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[PAGE 1] HEADQUARTERS IN REPLY AIR DEFENSE COMMAND REFER TO MITCHEL FIELD NEW YORK 12 September 1947 SUBJECT Unidentified Flying Object Interview Alpheus Powell SUMMARY OF INFORMATION The following information was received 12 August 1947 from Mr Alpheus Powell 28 Redwood Road Wew Hyde Park Long Island relative te the sighting of a possible flying dise August 1947 On August 1947 Mr Powell an Airlines Captain with Pan American Airways Inc was the first pilot of 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 1230 P.M Eastern Daylight Saving Time for Le Guardia Field Hew York At 1600 P.M at a position approximately midway between the Everett Mess fen Merker and the Bedford Radic Beacon Everett is miles HW of Boston Mass and Bedford is 15 miles BW of the same city both Mr Powell and Mr White navigator on this trip sighted unidentifieble flying objects To the beet of Mr Powell's knowledge the following weather conditions existed at that time Visibility was goods cloud coverage was from 6-8/10ths with tops at 10,000 feet and the wind at the 8,000 foot level was estimated as boing 270/25 miles per hour The sircraft was at 8,000 fest airspeed 265 mph and the course was 244 degrees magnetic 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 which was on the right side of the plane snd slightly below the level of the aireraft Mr Powell was unable to see the object as he had no visibility to the right and down from his position Mr Powell immedietely glanced out his side window and noticed at a 45° angle to the left and wuidéntified flying abject It was about one mile sway at an altitude of approximately 7,500 feet Mr Powell banked to obtain a better view of the object The object was under observation for approximately 50 seconds end during this time was viewed by Mr Powell Mr Powell described the object as being about the length of a P-40 fuselage blunt at both ends cylindrical in shape and having a bright orange hue Mr Powell stated that the object had definite shape and that there wes no suggestion of gascous discipation as there would be if the orange color were the exhaust from a rocket or jet aircraft Mr Powell estimated the course of the-ebjest to be 200° magnetic end that the object was travelling at approximately 160 mph Mr Powell lost sight of the object when cloud came between the aircraft and the object The pursuit of the object was not continued Gnasmuch as it would have necessitated a departure from the establiched airways [PAGE 2] IN REPLY REFER TO KI Ne YY Cin NT HEADQUARTERS AIR DEFENSE COMMAND MITCHEL FIELD NEW YORK limpse banked [PAGE 3] in conjunction with contract flying for the AAF Mr White states that he has flow 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 Hq ADC subject “Unidentified Flying Objects” interview Alpheus Powell Previous Distribution None Evaluation Distribution AAFP copies of source of information ADC copies Cc [PAGE 4] AGENTS WOTES Mr Ae Powell is graduate of the Aviation Cadet Flying Training Program having graduated from Maxwell Field Alabama with the Cless of 41-C Since graduation Mr Powell has flown for Pan Americen Airways end at this date has over 4,000 command pilot hours to his credit Mr Powell appears to be calm intelligent individual not given te flights of fancy or easily swayed by what he has previously read in the newspapers aa regards reports of this type Mr Powell has fear of publi- city 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 radiosonic device used for meteorologieal purposes Mr Powell stated that he has seen numerous pilot balloons radiosonic devices and tow targets while on flights the object observed on thés flight definitely was mot one of them Evaluation Previous Distribution None ef source of information Distribution AAP copies ADC copies [PAGE 5] RESTRICTED BASIO Ltr Hq BARTD Birmingham AAF Birmingham Ala dtd July 47 sabj Report on Local Flying Disc let Ind Ads 62 ya FOURTEENTH AIR FOROE Orlando Florida TO Commanding General Air Defense Command Mitchel Meld New York Forwarded for information of your Headquarters This Headquarters has made no investigation of Flying Disc reports because this is an isolated case FOR THE COMMANDING GENERAL a A Vane pk Incls a/c aiid RESTRICTED [PAGE 7] SUBJECT [PAGE 8] Heport on Legal Fig wag vise” 333.5 ID Jul 47 2nd Ind HQ AIR DEFENSE COMMAND Mitchel Field New York 25 July 1947 TO Commanding General Army Air Forces Washington 25 ATTN AC/AS=2 Forwarded for your information FOR THE COMMANDING GENERAL Colonel GSC Asst Chief of Staff-Intell [PAGE 9] THE WEA Furnished by the Weather For Birmingham and Yicnity- Partly cloudy and warm Soanrie night and tomorrow with scattered showers this afternoon High today 86 low tonight 70 high tomorrow 90 PRICE CENTS Flying Saucers From 39 States To Be Concentra Reported But Seem ted Here CAMERA HERE CATCHES “FLYING S$AUCER”—Robert Cross- land Age-Herald copy reader has camera proof that the much-dis- cussed flying discs were over Birmingham last night The picture above was made by Mr Crossland at 8:37 p.m last night at his home at 28th Street and Highland Avenue 15-second exposure He said he gave the film City Is Baffled By Dazzling Display Of Spooky Discs The strange things that ry been in night skies aot June 25 were over Birmingham a ae On one thing everyone who seen the mysterious objects agree —they are round saucer-like After that every story differs Each of ported witnessing the baffling sky ported baffling sky demonstrations here last night had different version of what they Saw Some said mye objects were large some small They were mov- ing at great speed They were sus- eee in the air There was sound along with their movements They moved noiselessly through the black sky They were at great distance the earth They hors jamal ground They were pe formation They were colliding with each other But whatever the things are that have set the nation agog since first reported 12 days ago by a man in Washington State they definitely were over thé Magic City last night It seems in fact that more Bir mingham residents saw the objects than in any Sper place the place was bedlam The switchboard operators were swamped with calls Report- ers office boys copy readers everyone in the place was called into action Reports came in from Edgewood Mountain Brook Avondale South- side Fairfield Pratt City West End Central Park Bessemer re was fear oe a skepticism ror [PAGE 10] a if Hh TF aa i ii hfe li HE Hl ate Hi ie iy Hi Pes as ayy a ft i rl me i [PAGE 11] he pret nee he ee ae ha fe ce tek uilistt it ME MONDAY JULY 1947 [PAGE 12] a SE sity ft if Fy Hr a isi Residents of Scores Of People Report Seeing Mysterious Discs East Lake South- side West End Woodlawn and Bes- the flying baseball Fy a ie a mts i i i and traveled ourve from southwest to in als of [PAGE 13] Ue Me zi ra ii Te ae mete Ee ra mame ih ghia lk ie ge rig wate ght qe aa i nee i i ile ne i ip ital ial Ma gal ea tia [PAGE 14] $--A-1-M-B-N- I Staff Sergeant Ira Lb Livingston RA 14 153 972 Air Sorvs have avvroximately 250 hours flying time as vilot and Armorer Gunner have the following statement to make concerning the anvearence of Plying Discs in the vicinity of Rirmingham Alabama At 2045 hours July 1947 while I was eating summer at my residence at 1354 Meadow Lane Green Acres Birmingham Alabama my next door neighbor Mr Herman Seokwel called for me to come to the front door that there were some Flying Tiscs outside Immediately I went out in the front yard to observe the objects The objects anveared to the West of Birmingham traveling in a South Bastern ¢irection They svveared to be envnroximately 2900 feet above the horizon at degree angle from where was standing at an un- estimated distance awey The objects enneared to be approximately two feet in diameter round in shane vroducing dim glow of light ond treveling at an estimatéa.sveed of five to six hundred miles ver hour The objects or object anvenred to be traveling in definite sre rather than straight and as soon ss one was out of sight another would annear behind it but not always in the seme vath I saw one that seemed to come stright up The view of where it ceme from was obstructed by nearby house and when it reached the altitude of savnroximately 2000feet it started off in the same direction as the others I did not at any time see any more than one at the time and eventhough there could have been only one my rerennel belief is that there were seven to ten 19 The Discs were silent and avpveared to be composed of single light Ira Livingston Steff Sergeant RA 14 153 972 Subscribed end sworn to before me this 7th day of July 1917 Lance MOL ene JAMES MAOFABLATE lst Lt ac Aset Adj [PAGE 15] wad ae HEADQUARTERS NEWFOUNDLAND BASE COMMAND ANTIC DIVISION AIR TRANSPORT COMMAND @ab ReSTRICTE FORT PEPPERRELL NEWFOUNDLAND APO 862,% POSTMASTER NEW YORK ie SUBJECT Letter of Trensaittel TO Commanding General Atlantic Division ATC Fort Totten Island ATTENTION 0/8 Intelligence Reference Letter of Transmittal this office dated 28 July 1947 with four inelosures Inclosures and Final Reporte of Sightings of flying seucers and Inclosure Signed Statement Con stable KEARSEY transmitted herewith is Final flying saucers in Newfoundland which ocourred at Harmon ville Newfoundland at 03452 23 July 1947 FOR THE COMMANDING GENERALs MARION MILLER Captain Air Corps Inels 40/8 Intelligence Final Rpt of Sighting 23 Jul 47 1st Ind MQ ATLANTIC DIVISION ATC FORT TOTTEN L.I NEW YORK Aug 47 TO Commanding General Air Transport Command Washington 25 D.C ATTN Chief of Staff Forwarded in accordance with inst ons outlined in TWX C95 your Headquarters Incl n/c [PAGE 16] CONFIDENTIAL Clanatfirnas a SATO PREP 5.7 RESTRiICI Lemar REFORT OF SIOHTING)/°’ FZ Organization 1386th AAF Base Unit A ewe APO 864 c/o Postmaster New York N.Y Sighting Strange intermittent flashes that may tie in with Flying Discs” Place Harmon Field Stephenville Newfoundland Time 03452 23 July 19h7 Altitude Approximately 10,000 feet high Weather High scattered condition visibility better than fifteen 15 miles Heading From South heading NNE approximately 30° Speed High velocity stated to be faster than a conventional airplane Description The observers saw a light which at first appeared to be a shooting star or airplane It appeared agein and a mmber of intermittant flashes were seen for a period of approximately three minutes The flashes were reddish in color Observers said it was not a falling star because it did not appear as such nor was it an airplane because manoeuvers were too abrupt and there was no noise of a motor Miss Patricia Abbott Newfoundland National Government Employee ard Lt Hammaker Navigator and Public Relat- ions Officer The informants noted in Par.10 were walking when they noticed a peculiar reddish light Both Miss Abbett and Lt Hammaker stated that at first they thought it was a falling star but if left no streak appeared again they thought it might be a plane flying at a very high altitude After observing its manoceuvers they concluded because of the silence no hum of motor and abrupt darts of the light it was definately not an airplane Neither Miss Abbott nor It Eammaker hai seen anythirg like it before sce ell Captain Air Corps Intelligence Officer [PAGE 17] HEADQUARTERS Newfoundland Base Command ATID-ATC Fort Pepperrell Newfoundland APO 862 c/o Postmaster New York gps tis SUBJECTs Letter of Transzittal peek ATTENTION AC Intelligence Transmitted herewith es inclosures and are Final Reports of Sightings of flying saucers in Newfoundland and vicinity listed as follows Final Report of Sighting 20002 10 July 1947 00302 11 July 1947 00152 20 July 1947 Reference TH EN 18469 this headquarters dated 1217302 re cee ne omens’ ty nae ae Newfoundland Constabulary at Grand Falls Newfoundland on the night of July 1947 attached herewith as inclosure is signed statement of this sighting by Constable KEARSEY Cas GM Captain Air Corps 40/8 Intelligence Rpt of Sighting 10 Jul 47 12 Jul 47 20 Jul 47 Signed Statement Const KEARSEY [PAGE 18] Org Sighting Place Fy Altitude Weather Heading Speed Shape Size Color Photographs Reperted By General CONFIDENTIAL FINAL REPORT OF SIGHTINGasthorj+y PERL 1388th AAF BU NBC ATLD ATC