65 HS1-834228961 62-HQ-83894 Serial 130

DECLASSIFIED

NND
[mosses] HEADQUARTERS

IN. REPLY AIR DEFENSE COMMAND
REFER TO: MITCHEL FIELD, NEW YORK

12 September 1947

SUBJECT: Unidentified Flying Object
(Interview - Alpheus 0, Powell)

SUMMARY OF INFORMATION:

The following information was received 12 August 1947 from Mr,
Alpheus 0, Powell, 28 Redwood Road, Wew Hyde Park, Long Island, relative
to the sighting of a possible flying dise 4 August 1947,

On 4 August 1947, Mr Powell, an Airlines Captain with Pan American
Airways, Inc., was the first pilot of e Constellation type airoraft 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
1250 P.Me, Bastern Daylight Saving Time for La Guardia Field, New York. At
1600 P.M., at a position approximately midwey between the Everett (Mass) Pan
Marker and the Bedford Radio Beacon (Everett is 3 miles MW of Boston, Mass.,
end Bedford is 15 miles BW of the same city) both Mr Powell and Mr W. White,
navigator on this trip, sighted unidentifieble flying objects, To the best
of Mr, Powell's kmowledge, the following weather conditions existed at that
times Visibility was goods cloud coverage was from 6-3/10ths, with tops at
10,000 feet; end the wind at the 8,000 foot level was estimated as being
270/25 miles per hour, The sircraft was at 8,000 feet; 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 objeot,,
which was on the right side of the plane, end 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 immediately glanced out his
side window and noticed, at a 45° angle to the left, and wmideéntified flying
abject. It was about one mile away at an altitude of approximately 7,800
feet. Mr Powell banked to obtain a better view of the object. The object
was under observation for approximately 50 seconds, and during this time was
viewed by Mr Powell, Mr Powell described the object as being about the length
of a P-40 fuselage, blunt st both ends, cylindrical in shape, and having a
bright orange hue, Mr Powell stated that the object had a definite shape, and
that there wes no suggestion of gaseous dissipation as there would be if the
orange color were the exhaust from a rocket, or a jet aircraft. Mr Powell
estimated the course of the-objest to be 200° magnetic, and that the object
was travelling at approximately 160 mph, Mr Powell lost sight of the object,
when a cloud came between the aircraft and the object. The pursuit of the
object was not continued, inasmuch as it would have necessitated a departure
from the established sirways,

GCONFTBENTAE

HEADQUARTERS
AIR DEFENSE COMMAND

IN REPLY
MITCHEL FIELD, NEW YORK

REFER TO:

aircraft

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 persons 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 0, Powell),

Previous Distribution;
~ None

Evaluation
Distribution

- AAP (8 copies) of source of information

= ADC (2 copies) c cus t

AGENTS WOTES: Mr. A. 0. Powell is a 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 American
Airways and, at this date, has over 4,000 command pilot hours to his credit.
Mr. Powell eppears to be a calm, intelligent individual, not given to
flights of fancy, or easily swayed by what he has previously read in the
newspapers as regards reports of this type. Mr, Powell has a 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 meteorological purposes. Mr Powell stated that he has seen numerous
pilot balloons, radiosonic devices and tow targets, while on flights; the
object observed on thas flight definitely was not one of them,

Evaluation
Previous Distribution:
- None of source of information

¢ 3

Distribution
- AAP (3 copies)
=~ ADC (2 copies)

RESTRICTED

BASIO: Ltr. Hq, BARD, Birmingham AAP, Birmingham, Ale,, ata & July 47,
subj: Report on Local "Flying Disc, *

pee lst Ind, D
314K be %

» TOURTEENTH AIR FOROE, Orlando, Florida,
TO: Commanding General, Air Defense Command, Mitchel Meld, New York,
1. Forwarded for information of your Headquarters,

2. This Headquarters has made no investigation of "Flying Disc"
reports because this is an isolated case,

FOR THE COMMANDING GENERAL:

3 Incls: a/e

zich

RESTRICTED

t+ on Local "F. hd
0333.5 ID dul 47 - 2nd Ind
HQ., AIR DEFENSE COMMAND, Mitchel Field, New York, 25 July 1947.

TO: Commanding General, Army Air Forces, Washington 25, D. C.
ATTN: AC/AS=2

Forwarded for your information,
FOR THE COMMANDING GENERAL:

n/c Colonel, GSC
Asst Chief of Staff-Intell.

CA-F29IY -)

THE WEA.

"Furnished by the U, 6, Weather

For Birmingham and Yic‘nity—

“Partly cloudy and warm today,’ to-

night and tomorrow with 2 few
scattered showers this afternoon.
High today 86, low tonight 70, high
tomorrow 990.

67 xx

PRICE: 5 CENTS

\\
}

Flying Saucers
From 39. States,

Reported
But Seem

To Be Concentrated Here

City Is Baffled By
Dazzling Display
Of: Spooky Discs

The strange things that have
been in night skies since June 25,
were over Birmingham last ni

On one thing everyone who

objects agree

hundreds, of callers who re-
ported witnessing the baffling sky
demonstrations here last night had
& different version of what they

saw.
Some said the objects were
some small. They were mov-
ing at great speed. They were sus-

long with their movements.
moved noiselessly through the
a were at great distance
earth. had fallen to
the ground. They were in perfect

colliding

‘with each other.
But whatever the things are that
have set the nation agog since first
ys ago by a man in
Washington State, they definitely
were over thé Magic City last night.
in fact, that more Bir

ers, office boys, copy

CAMERA HERE CATCHES “FLYING SAUCER”—Robert Cross- |everyone in the place was called
land, Age-Herald copy reader, has camera proof that the much-dis- |into action.

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 29th Street and Highland Avenue. He said he gave the film(g |side, Fairfield, Pratt City,

15-second exposure.

End, Central Park, Bessemer.
| ‘There was fear, excitement, hor.
ror, skeptic “the-vofes. One

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aie He : cia

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baseball

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strange

‘Munger of cain he “The

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|The saucers came at intervals of
about five seconds.

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I, Staff Sergeant Ira L, Livingston, RA 14 153 972, Air Corns, have
y 250 hours flying time as pilot and Armorer Gunner have
statement to make concerning the.anvearence of "Flying Discs"
in the vicinity of Birmingham, Alabama.

At 2045 hours, 6 July 1947, while I was eating summer at my residence
at 1354 Meadow Lane, Green Acres, Birmingham, Alabama, my next door nei bor,
Mr. Herman M. 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 avveared to be svvroximately 2900 feet
above the horizon at » \i5 degree angle from where I was standing at an un-
estimated distance awey. The objects snmeared to be approximately two (2)
feet in diameter, round in shane, vroducing na dim glow of lizht end treveling
at an estimatda.speed of five (5) to six (6) hundred miles ver hour.

The objects or object anvenred to be traveling in » definite sre rather than
straight and as soon as one was out of sight another would avvear behind
it, but not always in the seme vath. I saw one that seemed to come straight
up. The view of where it came from was obstructed by 9 nearby house; and
when it reached the altitude of avvrroximately 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 even.though there could have been only one, my rereonel
belief is that there were seven (7) to ten (10). The Discs were silent and
appeared to be composed of a single light.

Lao hae qda
Ira L. Livingston
Steff Sergeant, RA 14 153 972

Subscribed end sworn to before me thie 7th day of July 1947.

- Me lap—
JAMES L, MCF

lst Lt. ac
Asst Adj.

7

CONFIDENTIAL ee
2

HEADQUARTERS, NEWFOUNDLAND BASE COMMAND 3 3
Oo ns DIVISION, AIR TRANSPORT COMMAND /@ae
- FORT PEPPERRELL, NEWFOUNDLAND

: RESTRICTE ‘APO 862,% POSTMASTER, NEW YORK, N.Y.

mmaadeted or =

‘ ee er Seis 07"
SUBJECT: Letter of Transmittel. i

To 3 Commanding General,
Atlantic Division, ATO,
Fort Totten, Island, N.Y.
(ATTENTION: 40/8, Intelligence)

Reference Letter of Transmittal, this office,
1947, with four (4) inelosures (Inclosures 1, 2 and 3, Final Reporte of
Sightings of "flying saucers"; and Inclosure 4, Signed Statement - Con
stable KEARSEY), transmitted herewith is Final Report of Sighting of !
®flying saucers in Newfoundland, which occurred at Harmon Field, Stephen-
ville, Newfoundland at 0345Z, 23 July 1947.

