, then he should be writing Bug Rogers fiction. Mr. Arnold is
very outspoken and somewhat bitter in his opinions of the leaders of the
U.S. Army Air Forces and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in not having
investigated reports of this nature before. Part of the statements
made by Mr. Arnold in this report would make it a voluminous volume, however,
after having checked an aeronautical map of the area over which Mr. Arnold
claims that he saw these objects it is determined that the estimates made by
Mr. Arnold in regard to the distances involved, speed of the objects, course
of the objects and size of the objects, could very possibly be facts. The
distances are covered by Mr. Arnold in his report, are within a short distance
of the actual distances on aeronautical charts of this area, although Mr.
Arnold has never consulted aeronautical charts of the type the Army uses.
Military personnel that his business required of him increased greatly since his report
on July 25 due to the fact that at every stop or the business routes, large
crowds of people were waiting to question him as to just what he had seen.
Mr. Arnold finds it very difficult, due to the pressure, to say anything
in the sky, to quote Mr. Arnold directly, "If I see a ten story building
FRANK M. BROWN, S/A, CIO 4th AF [ILLEGIBLE]Incident LAF 1205 I flying through the air I would never say a word about it", due to the fact that he has been ridiculed by the press to such an extent that he is practically a moron in the eyes of the majority of the population of the United States. 1 Incl: Exhibit "A" FRANK M. BROWN, S/A, [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE]
COPY CONFIDENTIAL
SOME LIFE DATA ON KENNETH ARNOLD
I was born March 29, 1915 in Subeka, Minnesota. My father's name was
Edward Erb Arnold; my mother's maiden name was Bertha E. Harden. I was a
resident of Minnesota until I was six years old when my family moved to
Scobey, Montana, where they homesteaded. My grandfather, Roland C. Arnold
also homesteaded in Scobey, Montana, and became quite prominent in political
circles along with Burton K. Wheeler, the famous Montana senator.
I went to grade school and high school at Minot, North Dakota. I
entered scouting at twelve years of age and achieved the rank of Eagle scout
before I was fourteen. My former scout executive was H. H. Prescott, now a
regional commissioner for the Boy Scouts in Kansas City, Kansas.
As a boy, I was interested in athletics and was selected as an all-
state end in 1932 and 1933 in the state of North Dakota. I entered the
U. S. Olympic trials in fancy diving in 1932; I was a Red Cross Life Saving
Examiner during the years of 1932, '33 and '34. I taught swimming and diving
at scout camps and the municipal pool in Minot, North Dakota. I went to the
University of Minnesota, where I swam and did fancy diving under Neils Thorpe,
and also played football under Bernie Bierman, but upon entering college I
was unable to continue my football career because of an injured knee. My
high school football coach was Glenn L. Jarrett, who is now the head football
coach of the University of North Dakota. I had little or no finances, and
my ambition in furthering my education in college was through my athletics.
As a boy in Minot, North Dakota, I did a good deal of dog sled racing, placed
first with my dog in 1930 in the Lions Club Dog Derby.
In 1933 I went to work for Red Comet, Inc. of Littleton, Colorado, a
manufacturer of automatic fire fighting apparatus. In 1935 I was made
district manager for them over a part of the western states, and in 1940 I
EXHIBIT "A"
CONFIDENTIALCONFIDENTIAL
established my own fire control supply known as the Great Western Fire
Control Supply. I have been working as an independent fire control
engineer since, and I handle, distribute, sell and install all types of
automatic and manual fire fighting equipment in the rural areas over
five western states.
My flying experience started as a boy in Minot, North Dakota, where
I took my first flying lesson from Earl T. Vance, who was originally from
Great Falls, Montana. Due to the high cost at that time, I was unable to
continue my flying and did not fly of any great consequence until 1943.
I was given my pilot certificate by Ed Leach, a senior CAA inspector of
Portland, Oregon, and for the last three years have owned my own airplane
covering my entire territory with same and flying from forty to one hundred
hours per month since. Due to the fact that I use an airplane entirely in
my work, in January of this year I purchased a new Callair airplane, which
is an airplane designed for high altitude take-offs and short rough field use.
In the type of flying I do, it takes a great deal of practice and
judgment to be able to land in most any cow pasture and get out without
injuring your airplane; the runways are very limited and the altitude is
very high in some of the fields and places I have to go in my work. To
date, I have landed in 823 cow pastures in mountain meadows, and in over
a thousand hours a flat tire has been my greatest mishap.
CONFIDENTIALCOPY CONFIDENTIAL
BY KENNETH ARNOLD
The following story of what I observed over the Cascade mountains,
as impossible as it may seem, is positively true. I never asked nor wanted
any notoriety for just accidently being in the right spot at the right time
to observe what I did. I reported something that I know any pilot would
have reported. I don't think that in any way my observation was due to any
sensitivity of eye sight or judgment than what is considered normal for any pilot.
On June 24th, Tuesday, 1947, I had finished my work for the Central Air
Service at Chehalis, Washington, and at about two o'clock I took off from
Chehalis, Washington, airport with the intention of going to Yakima, Wash.
My trip was delayed for an hour to search for a large marine transport that
supposedly went down near or around the southwest side of Mt. Rainier in the
state of Washington and to date has never been found.
I flew directly toward Mt. Rainier after reaching an altitude of about
9,500 feet, which is the approximate elevation of the high plateau from which
Mt. Rainier rises. I had made one sweep of this high plateau to the westward,
searching all of the various ridges for this marine ship and flew to the west
down and near the ridge side of the canyon where Ashford, Washington, is located.
Unable to see anything that looked like the lost ship, I made a 360 degree
turn to the right and above the little city of Mineral, starting again toward
Mt. Rainier. I climbed back up to an altitude of approximately 9,200 feet.
The air was so smooth that day that it was a real pleasure flying and,
as most pilots do when the air is smooth and they are flying at a higher
altitude, I trimmed out my airplane in the direction of Yakima, Washington,
which was almost directly east of my position and simply sat in my plane ob-
serving the sky and the terrain.
CONFIDENTIALCONFIDENTIAL
There was a DC-4 to the left and to the rear of me approximately
fifteen miles distance, and I should judge, at 14,000 foot elevation.
The sky and air was as clear as crystal. I hadn't flown more than
two or three minutes on my course when a bright flash reflected on my
airplane. It startled me as I thought I was too close to some other air-
craft. I looked every place in the sky and couldn't find where the reflec-
tion had come from until I looked to the left and the north of Mt. Rainier
where I observed a chain of nine peculiar looking aircraft flying from north
to south at approximately 9,500 foot elevation and going, seemingly, in a
definite direction of about 170 degrees.
They were approaching Mt. Rainier very rapidly, and I merely assumed
they were jet planes. Anyhow, I discovered that this was where the reflec-
tion had come from, as two or three of them every few seconds would dip or
change their course slightly, just enough for the sun to strike them at an
angle that reflected brightly on my plane.
These objects being quite far away, I was unable for a few seconds to
make out their shape or their formation. Very shortly they approached Mt.
Rainier, and I observed their outline against the snow quite plainly.
I thought it was very peculiar that I couldn't find their tails but
assumed they were some type of jet plane. I was determined to clock their
speed, as I had two definite points I could clock them by; the air was so
clear that it was very easy to see objects and determine their approximate
shape and size at almost fifty miles that day.
I remember distinctly that my sweep second hand on my eight day clock,
which is located on my instrument panel, read one minute as 3 P.M., as the
first object of this formation passed the southern edge of Mt. Rainier.
I watched these objects with great interest as I had never before observed
CONFIDENTIALCONFIDENTIAL
airplanes flying so close to the mountain tops, flying directly south to
southeast down the hog's back of a mountain range. I would estimate their
elevation could have varied a thousand feet one way or another up or down,
but they were pretty much on the horizon to me which would indicate they
were near the same elevation as I was.
They flew like many times I have observed geese to fly in a rather
diagonal chain-like line as if they were linked together. They seemed to
hold a definite direction but rather swerved in and out of the high mountain
peaks. Their speed at the time did not impress me particularly, because I
knew that our army and air forces had planes that went very fast.
What kept bothering me as I watched them flip and flash in the sun
right along their path was the fact that I couldn't make out any tail on
them, and I am sure that any pilot could justify more than a second look at
such a plane.
I observed them quite plainly, and I estimate my distance from them,
which was almost at right angles, to be between twenty to twenty-five miles.
I knew they must be very large to observe their shape at that distance, even
on as clear a day as it was that Tuesday. In fact I compared a sews fastener
or awning tool I had in my pocket with them - holding it up on them and
holding it up on the DC-4 - that I could observe at quite a distance to my
left, and they seemed smaller then the DC-4; but, I should judge their span
would have been as wide as the furthermost engines on each side of the
fuselage of the DC-4.
The more I observed these objects, the more upset I became, as I am
accustomed and familiar with most all objects flying whether I am close to
the ground or at higher altitudes. I observed the chain of these objects
passing another high snow-covered ridge in between Mt. Rainier and Mt. Adams,
CONFIDENTIALCONFIDENTIAL
and as the first one was passing the south crest of this ridge the last
object was entering the northern crest of the ridge.
As I was flying in the direction of this particular ridge, I measured
it and found it to be approximately five miles so I could safely assume that
the chain of these saucer like objects were at least five miles long. I
could quite accurately determine their pathway due to the fact that there
were several high peaks that were a little this side of them as well as
higher peaks on the other side of their pathway.
As the last unit of this formation passed the southern most high snow-
covered crest of Mt. Adams, I looked at my sweep second hand and it showed
that they had travelled the distance in one minute and forty-two seconds.
Even at the time this timing did not upset me as I felt confident after I
would land there would be some explanation of what I saw.
A number of news men and experts suggested that I might have been
seeing reflections or even a mirage. This I know to be absolutely false,
as I observed these objects not only through the glass of my airplane but
turned my airplane sideways where I could open my window and observe them
with a completely unobstructed view. (Without sun glasses)
Even though two minutes seems like a very short time to one on the
ground, in the air in two minutes time a pilot can observe a great many
things and anything within his sight of vision probably as many as fifty or
sixty times.
I continued my search for the marine plane for another fifteen or
twenty minutes and while searching for this marine plane, what I had just
observed kept going through my mind. I became more disturbed, so after
taking a last look at Tieton Reservoir I headed for Yakima.
I might add that my complete observation of these objects, which I
could even follow by their flashes as they passed Mt. Adams, was around two
CONFIDENTIALand one-half or three minutes -- although, by the time they reached Mt. Adams they were out of my range of vision as far as determining shape or form. Of course, when the sun reflected from one or two or three of these units, they appeared to be completely round; but, I am making a drawing to the best of my ability, which I am including, as to the shape I observed these objects to be as they passed the snow covered ridges as well as Mt. Rainier. When these objects were flying approximately straight and level, they were just a black thin line and when they flipped was the only time I could get a judgment as to their size. These objects were holding an almost constant elevation; they did not seem to be coin, up or to be coming down, such as would be the case of rockets or artillery shells. I am convinced in my own mind that they were some type of airplane, even though they didn't conform with the many aspects of the conventional type of planes that I knew. Although these objects have been reported by many other observers throughout the United States, there have been six or seven other accounts written by some of these observers that I can truthfully say must have ob- served the same thing that I did; particularly, the descriptions of the three Cedar City, Utah Western/Air Lines employees, the/citizens from Oklahoma City and the locomo- tive engineer in Illinois, plus Capt Smith and Co-Pilot Stevens of United Air Lines Some descriptions cannot be very accurate taken from the ground unless these saucer-like disks were at quite a great height and there is a possibility that all of the people who observed peculiar objects could have seen the same thing I did; but, it would have been very difficult from the ground to observe them for more than four or five seconds, and there is always the possibility of atmospheric moisture and dust make the ground which could distort one's vision. I have in my possession letters from all over the United States and people who profess that these objects have been observed over other portions of the -CONFIDENTIAL- 2a116 78
CONFIDENTIAL world, principally Sweden, Bermuda, and California. I would have given almost anything that day to have had a movie camera with a telephoto lens and from now on I will never be without one -- but, to continue further with my story. When I landed at the Yakima, Wash., airport I described what I had seen to my very good friend, Al Baxter, who listened patiently and was very courteous but in a joking way didn't believe me. I did not accurately measure the distance between these two mountains until I landed at Pendleton, Oregon, that same day where I told a number of pilot friends of mine what I had observed and they did not scoff or laugh but suggested they might be guided missiles or something new. In fact several former Army pilots informed me that they had been briefed before going into combat overseas that they might see objects of similar shape and design as I described and assured me that I wasn't dreaming or going crazy. I quote Penny Robinson, a former Army Air Forces pilot who is now opera- ting castle operations at Pendleton, Oregon. "What you observed, I am con- vinced, is some type of jet or rocket-propelled ship that is in the process of being tested by our government or even it could possibly be by some foreign government". Anyhow, the news that I had observed these disks was very rapid, and before the night was over I was receiving telephone calls from all parts of the world; and, to date I have not received one telephone call or one letter of scoffing or disbelief. The only disbelief that I knew of was what was printed in the press. I look at this whole thing as not something funny as some people have made it out to be. To me it is highly serious and although I evidently did observe something; but at least Mr. John Doe on the street corner or Pete Andres on the ranch has never heard about, is so remote that it does not exist. Even though I openly invited an investigation by the Army and the -CONFIDENTIAL- 2a116 79
CONFIDENTIAL FBI as to the authenticity of my story or a mental or a physical examination as to my capabilities, I have received no interest from these two important protective forces of our country; I will go so far as to assume that any report I gave to the United and Associated Press and over the radio on two different occasions which apparently set the nation buzzing, if our Military Intelligence was not aware of what I observed, they would be the very first people that I could expect as visitors. I have received lots of requests from people who told me to make a lot of wild guesses. I have based what I have written here in this article on positive facts and as far as guessing what it was I observed, it is just as much a mystery to me as it is to the rest of the world. My pilot's license is 333487. I fly a Callair airplane; it is a three- place single engine low wing that is designed and manufactured at Afton, Wyoming as an extremely high-performance, high altitude airplane that was made for mountain work. The national certificate of my plane is N33355. /s/ Kenneth Arnold Box 687 Boise, Idaho. traveling this way → Top They seemed longer than wide, their thickness was about 1/20th of their width Side View Traveling this way → Mirror bright They did not appear to me to whirl or spin but seemed in fixed position, traveling as I have never cruised. /s/ Kenneth Arnold 2a116 79
RESTRICTED HEADQUARTERS TACTICAL AIR COMMAND LANGLEY FIELD, VIRGINIA 7 July 1947 IN REPLY REFER TO SUBJECT: Report of Unusual Celestial Phenomena TO: Assistant Chief of Staff, A-2 Headquarters Tactical Air Command Langley Field, Virginia 1. The following report is submitted concerning an unusual occur- rence observed by the military personnel at Maxwell Field, Montgomery, Ala. on the night of 23 June 1947. CAPT. [REDACTED] KAYKO, O-33841, Hq TAC CAPT. JOHN H. CANTWELL, O-CO3606, Hq TAC 1ST LT. THEODORE DOOLEY, O-803416, Hq TAC SGT. REDMAN, Randolph Field, Texas 2. At approximately 2140 Central time, a light, with a brilliance slightly greater than a star, appeared from the West. It was first noted above the horizon of a clear moon-light night, traveling in an easterly direction at a high rate of speed. There was no audible sound and it was impossible to determine the altitude, except that it appeared to be at great height. It traveled in a zig zag course with frequent bursts of speed, much like a water bug as it starts and stops across the surface of water. It continued until it was directly overhead and changed course 90° into the south. After traveling in the above manner for approximately five (5) minutes, it turned southwest and was lost in the brilliance of the moon, at 2145 Central it was no longer possible to observe it. 3. A call was placed to Maxwell Field operations reference this phenomenon and inquiry made if any experimental aircraft were scheduled for a flight in the vicinity. The reply was negative. 4. No plausible explanation is offered for the unusual action of this source of light which acted contrary to any common aerodynamical laws. This report is submitted upon request, in view of the many recent reports reference unusual aerial objects observed throughout the U.S. 5. Two of the above noted observers are rated pilots and the other two are air intelligence officers. All observers were cold sober. 6. Attached herewith is a sketch showing approximate course of [ILLEGIBLE] RESTRICTED [signature] W. H. KAYKO Captain, Air Corps ADDRESS ALL COMMUNICATIONS TO: COMMANDING GENERAL, ARMY AIR FORCES, TACTICAL AIR COMMAND 5 97
RESTRICTED
N
* Polaris St.
Course of light → (dashed line from W to E)
W X (Observer marked with X) E
Observer.
O moon
S
RESTRICTED
94ARMY LIAISON OFFICE NAVY DEPARTMENT NAVAL RESEARCH LABORATORY WASHINGTON 25, D. C. BIR B Code 110 18 July 1947 SUBJECT: Interview of Person Reporting Unidentified Aerial Object TO: Asst Chief of Air Staff-2 Collection Branch, AAF Washington 25, D. C. 1. At the request of Lt. Col. G. D. Garrett, AAF A-2, the undersigned has interviewed this date Mr. C. H. Zohn, Administrative Assistant in the Sonic Sonde Section, NRL, who had previously released information to the press regarding an aerial object which he stated he saw at White Sands, New Mexico, 29 June. 2. Substance of the interview is as follows: At between 1100 and 1130 p. m. Sunday, 29 June 1947, Mr. Zohn, in the company of the following: Mr. J. R. Kauke, NRL Rocket Sonde Section telemetering supervisor; Mr. C. C. Rockwood, NRL Rocket Sonde high altitude spectrograph scientist; Mrs. Nancy Rockwood, wife of the latter, was proceeding along Highway 17 in a North-Westerly direction from Las Cruces, New Mexico to White Sands V-2 firing grounds in an automobile driven by Mr. Kauke. At some time between those given and about one-third of the distance from Las Cruces Mr. Kauke, who was driving the car, noticed the subject device and called attention to the other occupants. Mr. Zohn opened the window nearest him and observed the object moving at an unknown rapid velocity at an unknown altitude, which he estimated at about 10,000 feet, and which Mr. Kauke, who also observed it through an open window, estimated at between 8,000 and 10,000 feet, although the former puts little credence in the estimates. When first sighted the object was to the right and forward of the automobile at an unstated elevation and was apparently moving horizontally in a Northerly direction such as to cross the highway from right to left. It was visible on all sides by all persons in the automobile. Mr. Zohn stated that he could not observe any details of the object other than that its shape was uniform, with no protrusions, and as far as he, wings on an airplane. It was too distant to enable stereoscopic visualization. There was apparently some solar specular reflection which seemed to change in intensity as the object receded until it disappeared at approximately 30 seconds from the time first noticed. He could not explain how it disappeared except perhaps that the reflection angle may have changed abruptly. There were apparently no clouds or visibility obstructions at the time. The sun was to the rear of the automobile. Mr. Kauke thought that at one time he saw vapor trails. 6
Ltr, ALO, NRL, 18 July 47 to Asst Chief Air Staff-2, Collection Br., AAF, subj: "Interview of Person Reporting Unidentified Aerial Object" 3. This interview was made in the presence of Dr. H. E. Newell, Acting Rocket Sonde Section Head, who said that Mr. Zohn had recently been in the Navy and is familiar with the appearance of the majority of aircraft types and with meteorological balloons. Mr. Zohn also stated that none of the occupants of the car were intoxicated. [signature] WILLIAM P. MULLEN Major, Air Corps AMC Liaison Officer 2
COPY INTERVIEW REPORT SUBJECT: Interviews with Capt. E. J. SMITH and Ralph Stevens, United Air Lines pilots, who reported seeing flying disks. Captain E. J. SMITH was interviewed at 1600, 9 July 1947, concerning the "flying disks", and stated substantially as follows: "We left Boise, Idaho, at 2004 Pacific Standard time. At approximately 2015, the co-pilot, Ralph STEVENS, called my attention to the first object seen. We were then in the vicinity of Emmett, Idaho. At my altitude was ap- roximately 6500, and we were climbing to our proposed cruising altitude of 8000 from that position. Our heading of the plane at that time was 200 degrees Magnetic North, and the object was sighted at approxi- tely 290 degrees, or ten degrees to our left. When an additional four objects appeared to join the first, making five objects in all, these four objects appeared slightly smaller than the first object. I estimated the altitude of the objects as the same plane. I estimated the altitude of the objects at 6000, but they appeared to be climbing with them. In all objects appeared on the same plane. They were within our sight for approximately two minutes, then they disappeared. "Shortly after the first group disappeared, probably one or two minutes later, the second group appeared about 310 degrees, or to the right of the plane. Their altitude was the same as the first group. Three of the objects appeared to be on the same plane, and two of the objects slightly higher and to the right of the others. The second group stayed within our sight twelve to fifteen minutes, then disappeared. We had levelled off by the time the second group disappeared. "The objects were flat on the base, the top slightly rough in contour. The dimension appeared the same as a DC-3 at approximately five miles from us. In other words, it could have been ninety miles away if it would be possible for an object as large as that would have to be to be flying, but if the distance were what we were looking at or we, we simply de- cided that if it were the size of a DC-3 wing span (90 feet), it was about five miles distant. Actually, we have no idea just how large it was since we couldn't determine its distance from us. When we first sighted the objects, we decided they were either going away from us or coming towards us. After a short while, however, we knew they couldn't be coming towards us, because we never approached them. They don't believe they could have been going a great rate of speed and still stayed in sight for as long as they did. I would judge they might have been travelling about 300 miles per hour. "My personal opinions regarding the objects are - that their speed varied, was not constant. When first sighted, they were going slow and stayed within sight for quite some time. However, when we lost sight of them, they seemed to disappear practically immediately. I think they either put on a tremendous burst of speed and disappeared from sight, or else they dissipated. Also, it appeared that only one object, the large one, was controlled, and it in turn controlled the other objects, and I think they were ground controlled." 8 97
COPY "In both instances, the co-pilot sighted the objects first and called my attention to them. The weather was clear and unlimited, with not a cloud in the sky. We checked the wind, and it was S30-10, or out of the Southwest at ten miles per hour. The air speed of the ship was about 185 MPH. The sun was below the horizon and the objects were silhouetted against the sky, hence we could distinguish no color or reflection." - - - - - - - - - - - Ralph STEVENS, co-pilot of the plane, was interviewed at 2130, 9 July 1947. STEVENS corroborated the remarks made by SMITH concerning the flight of the plane, the position of the objects, direction of flight relative to the plane, etc. There were two discrepancies in their statements as to the size of the smaller objects and the altitude at which they were flying. STEVENS stated that there was a big difference in the size between the big objects and the smaller ones, and that it was hard to distinguish the shape of the smaller ones. STEVENS also stated that the objects were at the same altitude as the plane and seemed to be climbing with them. In addition to confirming SMITH's statements concerning the flight, etc., STEVENS stated substantially as follows: "I was flying the plane when I spotted the first object at 2012 on the 4th of July, eight minutes after departure from Boise, Idaho. I thought it was an incoming aircraft similar to ours (DC-3) about five miles away, so turned on our landing lights, which is the usual signal to another plane to let it know you're in the vicinity. I mentioned this fact to SMITH, and he watched the object also. While we were both watching, four more objects appeared at the same altitude as the first. They seemed to be at the same altitude as our plane, about 6000 feet. They were heading about 290 degrees magnetic North, so I turned my plane to follow them. We watched them for four or five minutes, then they all merged as one and disappeared. I don't know whether they merged in line of flight or not, nor do I know whether they went beyond our vision or whether they dissipated. "Two minutes later, the large object reappeared with three smaller ones on it and three smaller ones a good distance to the right. We had the second group in sight for about twelve minutes. The last time seen, they were still in that formation and disappeared into the sunset. Also when we last saw them, they seemed to have continued climbing after we levelled off and were about nine or ten thousand feet. "At the time we saw the objects, the sun was below the horizon, but there was quite a bright red glow above the horizon from the sunset. I couldn't really say what distance they were from us, not knowing what they were or how big they were. However, two of the stewardesses came back and we also called the stewardess, who had not been in on the conversation, and without mentioning "disks" asked her what she saw. She stated that she saw the same things we did, which seemed to prove to us that it was not our imagination." In addition to the above, STEVENS stated, off the record, that he was rather disappointed in SMITH and all the publicity he was getting. He thought that SMITH was probably "grand-standing" some, and that as far as he, STEVENS, was concerned, he was not going to be interviewed by any re- porters, or go on the radio, etc. He stated that he was glad to talk to a "favored" person such as it or to any other government official who could help in any way he could, but he certainly didn't want to be bothered with a lot of interviews with newspapers and radio stations. STEVENS seemed to the writer to be a very level headed, sensible man, and not in favor of a lot of publicity, whereas SMITH, although a sensible man and all, seemed to be more in favor of all the publicity he was getting. - end - - 3 - 99
COPY see nothing, so the objects could have been beyond Ontario, since we had told them that they were between our plane and Ontario. It should also be noted that the personnel at Ontario would be looking at a dark sky and may not be likely to be able to see them anyway. "I can't say whether they are man-made disks or not, whether they are radio controlled or not, or anything about them. They did not maneuver much at all, except when the first group merged. All I can say is that they were going our direction and were climbing. I don't think they were clouds, as there hadn't been a cloud in the sky, and it would have been quite a phen- omenon as it was like nothing I had ever seen before. There was a big dif- ference in the size of the objects. They were sometimes hard to distinguish as to shape; they were not shiny, nor did the "flip". I couldn't swear on a stand that they were not clouds, but I think it impossible. Had they been clouds, they wouldn't have appeared and disappeared so suddenly, and we would have approached them. "As we were taxiing out to take off from Boise, the tower called us and asked us if we had seen any disks lately. As a consequence, we were and had been talking about the flying disks when we sighted them. I don't believe, however, that we were flying with a preconception. As SMITH and I were seeing the same things, even the object far off to the right in the second group. We also called the stewardess, who had not been in on the conversation, and without mentioning "disks" asked her what she saw. She stated that she saw the same things we did, which seemed to prove to us that it was not our imagination." In addition to the above, STEVENS stated, off the record, that he was rather disappointed in SMITH and all the publicity he was getting. He thought that SMITH was probably "grand-standing" some, and that as far as he, STEVENS, was concerned, he was not going to be interviewed by any re- porters, or go on the radio, etc. He stated that he was glad to talk to a "favored" person such as it or to any other government official who could help in any way he could, but he certainly didn't want to be bothered with a lot of interviews with newspapers and radio stations. STEVENS seemed to the writer to be a very level headed, sensible man, and not in favor of a lot of publicity, whereas SMITH, although a sensible man and all, seemed to be more in favor of all the publicity he was getting. - end - - 3 - 99
Incident LAF 1208 I 16 July 1947 MEMORANDUM FOR THE OFFICER IN CHARGE: 1. On 12 July 1947, Captain Smith, of the United Airlines, was interviewed at the Boise Municipal Airport, Boise, Idaho. Captain Smith was passing through Boise on a schedule flight at the time and had a 20 minute stop-over. Captain Smith reiterated the statements originally made by him to the press as to what he had seen in the late evening of July 4th, when 8 minutes out of Boise on the route to Seattle, Washington. It is the opinion of the interviewer that due to the position Captain Smith occupies, that he, Captain Smith, would have to be very strongly convinced that he actually saw flying disks before he would open himself for the ridicule attached to a report of this type. FRANK M. BROWN, S/A, CIC 4th AF
HEADQUARTERS, ARMY AIR FORCES WASHINGTON 16 July 1947 TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: I, Major Archie B. Browning, AC, do hereby swear, this date, that the following statements are true to the best of my knowledge: On 6 July 1947, while flying from Ogden, Utah, to Kansas City, Missouri, at 10000 ft in a B-25, I noticed a very bright object low and to my left, approximately 10 miles away. Time was 1:45 P.M., and position approximately 100 miles west of Kansas City. My first impression was that it was the top of a water tank. After checking my position on the map I again looked at the object (elapsed time 3 seconds). A round, disc shaped object, very bright and silvery colored, seemed to be flying one to two miles off my left wing at 11 o'clock at 11000 ft. The brightness of the object which I would estimate at 30-50 ft. in diameter, was very great. It seemed to be traveling in same direction at same rate of speed (230 KPH mil) I started to turn into it, then it completely disappeared. Weather conditions at that time were CAVU. [signature] ARCHIE B. BROWNING Major, Air Corps This officer is assigned to AC JAS-1, Pentagon Phone 73852 (See attached diagram) 9 Received AFBIR-CO 16 July 47 101
[Diagram page — compass rose with N/S/E/W labels; small aircraft symbol in center; circled number 8 to lower right; handwritten note partially legible at lower left: B-25; no text content beyond diagram elements]
RESTRICTED After having been advised of my rights and privileges under the 24th Article of War, I, JAMES H. BURNISTON, Captain, Air Corps, O-867617, Second Air Transport Wing (Provisional), Fairfield-Suisun Army Air Base, Fairfield, California, do hereby make the following voluntary statement to Captain William J. Frazier, Jr., and Sgt. Penny Stewart, whom I know to be members of the Intelligence Office. I make the following statement of my own free will, not under duress, promise of reward or immunity. On Sunday, July the sixth, at Fairfield-Suisun Army Air Base, while in the company of my wife, Mrs. James H. Burniston, I saw an object traveling from northwest to southeast at an estimated height of 10,000 feet or chiefly by my estimate of speed and performance of other types of aircraft known to me by no plane flown at that approximate altitude. This object was in sight for approximately sixty seconds, during which time it traveled approximately three-quarters the width of the visible sky. No shape or definite color could be distinguished, the object rolled from side to side three times in its path across the sky. At one time the top of the object could be seen, when the sun reflected strongly from it in a flash, and at other times the bottom of the object could be seen, with no reflec- tion from the sun. The estimated size at that height could be compared to the size of an aircraft. There appeared to be something like the top of the object and what appeared to be the bottom, there was a period when it was hard to see, or it would almost disappear. As far as shape is concerned, there was no way of recognizing shape, because the speed of the object and its motion through the air. Sight of this object was lost when it disappeared at an angle of about thirty de- grees above the earth's surface. I cannot attribute any sound to this object, because of the noise of a distant aircraft engine. The approximate time was verified by my wife as being less than one minute, during which time it was in sight. As to the identity of this object, it was not the shape of any type aircraft known to the undersigned. There was no shape of wings or fuselage. The object was noticed at first by the sun's reflecting off its surface and then the speed at which it was traveling. [signature] James H. Burniston Captain, Air Corps Received AFBIR-CO 23 July 47 RESTRICTED 103
Civil Air Patrol AUXILIARY OF THE U.S. ARMY AIR FORCES WISCONSIN WING HEADQUARTERS 181 W. WISCONSIN AVENUE MILWAUKEE 3, WIS. BROADWAY 4128 7 July 1947 SUBJECT: Report on Flying Saucers. TO: Commanding General NML AAF Base Unit Bolling Field Washington, D. C. Received AFBIR-CO 11 July 47 1. Following are startling reports by four witnesses while in flight in two airplanes. 2. Weather CAVU. Visibility exceptionally good. Scattered cirrus approximately 500 feet. 3. First report: time 1115 hours CST. Alt. of observers 500 feet above the ground. Altitude of saucer 2500 feet IFR. Observed-called - First sighted over Kashorang, Wisconsin. Flight was observed from town of Kashorang to Eldora, Wisconsin. This flight covered twenty-five (25) miles in fifteen (15) seconds, which is a speed of six thousand (6000) miles an hour. 4. Second report: time 1130 hours CST. Altitude of observers thirty-five hundred feet (3500) IFR. Altitude of saucer twenty-five hundred feet (2500). Observation period. Observers at East Troy, Wisconsin. First observed from East Troy, Wisconsin to Almena, Wisconsin. This flight covered twenty-two (22) miles in [ILLEGIBLE] second[s], which is a speed of three thousand one hundred sixty (3160) miles per hour. 5. Flight maneuvers: First observation — saucer descended vertically approximately through altocumulus clouds, stopped at four thousand (4000) feet and began climbing; stopped and then descended in horizontal flight from a horizontal position for fifteen (15) seconds, then continued for five (5) miles and again stopped and disappeared. Second observation: Observed to be approximately 15 miles distance. It was flying for a period of twenty (20) seconds covering twenty-two (22) miles. At the time the pilot had received its course from the rear compartment of the plane. The saucer appeared to have continued straight, then, terminated, ten (10) miles farther along its course after six (6) seconds making its final dis- appearance. 6. The first two observers were an instructor and a student, having just taken off from Elkhorn Airport. The second two observers, one [signature] [ILLEGIBLE] D. [ILLEGIBLE], Wing Liaison Officer 7-31/7 12
WAR DEPARTMENT CLASSIFIED MESSAGE CENTER INCOMING CLASSIFIED MESSAGE Marked on wrap CONFIDENTIAL IVI PRIORITY PARAPHRASE NOT REQUIRED. HANDLE AS CONFIDENTIAL CORRESPONDENCE PER PARAS 511 and 60e (4) AR 380-5 From: CG 4BAMA San Bernardino Calif To: CG AAF Wash DC attn AC/AS 2, Counter Intelligence Division; CG Sixth Army, Attn: AC/S, G 2; CG Ho AMC thru Sacramento AMA, Calif attn Chief Security Section DTG: 102359Z 10 July 1947 Spot report. On 8 July 47 at approximately 1550 PST Alvin S Moorman 1st Lieut AC and 96 Flight wing formation leader in CRD P 51 at 20,000 feet indicated a flat object of light reflecting nature which appeared to be with-out fins or any visible wings with the approximate depth of a P 51 airplane at approximately 35,000 feet altitude and approximate location of 38 degrees 5 minutes latitude 117 degrees 50 minutes longitude. Object was in sight for approximately 30 seconds. Object was again sighted at 15505 PST at approximately 50000 feet altitude and over Mount Baldy approximately location 0 degrees 20 minutes latitude-117 degrees 47 minutes west longitude. Pilot attempted to keep object in sight but was unable to do so. Speed of P 51 approximately 300 mph and climbing. March Field and other bases in area were contacted and reported none of their ships in the air. ACTION: AAF End INFO: ID, FBI, Spo Up, R&D CM IN 1870 (12 Jul 47) DTG 102359Z CONFIDENTIAL 13 ACTION COPY Received AFBIR-CO 14 July 47 THE MAKING OF AN EXACT COPY OF THIS MESSAGE IS FORBIDDEN 13 DUI
[Handwritten note on dark background] August 10 7457 Maj Browning - A-1 offered brand NW of Topeka (Clay Center - Kansas) Flying @ 10ft @ 90° B-25 @ 230 mph Nose @ 100° a little higher approx point When first seen, he thought it was a water tower; about a mile away it looked like a flying wing except it was flying vertically and almost completely round. No smoke, no fire, headlights at almost level his eye. Then he turned toward it and it disappeared almost immediately. He believes it must have been up or race because of speed at which it disappeared. This co-pilot was dozing at the time and by the time he was wakened the object disappeared. Original reaction was to not recognize it, but it came up as fast, then appeared to stop, then disappeared. Landed at Kansas City 1400 hrs Central Time. This took place approx 1335
CONFIDENTIAL FROM: CG ATLD ATC FORT TOTTEN, N.Y. TIME AND DATE FILED: 142332Z JULY 1947. TO: CG ATC ATTN CHIEF OF STAFF MESSAGE FROM NEWFOUNDLAND BASE COMMAND SUBJECT QUOTE FLYING DISCS UNQUOTE GIVES FOLLOWING SUMMARY OF INTERVIEW WITH ERIC KEARSEY CMA NEWFOUNDLAND CONSTABULARY CLN CONSTABLE REPORTED SEEING FOUR EGG SHAPE PHOSPHORUS COLOR DISCS ABOVE GRAND FALLS NEWFOUNDLAND AT TWO THREE THREE ZERO HOURS LOCAL TIME NINE JULY AND A SINGLE DISC ONE ZERO MINUTES LATER PD AT FIRST APPEAR- ANCE ACCORDING TO KEARSEY FOUR DISCS WERE CLOSE TOGETHER IN ABLE LINE A TRAIL FORMATION MOVING EAST PARALLEL TO GROUND PD SINGLE DISC LESS CLEAR BUT TRAVELING SAME DIRECTION PD KEARSEY WOULD ROUGHLY ESTIMATE ALTITUDE OF DISCS AT THREE ZERO THOUSAND FEET SEMICLN APPARENTLY MOVING VERY FAST AS THEY DISAPPEARED IN ABLE FEW SECONDS PD KEARSEY SAID SHAPE OF DISC WAS LIKE BARREL HEAD OR EGG SEMICLN BLACK SPOTS ON TAILING SEMICLN NO SMOKE TRAIL SEMICLN AND HERE REPORTED THAT ANOTHER OBSERVER COMPARED SHAPE OF DISCS TO THOSE LEAF PD END OF COMMUNICATION FROM NEWFOUNDLAND BASE COMMAND PD ESTAB- LISHED BY INTERVIEWER CMA NONCOM IN CHARGE REPEATER STATION GRAND FALLS CMA THAT CAVU WAS WEATHER AT TIMES INDICATED ATO CM-IN X0044 14 Received AFBIR-CO 15 July
RESTRICTED
k 40
INCOMING CLASSIFIED MESSAGE
C O P Y
FROM: STEPHENVILLE, NEWFOUNDLAND PRIORITY
TIME AND DATE FILED: 1519152 JULY 1947
TO: CG HQ A-2 WASH DC ATTN AC/S INTELLIGENCE INFO CG ATLD ATC
FT TOTTEN LY NY DO MRC SFC PT PEPPERREL APO 862 C/O FM NEW YORK FROM CO
15094TH AAF BASE
IN REPLY CITE: NPX 0018
FOR INTELLIGENCE PD ONE FLYING DISC, SIGHTED 2000Z 10 JULY 47, OVER
HARMON FIELD, NEWFOUNDLAND, AT APPROXIMATELY 10000 FEET, COURSE:
NORTH NORTH EAST PD WEATHER: CLEAR WITH SCATTERED CIRRUS AT 6-10000 FEET
PD COLOR: SILVERY PD DISC WAS FIRST SIGHTED ABOUT 5 MILES SOUTH SOUTH W
EST FROM HARMON FIELD BY MR SHEEHAN, THE REPRESENTATIVE AND MR
WOODRUFF, FAA REPRESENTATIVE PD DISC APPEARED ABOUT THE SAME SPAN AS
C-54 AT 10000 FEET, WAS CIRCULAR IN SHAPE LIKE WAGON WHEEL, DISC
SEEMED TO CUT THE CLOUDS OPEN AS IT PASSED THRU AND LEFT A BLUISH BLACK
TRAIL APPROXIMATELY FIFTEEN MILES LONG PD TRAIL WAS SIMILAR TO THE
BEAM SEEN AFTER A HIGH POWERED LANDING LIGHT OR SEARCH LIGHT IS SWITCHED
OFF PD KODACHROME PICTURES WERE TAKEN AND ARE BEING DEVELOPED STATE
SIDE PD PHOTOS WILL BE FORWARDED AS SOON AS THEY ARE RECEIVED BY
MR WOODRUFF END
[signature]
May Kimball
16/7/47
15
X-0051
RESTRICTED Received AFBIR-CO
16 July 47
107MESSAGEFORM
MESSAGE CENTER NO. TRANSMITTING MEANS CRYPTOGRAPH OR CLEAR TEXT
CM-1
CALLS SRL NO. 90 PRECEDENCE TRANSMISSION INSTRUCTIONS ORIGINATOR DATE-TIME GROUP
V PRIORITY 102148Z
July 47
ACTION
SPACE ABOVE FOR SIGNAL CENTER ONLY
FROM: (Originator) 79th AACS Group SECURITY CLASSIFICATION
FIFTH Elmendorf Alaska CONFIDENTIAL
ACTION TO:
GONAB ATTN ASST CHIEF STAFF
INTELLIGENCE
PRECEDENCE FOR:
INFORMATION
[ ] ORIGINAL MESSAGE
[ ] REFER TO ANOTHER MESSAGE
IDENTIFICATION CLASSIFICATION
INFORMATION TO:
OBJECT RESEMBLING A GRAYISH BALLOON APPROXIMATELY ONE ZERO FEET
IN DIAMETER OBSERVED FROM ELMENDORF FIELD FLYING IN NORTHWEST
DIRECTION FOLLOWING CONTOUR OF MOUNTAIN FIVE MILES AWAY PD OBJECT
FLYING ALTITUDE ONE FIVE ZERO ZERO FEET ESTIMATING ONE ZERO ZERO
MILES PER HOUR IT WAS OBSERVED PARALLELING THE COURSE OF CHARLIE
DADE FOUR GATES LANDING NORTHEAST INTO TWO ZERO MILE PER HOUR
WIND PD OBJECT WAS OBSERVED ONE TWO ZERO FOUR THREE ZERO EXTRA
FOR SEVERAL MINUTES BY MAJOR GRAM THIS HEADQUARTERS SEVERAL
OFFICERS FROM ALSO AN INFANTRY LIEUTENANT SUBSTANTIATED HIS STORY PD
COPY
16
Received AFBIR-CO
16 July 47
PARAPHRASE NOT REQUIRED. Handle as CONFIDENTIAL correspondence
per Paragraphs 511 and 60e (4), AR 380-5, 15 August 1946.
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION AUTHORIZATION
CONFIDENTIAL
SYMBOL ORIGINATING AGENCY DATE-TIME GROUP OFFICIAL TITLE PAGE OF
WD AGO 1996 11-168 This form supersedes WD AGO Form 11-168, 20 Aug 44,
19 JAN 1946 and WD AGO Form 58, 16 Mar 43, which are obsolete.
108MESSAGEFORM MESSAGE CENTER NO. TRANSMITTING MEANS CRYPTOGRAPH OR CLEAR TEXT CR 97 ROUTINE CALLS V REL NR. N. PRECEDENCE CONFIDENTIAL TRANSMISSION INSTRUCTIONS ORIGINATOR DATE-TIME GROUP 120047A July 47 ACTION INFORMATION EXEMPT OPERATING SIGNALS GROUP COUNT SPACE ABOVE FOR SIGNAL CENTER ONLY FROM: (Originator) 99th AAGs Group Eilmendorf Alaska SECURITY CLASSIFICATION CONFIDENTIAL ACTION TO: . COMAS ATTN ASSISTANT CHIEF OF STAFF INTELLIGENCE PRECEDENCE FOR ACTION INFORMATION [X] ORIGINAL MESSAGE REFERS TO ANOTHER MESSAGE IDENTIFICATION CLASSIFICATION INFORMATION TO: OBJECT RESEMBLING AN ALUMINUM COLORED BALLOON ABOUT THREE FEET IN DIAMETER WAS REPORTED SEEN AT AN UNDETERMINED ALTITUDE FLYING AT A GREAT SPEED IN A NORTH TO SOUTH DIRECTION PD OBSERVATION WAS MADE IN VICINITY OF ELMENDORF FIELD AT ONE ONE TWO ONE ZERO ZERO LIBRA BY COLONEL PERRY AND MAJOR GAYEN THIS HEADQUARTERS PD COPY Received AFBIR-10 14 July 47 Paraphrase not required. Handle as CONFIDENTIAL correspondence per paragraphs D11 and 6cm (4), AR 380-5, 15 August 1946. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION AUTHORIZATION CONFIDENTIAL SIGNATURE SYMBOL ORIGINATING AGENCY DATE-TIME GROUP OFFICIAL TITLE PAGE OF WD AGO FORM 11-168 This form supersedes WD AGO Form 11-165, 28 Aug 44, 11 JUN 1947 and WD AGO Form Msl, 13 Mar 46, which are obsolete.
HOWARD A. PLUMMER 296 MAIN ST. FROST MORK, MARYLAND July 21, 1947 Chief of Bureau of Intelligence Washington D. D., Sir: On Sunday, July 20th, I observed an air- craft overnight that was unlike any I have seen to date and may shed some light on the Flying Saucer Mystery. I would first spend 1942 to 1944 with the Navy as a [ILLEGIBLE] in the field of Scout Signal Corps assigned to the 3rd, 7th, and 11th Fleet Air Force respectively. During this time I had the opportunity to observe all types of aircraft and under all types of conditions. What I saw was new to me then. At 9:45 AM (CST) Sunday July 20th, I observed an airborne object that appeared to be circular or roughly round, light silvery white or silver-white or disk area, also near its center, flying in a North-East by West heading in the same airmass past by Conner and the chain between Washington D.C. and Pittsburg, Pa. The point of observation was approximately 20 miles East of Cumberland, Md, from the North bank of the Potomac River. The object was about three (3) or more feet wide with three short legs or a pattern noted as 4000 and never yet all the dots. Planes had been growing and changing to which a point little or in all things, but with the approaching of the craft imagination was a calling
around that grew steadily and clearer until it reached the proportions of a bun or when the craft was overhead. This sound was not unlike that of a jet propelled plane except the less or silence were certainly loud. Due to the near condition of the sky being unable to see the aircraft until I had passed overhead and, going and a form was seen a close-in when it was clearly visible for a period of about twenty (20) seconds. The aircraft was above the tops most layer of clouds or somewhere in the vicinity of 12000 the altitude. At 09:47 AM OCR aircraft passed over going in the same direction and at the same course at about 8000 feet altitude. The principal differences are: 1- The craft was circular or roughly round in shape. 2- It was about a dull or white mixed with a darkness at the center. 3- There was no kind of number, make, size or sound like the jet. 4- The speed was about 3/4 times greater than the instrument, not OCR. 5- The edges by a panoramic would possibly compared with a baseball held 200 feet from the eye. The only conclusion I have made on the matter are:
a- This is an entirely new type of aircraft. b- It is a high powered jet propelled aircraft with a fuselage designed to hide the fuel assembly and using tips, since neither were in evidence. A check of aircraft in this area at the times specified should determine, and possibly answer this mystery. If possible, I would like very much to know the answer. Howard A. Plummer
Package received from Sheriff Merle T. Wilmoth, Watseka, Ill. His letter states the instrument in the package was found by a farmer at Danforth, Ill. It landed in the middle of a section of his farm land and burned weeds 2½ feet tall to fine ash an area of 1½ feet in diam. around where the object dropped. The instrument consists of: (a) Plaster of paris body having an oval cavity thru it. (b) A power microphone which screws over one end of the oval cavity. The power microphone carried the name, "Nathaniel Baldwin Inc." Salt Lake City, Utah. Pat July 10 1910 & Sept 14, 1915. Pat Nos 957403 (second number not readable) (c) A small "Polymat" filter condenser. (d) Two bakelite cylinders to which is attached a net work of fine copper wire. These were obviously coils and the impact has torn the wire from the core. (Our radio section definitely states that this is old stuff, or the coils were used quite some time ago, since having been replaced by smaller more efficient coils) (e) A piece of metal having magnetic properties obviously broken off the power microphone as a result of the impact. The plaster of paris body was broken up by the impact but some of the pieces were held together by wire reinforcement inside the plaster of paris. Mrs. Whedon 3B 274 Ext 73909 (Lig C) was shown this object by Mr. Zimmer of the FBI. Mrs Whedon claims she knew what it was, but couldn't tell Zimmer. Major [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] [ILLEGIBLE] 24/43
Office Memorandum · UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT 6-47 RB 22 AM 11 44 TO: Mr. Ganon, Regional Office No. 1, S.C. DATE: 7/15/47 FROM: Mr. Wright, SSID, Richmond, Va. Restricted SUBJECT: "Flying Disks" We hesitate to make this report concerning our pilot balloon observations in regards to a flying disk because the considerable national skepticism regarding the subject at present. However, local newspapers inform us that the U. S. Government admits no authority for such a ship or object and for its flights. Then we must assume this strange object to be foreign. Therefore, we submit this report for your information. We would be glad to cooperate with anyone who would like to drop the balloon and instead take observations on this disk. Mr. Bloemsaal has observed this strange metallic disk on three occasions through the theodolite while making his pilot balloon runs during the last six months. Miss Baron has reported observing it on one occasion. Miss Baron's report agreed with Mr. Bloemsaal's observations except as to the color-which she reported as a dull metallic luster. Mr. Bloemsaal last observed this disk in April 1947 at the 11000 final observation when the balloon was at 13 thousand feet. The disk was followed for 15 seconds, apparently moving on level flight from east to west to the far north of the station. The object was a metallic like chrome colored something like an ellipse with a flat level bottom and a dome like-round top. The disk appeared below the balloon, was much larger in size to the instrument, and shined like silver. It was impossible to determine the height or speed of the disk except that it appeared to be moving rather rapidly. Also it could not be seen when the balloon passed beyond 13 thousand feet. All days observed were either clear or with very few clouds and good visibility. Very truly yours, George A. Wright [Table with column headers: P.O., ENDC ARCT, FLE, SPIT[ILLEGIBLE], ADE, ADN, SPE, ERC, FISCAL, LABORATORY, ADT, SECRETARY, PLT]