Harmon Field Newfoundland Flying Dise or other airborne object Approx six miles SSW of Harmon Field 2000/7 10 July 1947 10,000 ft Clear Scattered Cumlus 10 000 ft NNE on horizontal course Very high velocity Circular like a wheel estimated to be same size as a 0-54 as seen from 10 000 ft Translucent or Silvery left a “luish Plack trail approx 15 miles long Mr Robert Leidy reported that he took two Kodachrome snap shots of the trail Mr John Merhman TWA mechanic Mr John Woodruff PAA mechanic and Wr Robert Leidy PAA mechanic reported the above facts to the Intelligence Officer on 15 July 1947 A Flash Report was TWX ed to Action copy Commanding General Hq ATC Attn Asst Chief of Staff Intelligence Info copies Commanding Generals Hq ATLD and Ha NEC Mister's Merhman Woodruff and Leidy were enroute fron Stephenville Crossing to Harmon Field at the time of the sighting Mr Woodruff was the first to see the Disc it appeared to rent or split the clouds thru which it passed and left a Pluish Black trail approx fifteen 15 miles long behind it The trail was similar to the afterglow of a powerful landing light or search light bean after it is suddenly switched off lhe object maintained a straight and horizontal course according to Mr Merhman and Mr Woodruff Mr ‘Leidy stated it appeared to be on a great curved course on a horizontal plane The object disappeared into the North Northeast Mr Leidy says he took two Kodachrome Photographs of the trail The film has been transmitted to the Asst Chief of Staff Intelligence NewSaundland Base Command for processing CAPT A.C Intelligence Officer RESTRICTED [PAGE 19] Or gani zation Sighting Place Time Altitude Weather Heading Speed Shape Size 10 Color FY 11 Reported by 12 General ST ed FINAL REPORT OF ING 1388th AAF Rase Unit APO 86 c/o Postmaster New York N.Y Flying Disc or other airborne object Codroy Newroundland 59°03 Leng 17°50 Lat 00302 hours 11 July 1947 Approximately 6,000 feet Clear at dusk From northwest heading eastward Very high velocity Disc shaped was reported as being the size of a barrel-head dinner-plate and size of a plane that is flying high The trail gave the whole object the appearance of a cone Flame colored with a trail of a lighter flame color Mr John Legge Mr Wm Evans and Albert Samms of Codroy NewfoundJand Mr Legge and Mr Evans were standing outside Mr Legge's store when they both sighted the object Both men stated that the disc was very bright with an after-clow which made the object look like a cone It was a very clear night In spite of the high velocity of the flying object they said they could not possibly have mistaken it for a plane or a falling star Besides the two men the object was sighted by Albert Sams he reported what he had seen to his mother Mrs Samms stated that Albert was in no way alarmed about it he was alone and on his way home when he sighted it and watehed it while it was in sight Albert was quite convinced fram the color and behaviour of the object that it was not a Plane but definately some flying object The informant Mr Legge is believed to be reliable He is’a man of approximately forty has had considerable experience as foreman of Buchans Mine Newfoundland where he was in charge of three hundred men During the war Mr Legge was a mamber of a civilian volunteer Air Detection Corps With that ckground Wr Legge stated that he felt sure that the object he had seen was some- thing new which he had never seen before [PAGE 20] Final Report of Sighting gaNEIDENT General cont'ds blbert Samms is twelve year old boy He was alone when he saw the flying object he was very definite that nad never seen anything like it before His mother Mrs Semms is the Pest Mistress of the town and after hearing Albert's description felt that it answered to thé description of a “Flying Disc Mr Legge reported his sighting shortly afterwards to Mrs Sammg berwse he was sure it should be made known to her in order that the incident might be reported hy telegram immediately There was one other sighting reported from a “iver Warden at South Branch The man could not be con=- tucted at time of interviews with other parties However a second-hand descri ption of his sighting was obtained and it agreed with the sightings st Codroy WILLIAM SMITH Captein Air Corps Intelligence Officer [PAGE 21] Organization Sighting Place Time Altitude Weather Heading Speed Description CONFIDERTIAL- FINAL REPORT OF SIGHTING 1388th AAF Base Unit APO 86h c/o Postmaster New York N.Y Flying Dise or other Airborne Object On board Steamship BURGEO enroute from Sydney Nova Scotia to Port ary Basques Newfoundland about one hour out from Sydrev 0015Z 20 July 1917 30° off the horizon at an estinrated quart« mile range Clear and dark NNE 30° East of True North on horizontel plane High velocity stated to be facter than a tracer bullet Observers did not see the object they saw its flashes and all four observers agreed there were four lh or five flashes approximately one secor apart and equidistant The flashes were said to be silvery to reddish in color an’ 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 shootinc star or airplane Messrs Maitland Larkin Douglas and Hamilton of Hamilton Metcalfe and Kansas City Bridge Companies Which concern is doing the construction at Harmon Field The four gentlemen noted in Par.10 and Captain Gullage Vaster of the Burgeo were standing on the starboard deck and as the Captain was trying ty jescribe a previous sighting he saw the flashes the other four gentlemen also saw them es 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 1917 except at that time the object or flashes were traveling fester and frequently @hanging course he said it changed course abruptly severel times and was headed generally to the RES nive- [PAGE 22] Final Report of Sighting General cont'd SSW The Captain also told the four gentlenen that he was willing to make a complete report the information is desired for official purposes WiLLIAM SMITH Captain Air Corps Intelligence Officer [PAGE 23] a AL re re re re re How wos this Disk travelling herigontal descending or ascending Tt was horizontal About how big aid it appear te you From the height of it 1°4 say it was sbout the sise of a 54 or a Constellation About hew far apart G14 it bresk the cloud It spread the clouds out about half pile re PP [PAGE 24] RESTRICTED Interrogation of John Woodruff Cont'd What kind of a break did it make in the clouds!- It cat a straight path right throagh the eloud Dad it leave a trail Yes it left a trail dark Dlueish in color similar to a high pover Light The trail was from approximately fifteen 15 to twenty 20 miles long re Have you ever seen a meteor Yes De you think thie was meteor No I don't think so it was cat teo clean This wae as straight an arrow rete Ff What was the course of the edject Well looking at the map I'd say North North Bact Have you deen working around airplanes long enough to know the gise of an aircraft and the height from a distance Yes Fey long have you been working around aireraft Seven years Were you in the Arny during the time of the War Ro A a Did you take any pictures Bo I did not but one of the boys took sone ee rr De you think the pictures will shew up Yes it wae am ideal day for pictures re Cf Se Btw CYoctt Chief Mechanic Pan American Airways a Gaptein Air Corps ad jai [PAGE 25] see one of the so called to be descending ascending or horisontal seemed to remain on atrue course estimate as to the sise of the object APO 864 c/o Postmaster New York Bow long have you been associated with aircraft and aviation Interrogation of JOMN MERRMAN JR Supervisor and Mechanic ince approximately 1936 Trane World Airways Harmon Fiel4 Newfoundland taken at 1430 EIT Vere you in the Army during the Var Yes and sises of objects and ranges Yes What 414 you do in the Arny Aerial Gunner a a 16 July 1947 dy Captain Willies Smith AC Intelligence Officer Ge A a a a [PAGE 26] Interrogation of John Nohrmen Jr Gem you describe the trail It was blueish black im coler very easily distingaished from the Ddiue sky A diesel exhaust would de similar te it re Fe fe ff az a A he De you know whether Mr Leidy caw the Disk or object I don't believe se RESTRICTED [PAGE 27] re erin LESEEESE zi iy ae fad altitede of the clouds itty FE herisental going up or coming down Rank fr I ca tlon serepiied ox DateyY at [PAGE 28] i re i if nm i HEL Te ef it a chy Hit jt ae vreuse SPROTD OGL BE GRO OTS Jo OTS ouY OFTETISS BOs @GS ORO BOTHA orme you GE PEE STTOZ i [PAGE 29] trail Ave you willing te give the Army a copy of the pictures of the a Yes [PAGE 30] OY NEWFOUNDLAN TAKEN BY ‘ICE HARMON FIELD $EWFOUND- 17 July 1947 At approximately 10 o'eloek 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 definately was not a sheeting star I'd scen several stars shoet before but never like this mor was it an airoplane it was too lit up” and traveling at too great a speed It wasn't an siroplane on fire because it would have fallen in the water It was a niee elear night no elouds it nas just getting dark I would say it was traveling at the rate of a shooting star but mueh eloser I'd say roughly at 6,000 feet It was visible for about fifteen 15 seconds It eame 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 dise made the whole object look like a eone Another thing that makes me feel sure it wacn't ay shooting star is a shooting star usually leaves a temporary streak this objeet I saw left mo streak only the one that appeared to travel behind the eircle whieh looked like an after-glow The cirele was a bright red nearest I could des- eribe it would be the eolor of a flame the after-glow(eone-shaped was a fainter shade What I saw last Thursday night resembled a shooting star in no way whatsoever There was only one par cael a Sat LEGGE Witness Witness Wl hacd wun he [PAGE 31] @ESTRICTED STATEMENT OF MR WM EVANS CORDROY% NEWFOUNDLAND TAKEN BY MERCEDES BURKE OF THE INTELLIGENCE OFFICES HARMON FIELD NaW- FOUNDLAND 17 July 1947 At approximately 10 e'elock in the evening of 10 July 1947 I was standing eutside Mr Leggo’s store talking with him We both saw this thing dash aerogs the sky I couldn't be eceurate about the direetions If it was a shooting ster I'd never seen one as large before and it was mueh brighter than anything I've ever seen in the skye It looked to be a round object I eouldn't say it was anything else but round it‘had a tail on it whieh showed yellowish but not as bright as the eirele which appeared and nearest I could deseribe it would be sort of red and yellow The streak behind I would say was little over a yard long the eirele looked te be about the size of a large dinner plate It went so fast it was hardly in sight before it disappeared I eould not give any idea of the height all I ean say is it was mueh eloser than a shooting star and travelling eat 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 airoplane I called it a FLYING SAUCER” beeause it seemed exactly like what we had been hearing so mueh about on the radio Zon Tm BVANS Bret be Witness FW wie Witness Pht Ait [PAGE 32] STATEMENT OF ALBERT SAMMS CORDROY NZWFOUNLLAND TAKEN BY MERCEDES BURKE OF THE INTELLIGENCE OFFICE HAXMON FIELD WNEW- POUNDLAND 17 duly 1947 Lest Thursday night I was out by our house I happened te look up and saw what I thought was an airoplane It-¥as fiying at the height of a plane that is flying high Then I thought it leoked strange for an airoplane beeause it was all lit up so bright planes do have a light or two but this thing was very bright sort of a bright reddish yellow I saw it only for a minute because it was travelling at a teriffie «peed It shot out of sight so quiekly I thought it strange if it was an airop- lane THSH I remembered what I'd been hesring about FLYIND SAUCERS” I ran in and told my mother Pitesie rw a Witness [PAGE 33] hed in and tolé@ me about thie thine he'a just seen ne thought it was ar des then he remenhered having nearhd about FLYT VAUCEHS"™ and he thought that's what it must heve been I questioned him he said it uldn't have been a plane beenuse a Plane wouldn't shoot down like that did besides it was too lit up Mr Legge reported the eane thing to me in order thet I mteht report same te St John's in the morh ng EH swe Mre JOHK SAMMS [PAGE 34] NEWFOUNDLAND