DOW-UAP-D156, Air Intelligence Information Report, Guam, 1956

[PAGE 1] 1076806 AF FORM 112 APPROVED 1 JUNE 1948 Confidential (CLASSIFICATION) COUNTRY Japan REPORT NO. IR-7-57 (LEAVE BLANK) 1076806 AIR INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION REPORT SUBJECT (U) Unidentified Flying Object Report AREA REPORTED ON Guam, M.I. FROM (Agency) DI FEAF ATILO DATE OF REPORT 8 Feb 57 DATE OF INFORMATION 15 Jan 57 EVALUATION B-4 PREPARED BY (Officer) Capt Alan G. Pound, ATILO SOURCE Messages from D/O 7th Air Force (Adv) REFERENCES (Control number, directive, previous report, etc., as applicable) AFR 200-2 Unidentified Flying Object Reports SUMMARY: (Enter concise summary of report. Give significance in final one-sentence paragraph. List inclosures at lower left. Begin text of report on AF Form 112—Part II.) 1. This report forwards information received by message from Commander, 7th Air Force (Advanced) Guam, M.I., concerning an unidentified aerial blinking light observed by an F-86D pilot flying in the Guam radio range holding pattern on the night of 31 Dec 56. 2. Further investigation determined that a lighted weather balloon had been launched one hour and thirty-eight minutes (1:38) prior to the sighting. The balloon was lost from the view of the ground station one hour and ten minutes (1:10) prior to the incident. 3. Unless the lighted balloon which was launched prior to the sighting malfunctioned and remained at a relatively low altitude, the Unidentified Flying Object can not be readily explained. APPROVED: [signature, illegible] For HARRY C. KIELING, Colonel, USAF, Director of Collections [handwritten annotation beside signature, illegible] 0 INCLS. X DISTRIBUTION BY ORIGINATOR AFOIN-4, W-P AFB, O; ALASKAN AIR COMD; AIR DEFENSE COMD; 5th AF; 7th AF; 3rd ADIV; COMNAVMAR, GUAM NOTE: THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE OF THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE ESPIONAGE ACT, 50 U. S. C.— 31 AND 32. AS AMENDED. ITS TRANSMISSION OR THE REVELATION OF ITS CONTENTS IN ANY MANNER TO AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS PROHIBITED BY LAW. IT MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED IN WHOLE OR IN PART, BY OTHER THAN UNITED STATES AIR FORCE AGENCIES, EXCEPT BY PERMISSION OF THE DIRECTOR OF INTELLIGENCE, USAF. X12913 CONFIDENTIAL (CLASSIFICATION) 16—55569-2 U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE [PAGE 2] AF FORM 112—PART II APPROVED 1 JUNE 1948 Confidential (CLASSIFICATION) AIR INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION REPORT FROM (Agency) DI FEAF ATILO REPORT NO. IR-7-57 PAGE 2 OF 4 PAGES 1. At 1610Z on 31 Dec 56 an F-86D pilot flying in the Guam range holding pattern sighted an unidentified blinking white light. Following is a copy of the unclassified message forwarded from Commander, 7th Air Force (Advanced), Guam, Marianas Islands, as a result of the sighting: "The following report submitted in accordance with paragraph 7, AFR 200-2, dated 12 Aug 1954 and FEAF Supplement 1 dated 30 March 1956. This message in 12 parts. Part 1. A. Round. B. Dime. C. White. D. One. E. No. F. No. G. None. H. Not discernible. I. Blinking white light (remained constant for approximately four (4) seconds then blinked off and on quickly remaining constant again for the same amount of time). Part 2. A. Object passed under aircraft while it was in a holding pattern on the Guam range. It came from a westerly heading. B. Azimuth was thirty (30) degrees right, elevation about 25 degrees low. C. Pilot turned with the object and descended so azimuth and elevation was not discernible. D. The object came in from a westerly heading and pilot, thinking it was a B-47, turned down and into the object. The object proceeded to turn with the aircraft. Pilot began to get suspicious of object when he was unable to close with it and it continued to turn with him on the turn. The pilot knew there were no other fighters airborne at the time and other aircraft