FOR THE COMMANDING GEWERALs
MARION C. MILLER,
Captain, Air Corps,
1 Incls 0/8, Intelligence,
’ Final Rpt of Sighting, 23 Jul 47
ist Ind. /
HQ, ATLANTIC DIVISION, ATC, FORT TOTTEN, L.I., NEW YORK 6 Aug 47
TO: Commanding General, Air Transport Command, Washington 25, D.C.
ATIN: Chief of Staff

TWX CM95, your Headquarters.

Forwarded in accordance with a. outlined in

yj

é TER, JR

M we A/S. ead saute

RESTRICT Elpnus revcer’ or stonrINgZ)y/°

1.

Organization:
Sighting

Place
Time
Altitude

Weather

Heading
Speed

Description :

oF POBS6L 16d on

Ce

fg POPP
Ze EEA TY 2
1388th AAF Base Unit : ied

APO 864, c/o Postmaster, New York, N.Y. °

Strange intermittent flashes that may tie in
with "Flying Discs”.

Harmon Field, Stephenville, ‘ewfoundlend.
03452, 23 July 19h7.
Approximately 10,000 feet high.

High scattered condition; visibility better
than fifteen (15) miles.

From South, heading NNE (approximately 30° )

High velocity; stated to be faster than a
conventional airplane.

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 (3) 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, (Newfountland 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. It appeared
again; they thought it might be a plane flying at a
very high altitude. After observing its menceuvers,
they concluded, because of the silence (no hum of motor)
ani abrupt darts of the light, it was definately not

an airplane. Neither Miss Abbott nor It. Eammaker hai
seen anything like it before.

WILLIAM H. Sint
Captain, Air Corps,
Intelligence Officer.

se HEADQUARTERS

’ Newfoundland Base Command, ATID-ATC
Fort Pepperrell, Newfoundland

APO 862, ¢/o Postmaster, New York, N. Y.

ag a 28 July 1947
oo oa

SUBSET: Letter of Transaittal.

“EY vort Totten, Long Island, X.Y. ¥
(ATTENTION: 4C/S, Intelligence)

1. Transmitted herewith, as inclosures 1, 2 and 3, are Final

Reports of Sightings of "flying saucers®* in Newfoundland and vicini’
listed as follows: eat

Final Report of Sighting - 20002, 10 July 1947
" Os ee oe = 00302, 11 July 1947
® ; « ® * = 00152, 20 July 1947

2. Reference TH - EN 18469, this headquarters, dated 1217302
July 1947, regarding sightings of “flying saucers" by Constable ERIC
hese ope ir eae wer on » at Grand Falls, Newfoundland, on
night duly ached herewith, as inclosure 4. is signed
statement of this sighting by Constable KEARSET. ¥

Baws
Captein, Air Cotps,
&/8, Intelligence,

Org.
Sighting
Place
Altitude |
Weather
Heading
Speed
Shape & Size:

Color 3
Photographs:

Reperted By:

General

FINAL REPORT OF SIGHTINGso tho;

Awd

1388th AAF BU, NEC, ATLD, ATC. Harmon Field, Newfoundland.
Flying Dise or other airborne object.

Approx six (6) miles SSW of Harmon Field.

2000/7, 10 July 1947

8 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 (-54
as seen from 10, 000 ft.

Translucent or Silvery, left a "luish Plack trail approx

15 miles long.

ur. Robert W. Leidy reported that he took two (2) Kodachrome
snap shots of the trail.

Mir. John N. Merhman, TWA mechanics Mr. John W. Woodruff,
PAA mechanic; and Wr. Robert E. Leidy, PAA mechanic reported
the above facts to the Intelligence Officer on 15 July 1947.
A Flash Report was TWi ed to : Action copy Commanding
General, Hq. ATC, Attn. Asst. Chief of Staff, Intelligence.
Info copies: Commanding Generals Hq. ATLD and Ha. NBC
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 beam after it is
suddenly switched off. the object maintained a straight and
horizontal course according to Mr. Merhman and Mr. Woodruff,
Mr. ‘Leidy stated it appear’ to be on a great curved course
on a horizontal plane. The object disappeared into the
North Northeast. Mr. Leidy says he took two (2) Kodachrome
Photographs of the trail. The film has been transmitted

to the Asst. Chief of Staff, Intelligence, NewSoundland
Base Command for processing.

CAPT. A.C.
Intelligence Officer

RESTRICTED

CONFIDENT —

Organi sation:

Sighting
Place

Time
Altitude
Weather
Heading z
Speed 3
Shape « Size:

10, Color :

11. Reported by +

12, General

1388th AAF Base Unit
APO 86), c/o Postmaster, New York, N.Y.

Flying Disc or other airborne object.

Codroy, Newroundland, 59°03' W Leng.; 17°50" N 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, Newfoundland.

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-rflow 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 heve mistaken
it for a plane or a falling star. Besides the two men,
the object was sighted by Albert Samns; 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 watched it while it was
in sight. ‘Albert was quite convinced from 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 men of approximately forty; has had considerable
experience as foreman of Buchans Mine, Newfourdland, 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, Mr. Legge stated
that he felt sure that the object he had seen was some-
‘thing new which he had never seen before.

PAMEDENTE TH e

Final Report of Sighting GRNFIDENTIAL

General cont'ds

Slbert Samma is a twelve year old boy. He was alone
when he saw the flying object, he was very definite
ihat ‘e nad never seen anything like it befcre. His
mother, Mrs. Semms, is the Pcst 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.
Samms becwse he was sure it should be made knowm to
her in order that the incident might be reported ty
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 description of his sighting

was obtained, and it agreed with the sightings at
Codroy.

WILLIAM H. SMITH
Captein, Air Corps,
Intelligence Officer.

Organization:

Sighting

Place

Description

CONFIDENTIAL-

FINAL REPORT OF SIGHTING

1388th AAF Base Unit
APO 86h, c/o Postmaster, New York, N.Y.

Flying Disc or other Airborne Object.

On board Steamship "BURGEO" enroute from Sydney,
Nova Scotia to Port ary Basques, Newfoundland,
about one hour out from Sydney.

0015Z 20 July 19h7.

30° off the horizon eat an estinrated quart«~ mile range.
Clear and dark.

NNE (30° East of True North) on horizontal 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 (h) or
five (5) flashes approximately one (1) secor4 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 shooting 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 t» jescribe a previous
sighting, he saw the flashes; the other four gentlemen
also saw them eas described herein, and believed that it
was not a meteorite or airplane because of its speed,
color, and evenly spaced discharges or flashes.

Ceptain 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 197, except
at that time, the object or flashes were traveling fester
and frequently €hanging course (he said it changed course
abruptly several times) and was headed generally to the

REST Riv:

Final Report of Si

General cont'd

SSW, The Captain also told the four gentlenen
that he was willing to make a complete report
if the information 4s desired for official
purposes,

ae 3
WILLIAM H. SMITH
Captain, Air Corps
Intelligence Officer.

oy

Otity o
AY BASE UBIRS.

nAks eomuND, AeuD-age

xinate altitude of the clouds?
feet to 10,000 fect,

;
:
a

the appre
from 6000

ui Has
” as

¢ 4 d4 od d4 dd

Trom the height of it, I°4 say it was about the sise of a 5% or a

Constellation.

was
1°a ey
Tt was horizontal.
Adout how big did it appear te you?

Q@ How was thie Disk travelling, horigontal, descending or ascending?

a
A.

7". RESTRICTED
a
‘si

RESTRICTED

: Interrogation of John B. Woodruff (Cont'd)

What kind of a break did it make in the clouds?-
It cut a straight path right through the cloud.

Did 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 iong.

22 re

Have you ever seen a meteor?
Yes.

De you think this was a meteor?
No, I don't think so, it was cat too clean. This was as straight
oS an arrow. +

re: te

What was the course of the edject?
Well, looking at the map I'a say North North Bact.

Have you been working around airplanes long enough to knew the
Size of an aircraft and the height from a distance?
Yes.

Foy. long have you been working around aircraft?
Seven (7) years.

Were you in the Arny during the time of the War?
Bo. "

Did you take any pictures?
Bo, I did not, but ome of the boys took sone.