CONSTABULARY STATION Grand Falls DATE July 13th 1047 SUBJECT Re:- strange objecta seen flying over Grand Falls on night of July 9th at approx Sirs I cue Gla ts ee for your information that on edne night 9th inst I arrived home from duty ae approx 11.30 Upon arrival at home I joined may wife my mother-in-law and Mr John Jackman a resident of Ste John's and friend of the family who were sitt on the front steps of the house I was asked by my wife if I had seen the “flying saucers I thought she was ag Se and replied that I had seen nothin flying Jac my mother- in-law then told me that they had reaniy se seen four objects in an easterly direction just before I arrived I asked them to describe what they had seen Jackman said that four round shaped es hed passed overhead at a terrific speed and were flying side by dide On looking skywards again my wife Jackman and myself saw a object which I would describe as be huge je fish flash across the the sky It would be difiicuit 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 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 continued to sean the sky for about a half hour Riga neo sign of them were seen again Pee ALL CA1OF Constable LeStrange Esq J.P Chist of Pais waahects hay tai hea LeStr EOGey JePoy Chief of Police [PAGE 35] Coa NEWFOUNDLAND CONSTABULARY STATION Grand Falie Qa DATE July 13th 1047 SUBJECT Re;- strange objecta seen over Grand I Falls on night of July at approx por your information that on Wednesday night 9th inst I arrived home from duty at approx 11.30 Upon arrival at home I joined ay wife ay mother-in-law and Mr John Jackman a resident of St John's and friend ef the family who were ons on the front steps of the house I was asked by my wife if I had seen flying saucers I tho she was joking and replied that I had seen nothin Jac and my mother in-law then told me that had really seen four objecte flying in an easterly direction just ore I arrived I aaked them to describe what they had seen Jackman said that four round shaped figures passed overhead at terrific speed and were side by @ide On looking skywards again my wife Jackman and myself saw a object which I would decoribe as being a huge jelly- Hos steam sareee gall yo It bevy been pb see te etermine its hdight speed owing period it was visible it's colour also would be hard to Pd but there seemed to be a et glow about it was round in shape and about the size of a barrel head it appeared to be flying in a rocking motion This all I can say about the matter we the eky for avout a half hour but ne ee LS EOQe JoPoy er Chief of Police RESTRICTED [PAGE 36] From 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 lack of topside inquiries when compared to the prompt and demanding inquiries that have originated topside upon former events give more than ordinary weight to the péssibility that this is a domestic project about which the President etc know Whatever the objects are this much can be said of their physical appearance The surfaced of these objects is metallic indicating a metallic skin at least 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 As to shape all observations state that the object is cireular 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 Some reports describe two tabs located at the rear and symetrical about the tim axis of flight motion Flights hawe been reported from three to nine of them flying good-formation on each other with speeds always above 300 knobs The discs oscillate laterally while flying along which could be snaking [PAGE 37] CONFIDENTIAL HEADQUARTERS FOURTH AIR FORCE Office of the Assistant Chief of Steff Intelligence ‘Hamilton Field California 4AFDA 25 August 1947 333.5/1208=1 SUBJECT Investigation of Flying Disc TOs Headquarters Army Air Forces Washinrton 25 ATTENTION AC of AS-2 The attached true copy of the letter of Mr Johnson of Portland Oregon was received by this officer 22 August 1947 Your attention is invited to the similarity of statement by Mr Johnson and Mr Arnold This letter is being referred this date to the Special Agent In Charge FBI Sen Francisco for any investigation they may care to make Lt 2tyf zi PONALD SPR Incl Lt Colonel of ltr fr.F..Johnson AC of Aw#2 Cr in dup [PAGE 38] CONFIDENTIAL PORTLAND OREGON August 20th Lt Col Donald Springer Assistant Starr 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 dune 24th the day Kennet 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 asure you they are real and noting like them I ever saw before they did not pass verry high over where I was standing at the 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 magenet ‘fhere speed as far as i know seemed to be greater than enything I ever saw last veiw I cot of the objects they were standing on edge Banking in a Cloud Yours Respectfully Johnson 106 No West 1st Ave Portland Oregon A TRUE COPY Lt Colonel GSC AC of [PAGE 39] PORTLAND OREGON l's HW 30 July’ 1947 har C-B-R-T-1--I-C-A-Tos vn 30 July 1947 Ur xichard xankin 834 Simpson Strest Pa cap Oregon was intervi ewed by this agent and stated in substance as sOLLOWS My name is Richard Rankin I am years old and have flom since I was nineteen years old I first soloed in air craft in 1919 I tave flowm over all the western parts of the United States many times and have mapped all of the western part of the United States during the years before the late war for the US Forest Service I an familiar with almost every part of the western United States During a great part of my life I have dme stunt flying for air shows and various other ge of aeronautical exhibitions ly 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 Cadets through primary training schools owned and oper aedd by him To date I mve accomplished 7000 hours in the air as pilot of both civilian and Military aircraft I an well acquainted with most articles that one would see in the air and I feel that I am well qualified to say when I see articles flying through the air although I would not attempt to say that I am infallable and state that I could definitely identify every object that might be flying through the air The following is.an account of what I saw on 14 June 19:7 from the yard of my home at 15% South St Bakersfield California at approximately 1200 noon on the of June I was lying in the front yard of my home There was a lad mowi ng the lamm at the time I looked up into the sky and saw ten articles flying from the South to th North at what wuld judge to be 8500 ft The objects were flying at approximately what I would Judge to be 350 miles per hokr As I nw stated before I have done quite a lot of map work for the US Forest service I listinctly remember that at the time I saw he articles I mentioned it to the lad who was mowing the lawn at the time I told the lad that the objects were in all probability some sort of immy or Navy test planes from the nearby test centers on the deserts of Southern Califormia Having quite a knowledge of aircraft in general I attempted to explain to the lad mowing the lam that th objects were probably on sane sort of training mission for either the Arny or Navy At that time did not give the thoug ht te anything but that the objecta were some sort of test hi he Goverment services he ofects resembled the pictures that I haw see the F5U-1 the mwlled Flying Flapjick mick that the Navy is testing after the ob jects disappeared I roceeded into the house and had my noon meal At apy wroxin ately W1s5 I went ck into the yard to sit and lie in the ade At this time the objects re- peared going from Borth te South although this here were only seven of the articles When I first sav th otig nal ten objects they were flying ina formation with one obget ingly starggling in the rear of the formation When the objects apper le second time they were still in the Vv formatiton although there was only seven the object at thi ime I remember this time that told the lad ho was still on the lam that pobably three of the objects had poce ded back to the se on a diff- erent course I acfually thoucht that was the case that tho other three objects hdd robs ably te se om the other side of the mountains from Bakersfield 47 later when I read of Lr Kenneth Arnold that he had seen articles flying through the air over the Cascate Mou a CORTE TID EATLTTLA I Vi Livyisi iD iis [PAGE 40] i editor of the Oregonian in Portland for the ably say that I was crazy After somtime I Washington I realized that the articles that I saw I was still reluctant to mention this to anyone remainde a Port Oregon newspape re At tg wo the ind to same ald the time I wag Tr The results tle conversation [PAGE 41] Pilot Recalls Seeing Discs Dick Rankin Tells Of Odd Aircratt 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 cau- cers’ over Bakersfield Cal June 23 while lying on the lawn sun bathing he told The Oregonian 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 ne@® XFS5U-1 flying fla ce anny which are thin and round with twin propellers and stubby tail.” Only One XF5U-1 Built The navy and the manufac turer have announced officia ly that only one such machine was built and that it never left Connecticut “These planes were flying high raate 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 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 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 nd the summer here at 834 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 nding his win- ters at Palm Springs THE OREGONIAN THURSDAY JULY 1947 lease ame Portland Cregone [PAGE 42] Directer FH 828 Burto ‘FLYING Discs Refer teletype to the Burem dated August 15 1947 Enclosed find the newspaper account Valls idsho “Times News on August 15 together wth a ee ee eee inst have seen Concerning URIZ’s sketches it may be noted thet he believed felled outer edge which he attemted to create in hisdrawing to have foot through UIE likewise believed that the tubinh er exhaust he and hie eons clain te have seen was about a foot through and extended to the beck end of the device ‘The flame did not epmwar te widen cout toward the back BILLY and KELTH URIS stated that they could nee a knot on the side of the device from which the flames were shooting and that they could see day- Detween the exhaust flame and the side the device The flames did not any smoke or odor The URIE boys thought that the side view sketch should show that was wore sharply angled from bottom to top while URIZ himself thought that ws more streanlined and curved URIS seid that the instre- 86 a pointed or rounded top Im hie uctations URIZ mistakenly seid thet he had seen it on Thure- During interview he stated that it actually bed boom oz Vodnesday 13 1947 vhehe and his sone saw the contrivance about 1100 P.M that he had sent his boys to the river to get sone When he thought they were overdue he went outside his Dr then He noticed them about 300 fectaway looking in aky and he Dlanced up te see what he called the flying disc Me ead he it disappeared behind a hill wich the contrivance was about seventy-five ‘the of the Snake River Canyon which feet deep and twelve hundred feet across at that place hundred feet below [PAGE 43] “outs OU ORTINTH TST SUA OU Smo “Hy oP SP Eg i OUR OQY WOTRTUTOTUT UTA Spualhy versed O7BOOT Of SPWE sua 4cmeggY ZeTTRZM OF SOUWOUM oyy gnoGE ervoUTS LTexeTdNOD pervedde oeq secudeneu eug WOTT PTSTUSTA SUA oud aT quepto Weeq savy 04 pesodins pee exrwry “pene yatoqut een Woumsery “sarin [PAGE 44] FA Regional Newspaper Serving LL Nine Irrigated Idaho Cow TWIN FALLS IDAHO FRIDAY AUGUST 15 1947 gay mon Up Folks The Dises Are Flying Again SiDE view BOTTOM VIEW END View This is an artist's conception of the flying dise that A Urie saw sides and could well be the inspiration for something new in women’s sweeping through Snake river canyon six miles west of Blue Lakes hats such as a “flying saucer” creation Drawing by Vie Goertgen- ranch It seemed to be powered by jets emiiting a ficry glow on both Staff engraving ee es ee Flying Saucer Reported Flashing Down Canyon At 1,000 Miles Per Hour Two Others Are Seen By JOHN BROSNAN jthe fast-flying objects the nation scription of the flying discs seen by come concerned about what was de- ist as Magic Valley and the|has yet produced him and his son Keith and Billy