stationed in the vicinity could not turn outside the F-86D's turning radius. The object passed between the interceptor and the city of Agana, Guam, and at this time no silhouette was seen. The object proceeded south for approximately 10 miles at the pilot's altitude (20,000 MSL) then it climbed to about 30,000 MSL and came directly over interceptor. Pilot turned aircraft to keep it in sight and it started circling him. The interceptor was placed in afterburner and turned into the object trying to head it off. It continued to turn around aircraft and he was unable to gain on it or close with it. Then it proceeded west at aircraft altitude and returned over fighter at 10 to 15,000 feet high. Pilot again turned to keep it in sight and it circled fighter again. At this time pilot had to break off and return to Andersen Air Force Base due to low fuel remaining. E. Contact was lost when pilot returned to base. F. Approximately 10 minutes. Part 3. A. Air visual. B. None. C. F-86D, 52-9995, 26,000 feet MSL, 242 degrees, 200 knots, Andersen AFB. Part 4. A. 1610Z, 31 Dec 1956. B. Night. Part 5. In aircraft over Guam radio range. Part 6. A. N/A. NOTE: THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE OF THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE ESPIONAGE ACT, 50 U. S. C.— 31 AND 32, AS AMENDED. ITS TRANSMISSION OR THE REVELATION OF ITS CONTENTS IN ANY MANNER TO AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS PROHIBITED BY LAW. IT MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED IN WHOLE OR IN PART, BY OTHER THAN UNITED STATES AIR FORCE AGENCIES, EXCEPT BY PERMISSION OF THE DIRECTOR OF INTELLIGENCE, USAF. CONFIDENTIAL (CLASSIFICATION) 16—55570-1 U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE [PAGE 3] AF FORM 112—PART II APPROVED 1 JUNE 1948 Confidential (CLASSIFICATION) AIR INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION REPORT FROM (Agency) DI FEAF ATILO REPORT NO. IR-7-57 PAGE 3 OF 4 PAGES B. Brunson, Ted, First Lieutenant, 41st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, alert pilot, observer considered very reliable, no other supporting. Part 7. A. Broken clouds at approximately 3,000 feet. Clear above. Visibility 15 miles plus. B. Surface-60 degrees at 9 knots; 6,000-100 degrees at 24 knots; 10,000-100 degrees at 20 knots; 16,000-70 degrees at 16 knots; 50,000-120 degrees at 35 knots; 80,000-not available. C. 10,000 feet. D. 15 miles. E. Overcast 10/10. F. Negative. Part 8. None. Part 9. Tried to get type and shape and to observe the object. Succeeded only in keeping it in sight. Part 10. No other traffic known. A check of all fields and control stations verified this. Part 11. Charles E. Heidenreich, 2nd Lt., USAF, Intelligence Officer, 41st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron. Comments: Submitted without comment. Part 12. None." 2. Since the UFOB was similar to sightings of weather balloons, 7th Air Force (Adv) was advised to check on any lighted balloons that might have been released at a time to correspond with the sighting. Confirmation was received that a lighted balloon had been launched at 1432Z 31 Dec 56 by the U. S. Weather Bureau at the U. S. Navy Communications Station (13°13'N - 144°50'E). The balloon was last tracked five (5) miles west of the station at 13°33'N - 144°46'E, altitude 20,000 feet at 1500Z. The observing pilot was again questioned and he stated that he did not believe that the UFOB was a weather balloon because the UFOB maneuvered with the F-86D and accelerated past his aircraft. 3. For convenience in evaluating this report, a sketch of the general locality of the incident follows: [Diagram: hand-drawn sketch map of Guam on a latitude/longitude grid. Longitude labels across the top: 144°30' / 144°40' / 144°50' / 145°E. Latitude labels down the right side: 13°40'N / 13°30' / 13°20' / 13°10'. Labeled points on the sketch: "GUAM HOLDING PATTERN" (dashed loop north of the island), "ANDERSON AFB", "BALLOON LAUNCHED HERE", "AGANA".] NOTE: THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE OF THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE ESPIONAGE ACT, 50 U. S. C.