De you think the pictures will shew up?
Yes, it wae am ideal day for pictures.

ae

a
A
a
a.
a
a.
a
A.
&
a

re

/ a om
BH (_.. UYactt
JOmN 2. WOODRUPY

Chief Mechanic

Pan American Airways

Sworn and subscribed to before me

ale ew of Jaly 1947,‘
‘CONERENTIAL SON, JR sss

ceptesn, Air Corps

. c/o Postmaster, New York, B. Y.

16 duly 1947

Interrogation of JOHN 3. HERRMAN, JR,, Supervieor and Mechanic,
Trane Vorlé Airvays, Harmon Field, Bevfoundland, taken at 1430 HI?,
16 July 1947, dy Captain William H, Smith, AC, Imtelligence Officer.

Q. How long have you been associated with aircraft and avietion?
4. Since approximately 1935.

Q. Were you in the Army during the Var?
a. Tes.

Q What 44d you do in the Arny?
4. Aerial Gunner.

Q@ Did your jod during the wer entail you to de able to judge distances
and sises of objects and ranges?
a. Yes.

Q. Om the evening of 10 July 1947, 414 you see one of the so called
"Flying Disks" or an object in the sky?
Tes, we were coming up over the mountain between here and Stephen-
Ville Crossing. The car was going up hill and we could see the sky
through the windshield, Mr. Woodruff said "look at the cut in the
sky". I looked up and saw a blueish black vapor trail.

Did you see the object?
“Bo, I just saw the trail as it was left behind,

Can you describe the effect the object had on the cloud formation?
were very scattered and were about from 8000 feet to
» the odject passed through and cut the cloud leaving a
could see the blue sky, like a knife had cut it. The
‘feathered similar to a weld, as if you cut a weld in half.

Odject appear to be descending, ascending, or horisontal?
It was horisontal seemed to remain on atrue course.

and
your estimate
ely North North East.

ve any estimate as to the sise of the object?
see the odject.

ICTED

-°8-

a
i
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i

RESTR

exhaust would be similar to it,
fem shaped?

was more or less « band across the sky in @ straight path.

» 3 velieve.
yoa know whether Mr, Leidy caw the Disk or object?

make a noice?
Revert Leidy.
De you know what type of film Mr Leidy was using?

What was the name of the man who took the photograph?

Q Wee

a Wo
Do
1

@
4.

“gestriCTED_ ge Sam tee as ticmeeeee ora

se BONS fe
‘APO 664, mp 2 ie, aE. a ad

26 daly 1987
apy te ong Pos Asan clas pe
Airvays, Harnon ay ay ae ag bail 5
Mepedin Witiien He'Onlthe ade tated’ jen a ap ey aE Say
Vere you with ir, Woodruff and Mr, Nehrash om the evening vhen they
dew Gx AGUA Ge Hishag Site pencing over ths yon ka heap TT

Yes, I was.

Vere you or any members of the party drinking?
Bo, I had one can of beer, that was about half hour before that.

rerereg

ES
[

and
@ Did 10 cat
& Tes

the

j

re
Y

» it leeked as if an object passed
similar to that of a pebble leaving a ring in the pond.

Was there any difference in the color?
Bo, it looked as if the object broke the cloud and left this epening.

Was the trail herisontal, going up, or coming down?
It leoked horisontel.

i

What was the altitade of the clouis?
I don't know, sir, they vere pretty high though.

time wae this?
a ERT ar iz) wae £0 sas VabEER Mites tind tive o' Gina
he afternoon, we were coming back from fishing.

FP Pe re re

: a 4
Fi he

ED GP RESTRICT tires

Interrogation of Rabert ¥, hetdy eons")

re.

How long have you been working around planes, ote?
Siz (6) years.

Neve you tn the Arey during Whe wart

&
Be
aR
A.
a
a.

re bre re be Pe

P.£

Interrogation of REST mabe | (edap*a)

trail?

@ Ave you willing te give the Army a copy of the pictures of the
a Yes.

Coptaia, My Corpse
Adjutant

D. TAKEN BY
FIELD, §2WFOUND-

At approximately 10 o'eloek in the evening of 10 July 1947
I was star ng by my store door; I happened to look up and saw
what appeared to be a "FLYING SAUCER". It definately was not a
shooting star; I'd scen several stars shoet before, but never like
this! mor was it an airoplane, it was too "lit up” and traveling
eat toe 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 wasn't af shooting star is; a shooting star usually
leaves a temporary streak, this object I saw left no streak only
the one that appeared to travel behind the eirele whieh looked like
an after-glow. The eirele was a bright red, nearest I could des-
eribe it would be the eoler 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.

Spr ‘ Oa
” JOHN PL LEGGE
VA ae,
>
Witness: /. ~

@ESTRICTED e

STATEMENT OF MR, WM. EVANS, CORDROY{ NEWFOUNDLAND. TAKEN BY
MERCEDES BURKE OF THE INTELLIGENCE OFFICE? HARMON FIELD, NBW-
FPOUNDLAND. 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 desh aeross the sky. I eouldn't be eceurate
about the direetions. If it was a shooting ster, I'd never seen

and it was mueh brighter then anything I've

ever seen in the skys 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 appeered
and nearest I could deseribe it would be sort of red and yellon.
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 at a great speed.
Whatever it was it was flying through the air; it wasn't just
a streak aeross the sky. To me it wasn't in any way like a
shooting star, and I am sure it wasn't an airoplane. I ealled it
a "PLYING SAUCER” beeause it seemed exactly like what we had been
hearing so mueh about on the radio.

Tm. EVANS

Or (Bryant
Vy

Witness: F. : %

wilbcss, Jit ie [

STATEMENT OF ALBERT SAM ROY, i ‘ZN BY
MERCEDES BURKE OF THE I cE, Hi D NEW-
POUNDLAND. 17 July 1947.

Lest Thursday night I was out by our house, I happened to
look up and saw what I thought was an airoplane. It-was flying
at the height of a plane that is flying high. Then I thought
it leoked strange for an airoplane, beeause it wes 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 hearing about "FLYIND
SAUCERS” I ran in and told my mother.

Witness: 7 eas ref i

f/ Lele puke

Witness:

Albert rushed in and tolé@ me about this thing he'd just seen.
at first he thougnt ann airoplene but then he remembered
having hearha about ": ING SAUCERS” and he thought that's what
it must heave been. I questioned him; he said it eouldn't have
been a plane beeauee a plane wouldn't shoot down like that did,

besides it was too "lit up"

Mr. Legge reported the same thing to me in order thet I might

report same to St. John's in the morhing.

Mrs JOHN SAMMS.
,

NEWFOUNDLAND CONSTABULARY

STATION Grand Falls,
DATE July 13th. 1047. .

SUBJECT Re:- strange objects seen flying over Grand
Falls on night of July 9th. at approx.

Sirs
I Esoncetsuliy Fever’ for your information that on
ednesday night, 9th. inst. I arrived home from
duty at approx. 11.30.

Upon arrival at home I joined ay wife, my mother-in-law
and Mr. John Jackman a resident of St. John's and friend
of the family, who were aoe on the front steps of

the house. I was asked by my wife if I had seen

"flying saucers" I thought she was joking and replied
that I had seen nothin, flying. Jac and my mother-
in-law then told me that they had Rosh seen four objects
flying in an easterly direction just before I arrived,

I asked them to describe what they had seen. Jackman said
that four round shaped figures had passed overhead at a
terrific speed and were flying side by dide.

On looking skywerds again my wife, Jackman,

saw a object which I would describe as be

fish flash across the the sky. It would be difiicuit to
determine its hdight and speed owing to the brief period
it was visible, it's colour also would be hard to say,

but there seemed to be a phosphorus glow about it, it

was round in shape and about the size of a barrel head,

it appeared to be flying in a rocking motion.

This sir, is about all I can say about the matter, we
continued to sean the sky for about a half hour but no
sign of them were seen again, Zs

ee

get, 5 £11904
Constable. YZ

LeStrange Esq., J.P. b
Chief of Po ice. i a

LeStrange E@qey JePoy
Chief Police.

STATION Grand Falls,
a : DATE July 13th, 1947. .

SUBJECT Rez- strange objects seen over Grand
; Falls on ht of July je at approx.

Sirs

ZI respectful: *% for your information Mead) on
Wednesday Right, roth. inst. I Ty arrived home from
duty ry A approx. 11.30.

Upon arrival at home I joined ay wife, ey, nother-in-1a0
and Mr. John Jackman a resident of St. John's and friend
of the family, who were Ro on the front steps of
the house. I was asked b wife if I had seen

"flying saucers" I tho Ine was
that I had seen nothin; 4 1 posse ay
in-law then told me that By seen four objects
flying in an easterly direction a jute ore Z arrived,

I asked them to describe what “nd had seen. deakan a said
that four round shaped figures otpag overhead at @
terrific speed and were by éide.

On looking skywards again ay I rege selinen, and mys

sav a odject which I could sescrive as boise a huse sehr
fish flash across the the It would be Zicult te
determine its hdight and spe * owing te ae ee brief

it was visible. it's selene also would be hard to ry
but there seemed to be a phosphorus glow about it, 4!

was round in shape and about the size of a barrel head,
it appeared to be flying in a rocking motion.

say about, the matters we
al jut @ half hour but ne

L. Strange 09 ToPos
cr
as “gala Kea.
EeQes york
Chief Police.

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 imagi or seeing
too much in some natural phenomenon, Something is really flying around,

(b) 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 possibility that this is a domestic
Project, about which the President, etc. know,

(c) Whatever the objects are, this much can be said of their physical
appearance:

1, The surfaced of these objects is metallic, indicating a metallic
skin, at least.

2. When a trail is observed, it is lightly colored, a Blue-Brown
haze, that is similar to a rocket engine's exhaust. Contrary to a rocket
of the solid type, one observation indicates that the fuel may be throttled
which would indicate a liquid rocket engine,

3. As to shape, all observations state thut 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,

4. Some reports describe two tabs, located at the rear and
symetrical about the time axis of flight motion,

5. Flights hase been reported, from three to nine of them, flying
good-formation on each other, with speeds always above 300 knobs,

6. The discs oscillate laterally while flying along, which could
be snaking,

CONFIDENTIAL
HEADQUARTERS FOURTH AIR FORCE F (4

Office of the Assistant Chief of Steff, A-2
. Intelligence
“Hamilton Field, California

4AFDA 25 August 1947
333.5/1208-1 -

SUBJECT: Investigation of Flying Disc.

TO: Headquarters, Army Air Forces, Washineton 25, D. ©.
ATTENTION: AC of AS-2

1. The attached true copy of the letter of Mr. F. “. Johnson of
Portland, Oregon, was received by this officer 22 August 1947.

2. Your attention is invited to the similarity of statement by
Mr. Johnson and Mre Arnold.

3. This letter is being referred this date to the Special Agent
In Charge, PRI, Sen Francisco, for any investigation they may care to
make»

PONALD L.' SPR
Lt. Colonel,
- Johnson AC of S, Aq2

CONFIDENTIAL

PORTLAND, OREGON, August 20th 1947

Lt. Col. Donald L. 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 dise 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 Ideho 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. ‘iere speed as far as i know seemed to be
greater than enythinc I ever saw. Last veiw I got of the objects they
were standing on edge Banking in a Cloud,

Yours Respectfully

/s/ F. M. Johnson
106 No. West lst Ave
Portland, Oregon

A TRUE COPY:

NAL e SPRINGER
Lt. Colonel, GSC,
AC of 3, Aq2/

yy

PORTLAND, OREGUN
30, July’1947 ; Vile

C-E-R-T-1-¥-I-C-A-THs

vn 30 July 1947 Mr Hichard Hankin, 634 N. s. Simpson Street,
aus Oregon was interviewed by this agent and stated in substance as
‘ollows: ;

My name is Richard: Rankin, I am? years old and have flown since

I was nineteen years old, I first soloed in m air craft in 1919. I tmve flow
over all the western parts of the United Stetes 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 done stunt
flying for air shows and various other types of aeronautical exhibitions. ly
brother was "Tex''Rankin who was quite well know in both civilian and Militay
flying circles for many years before his death and during the late war ran
thousands of Flying Cadets through primary training schools owed and oper=-
aedd by him, To date I Imve 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 sa;
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 thé air. The following is. an account of
what I saw on 1h June 19h7 from the yard of my home at 150 South "1" st,
Bakersfield, California.

At approximately 1200 noon on the U: of June I was lying in the

front yard of my home. There was a lad mowing the lam at the time, I looked
up into the sky and saw ten articles flying from tle South to th North at what
I wld judge to be 8500 ft, 2 flying ab approximately what I
would judge to be 350 miles per " tated before, I have done
quite a lot of map work for ) Mstinctly remember that
at the time I saw the arti i 3 o was mowing the
lawn at the time, I told lad cts were in all probability
Some sort of Army or Navy test planes fr nearby test centers on the
deserts of Southern Califomia, Having q a knowledge of aircraft in
general I attempted to explain to the lad ving the lavm that th objects
were probsbly on sane ; fcr either the Arny or Navy.
At that time T did not hing but that
objects were some sort ¢
resembled the pictures z
Flapjck afc that the 1
roceeded into the house an
ck int
his time 4 .: mn. S
ten objec were flying
y starcgling the rear of t
formation, | d We s ad +: 411 in the
Vv" fo mation n jf jects at tt ime. I
remember 2 m hat I 4 1 ho w i ¥ on th lam,
that pobably three of the objects cee t neir 1se on a diff-
i actually ¢ r thi fz he case, that the other three
nse on the other side of the mountains

companying newsp'

8
§
(|
Me
t
$

'Pilot Recalls — | THE OREGONIAN, THURSDAY. JULY 8, 1947 1”

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
lcers” over Bakersfield, Cal
|June 23, while lying on the}
|1awn sun bathing, he told The
| Oregonian.

‘I hesitated to say much
about them,” Rankin said, “un-
til I noticed all the hullabaloo
in the papers. I puzzled over
their strange shape for a while
and finally concluded, that they

navy’s ne@ XPSU-1
flying flapjacks, wbich are thin
and round, with twin propellers
ind stubby tail.”
Only One XFS5U-1 Built

(The navy and the manufac
turer have announced official-
ly that only one such machine
‘was built and that it never left
Connecticut.

“These planes were flying
high, maybe 9000 feet, and fair.
ly fast, about 300 or 400 miles
an hour. I first counted ten of
them in formation, going north.
About 2:15 P. M. they returned
on the reverse course, headed
south, But there were only sev-
en in the formation.

“They were not weaving or
| bobbing in formation I couldn't
make out the number or loca. ||
tion of their propellers and |)
couldn't distinguish any wings
or tail, They red almost |)
round. They looked like  pic-
tures of the navy’s flying flap-
Jack,” Rankin said.

Rankin, who pl. to nad
the summer here at 834 N. E.
Simpson street, is now able to
resume a little flying for fun,
but not commercially, he said
He now operates a ‘string of
auto courts, pon his win-
ters at Palm Springs.

820 Burte
‘FaYiwa D1s0s

Refer teletype te the Burem dated August 15, 1947.
Inalosed please find the newspaper account carried
Falls, Idaho “Pines on August 15, together wth « sheet of
= ©. URIS attempted to exeteh his impression of the instrument which he
have seen.

Concerning URIE's sketches, it may be noted thet he believed
felled outer edge which he attempted to create in hisdrawing to
@ foot through, UIE likewise believed that the tubinh or exhaust
he and his sons clain te have seen was about a foot through and
least to the back end of the device. ‘The flame did not epmwar
net to widen cut toward the back.

BILLY and KELTE URIE 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

The flanes did not
leave any smoke or odor,

The URIE boys thought that the "side view" sketch should show that
the device was more sharply angled from bottom to top, while URIEZ himself

‘ thought that 1t was more streamlined and curved. URI esid that the instru

ment came 86 & pointed or romded top.

In his netations, URIE mistakenly ssid that he had seen it on fhurs-
» During interview, he stated that it actually hed been ez Wednesday,
13, 1947, whehe and his sons saw the contrivance about 1100 P.M.

see what he called the flying disc.
for @ moment before it disappeared behind a hill which

They
flying at a great height, whieh
ween four thousand and six thousend
However, he said he had no idea how large the devices were and
Consequently, they may have been several miles avay. He said that he and
HAWKINS were satisfied they had seen something and they were very
seen

doubtful that they had twe planes.

TWIN FALLS, IDAHO, FRIDAY, AUGUST 15, 1947 Member @

Heads Up, Folks! The Dises Are Flying Again

4 SiDE view BOTTOM VIEW END VIEW ]

| This is an artist's conception of the flying dise that A. C. Urie saw | sides, and could well be the inspiration for something new in women’
sweeping through Snake river canyon six miles west of Blue Lakes | hats, such as a “flying saucer” creation, (Drawing by Vic Goertaen:;

)| ranch, It seemed to be powered by jets emitting a fiery glow on both | staff engraving)
+ * * * * 8 & *

'|Flying Saucer Reported Flashing Down Canyon
At 1,000 Miles Per Hour; Two Others Are Seen

| By JOHN BROSNAN | the fast-flying objects the nation | scription of the flying discs seen by ) come concerned about what was de-
Just as Magic Valley and the|has yet produced him and his son, Keith, 8, and Billy, | laying them, and had walked down
tion were starting to let go of| ‘The flying saucer Urie saw was | 10: toward the river to see if they were
" after ling under a | skimming along through Snake river | “I _ obtained a close-up view of | all right :
t we ying r reports, two/canyon at a height of about 75/| the flying saucer as it passed by the} “I had a side view at a distance

Fa y men re-| feet at 1 p, m. Wednesday. At 9:30| trout f

rm at 1 p. m. Aug. 13 going | of about 300 feet and almost on a
vived speculation on the mystery |a. m. the same day, L. W. Hawk-| down S:

ake river canyon ata height | level with the thing,” Urie con-

wit id descriptions of discs they | ins, Twin Falls county commis-|of about 75 feet {rom the canyon | tinued. “Two of my boys, Keith
|sioner and former county sheriff | floor. I would estimate the speed | and Billy, were below me and they
C. Urie, who operates | from Filer. also saw two circular | at about 1,000 miles per hour.” also saw it at about a 45-degree

Falls Trout farm six|objects soaring aiong at a great| Urie explained that the incident
of Blue Lakes ranch in| height near Salmon dam 40 miles | occurred while the two boys were |
Snake river canyon, came perhaps | southwest of Twin Falls coming across the river from
| the most detailed account of one Here is Urie’s eye-witness de- |

angle. They both got a bottom and
a side view, and we were all look
the | ing at it from the south side of the
orth side in a boat. He had be-| (continued on Page & Column 6)

~

‘Saucer’ Seen
| Flying Down
|

ke Gorge.

(From Page One)
river facing Loward the north. ‘The
boys saw it coming about half a
mile up the canyon, and we all lost |
| Sight of it in less than a mile.”
While the impression was still
| vivid in their minds, the three got |
| together and made rough sketches |
jof what they had seen. These, in
| turn, were the basis for the artist's}
|conception of the strange affair by
| Vic Goertzen of Twin Palls for the

;{must be powered by atomic energy,

“|20 feet long by 10 feet high and

‘|that they're not just imagining

, |mented.

Times-News. |
“It was all one color—sort of a|
light sky blue with a red, tubular
fiery glow at the side of the top or
hood,” Urie continued. |
“The canyon floor is rough at
that particular point, and it rode
up and down over the hills and hol-
lows at a speed indicating some
,type of control faster than the
}teflexes of man, It 1s my opinion |
that it ts guided by instruments and |

as it made very little noise—Just a
S-W-i-s-h as it passed by.
Urie described the size as about

10 feet wide, giving it an oblong
shape. It might be described as look-
ing like an inverted pie-plate or
broad-brimmed straw hat that had
been compressed from two sides.
Pressed for his candid opinion of
just what it was, Urie said that he
was convinced that there was some-
thing to this flying saucer situation.
“I know a number of the people who
have also seen them and I know

something or trying to get their
names in the paper.” Urie com-
’

“I do know that it scared the boy
and made me feel pretty uneas:
he added,

Tracing down a rumor that County
Commissioner Hawkins had seen an
unusual object in the air on the
same day as Urie’s experience, the)
‘Times-News called him at his Filer,
home. |
“Yes, I did.” he replied without
hesitation. “I'll have to admit I've)
been skeptical all along until I saw
it with my own eyes. I can't say
what it was, but I can say there's
something in the air.”

Hawkins related that while at)
Salmon dam Wednesday morning,
a sound resembling the echo of a
motor caused him to look upward,!
and there he saw two circular ob-
Jects that reflected light. They were
traveling at a great speed and
higher than most airplanes, accord-
ing to Hawkins.

Aside from this, he declined to
add details, except to say, “There's
something in the air.”

His general description, however.
corresponded closely to those of
hundreds of persons who reported
seeing flying saucers after Kenneth
Arnold, Boise businessman, had
touched off the deluge by telling of
coming upon nine disc-like objects
while he was flying in his private
plane in Washington.

‘Thereafter. the nation became tn-
creasingly flying saticer conscious,
jcreating a state of mind that made

it possible for four ‘teen age Twin)
Falls boys to cause a mild sensa- |
tion when they built a model flying |
dise and tossed into a local yard
July 10. This was subseuently re-
vealed as a hoax, following investi-
gation by the army and FBI.

| Thereafter the saucer reports
|tapered off into a few scattered in-
cidents until the question was re-
vived by this week’s Occurrences...

Speculation has ranged from
jmention that the discs could be

army or navy guided missile experi-
ments. or that they could be similar
experiments me foreign coun-
“something out of this

world.

Whatever, they are. a. lot of people,
have seen “somethi;

| Bribes rites

CONFIDENTIAL
Ea
HEADQUARTERS
FLYING DIVISION, AIR TRAINING COMMAND
Office of the Commanding Generil »
Randolph Field, Texas
10 July 1947

Unidentifiable Objects

Commanding General
Tenth Air Poroe
Brooks Field, Texas
Attn: ACofS, A-2

2. The inelosed MOIC is forwarded for your information.

2, In the event that lt. BE, B. Armstrong has been interviewed
your Headquarters, request that a copy of the MOIC be furnished
to this Headquarters,

FOR THE COMMANDING GENERAL:

1 a de H. L. CRISIER
« Co’ G.8.C,
Asst. chief of Stati, Ae

333.5 lst Ind De

HBADQUARTERS TERTH AIR FORCE, OFFICE OF THE ASST CHIEF OF STAFF, A-2,
BROOKS FIBLD, SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, 16 July 1947

TO: Commenting General, Flying Division, Air Training Command, Randolph
1d., Texas

ATIN: -Apst Chief of Staff, A-2

Inclosed is Memorandum for the Officer in Charge in reference to
Lt. B. B. “rmstrong, as suggested in paragraph 2, basic communication.

1 Incl S.H, MORROW
MOIC, dtd 15 July 47 Colonel, GSC

1 Incl withdrawn * | Asst Chief, of Staff, A-2
MOIC, dtd 7 July 47

UNIDENTIFIABLE OBJECTS
Williams Fld, Chandler, aris.
35 duly 1947

MBMORANDUM FOR THE OFFICER IN CHARGE:

2. Om Uh July 19:7, let Lt Erie 3. Armstrong, 0-2059709, 170th
AAP Base Unit, Forry Division, Brooks Pield, San Antonio, Tems ms
and information was obtained: Lt

10,000 feet, approximately thirty

Le Armstrong sighted five or six white, circular objects at four ote leek,
twude. it oe @ourse approximately 180 dagreens ant

an es s

very smoothly ani tn a alece fernahion, the cotinated. size ef the ekive

objects were approximtely 36 inches in diameter. Lt armstrong stated bs

thatvhe/as, sure the white objects were not birds, since the rate of olesuré’

was Very fast. Lt Armstrong ws certain that the white objects were. not

lawrenpe R. King, Jr, Special Agent, CIC, ADC

UNIDENTIFIABLE OBJECTS
MILLIAMS FIELD, CHANDLER,
ARIZONA.

7 July 1947

MEMORANDUM FOR THE OFFICER IN CHARGES

1. On 1 July 1947, Lt william G, MeGinty, USN, 195803, P80
Student, Williams Field, Chandler, Arizona, was interviewed by
this Agent, and stated substance: That on 30 June 1947, at about
O7L0, 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 down. He further stated that his reactions were to
turn away from the objects. He further stated that one of the uniden
tifiable objects followed the other seconds apart, He further stated
that due to the speed of the objects, he could only see that they were
circular, and that they were possible light gray in color, Ne further
stated that it was his opinion that the objects were approximately
eight feet in diameter. In conclusion, he stated that the objects
would have probebly hit the ground approximately twenty-five miles
south of the South Rim of Grami Canyon, Arizona,

AGENT'S NOTES: Lt MeGinty gave his permanent address as: N,AcM.T.C.,

Point Hugu, Port Hueneme, Calif,

2, On 1 July 1947, Captain Maleola 0. Amstrong, 0-734168,
Instructor, Single Engine, "iliiams Field, Chandler, Arizona, was
interviewed by this Agent and stated in substance: That his brother,
ist Lt &. Be Armstrong, stationed at 10th AAF, Brooks Ai\F, Texas
had related to him that he sax a formation 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 Amstrong could not give teo much infomation
on the objects that his brother had seen, Lt, =. B, Armstrong can be
contacted at Hq, 10th A\F, Brooks Field, Texas for further information.

Unidentifiaple Objects.
D 333.5 D (16 Jul 2) ist Ind.

HQ AIR DEFENSE COMMAND, Mitcnel Pield, New Yorx, 21 July 1947.

70: Commanding General, Army Air Forces, Washington 25, D. C.
ATTN: AC/AS-2.

1. Forwardea for your information and utilization.

FOR THE COMMANDING GENERAL:

49: ep OG

. H. SMITH @
Colonel, asc A% Cal.
[~ Asst Chief of Staff-Intell.

© HQ AIR DEFENSE COMUND, Mitcnel Field, Mew York, 21 Juiy 1947.

Or Commanding Ueneral, Aray Mir Forces, Uashington 25, D. C.
ATTR: AC, ‘

1. Forwarded for your information and utilisation.
POR THE COMMANDING GENERAL:

R. . SMITH
Galenel, Gso
Asst Chief of Staff-Inteti.

HEADQUARTERS

4
TENTH AIR FORCE

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS

BROOKS FIELD,

£ of Staff,

office of

Ine losed here
le Obj¢
To. CG Aa Garr acfAs-2)

Fon: DIR, cf wTel. oa7e 5 AVE 97 x XX
nas Funee PIFTZE

2636 Wagnolia Ave.,
Los Afigeles 7, Galif.
August 1 1047

Director of Military Intellegence,
War Departmant, Washington 24, 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 Rlying gaucers# and I cannot report on
thim second phemomena , without speaking of the first.

As I do not wish to be considered the victim of mass psychology,
a@ crack—pot or visionary , it is rather hard for me to mske 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 Mr. Hugh L. Dryd=
en has suggested that you were the one to report to.

I had been amused at accounts of the " flying saucers ". &veryone
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

middle of the side next to Ventura. so the bus was parked north and
south#

As I looked to my right , a "Saucer appeared out of 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 parMallel toVentura Boulevard .

As soon as I becameconvinced that what t 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 hight ; 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
2

about the color of the semi- precious stone Gornelian: these
fragments were sharp and irregular and shing. ‘hey were flying
about as if flying to a magnet . This was momentary and I looked
to see if the "Saucers" were still there.-I saw one or two but
the same thing ‘happened again and 1 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 1 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 vortez. 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 shotinc deadly rays over toward a very
croweded highway andé as this whole thing seems fantastic to say
the least, I thought I had better trust some ones Judgement who
really knows what is going onand so you have amy report on what
+ really saw, and what I am very curious about.

Thanks to MR. Dryden for his courtesy in letting me know just
who to relate this incident t0, and thanks to you for listening
and I hope that it makes the right kind of impression.

Sincerely yours,

M. Lenore Gorey

APN/KDS/eb

OKLAHOMA CITY AIR MATERIEL AREA
TINKER FIELD
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA

IN REPLY REFER TO:

#372h-I ; 30 July 1947

MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECURITY OFFICER, OCAMA

Sabject: DAN NELSON, Attorney-at-Law, 926 Perrine Building,
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 2

Res Flying Seucer Mystery Solved.

On 30 July 1947 DAN NELSON was interviewed at his office, 926 Perrine
» Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, relative to his alleged solving of the

_ Building
Flying Saucer Mystery.

Subject, whose age is 53, is at present engaged in practicing law and
is the agent for the Dual Parking Meter Company. Subject advised he is
married and has two sons, ages seven and ten, residing at 2613 N.W. lth
Street, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Nelson stated he was a sergeant in World
War I, being wounded in action while serving with Company L, 58th Infantry,
and that before entering the service he had an eighth grade education. After
leaving the service he finished his education and graduated from the University
of Oklahoma in 1929. He advised that since 1929 he has practiced general
law in both Norman and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Subject stated he notified the War Department by letter on 19 July
19k7, advising them of his discoveries concerning the Flying Saucer Mystery.
He received an answer dated 23 July 1947 advising him his letter had been
referred to the Air Forces. NELSON stated he heard no more from the War

pects: as of 29 July 1947, at which time he released his statement to
the Oklahoman," Oklahoma City local newspaper.

Subject advised the basis for his theory concerning the Flying Saucer
Mystery was obtained from simple experiments which he conducted while driving
his automobile. NELSON stated he believed that many people had seen lights
or shining objects cast onto their windshields and side ventilator windows
of their automobile and reflected as a saucer or disc shaped object. He
stated that the movement of the automobile, plus the fact that the glass was
not s perfect mirror and passing objects could be seen in relation to the
objects gave them an appearance of great speed.

Subject advised that the vibration of the car gave the objects an
appearance of rotating and that the reflections caused them to appear flat
or saucer shaped. NELSON stated that any number of objects might be seen
according to the direction that the car is traveling and the number of bright
objects being reflected onto the window. He further stated that these objects

might be seen in an ordinary window in a house according to the lighting

fuel #1) yn?

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.

KALMAN D. SIMON
C.I., U.S. Army

FLYING SAUCER MYSTERY SOLVED
duly 12, 1947.
The most impressive reports of the so-called flying

saucers or discs were those from aviators who claim they
saw disc-shaped objects flying through the air in various
formations at high altitudes and at a high rate of speed.

The first report was from an aviator who stated that these
so-called flying discs had a somewhat shiny appearance and
would fly in formation and change their position from time
to time. Most reports stated that they appeared in the late
afternoon or about dusk.

Most all reports were to the effect that these objects
had the appearance of an inverted disc or saucer, and some
of them reported that they appeared to be 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.

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 ia 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.
(2)

If the ventilation wing window were a pullin wteeee the
objects causing the reflections would appear therein,as well as
all other objects within range, but the ventilation wing being
@ 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 recognize them as reflections.
Otherwise they were reflections from other air craft.

As the aviator traveled along observing the movement of
the disc in comparison with the mountains, clouds or station-
ary objects on the earth, made them appear to be traveling at
a high rate of speed. The sloping angle of the aviators
wind-shield and his position in the plane made it appear thet
the dises were in the sky. The position of the discs also
depend upon the position of the observer and the angle at which
they are reflected in the glass.

Some of the reports stated that where there were more
than one flying disc, they appeared to be fastened together
and frequently performed a dipping or rising motion and when
one would dip, they would all go through the same motion sim-
ultaneously. The simultaneous movement is due to the reflect-

ions all coming from the same object. For instance, if they

(3)

are reflected from some bright object in or on the car or plane,
the up and down motion of the car or plane causes the flying
discs to appear to be going through a dipping and rising motion,
or, if the reflecting object is stationary and the car moving,
the results will be the same.

The statement that the discs appeared to be rotating as
they sailed through the atmosphere is due to the vibration of
the automobile or plane. Vibrations make them appear to be
rotating at a very high rate of speed. Vibration is what gives
them a flat or disc-like shape also.

If you wish to see some flying discs, make a drive at about
dusk or at night, open your ventilation wing window at about a
45° angle from the drivers seat and watch the reflections of
the stationary electric lights thst appear on your left, if you
are driving, after you pass them,and see how many discs you can
observe flyinz 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 lights 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.

(4)

These appear best when the approaching car is some distance
away, perhaps a quarter or half a mile. The results at night
may not be as impressive as those in the late afternoon because
at night your ventilation wing window makes a more perfect
mirror and the passing landscape is not as pronounced, therefore,
the reflections therein are more easily detected as reflections.
In the late afternoon, however, you have a 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 forme
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,

(5)

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 drivers 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 wind-shields, Many of the reports
around July 4th. were incited by various forms of fire works.

Some reports stemmed from pure imagination or hysteria, while
others were deliberate hoaxes, <Any other reports can be ex-
plained if all the surrounding facts are known.

Most all of the reports and descriptions of the flying
saucers coincide so clearly with the findings herein, that
there could be no doubt but that we have the correct solution.

The foregoing statement may not be 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.
sf

Bk
@

WRL ‘ 7 August 1947

MEMORANDUM |
SUBJECT: “Flying Saucers"

TO: Asst Chief of Air Staff-2
Collection Branch, AAF
Washington 25, D. C.

1. The inclosure is an excerpt from a letter to
Dr. E. Tousey, Micron Waves Section Head, Naval Research Labora-
tory, from Mr. John F. Cole, pertaining to some unidentified objects
which Mr. Cole reports to have seen some time prior to the first
reports of "flying saucers" in the New England area.

2. Dr. Tousey states that Mr. Cole is a well-known astronomer
and @ reliable observer as e result of his training.

3. The inclosure is in addition to information contained
in previous letters to your office taken from interviews at the
request of Lt. Col. G. D. Garrett, AAF A-2,

LA} Rss

1Anel. WILLIAM P. MELLEN
Excerpt fm ltr to Major, Air Corps
Dr. Tousey 2 AMC Liaison Officer

Naval Research Laboratory

< Copy.
Excerpt from letter to Dr. R. Tousey from
Mr. John F. Cole

South Brooksville, Me,
July 28, 1947.

Having in mind the ridicule which has been heaped.on those innocent
or perhaps gullible individuals who have reported diske, 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 "diske"
were a new type jet plane, or bomber, or rocket. The fact that it was July
3, about 2:30 P.M. (summer time) or Greenwich Civil time 1830 might suggest
that they were engaged in some naval demonstration from Eastport, Ber 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° anguler 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 5 miles in 15 seconds
or 20 mi. per minute or 1200 mi. per hour!!--rather fast for a bomber—-hi.
A 50 ft. object, at 5 miles dist. would be about 600 mi. per hr.--also fast
going. The only concrete evidence of form appeared on the left tangent of
the group--two dark shaped forms: Be which may have been tail wings.
Doeen'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 beckground 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?

OFFICE OF THE AIR INSPECTOR
25 JULY 1947

MEMORANDUM TOs AC/AS-2, Counter Intelligence Branch

1. Information contained herein and opinions expressed are based
upon conversation with and request by Mr. Butler of your office. All

pertain to certain phenonema connected with recent widespread talk of
“flying saucers".

2. Approximately three weeks ago, on or about 7 July 1947, I
prepared to go to bed around 2230 or 2300 EDT. I was living at 2807
North Glebe Road, Arlington, Virginia, with my wife. Illustration No. 1
shows the general layout of the room we occupied at that time. See
Tllustration No. 1,

3. 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,
@ 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 tentea-
tive sketch. See Illustration No. 2.

4. At the time, since my attention was divided and absorbed among
the subjects mentioned, my reaction was simply that "a light passed by,”
and I gave no further thought to the matter 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 had
fallen toward earth in that direction, it did not have the appearance of
any meteor or “shooting star" I had ever seen, Thinking of the then-
prevalent talk of flying disks, I reflected that probably some such
thing as I had just seen was the source of 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.

5. A description of the light, or object is almost impossible,
since observation of it was so limited. As shown in Illustration No, 2,
the object appeared 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 e 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 3 or 4 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 distence! several blocks. Based upon @ mild
sumption 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.

6. Although I could not accurately judge the time, I seem to
recall the object or light was visible for a couple of seconds.
Taking this figure literally and applying it to the sketch, No. 2,
one could roughly compute the speed of the object at 1350 mphy however,
I did not sense that it was moving with such great speed as this, It
rather appeared to move with the speed of a jet-powered airplane, It
did not deviate from a straight course while I observed it, and did not
perceptibly lose altitude.

7 In color, the subject had the appearance of a reflected white
light, @ 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. ‘he cloud
condition is further indication that the object was not necessarily a
meteor, since it might have been impossible to see a meteor. I do not
personally remember the weather condition, except that I am sure it was
not raining.

8. At the time of this occurrence, I was not inclined to think of
it seriously enough to wake my wife and describe it to her, nor by any

reasoning to make official report. As time passed, I thought considerably
about the fleeting glimpse I had of whatever I sew, and am still somewhat
confused, but feel that it was some natural Phenomenon which occurs but
rerely. 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, (c) it could hardly have been an airplane on
fire, since it would have at least crashed in this general area, (d) it

was not entirely a result of imagination, and (e) it was not spending
much time in one place.

“JAMES 0. COBB
Lt Colonel, Air Corps

ARMY LIAISON OFFICE
NAVY DEPARTMENT
NAVAL RESEARCH LABORATORY

WASHINGTON 20, D.C.

SUBJECT: Flying Saucers

TO: Asst Chief of Air Staff-2
Collection Branch, AAP
Washington 25, D. C.

Supplemental to that contained in a letter to your office,
dated 18 July 1947, re interview with Mr. C. H. Zohn who purports
to have seen an unidentified flying object, the following additional
information was obtained on 21 July from C. C. Rockwood, who was mentioned
in that letter as having also seen the object.

C. C. Rockwood reports the object to have been either a silvery
sphere or disc, which he would have taken to be a meteorological balloon
except for the fact that it was travelling at a much higher velocity

‘than the automobile and approximately in the same direction. The auto-
mobile was 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. F% saw no smoke or contrails.

Its motion was apparently all horizontal. Its aspect did not change
so faf“as could be observed during the time of observation. He thought
it disappeared by simply becoming too small to see.

DAME f Palle

WILLIAM P. MELLEN
Major, Air Corps
AMC Liaison Officer

This is en unparaphrased code (cypher) ‘Wessage
if essential to retransmit it in another system or to communicate ite con=
tents to persons outeide British or U.S. Governrent Services. One-time
a Fel pad ressages are excepted from this rule.

JOINT COMPUNICATIONS OFFICE

Secret ‘ IN MESSAGE 7.0.0: 080800 Aug. 1947

3 REC'D: 1200 EDT 9th Aug.
FROM: A.M, LONDON
TO: FAFDEL

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 contzcts were mde but faded quickly. The un-
identified airerft appeared to take efficient controlled evasive action.
2. No explanation of this incident has been forthcoming nor
has it been repeated.

AM.

C,1.0, (Action)3

3 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 number appears in the left-hand colum
of the data on the following pages.

Qne report, Number 7, has not yet been received and therefore no
information is included other than Date, Name of Observer, and Location. The
Fourth Air Force is attempting to secure a statement from this observer.

Four reports, Numbers 2, 4, 17, and 18, have not been analyzed.

The subject headings on which the breakdown has been made are:

Date

Hour (Local standard Time)
Location

Observer's Name

Observer's Occupation
Observed from Ground or Air
Number of Objects Sighted
Altitude

Direction of Flight

Speed

Distance Covered

Length of Time in sight
Deviation from Straight Flight
Color

Size

Shape

Sound

Trail

Weather

Manner of Disappearance
Remarks

Location

Manitou Springs, Colorado
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Greenfield, Massachusetts
Mt. Rainier, Washington
Maxwell Field, Alabama

Nera white Sands, New Mexico
Bakersfield, California
Emnett, Idaho

Clay Center, Kansas
Fairfield-Suisun, California
Koshkonong, wisconsin

East Troy, Wisconsin

Mt. Baldy, California

Grand Falls, Newfoundland
Harmon Field, Newfoundland
Elmendorf Field, Alaska

1
2
4)
4
5
6
R
8
9
10
pal
Rw
13
uy
5
16
7
16

*#Local standard Time

Report.

Number

1

7
8
J
10
n
ay

RB & FS

®

Oserver's Ni.
D. A. Houser
F. J. Smith
L. D. Jamison
Byron Savage
E. L. DeRose
Kenneth Arnold
Wilson H. Kayko
John H. Cantrell
Redman
Theodore Dewey
C. H. Zohn
J. R. Kauke
Cc. C. Rockwood
Nancy Rockwood
Richard Rankin
&. J. Smith
Ralph stevens
A. B. Browning
Jas. H. Burniston
Kot stated
" "

Not. Stated
" "
Alvin E. Moorman
Iric Kearsey

Mr. Mehrman
Mr. Woodruff
Grahn

and several other officers
a

*%

Observed

Occupation From

Railroad Eaployee Ground
" "

” " "
Businessman-Pilot Ground
jot stated Ground
Business-man Pilot Air
Captain, AsF Ground
" ”

lst Lieut., AAF
Bapl e, NRL

Wife of C.C. Rockwood

Civilian Pilot

United Air Lines Pilot
S = " Co-Pilot

Major, AAF

Captain, AAF

CaP Instructor

CAP Student

CaF Pilot

CAP Passenger

list Lieut., ACCNG

Constable, Newfoundland
Constabulary

TWA Representative

PAA "

Major, AAF

*From letter received, observer
is obviously well educated.

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

Not 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 P=51

Not stated

Same span as a
C-54 at 10,000!
Approx. 10' in
diameter

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, disc-shaped

No shape could be disting-
uished

Not stated, but report re-
fers to "saucer" several
times

Same as Report No. 11

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

None

None
None

None

Bluish black
trail approx.
15 mi. long
None

Weather

CAVU

Not stated

Clear moonlight
CAVU

CavU
CaAvU
sunny
CAVU

CAVU
Not stated

CAVU

Clear with scat-
tered cumlus
at 8 to 10,000!
Not stated

image contains all the
information on the document

Report
Number

1

Manner of
D jarance

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 4, to 6 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 (2 rated, 2 air intell.)
phoned Field Ops to ascertain no

scheduled experimental a/c were in
vicinity. sky chart attached to re
Ooserver is Admin. Asst. in the hoc
et Sonde sect. of NL. 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 wa
off his left wing at ll o'clock
Rolled from side to side 3 times i)
its path across the sky. sun refle
ed from top side, but never from w
erside, even when turning

None

None

Observer contacted bases in area w
reported no a/e in air at time
First 4, discs flying line-a-trail
Seemed to cut clouds open as it
passed thru. Trail was like bean
seen after a high-powered landing
lizht is switched off.

Object was observed paralleling th
course of a C=i,7 then landing.

Colorado Springs, Colorado

T: Supersonic Platters

SUMMARY OF INFORMATION:

The following information was related to Counter Intelligence Corps
Personnel at Headquarters Fifteenth Air Force, Colorado Sprin,s, Colorado on
27 June 1947 oy Mr D. A. hau North Chesnut Street, Colorado Springs
Colorado, Mr. F. J. Smitzx, 2¢ Manitou Springs, Colorado and Mr. L.
D. Jamison, 2415 test siowa, i s, Colorado. All three of the
men are empolyees of the Pikes Peak ilvry, Manitou Springs, Colorado.

"On or about 19 kay 1947 during their 1 i 121-1315) a mes
ber of a train crew called attention to a silv 1 the sky approaching
from tie North East. It appeared to te travellin, at a great speed. All

three men stated that the altitude of the object was very difficult to deter-
mine because of its apparent smallness. They furtner sta'ed that because of

d

this it was difficult to view the object as being large and naving high
e

altitude or small and being at a relatively low altitude. Th
that it appeared to be higher than the top of Manitou Mountain which is over
1000 feet higher than the shops which are situated at its base. No definace
s.iape of the object could be determined and even with tie aid of bincculars it
still could not be brought into focus. The vinoculers used were of about 4 to
6 power. The men stated that they were cer ain that the cbject did not have
any of tne physical characteristics of modern conventional aircraft.

y did sey though

The day was discribed as veing clear and sunny witn not a cloud in the
sky andano ground wind.

On reaching tne area just North of Kanitou Moutain the object remained
in tne immediave area for several minutes during which time it was seen to
execute manuvers such as climbi:.g, divin; end reversal of direction of flicht.
This happened every few seconds. The distance and location between 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 tre silver object was climo-
in; very fast towards the West almost directly into the wind.

Previous distribution:
Evalutation
None
e of information
DISTKIBUTION
fe)

Hq SAC 3 copies

.

HQOCAMA FORM NO. 8 i) e@

OKLAHOMA CITY AIR MATERIEL AREA
TINKER FIELD

OKLAHOMA CITY. OKLAHOMA

IN REPLY REFER Tor OCAPN/KDS:cp

#3724-1 2 July 1947

MEMORANDUK TO

BYRON PB. SAVAGS, Field Engineer, Radio Corporation of
America, Dallas, Texas. (Residence: 416 N. W. 29th Street,
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.)

Flying Disc.

On 23 July 1947, BYRON 6. YAGS was interviewed at his residence,
416 N. W. 29th Street, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, relating to his alleged
viewing of a flying disc over the vicinity of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Subject, whose age is 38, 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 extensively studied electron-
ics, sound engineering and aeronautics, and his present occupation, which is
Field Engineer for Radio Corporation of America, offices of which are
located in Vallas, Texas, is that of installing theater sound equipment.
SAVA 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.
JAVAGE 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 N. W. 29th Street, Oklahoma City. He judged the time to be between
8:30 p.sm. 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 1, 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.

Memo to the Security Officer, OCAMA, Tinker Field, dtd 7/24/47, File
3724-1.

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. He 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.

)@
151 Meridian Street

Greenfield, Massachusetts
duly 10, 1947

Comaanding Officer
Westover Field

Chicopee, Massachusetts
Dear Sirs :

Afver having read several acoounts of eye-witnesses who claim they
had seen the so-called “flying disos", it brought to mind a strange exper-
idence 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, June 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 8 or 10 seconds until it was obscured by a cloud-
bank.

Maturally 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
@ 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 alutinum 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 imow how, free from any imagination or exaggeration. Further-
more, my experience took place before I had any inkling that "flying discs”
were reported seen. i

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:
/e/ Edward L. DeRose

Clee FR 4 Baward Le DeRose
ARCHIE F. ROY
Captain, Air Corps

?

COE

aa ee

HEADQUARTERS FOURTH AIR PORCE
Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff, A-2
Intelligence
Hamilton Pield, California

4AFDA 17 duly 1947
333.5 ID

SUBJECTs Investigation of “Flying Discos"

TO: Commanding General, Army Air Foroes, Washington 25, De Ceo
ATTENTION: AC of AS<2

1. Attached statements and MOICs forwarded to your office per
request TWX from Headquarters Air Defense Command, Mitchel Field, N. Y.,
dated 10 July 1947.

2. This headquarters is unable to locate Richard Rankin, however,
as soon as he is located, statement and MOIC will be forwarded direct to
your office.

Se ‘Information copies furnished Headquarters Air Defense Command.

DONALD L. SPRINGER
4 Inels: Lt. Colonel, asc
1. MOIC 16 Jul/Browm {aap} AC of S, A-2
2. MOIC 16 Jul/Brown (dup
3. MOIC 16 Jul/3rown (cup)
4, M0IC 16 Jul/Brown (dup)

Info eo to ADC

\

Ge
2

yr?

U

Incident
ar 1208 I
16 July 19h7

MEMORANDUM POR THE OFFICER IN CHARGE:

1. vn 12 July 1947, a call was made at the newspaper office of
the "Idaho Daily Statesman", Soise, Idaho. The aviation editor of the
paper, Ur. David N. Johnson, was interviewed in regard to how wel] he
knew Mr, Kenneth Arnold of ‘oise, Idaho, and as to the credibility of
ay statement made by Mr. Arnold. The purpose of this interview was an
attempt to verify statenents made by Mr. Kenneth Arnold on 26 June 19:7,
to various national news services to the effect that he, ir. Amold,
had seen 9 objects flying in the air above the Cascade ‘ountain Range
of washington, These objects were subsequently referred to as flying
saucers or flying disks and will here-in-after be referred to as such
in this report. Mr. Johnson stated that he had knom Mr. Arnold for
quite a period of time, having had relations with Mr. Arnold on various
occasions, 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 aforemntioned flying disks. Mr. Johnson stated that
after Mr. Arnold reported having seen the flying disks, that the editor
of the paper had assigned him, Wr. 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 Exhibit 5B.

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. Mr.
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 convinced that he actually saw something
before he would report such an incident and open himself for the ridicule
that would accompany such a report,

1 Inels Exhibit "3"

FRANK M. FROWN, S/A, CIC Sth AF

Statement of David N. Johnson
at Boise, Idaho, July 12, 1947

To Whom It May Coneern:

On the sixth day of July I received from James L. Brov

general manager of the Statesman Newspapers, incorporated in Idaho as

The Statesman Printing compe ny, assignment which substance

"Conduct an eerial seerch of the northwest states ir
see and photorrar yi onduct this patrol for so lon

@s you believe reasona ntil you see a flying disc."

In accords

terr

[…truncated…]