laying them and had walked down were arth to let go of The flying saucer Urie saw was 10 toward the river to see if they were oO under a skimming along through Snake river I obtained a close-up view of all right welte ng saucer reports two om at a height of about 75 the flying saucer as it passed by the I had a side view at distance nore Twin Falls county men re- feet at Wednesday At 9:30 trout farm at Aug 13 going of about 300 feet almost on a peculation on the mystery a the same day Hawk- down Snake river canyon at a height level with the thing Urie con- with vivid descriptions of discs they ins ‘Twin Falls county commis-|of about 75 feet from the canyon tnued “Two of my boys Keith sa sioner and former county sheriff floor I would estimate the speed and Billy were below me and they From A Urie who operates from Filer also saw two circular at about 1,000 miles per hour.” also saw it at about a 45-degree Auger Falls Trout farm six objects soaring aiong at a great fe explained that the incident angle They both cot a bottom and niles west of Blue Lakes ranch in height near Salmon dam 40 miles occurred while the two boys were ja side view and we were all look-+ Snake river 1yon came perhaps southwest of Twin Falls coming across the river from the ing at it from the south side of the the St detailed account of one of Here is Urie's eye-witness de- north side in a boat He had be- Continued on FP Column [PAGE 45] “jing like an inverted pie-plate or “Saucer” Seen Flying Down Snake al mee From Page One river facing toward the north The boys saw dt coming about half a Mile up the canyon and we all lost uight of it in tess 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 Vie Goertzen of Twin Falls for af 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 fiocor 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 ts my opinion 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- 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 Tracing down a rumor that County Commissioner Hawkins had seen an it with my own ey can't say what was but I can say there's something In the air army or navy guided missile experi- ments or that they could be similar experiments by some foreign coun- LO to ‘something out of this Whatever they are a lot of people have seen “something.” sss [PAGE 46] HEADQUARTERS FLYING DIVISION AIR TRAINING COMMAND Office of the Commanding General WY Randolph Field Texas 10 duly 1947 533.5 SUBJECT Unidentifiable Objects TOs Commanding General Tenth Air Porce Brooks Field Texas Attn ACofS The inclosed MOIC is forwarded for your information In the event that lt Armstrong has been interviewed by your Headquarters request that a copy of the MOIC be furnished to this Headquarters FOR THE COMMANDING GENERAL oo je CRISIER Colon#l G.8.C Asst Chief of Staff 4-2 333.5 lst Ind pe HEADQUARTERS TENTH AIR FORCE OFFICE OF THE ASST CHIEF OF STAFF BROOKS FIBLD SAN ANTONIO TEXAS 16 July 1947 TO Commanding General Flying Division Air Training Command Randolph Fld Texas ATTN -Asst Chief of Staff Inclosed is Memorandum for the Officer in Charge in reference to Lt “rmstrong as suggested in paragraph basic communication Incl S.H MOKROW MOIC dtd 15 July 47 Colonel GSC Incl withdrawn Aswt Chief of Staff MOIC dtd July 47 [PAGE 47] UNIDENTIFIABLE OBJECTS daly 1947 MBMORANDUM FOR THE OFFICER IN CHARGE Om Uh July 1947 let Lt Erie Avmetrong 0-2059709 170th AAP Base Unit Perry Division Brooks Pield Gan Antonio Temes ms inberviewed ani the information was obtained Lt Armstrong py nce thee gym Field Arizona at 100 CST on 28 Jume 1947 in P52 for Oregon the of Medford At SEAM G54 on occnen’ od’ Bee Qstroes oak avin savdlae feet course approximately 120 degrees speed of 285 MPH Lt Armstrong seid the very smoothly ani in a close formation The estimated objects were approximtely 36 inches in diameter Lt srns thathe ds cure the white objects were not birds since was Very fast Lt Armstrong ws certain that the white objects were not Jets or conventional types aircraft sime he has flown both types lewrense King Jr Special Agent CIC ADC [PAGE 48] UNIDINTIFIABLE OBJECTS WILLIAMS FIELD CHANDLER ARIZONA July 1947 MEMORANDUM FOR THE OFFICER IN CHARGES Onl July 1947 Lt William MeGinty USN 195803 P-80 Student Williams Field Chandler Arizona was interviewed by this Agent and stated substance That on 30 June 19147 at about 0910 MST he was flying at 25,000 feet over Grand Canyon Arizona in a P80 type aircraft He stated that he was heading south towards Williams Field Arizona when he saw two round objects going at inconceivable speeds straight dow He further stated that his reactions were to turn eway 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 thet it was his opinion that the objects were approximately eight feet in diameter In conclusion he stated that the objects would haw probably hit the ground approxinately twenty-five miles south of the South Rim of Grami Canyon Arizona AGENT'S NOTES Lt MeGinty gave his permanent address as NeAcM.T.Co Point Hugu Port Hueneme Calif On July 1947 Captain Maleolm Amstrong 0-7341é68 Instructor Single Engine Williams Field Chandler Arizona was interviewed by this Agent and stated in substance That his brother ist Lt Armstrong stationed at 10th AAF Brooks A\F Texas had related to him that he san a format of unexplainable objects in the vicinity of Lake Mead Nev Captain Amstrong further stated that his brother stated the objects were heading south ani were at approximately 10,000 feet altitude AGENT'S NOTES Captain Ammstrong could not give teo much infomation on the objects that his brother had seen Lt Armstrong can be contacted at Hq 10th A\F Brooks Field Texas for further information Lymn Aldrich Special Agent CIC-AsF FOTRC THIS IS A TRUE COPY [PAGE 49] Yd dent ay 33305 ID 16 Jul 47 ist Ind HQ AIR DEFENSE COMMAND Mitcnel Field New Yorx 21 July 1947 Commanding General Army Air Forces Washington 25 ATTN AC/AS-2 Forwardea for your information ana utilization FOR THE COMMANDING GENERAL dw PG nate SMITH Colonel GSC At Cok host Chief of Staff-Intell [PAGE 50] RO AIR DRPENSH COMUND Mitchel Field Mew Yor 21 Juiy 1947 To Comennd General Army Air Forces Washington 25 ATTN AC Forwarded for your information and utilisation POR THE COMMANDING GENERAL [PAGE 51] HEADQUARTERS TENTH AIR FORCE BROOKS FIELD SAN ANTONIO TEXAS Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff IN REPLY REFER pe Commanding General Air Defense Comin itchel Field ormation le Inclosed to Unidentifiable vhich was in ted at sion Air Training Commar Rando lid Texas as noted in I emorandum Charge ation of [PAGE 52] Sf hat larrr a FRO DIR oF WTEC égAVET wea 97ZE 2636 Wagnolia Ave Los Afigeles Calif August 1947 Director of Military Intellegence War Departmant Washington 25 D.C Dear Sir On Sunday afternoon July the Sixth I observed something very strange it is related at least im my own mind-—- with the phenomena of the Fabulous Blying Saucersf# and I cannot report on thig second phemomena without speaking of the first As I do not wish to be considered the victim of mass psychology crack-pot or visionary it is rather hard for me to m:ke 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 wrote to the Bureau and Mir Hugh Dryd en hes suggested that you were the one to report to I had been amused at accounts of the flying saucers Sveryone was talking laughing and joking about themand I did not-believe in them Bhe 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 a of the side next to Ventura seo the bus was parked north and south# As I looked to my right a Saucer appeared out of nowheretappar— 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 speedto the Northward and par¥allel toVentura Boulevard As soon as I becaneconvinced that what 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 fight it was nothing like the gun 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)T sat there were spinning objects af some red substance [PAGE 53] about the color of the semi- precious stone Gornelian these fragments were sharp and irregular and shing they were flying about as if flying to a magnet This was momentary and I looked to see if the Saucers were still there saw one or two but the same thing happened again and saw the second phenomena for a second By this time the Saucers were out of sight All the wey home I was trying to find some logical explanation for the Sa ucers but my mind kept reverting to the second phenomena and as 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 vorteg I couldnt help wondering if this substance had beeh shot from the Saucers as theyturned the corner from the west on their way to the “orth As our army would not be shotinrc leadly rays over toward a very croweded 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 g0ing onand so you have my report on what really saw and what I an 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 Lenore Gorey [PAGE 54] om i i 4430 BUOUSTAO ‘UBMOYSTAO qe go nN Sutuze0cu0e zo rt 74 ‘Ly 98 pemeyasezuy sem NOSTIN Nvd LUST 4T@r OF UO “peatog L20;ehq se0neg upfTs VRVOO ‘HOIdd0 LITUNOGS AHL HOI ANGNVHORGA wmoueTyO 4£4T wmOUETAO ‘mey-92-£0u1033V NOSTEN N¥d 300fqng 2uyPTING eutated 926 I-"ZLe# OL UESEU ATEBU NI [PAGE 55] conditions 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 A Be OE KALMAN SIMON C.I U.S Army [PAGE 56] 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 i 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 rotatin 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 [PAGE 57] These shiny objects may have wrious forms and there may be more than one depending on the number of reflections They may appear to be in the sky when thé 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 forma 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 refleéted 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 [PAGE 58] If the ventilation wing window were a oeaitibs warner 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 dises 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 recognise 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 windeshield and his position in the plane made it appear thet 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- dons all coming from the same object For instance if they [PAGE 59] 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 dises 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 tht appear on your left if you are driving after you pass them,and see how many discs you can observe flyin through the air If there are not too many lights to your rear you may have a perfect formation of beaufiful 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 lizhts of an approaching automobile from your rear may appear as one flying dise 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 [PAGE 60] 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 if In the late afternoon however you have a feelinz 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 brizht 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 bok through the window at the other end of the hall [PAGE 61] you may see as many as three flying discs from one electric light bulb which may have more or less of a bell shape These dises 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 crivers watching the flying discs to be cautious and nov 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 winde-shields Many of the reports around July 4th were incited by various forms of fire works [PAGE 62] 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 revorts 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 coached 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 ae [PAGE 63] BSA WRL August 1947 MEMORANDUM SUBJECT “Flying Saucers TO Asst Chief of Air Staff-2 Collection Branch AAF Washington 25 ‘The inclosure is an excerpt from a letter to Dr Tousey Micron Waves Section Head Naval Research Labora- tory from Mr John Cole pertaining to some wnidentified objects which Mr Cole reports to have seen some time prior to the first reports of flying saucers in the New England area Dr Tousey states that Mr Cole is a well-known astronomer and a reliable observer as result of his training The inclosure is in addition to information contained in previous letters to your office taken from interviews at the request of Lt Col Garrett AAF Le Haw 1Anel WILLIAM MELLEN Excerpt fm ltr to Major Air Corps Dr Tousey AMC Liaison Officer Naval Research Laboratory [PAGE 64] CUpy Excerpt from letter to Dr Tousey from Mr John Cole South Brooksville Me July 28 1947 Having in mind the ridicule which hae been heaped-on those innocent or perhaps gullible individuale 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 cool 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 about 2:30 P.M summer time or Greenwich Civil time 1830 might suggest that they were engaged in some naval demonstration from Eastport Bar Harbor or Belfast The group appeared to be at an altitude of about 50° I suffer from a mild cervical arthritis--but my eyes are well corrected for astigma- tism and hypermetropia and I doubt if my cerebral cortical Lesions are suffic- iently advanced to affect my balance What first made me look up was the un- usually loud roar and I was surprised not 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 Cox's hill and looked over towards Backwood's Mount that is the conspicuous flat tep planated hill at Harborside The group could hardly have covered more than 14° 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 arc spread would easily be within the limit of visibility for discreet ob- jects 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 object Besides with 30° arc of travel at a 10 mi distance would be roughly miles in 15 seconds or 20 mi per minute or 1200 mi per hour!!--rather fast for a bomber——hi 50 ft object at miles dist would be about 600 mi per hr.--aleo faet going The only concrete evidence of form apneared on the left tangent of the groun--two dark shaped forms which may have been tail wings Doesn't the Douglass bomber have these And since they were in no regular formation but seemed among themselves to be moving irregularly like a swarm of bees why shouldn't all of them have shown wings The loud roar suggests they may have been much closer and rather small The sky background was hazy blue and the sun behind me One plane towing a lot of balloons I believe would have been easily recognized Havy any meteorites been re- ported At that time of day has there been any abrupt change of radio field strength or ionization [PAGE 65] OFFICE OF THE AIR INSPECTOR 25 JULY 1947 MEMORANDUM TO AC/AS~-2 Counter Intelligence Branch Information contained herein and opinions expressed are based upon conversation with and request by Mr Butler of your office All pertain to certain phenonema connected with recent widespread telk of “flying saucers Approximately three weeks ago on or about 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 shows the general layout of the room we occupied at that time See Tllustration No [PAGE 66] I had just turned off the light by my bedside but sat down on the side of the bed to listed 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 [PAGE 67] 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 until some moments later when the thought came to me that I had never seen such an object before and thet although the first explanation would have been that a meteor hed 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 a large amount of newspaper and radio publicity on the subject The next morning I jestingly announced in the office that I saw a flying saucer the night before and thought that it was enroute to Alexandria,where some of our officers live I then went on to say that I supposed it was a shooting ster 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 A description of the light or object is almost impossible since observation of it was so limited As shown in Illustration No the object appeared to pass in closest proximity to me at the time it came into view All of my mental calculations were based upon some impression or conseption of its distance at the closest point AC 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 meteor some 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 or 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 distencef several blocks Based upon a mild assumption as to distance and a reasonable assumption as to anguler elevation the object would be at a low altitude considerably bolow 500 feet and of a size approximating a small 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 mentioned to be less than 3/4 mile 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 It might be well to point out here the relative similarity in size altitude and airspeed of firefly at a distance of 30 feet an airplane at about 3/4 mile and a meteor at several hundred miles Most of us are familiar with this illusion [PAGE 68] 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 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 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 it was not the flash of beacon on the cloud-base it could hardly have beon an airplane on fire since it would have at least crashed in this general area it was not entirely a result of imagination and it was not spending much time in one place ay JAMES COBB Lt Colonel Air Corps [PAGE 69] DIRECTOR-NAVAL RESEARCH LABORATORY AEBMY LIAISON OFFICE WASHINGTON 29 D.C NAVY DEPARTMENT oon areca NAVAL RESEARCH LABORATORY Code 110 WASHINGTON 20 D.C 28 July 1947 SUBJECT Flying Saucers TO Asst Chief of Air Staff-2 Collection Branch AAF Washington 25 Supplemental to that contained in a letter to your office Gated 18 July 1947 re interview with Mr Zohn who purports to have seen an unidentified flying object the following additional information was obtained on 21 July from Rockwood who was mentioned in thet letter as having also seen the object 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 thet it was travelling at a much higher velocity than the automobile and approximately in the same direction The auto- mobile was moving 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 saw no smoke or contrails Its motion was apparently all horisontal Its @spect did not change so fates could be observed during the time of observation He thought it disappeared by simply becoming too small to see thin Mulh- WILLIAM MELLEN Major Air Corps AMC Liaison Officer [PAGE 73] This is en unparaphrased code cypher ‘Weasige Text must be perephrased if essential to retransmit it in another system or to communicate its con- tents to persons outeide British or U.S Governrent Services One=tim a pad messages are excepted from this rule GE JOINT COMPUNICATIONS OFFICE 9421 oe IN MESS/GE T.0,0 O80800 Aug 1947 REC'D 1200 EDT 9th Aug AIX 6328 hug 8th 1947 Your AIX 14 July 29th During normal night flying practice at 2230 hours on 16th January 1947 one of our Mosquitos was vectored to an unidentified aircraft at 22,000 feet A long chase ensued commencing over the North Sea about 50 miles fror the Dutch coast end ending at 2300 hours over Norfolk ‘Two brief AI cont-cts were mde but faded quickly The un identified airorafi appeared to take efficient controlled evasive action No explanation of this incident has been forthcoming nor has it been repeated AM C,1.0 Action)3- fec [PAGE 74] 30 July 1947 For purposes of analysis by AFBIR-CO eighteen reported sightings of Flying Discs were selected for breakdown into detailed particulars Each report was assigned a number and each nunber appears in the left-hand column of the data on the following pages Qne report Number 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 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 QCoserver'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 [PAGE 75] Location Manitou Springs Colorado Oklahoma City Oklahoma Greenfield Massachusetts Mt Rainier Washington Maxwell Field Alabama Nera white Sands hew Mexico Bakersfield California Eanett Idaho Clay Center Kansas Pairfield-Suisun California Koshkonong wisconsin East Troy Wisconsin Mt Baldy California Grand Falls Newfoundland Harmon Field Newfoundland Elmendorf Field Alaska od HPOWRBAIOWVFWAH Local standard Time [PAGE 76] 10 11 lz 13 uy RG Observer's Name A Houser Je Smith Jamison Byron Savage DeRose Kenneth Arnold Wilson Kayko John Cantrell Redman Theodore Dewey Zohn Kauke Rockwood Nancy Rockwood Richard Rankin a Smith Ralph stevens Jas Burniston Not Stated Not Stat ed Alvin Moorman Iric Kearsey Mr Mehrman Mr Woodruff Grahn and several other officers ee Observed Occupation From Ground Railroad Employee Businessman-Pilot Ground jot stated Ground Business-man Pilot Air Captain AAF Ground lst Lieut AaF Baployee NAL Wife of C.C Rockwood Civilian Pilot United air Lines Pilot a Co-Pilot Major AAF Captain AAF CaP Instructor CAP Student CA Pilot CAP Passenger lst Lieut ACCNG Constable Newfoundland Constabulary TWA Representative FAA Major AAF From letter received observer is obviously well educated [PAGE 77] Deviation from Straight flight Climbed dove hovered overhead re- sumed original course None reported Zig zag course much like a water- bug None reported None reported None reported None reported Descended edgewise stopped at 4,000 and assumed horizontal position Pro- ceeded in horizontal flight for 15 seconds stopped again then disapp- eared None reported None reported None reported None reported Followed contours of mountains five miles away from observers Color silver Silver very bright Brilliance slightly great- er than a star Some solar spec- ular reflection Almost dusk could not dis- tinguish Very bright and silvery colored Reflection from sun Not stated Not stated Of light-reflec- ting nature Phosphorous color Silvery Resembled a grayish balloon size Apparently small Small Hot stated Not stated Impossible to determine 30-50 in diameter Comparable to a C-54 at 10,000 Not stated Not stated Apparent depth of a P51 Not stated Same span as a C=-54 at 10,000 Approx 10 in diameter [PAGE 78] Shape No definite shape could be determined Irregular round Dis not appear particularly disc- shaped None stated seemed like a bright light No details other than that shape was uniform with no protuberances None definite but seemed flat on base with the top slightly rough in contour Round dise-shaped No shape could be disting- uished Not stated but report re—- fers to saucer several times Same as Report No Flat object of light-re- flecting nature which appear- ed to be without vertical fin or any visible wings Egg-shaped or like barrel head Circular in shape like wagon wheel Resembled balloon None Possible vapor trails None None None Bluish black trail approx 15 mi long None Weather CAVU Not stated Clear moonlight CAVU CAVU CAVU Sunny CAVU CAVU Not stated CAVU Clear with scat- tered cumulus at to 10,000 Not stated [PAGE 79] This image contains all the information on the document Report Manner of Disappearance Climbed very fast and out of sight Obscured by a cloud bank Lost in brilliancy of the moon Cannot explain except that reflec- tion angle may have changed abruptly Don't know whether they put on a tre- menduous burst of speed or disinteg- rated However they did disappear into sunset Unexplained Disappeared at an angle of about 30° above the earth's surface Unexplained Unexplained Pilot at 300MPH attempted to keep object in sight but unable to do so Unexplained Unexplained Not stated Remarks No definite shape could be determi and even with the aid of to pe er binoculars object could not be brought into focus From letter this observer wrote i is obvious he is a well-educated person Seeks no publicity Observers rated air intell phoned Field Ops to ascertain no scheduled experimental a/c were in vicinity Sky chart attached to re Observer is Admin Asst in the kec et Gonde Sect of NKL Two other scientists and wife of one wee in party and made same observation Observers were Pitot Co-Pilot of scheduled UAL DC-3 Stewardess als saw objects Suggest reading of ve detailed statements When first sighting object near ho izon observer looked at chart in his lap to check position When he looked out window again object wai off his left wing at ll o'clock Rolled from side to side times i its path across the sky Sun refle ed from top side but never from erside even when turning None None Observer contacted bases in area reported no a/c in air at time First discs flying line-a-trail Seemed to cut clouds open as it passed thru Trail was like bean seen after a high-powered landing l4cht is switched off Object was observed paralleling th course of a C-i;7 then landing [PAGE 80] Colorado Springs Colorado SUBJECT Supersonic SUMMARY OF INFORWATIC The following information was related to Counter Intelligence Corps Personnel at Headquarters Fifteenth Air Force Colorado Sprin,s Colorado on 27 June 1947 by Mr A Hauser 24 North Chesnut Street Colorado Springs Colorado Mr Smit 24 rairview Manitou Springs Colorado and Mr Jamison 2415 Wiest Kiowa Colorado Sprin.s Colorado All three of the men are empolyees of the Pikes Peak Kailvry Manitou Springs Colorado On or about 19 way 1947 during their lunch period 121.-131 ber of a train crew called attention to a silver objec in tie sky a from tie Nortn East It appeared to Le travellin at a great speed three men stated that the altitude of the object was very difficult to deter- mine because of its apparent smallness They furtner sta'ed that because of this it was difficult to view the object as bein large and naving high altitude or small and being at a relatively low altitude ey did say though that it appeared to be higher than the top of Manitou Mountain wnich is over 1000 feet higher than tne shops which are situated at its base No definace s..ape of the object could be determined and even with tie aid of bincculars it still could not be brought into focus The vinoculars used were of about to power The men stated that they were cer ain that the ct did not have any of tne physical characteristics of modern conventional aircraft The day was discribed as veing clear aid sunny witn not a cloud in the sky andao ground wind On reaching tie area just North of Manitou lioutain the object remained in tne immediate area for several.minutes during which time it was seen to execute manuvers such as climbi:g divins and reversal of direction of flight This happened every few seconds The distance and location beiween views prompted two of the men to think that there were more of the unidentified objects in the sky At times the object seemed to hoveer in tne air and then start on another path of flijht When last seen t:e silver object was climo- in very fast towards the West almost directly into the wind Previous distribution Evalutation None of int’ormation DISTKIBUTION Hq SAC copies [PAGE 81] HQOCAMA FORM NO 8.506 a MAY 1948 OKLAHOMA CITY AIR MATERIEL AREA TINKER FIELD OKLAHOMA CITY OKLAHOMA IN REPLY REFER TO OCAPN/KDS:cp a July 1947 MEMORANDUK TO THE SHCURITY OFFICER OCAMA TINK-R FIELD SUBJSCT BYRON SAVAGZ Field Engineer Radio Corporation of America Dallas Texas Residence 416 29th Street Oklahoma City Oklahoma RE Flying Disc On 23 July 1947 BYRON SAVAGS was interviewed at his residence 416 29th Street Oklahoma City Cklahoma relating to his alleged viewing of a flying disc over the vicinity of Oklahoma City Oklahoma Subject whose age is advised he is married and aas one child and is presently the holder of a Private Pilot's License No 39101 Single engine Land Subject averred he has ext ensively studied electron- ics sound engineering and aeronautics and his present occupation which is Field Engineer for Radio Corporation of America ofrices of which are located in Lallas Texas is that of installing theater sound equipment SAVAGE stated that between the days 17 May to 21 May 1947 just after dusk he observed an object which he believed to be a small aircraft in the south SAVAGS advised that the sun had just gone down and the moon had not arisen on the horizon SAVAGS related that he and his wife had just departed their residence and had started to enter their car in the driveway at 416 29th Street Oklahoma City He judged the time to be between 8:30 pem 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 type aircraft and it appeared elliptical 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 diameter to the thickness of approxi- mately 10 to appearing thicker in the center but this could not be positively ascertained SAVAGE judged the object to be at an altitude of between 10,000 and 18,000 feet and it left 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 [PAGE 82] Memo to the Security Officer OCAMA Tinker Field dtd 7/24/47 File 372h-1 SAVAGE stated that there were no protrusions on this object and 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 could have been his imagination or expectation as 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 350° to the north Subject further stated that the object appeared to be frosty white in color at all times SAVAGE advised that he has held a pilot's certificate since 1934 and has been flying since 1929 tHe advised that he would be glad to answer any further inquiries and will cooperate in every way possible SAVAGE stated he was sure this object was not a meteor and in his opinion it must be radically built and powered probably atomic C.I Army [PAGE 83] 181 Meridian Street Greenfield Massachusetts duly 10 1947 Commanding Officer Westover Field Chicopee Massachusetts Dear Sirs After having read several acoounts of eye-witnesses who claim they had seen the so-called “flying discos it brought to mind a strange exper fence I had some two weeks ago The reason I write to you is that radio and newspaper reporte state that the air forces have been alerted to investigate these mysterious objects Assuming that you are interested I am making 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 Jume 22nd I was working outdoors on a step ladder looking up and suddenly there appeared across 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 northwesterly 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 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 baloon because it was not at all like any weather baloons I had seen before The object I saw although small reflected the sunlight very stronge ly as though it were of polished alwiinum 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 suche 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 Sinceroly yours A CERTIFIED TRUE COPY a Edward DeRose Chet Sta ARCHIE ROY Go Captain Air Corps Edward Le DeRose tC LE it [PAGE 84] HEADQUARTERS FOURTH AIR PORCE Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff Intelligence Hamilton Pield California 4AFDA 17 duly 1947 333.5 ID SUBJECT Investigation of “Flying Discs TOs Commanding General Army Air Forces Washington 25 De Ce ATTENTION AC of AS=-2 Attached statements and MOICs forwarded to your office per request TWX from Headquarters Air Defense Command Mitchel Field dated 10 July 1947 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 Se Information copies furnished Headquarters Air Defense Command DONALD SPRINGER Inels Lt Colonel GSC MOTC 16 Jul/Browm AC of MOIC 16 Jul/8rowm MOIC 16 Jul/3rowm SOIC 16 Jul/Brown Info oc to ADC [PAGE 85] Incident WAP ‘1208 I 16 July 19h7 MEMORANDUM POR TH OFFICER IN CHARGE le vn 12 July 1947 a call was wade at the newspaper office of the Idaho Daily Statesman Scise Idatm The aviation editor of the paper Ur David Johngon was interviewed in regard to how wel he knew Mr Kenneth Arnold of ‘oise Idaho and as to the credibility of any statemat made by Mr Arnold The purpose of this interview was an attempt to verify statenemts made by Mr ‘enneth Arnold on 26 June 1947 to various national news services to the effect that he ir Amold had seen objects flying in the air above the Cascade ‘ountain Range of ‘ashingten 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 know Mr Arnold for quite a period of time having had relations with Mr Arnold on various eccasions due to the fact that both he Mr Johnson and Mr Arnold were private fliers and frequently got together to talk shop Mr Johnson stated that as far as he was concerned anything Mr Arnold said cculd be taken very seriously and that he Mr Johnson actually believed that Mr Arnold had seen the aforementioned flying disks Ur Johnson stated that after Arnold reported having seen the flying disks that the editor of the paper had assigned him Yr Johnson the assignment of taking the airplane belonging to the newspaper and exhausting all efforts to prove or disprove the probability of flying disks having been seen in the northwest area The results of this assignment to Mr Johnson and what he subsequently saw is put forth in a sworn statement signed by Mr Johnson attached to this report as ixhibit AGENT'S NOTES Mr Johnson is a man of approximately 33 to 35 years of age From all appearances he is a very reserved type of person Wr Johnson has logged 2800 hours of flying time in various types of airplanes up to and including multi-engine aircraft During part of the war years Mr Johnson was the first pilot of a B-29 type aircraft being assigned to the Twentieth USAAF and stationed on Tinian Island in the Pacific It is the personal opinion of the interviewer that ‘tr Johnson actually saw what he states that he saw in the attached report It is also the opinion of the interviewer that Mr Johnson would have much more to lose than gain and would have to be very strongly convinoed that he actually saw something before he would report such an incident and open himself for the ridicule that would accompany such a report Inels Exhibit PRANK FROWN S/A CIC Sth AF [PAGE 86] COPY Statement of David at S3oise Idaho To Whom It May On the sixth general manager of Statesman Printing “Conduct a cov ares and der territory first reported On the eighth squadron idaho into nort to wey 3oise by search also was ne un national west a southeast of teins and back to the orseshoe of Johnson Jaly 12 1947 Coneern I received “tatesman ewspapers company an assignment eerial seerch of nort hw structions nger bracir vween ar seein ati resterr vella Walle re James incorporated ir which was est states atrol for disc States idaho nan's Rs as [PAGE 87] between Boise and the village of eridian west During this search which lested approxime hours I flew under and around-repidly formin area known as the Camas Prairie es of Boise villare of that nairfir 2se clouds 14,000 feet mear Co whic mean 11,000 feet above the eerth in this area errors meter induced ei barometric cheng nce my takeoff or iwereture [PAGE 88] I could not see the object because of minuteness of scope introduced optical view finder with which er f.1.9 Eastman was Taking sen in Wy gaze on I observed it to roll so thet flashed once in the sunlirht then performed a maneuver whi barrel roll whi the 180-derr point ry ject out this point 2erformar previously forming over the I i he je ar relatively as the size twenty-five far away it lo not kmow nor can I can only say it wea airplane anc it was at tance from me its sneed was creat taking into consideration speed is reduced to the viewer if an obj i very creat distance I forgot to look at my clock object The CAA's log of radio contacts shows my first contact made at12:17 hours ut a few seconds elapsed between the station the object and the time I called the I subsequently related over the radio a description of what I saw and lave record communicator Albertson mey remember it ‘the control tower may ing of the conversation I have not checked to determine thet the purpose of my relating over the air what I saw was to eneble rapid transmission of the renort to the newspaper for at that time I was on assignment and my energies thenceforth were devoted to transmitting the information and conducting a further search which I did after landing for fuel and to make some telephone calls TAT if [PAGE 89] inference rround while I we uave been 14:00 hours observed The above myself is now in order I have avproximetely from primary trainers J=298 se that does not powers of observation excep those practiced daily [PAGE 90] 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 photogreph it In all frankness I was tired I may have been suffering although slightly from want of oxygen Prior to sighting ths I had coneluded there was no point in pressing the search that I probably would never see tho diso-like objects referred to by Arnold and by Captain Sr 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 kesp into my hea vne we nov all victim power of suggestion or self-hypnosis arisin intent desire to iS find a disc and bring success to fore do not believe familiar with the optical illusion of a fixed object ve after it is watched a sufficient lencth of time I know what eyes will play as particularly during ni [PAGE 91] 241 Battery Street San Francisco showed no trace of any object Stohr says thet if it was nore than mile Aistant from ne at the size I described the object would not have registered sufficiently on the film to be shown He said it probdbly was too far away to be apparent evenithrough great en largement of the negative and enlergement in thet case is Limi ted 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 et 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 dolinson don't be stupide® But I cannot” bring myself to the point of thinking I did ial see enything The impression of the moment was too vivid too realistic and I knew in the air when I sew 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 invesss paling 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 Browm and Captein Davidgon who celled on me this mornifig sf vavid Ne Johnson Subscribed end sworn to before me a*notary public this 12th may of July 1947 Notery cubliec for Ada county Idaho My commission expires dan 1949 [PAGE 93] awl sn Bharat cnc mer ite i i forte af tt dul iat Ef palin Ea He cet dee te Ge Hi i a ris Gab tt Hi ec i ii aus ay rr lai sppeueect equi Ha He ale i Fd Es a [PAGE 94] A Inels Bendbae A af yigt'x mont 6/1 om Wk we [PAGE 95] CO PY SOME LIFE DATA ON KENNETH ARNOLD I was born March 1915 in Subeka Minnesota My father's name was Edward Erb Arnold my mother's anise name was Bertha Barden I was resident of Minnesota until I wes six yeers old when my family moved to Scobey Montana where they homesteaded My grandfather Roland Arnold also homesteaded in Scobey Vontana and became quite prominent in political circles along with 3urton Wheeler the famous Montena senator I went to grade school and high schaol at Minot North bakota I entered scouting at twelve years of age and achieved the rank of Eagle scout before I was fourteen My former scout executive was ii Prescott now a regional commissioner for the ‘oy Scouts in ‘enses City Kansas As a boy I was interested in athletics and was selected es an all- state ond in 1932 and 1935 in the state of llorth Dakota I entered the Olympic trials in fency diving in 1952 I was a Red Cross Life Seving Exeminer during the years of 1952 35 and 34 I taught swimming and diving at scout camps and the municipal pool in “inot lorth Yakote I went to University of Minnesota where I swam end did fancy diving under Neils Thorpe and also played football under Sernie ‘ierman but upon entering college I was unable to continue my football career because of an injured knee ‘Wy hich school football coech was Glenn Jarrett who is now the head football coach of the University of North Yakota I had little or no finances and my ambition in furthering my education in us through my athletics As a boy in Minot North Lekota I iid of dors racing placed first with my dog in 1950 in the Lions Club Dog Derby In 193 went to work for Red Comet Ince of Littleton Colorado a manufacturer of automatic fire fight apparetuse In district maneger for them ove ert of the western state ‘Ty A i fads [PAGE 96] SFNATESTINESAATTILA YT WINEDT LIZVLIivi tA 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 @utomatic and manual fire fighting equipment in the rural areas over five western states My flying experience started as a boy in Minot liorth Dakota where i took my first flying lesson from Earl Vance who was originally fron Great Fells Montana Due to the hich cost at ‘that time I was unable 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 owm airplane covering my entire territory with same and flying from forty to one hundred hours per month since ue 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 airplene designed for hizh altitude take-offs and short rough field use In the type of flying I do it tekes a great deal of practice and judgment to be able to lend in most any cow pasture and get out without injuri- your eirplane 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 méadows and in over a thousand hours a flat tire has been my createst mishap [PAGE 97] The following story of what I observed over th Cascade mountains as impossible as it may seen is positively true I never asked nor wanted any notoriety for just accidently beinr in the right spot at the richt tine to observe what I did I reported somethine thet know eny cilot would have reported I don hhink thet in eny wey my observation was due to any sensivity of eye sicht 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 end at about two o*olock I took off from Chehalis Washington airport with the intention of roinc to Yaki a Wash trip wes delayed for an hour to search for 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 towurd lit Rainior after reaching en altitude of about 9,500 feet which is tho approximate elevation of the hich plateau from which Mt Rainer rises I had made one sweep of this hich 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 thet looked like the lost ship I made a 360 degree turn to the richt end above the little city of Mineral starting again toward Mte 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 end simply sat in my plane ob- serving the sky and the terrain ORI a ae [PAGE 98] 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 and air was as clear as crystal I hadn't flown more than two or three minutes on my course when a brisht flash reflected on my airplane It startled me as I thought I was too close to some other air- oraft I looked every place in the sky and couldn't find where the reflec- tion had come from until I looked to the ft and the nor sinier where I observed a chain of nine veculiar looking aircraft fl from north to south at approximately 9,500 foot elevation and going definite direction of about 170 degrees They were approachine it sainier very ranidly I nerely assumod they were jet planes Anyhow I discovered that this was where the reflec- tion had come from ss two or three of them every few se would dio or change their course slichtly just enourch the angle that reflected bri on my plane These objects beinr quite eway I able few seconds to make out their shape or [PAGE 99] airplanes flying so close to the mountain tops lirectly sou southeast he back of a mountein renge I would estimate elevation could have varied a thousand feet one way or another up or but they were pretty much on the horizon to me which would indicate th were near the seme elevation like ma imes I heave observed geese to fly in rether were lir torethere rather swerved and out of peakse eir speed at the ne did not impre knew that our [PAGE 100] and as,the first one was oassinz the south crest of object was entering the norther As was flying in the it and found it to be the chain of these could quite accurately determine th were severel formation nessed covered crest of ler I looked at my sweep that set would land th wo explanation of A number of news seeing reflections or ever as I observed these obj turned my airplane sideways where could open my with a comple unobstructed view Even“thouc ground in the air in things and enything within his si;ht ision orobably as many sixty times I continued my search for the marine plane for another fiftee twenty minutes ond wnile searching for this marine plene what I had observed kept roinz through my mind I became more disturbed so after taking a last look at Tieton Reservoir headed for Yakima I might add thet my complete observation of these objects which could wen follow by their Slashes as they passed it Adams was around two [PAGE 101] saucer si lity [PAGE 102] Sweden Sermuda and California ing that day to have had a movie hoto lens rom now on ill never be without one continue further with my story When I landed at the Yakima Wash described what had seen to my very sood frier Al Saxter who atiently and was.very courteous but i [PAGE 103] FBI as to the authenticity at to my capabilities protective forces of our country report I ffere ntelli [PAGE 104] HEADQUARTERS TACTICAL AIR CC LANGLEY FIELD VIRGINIA im REPLY REFER TO unusual rence obs bie ae Seka ry laxcvoll Field Ala on rilliance is first noted an easterly and it was te impossib to determi i SX CO it appeared great height ith Speed much like a water bide and stops across the surface a water It contimed until it was ovorhead and changed course into the south Aftor traveling he above manner for approxinatel tes it rned southwest and was lost in the brilliancy at 2145 Central it vms no longer possible erve it 53e A call was placed i porations reference this phenomens and inquiry ina if pesiiig rinental aircraft wero a flight in the vicinity The reply was negative lc ausit explanation is offered he unusual action of ex source of light which acted contrary to any comnon aerodynanical laws report is submitted upon request in view of the many recent reports ence unusual aerial objects observed throughout the the above noted observers are rated pilots and the other two ligence officers All observers were cold sober ef Se Two are air intel Attached herewith a sketch showing approximate course of Captain Air Corps ADORESS ALL COMMUNICATIONS TO COMMANDING GENERAL TACTICAL AIR COMMAND [PAGE 106] WASHING TON 20 D.C AND REFER TO NAVY DEPARTMENT NAVAL RESEARCH LABORATORY WASHINGTON 20 D.C DIRECTOR eee Trg Oe ARMY LIAISON OFFICE fs oa 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 At the request of Lt Col Garrett AAF the undersigned has interviewed this date Mr Zohn Administrative Assistant in the Rocket 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 Substance of the interview is as follows At between 1:00 and 1:30 Sunday 29 June 1947 Mr Zohn in the company of the following Mr Kauke NRL Rocket Sonde Section telemetering supervisor Mr Rockwood NRL Rocket Sonde high altitude spectrograph scientist and Mrs Nancy Rockwood wife of the latter was proceeding along Highway 17 in a North-Easterly direction from Las Cruces New Mexico to White Sands 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 ariving the car noticed the subject device and called attention to the other occapants Mr Zohn opened the window nearest him and observed the object moving at an unknown rapid velocity at an unknown altitude which he estimted 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 The object was observed 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 protuberances euch as the wings of 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 was lost from sight after an estimated 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 [PAGE 107] Ltr ALO NRL 18 July 47 to Asst Chief Air Staff-2 Collection Br AAF subj Interview of Person Reporting Unidentified Aerial Object This interview was made in the presence of Dr 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 MU thes WILLIAM MELLEN Major Air Corps AMC Liaison Officer [PAGE 108] Interviews with Ceptain SMITH was intorviewed 1500 July 1947 concerning the flying Jisks and stated substantially as follows Te left Soise Idaho st Ste 2015 the co-pilot Ralph ST called ny attenti seen We were en in the vicinity of Our alti sealid wee app- roximately 6500 and we were bins prope si eof 8000 from thers to ton Oregon eadi ti that time was 300 degrees Magnetic North and obf wa hted rox- imately 290 desrses derres ots Sppeered on fale be about 8500 then they disappeared Shortly after the first group diseppeared probably one cr two winutes later the second group eppeared about 310 degrees or to the right ae the plane Their altitude was the e-m as the first groupe Thr of eppeared to be on the same plane and one object appeared sl and to the right of the others The sscond group steved with twelve to fifteon minutes then disappenrecd We Lad levelled time the second group ¢lsappeesred The objects were flet on the bese the top slightly rough in contour The dimensions appeared the samo as a DC-3 approximately five miles from use In o#her words it could have been ninety les eway if it would be possible for an object as large ac that would have to be to be flying but since we didu't lmow what we were looking at or how largo it was we de- cided that if it were the size of a DC-3 wing span 90 fcet it was about five miles distent Actually we have no idea just how large it was since we could rot determine its distance from us When we first sighted the objects we decided they were either golng away from us or coming towards us After a short while however we knew they couldn't be coming towards us bocause we never approached them I don't believe they could have beea going a great rate of speed and still stayed in sight for as liong as they did I would judge they might have beon travelling about 300 miles per hour ky personal opinions regarding the cbjects are that their speed varied was not constent “he first sighted they were going slow and stayed within sight for quite some time However when we loct sight of them they seemed to disappear practically immediatoly I think they either put on a tremendous burst of speed and disappeared from sight or else they dissipated Ajso 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 [PAGE 109] In both instances the co-pilot sighted the objects first and called my attention to then The weather was clear and unlimited with not a cloud in the sky We che a the wind and it was 230-10 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 silhoueted against the sky hence we could distinguish no color or reflection.” TEVENS co-pilot of the plane was interviewed at 2130 July 1947 STEVENS corroborated the remarks made by SNITH concerning the flight of the plane the time the objects were sighted direction of the flight of the plane etc There were two discrepancics in their statements as to the size of the smaller objects and the altitude at which they were flying STEVENS stated that there was so big difference in the size of the large objects and the smaller ones and that it was herd to distinguish the shepe of the smaller ones STEVENS also steted that the objects wero at the same altitude as their plame anc ecemed to be climbing with them In addition to confirming SMITU'S statements concerning the flight etc STEVENS stated substantially as follows I was flying the plane when I spotted the first object et 2012 on the 4th of July eight minutes efter departure from Boise Idaho I thought it was an oncoming aircraft similar to ours DC-3 shout 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 scemed to be et the sane eltitude as our plane about 6000 feet They were heading about 290 degrees magnetic North so I turned 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 its left and one smaller one a great 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 large they were However while we wero watching them we radiod ahead to Ontario Oregon about thirty miles distent to the weether station there and told them what we were seeing and asked them to go out- side and see if they could see them They radioed back and said they could [PAGE 110] copy ry see nothing so the objects could have been beyond Onterio since we had told them that they wero 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 seo then 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 end 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 The smaller ones were 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 lad they been clouds they wouldn't have appeared and disappeared so suddenly end we would have approached than 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 than I don't believe however that it was a figment of the imagination as SMITH and I were seeing the seme things even the object far off to tho right in the second croup We also called the stewardess who had not been in on the conversation and without mentioning disks aksed 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 imacgination.” In addition to the abovo STEVENS stated off the record that he wes rather disappointed in SMITH and all the publicity he ras getting iie thought that SMITH was probably “grand-standing some and thet as fer as he STEVENS was concerned he was not going to bs interviewed by any re- porters or go on the radio etc ie stated that he was «lad to talk to a Navy representative about it or to any other covernment official and help in any way he could but ue certainly didn't want to be bothered with a lot of interviews with newspapers and radio stations STEVENS seemed to the writer to be very level headed sensible man and not in favor of a lot of publicity wiereas SMITH although a sensible man and all seemed to be more in favor of all the publicity he was getting [PAGE 111] Incident LAF 1208 I 16 July 1947 MEMORANDUM FOR THE OFFICER IN CHARGE On 12 July 1947 Captain Snith 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 lth when 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 etrongly convinced that he actually saw flying disks before he would open himself far the ridicule attached to a report of this type FRANK BROWN S/A CIC th AF [PAGE 112] Perens nl 16 July 1947 vee ablavhed dteptaud ADORESS REPLY To COMMANDING GENERAL ARMY AIR FORCES WASHINGTON 28 [PAGE 114] fi i i ea tie eee ih ll ie i He a a at ww eu an du yeq oy eunsoeq a qe [PAGE 115] BROADWAY 4128 Civil Air Patrol AUXILIARY OF THE ARMY AIR FORCES WISCONSIN WING HEADQUARTERS 161 WIBCONBIN AVENUE MILWAUKEE wis [PAGE 116] Mer ae WAR DEPARTMENT SSIFIED MESSAGE CEN INCOMING CLASSIFIED MESSAGE Site IVI FRIGRITY PARAPHRASE NOT REQUIRED HANDLE AS €68 RESPONDENCE PER PARAS 511 end 60a AR CG €BAMA San Bernadino Calif OG AAF Wash DC attn AC/AS Counter Inte Division CG Sixth Army Attn AC/S AMC thru Sacramento AMA Calif attn Chiefs Section at approximately 1550 Ps esr om Ez Moc rex 96 Ftr Sq while flying rout tes mission in CN 51 at 207,000 feet indicated sigi ob feat of light reflecting nature which appeared out vertical fin or any visible wings with appsrent depth of a 51 sirplane at Spproxiue tely 35 000 feet sitit ude and approximate location of piel eet degrees 30 minutes veut tong Object was in aTet approximately 30 seconds Object vas again sighted at 15505 PST at approximately 50000 feet altitude and over Mount Baldy Spvroximate location of 34 degrees 20 minutes latitude-117 degrees 47 minutes west longitude to be yok th Pilot attempted to keep object in sight but wAS unable to do so Speed of 51 approximately 300 uph ané climbing March Field and other bases in area we ere contacted and reported none of their ships in ‘the air AAT ACTION AAF DIST INFO ID P30 Spec Wy R&D CM IN 187 12 Jul 47 wrt Fen THE MAKING OF AN EXACT COPY OF THIS MESSAGE IS FORBIDDEN [PAGE 117] OS oo a EY ae riggs agi fiwrcg At ofa binned Mi WA’ hor Bevo rarph fle hugh oh WA a i Than San Whtwe Fe FAs say dad vLa Wile trove Otrns a mute aw Hk heorked Chee Cir We» Ll be fog Pafhicatd aud Abirreu dy Ae ee 4te aowrRe me fughé 14 dhung hilt har ny gf th AAte igh thetywwr Ne hehe 22 Badd Lorn teen diner At ttnes Fd hms Bye Te Clot Shen at Fh fe Phere 4f/ratlays [PAGE 118] FROM CG ATLD ATC FORT TOTTEN Me Yo TIME AND DATE FILED 1423232 JULY 1947 70 CG ATC ATTN CHIEF OF STar¥ MESSAGE FROM NEWFOUNDLAND BaSE COMMAND SUBJECT QUOTE FLYING DISCS UNQUOTE GIVES FOLLOWING SUMMARY OF INTERVIEW WITH IRTC KEARSEY CMA NEWVYOUNDLAND CONSTABULARY CLN CONSTABLE REPORTED SEEING FOUR BGG SHAPE PHOSPHORUS COLOR BISCS ABOVE FALLS NEWFOUNDLAND AT TWO THREE THREE ZERO HOURS LOCAL bud Geom sux Joo sions o1so om xm amas Lamm FD At FIRST APPLAS- ANCE ACCORDING TO KEARSEY FOUR DISCS WERE CLOSE TOGETHER IN ABLE LINE A TRAIL FORMATION MOVING EAST PARALLEL TO GROUMD PD SINGLE DISC LESS CLEAR BUT TRAVELING SAME DIRECTION PD KBARSEY WOULD ROUGHLY ESTIMATE ALTITUDE OF DISCS AT THREE ZERO THOUSAND FEET SEMICLN APPARENTLY MOVING VERY FAST aS THEY DISAPPEARED IN ABLE FEW SECONDS PD KBARSBY SAID SHAPE OF DISC WaS LIKE BAREEL HAD OR BOG SEMICLN BLACK SPOTS ON TAILEND SEMICLN MO SMOKE TRAIL SEMICLN AND HERE REPORTED THAT ANOTHER OBSERVER COMPARED SHAPE OF DISCS 10 THREE LEAF PD EMD OF COMMUNICATION FROM NEWFOUNDLAND BASE COMMAND PD ESTAB- LISHED BY INTERVIEWER CMA NONCOM IN CHARGE REPEATER STATION GRAND FALLS CMA THAT CAVU WAS WHATHER AT TIMES INDICATED i [PAGE 119] Laat a a CLEAR WITH SCATTERED CUMULUS AT 8-10000 FEET a eR csc a mn eas ‘494 A 10000 FEET YAS CIACULAR IN SHAPE LIKE MACONS WHEEL pIse ee eee BLACK “PAIL APPRCRDMATEL Frere WoL Low PD TMI MS STITIAR TO THE aes Gee arran eior PORES Lore Lier on stAE LIGHT IS SWITCHED SIDE PD PHOTOS WILL BE FOMMARDED AS SOON AS THEY ANE RECEIVED BY [PAGE 120] MESSAGEFORM PHIUKITY July 47 aaa exener cao cout SPACE ABOVE FOR SIGNAL CENTER ONLY 59th aaCS Grou riny Blmencor ate ska CONAS ATTH ASST CHIEF STarT INTSLLIGMICE FLYING ALTITULE Wa PIVE ZeKO ZekU FEET ESTINATING Mines Per SOUR I WAS UBSAHVED PAnaLLELING Ti CUOUKSE OF CHARLIE ZekO MILs Pik HOUR UR THREE ZEnO ZEBRA JARTERS S2VElAL RCO eh Aes a ie xuby Le 98 @ecss eee socors sudeuce vla AK 350- 15 August 19h SECURITY CLASSIFICATION ORIGINATING AGENCY OATE-TiME GROUP OFFICIAL TITLE WD AGO ream 44 16Q The form supersedes WD AGO Form 11-168 28 Aug 44 18 10m tees aod WD AGO Form 801 Mar 43 which are obsolete [PAGE 121] TRANSMITTING MEANS CRYPTOGRAPH OR CLEAR TEXT i ROUTING Oniginaton DATE-TrmE GROUP 1200472 sorcerers ot SPACE ABOVE FOR SIGNAL CENTER ONLY FROM 59th AACS Grou FINYN Elmendorf Alaska COBaAS ATI“ ASSISTANT CHIEF INTELLIGENCE OBJSCT RESEMBLING AN ALUMINUM COLORED BaLLUUON ABOUT THRES FEST IN DIAMETER WAS REPOKTSD SEEN AT AN UNDETAKHINED ALTITUDE FLYING AT A GREAT SPESD IN A NURTH TO SUUTH DIRECTION PD OBSeaVaTION WaS MADE IN VICINITY OF 2Leak DOF PIELD AT Ube Oils TWO ONG ZekU ZERO ZEBRA BY COLON-L PERRY AND MAJOR GEYSER THIS HEADQUARTERS PD AFblk- yly Paraphrase not-required Haudle as @ustiersext correspondence per paragraphs 51i and 6ua AR 380-5 15 August 1946 CURITY CLASSIFICATION Sonsteas Se ORIGINATING AGENCY DATE-TIME GROUP PAGE oF Foam 11 168 ‘This form supersedes WD AGO Porm 11-168 23 Aug 44 16—48001-1 WY CoveRnmERT PareTiNe orice 15 50m 1945 me and WD AGO Form 801 12 Mar 43 which are obsolete [PAGE 122] a oe [PAGE 123] td poptfs A AED all ef [PAGE 125] Package received from Sheriff Merle 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 23 feet tall to fine ash an area of 13 feet in diam around where the object dropped The instrument consists of a Plaster of paris body having an oval cavity thru it 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 Uay 10 1910 sept 1916 Pat Nos 957403 second number not readable A small Polymat” filter condenser Two bakelite cylinders to which is attached a net work of fine copper wire These ware 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 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 274 Ext 73909 Gig was shown this object by Nr Zimmer of the FBI Mrs “hedon claims she knew what it was but couldn't tell Zimmer [PAGE 126] STANDARD FoRnt NO 64 dt Office Memorandum onirep states GOVERNMENT 947 JUL 22 AM II 44 the Mr Moxom Regional Office No NeY DATE 7/15/47 FROM My Yiright WBAS Ricanond Va POE IOS a SUBJECT “Flying Disks We hesitate to make this report coneerning our pilot balloon observations in regards to a flying disk because of the considerable national skepticism regarding the subject at present However local newspapers inform us that the 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 If sighted again we wonder if it would be a good idea to drop the balloon and instead make observations on this disk La Mr Minczewski has observed this strange metallic disk on three occasions through the theodolite ‘while making his pibal observation during the last six months Miss Baron has reported observing it on ome occasion Miss Baron's report agrees with Yr Minczewski's observations except as to the color-which she reported as a dull metallic luster Mr Minezewski last observed tHis disk in April 1947 at the 1100E Pibal Observation when the balloon was at 15 thousand feet fhe 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 bd -shaped 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 in the instrument and shined like silver It was impossible to estimate the height or speed of the disk except that it appeared to be moving rather rapidly Miss Baron observed the Bisk when her balloon was at about 27 thousand feet All days observed were either clear or with very few clouds and good visibility i Very truly yours RD FISCAL oe Sek MATEREL pare SES Ysecneiaey FUE