— 31 AND 32, AS AMENDED. ITS TRANSMISSION OR THE REVELATION OF ITS CONTENTS IN ANY MANNER TO AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS PROHIBITED BY LAW. IT MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED IN WHOLE OR IN PART, BY OTHER THAN UNITED STATES AIR FORCE AGENCIES, EXCEPT BY PERMISSION OF THE DIRECTOR OF INTELLIGENCE, USAF. CONFIDENTIAL (CLASSIFICATION) 16—55570-1 U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE [PAGE 4] AF FORM 112—PART II APPROVED 1 JUNE 1948 Confidential (CLASSIFICATION) AIR INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION REPORT FROM (Agency) DI FEAF ATILO REPORT NO. IR-7-57 PAGE 4 OF 4 PAGES COMMENTS OF THE PREPARING OFFICER: 4. The check on the lighted weather balloon showed that it was launched at 1432Z and had ascended to 20,000 feet at 1500Z. It was lost from view at that time. It's ascension rate was somewhat slower than standard. Normally a weather balloon would be near the 27,500 foot level twenty-eight (28) minutes after launching. 5. If the weather balloon had ascended normally, it would have been much higher than the altitude of the reported sighting. If the balloon had malfunctioned and leveled off or descended, it could possibly explain the reported UFOB. [signature] Alan G. Pound ALAN G. POUND Captain, USAF Air Tech Intel Liaison Officer COMMENTS OF THE APPROVING OFFICER: This report was prepared in its entirety by a member of the Air Technical Intelligence Liaison Office. HJK NOTE: THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE OF THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE ESPIONAGE ACT, 50 U. S. C.— 31 AND 32, AS AMENDED. ITS TRANSMISSION OR THE REVELATION OF ITS CONTENTS IN ANY MANNER TO AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS PROHIBITED BY LAW. IT MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED IN WHOLE OR IN PART, BY OTHER THAN UNITED STATES AIR FORCE AGENCIES, EXCEPT BY PERMISSION OF THE DIRECTOR OF INTELLIGENCE, USAF. CONFIDENTIAL (CLASSIFICATION) 16—55570-1 U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE [PAGE 5] [Note: this page is a duplicate of page 4, scanned upside down (rotated 180 degrees); transcribed below right-side up.] AF FORM 112—PART II APPROVED 1 JUNE 1948 Confidential (CLASSIFICATION) AIR INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION REPORT FROM (Agency) DI FEAF ATILO REPORT NO. IR-7-57 PAGE 4 OF 4 PAGES COMMENTS OF THE PREPARING OFFICER: 4. The check on the lighted weather balloon showed that it was launched at 1432Z and had ascended to 20,000 feet at 1500Z. It was lost from view at that time. It's ascension rate was somewhat slower than standard. Normally a weather balloon would be near the 27,500 foot level twenty-eight (28) minutes after launching. 5. If the weather balloon had ascended normally, it would have been much higher than the altitude of the reported sighting. If the balloon had malfunctioned and leveled off or descended, it could possibly explain the reported UFOB. [signature] Alan G. Pound ALAN G. POUND Captain, USAF Air Tech Intel Liaison Officer COMMENTS OF THE APPROVING OFFICER: This report was prepared in its entirety by a member of the Air Technical Intelligence Liaison Office. HJK NOTE: THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE OF THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE ESPIONAGE ACT, 50 U. S. C.— 31 AND 32, AS AMENDED. ITS TRANSMISSION OR THE REVELATION OF ITS CONTENTS IN ANY MANNER TO AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS PROHIBITED BY LAW. IT MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED IN WHOLE OR IN PART, BY OTHER THAN UNITED STATES AIR FORCE AGENCIES, EXCEPT BY PERMISSION OF THE DIRECTOR OF INTELLIGENCE, USAF. CONFIDENTIAL (CLASSIFICATION) 16—55570-1 U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE