Two Pilots Swerved to Avoid an Object, Then One Gave Chase

AMC Project SIGN (Col. R. H. Geikerum, Wright-Patterson) submitted to FBI Laboratory a soil sample from a depression reputedly caused by a small flying saucer (~2 ft diameter, 1 ft thick) that 'settled gently to the ground, rebounded to a height of about twenty feet and then continued on its journey'. FBI Lab petrographic analysis (case 62-83894-146; Lab #PO-23142 CO) found 'nothing unusual' on pebbles, sand, or dirt: no abnormal structure, no extreme heat, no radioactivity.

Outcome

Sample returned; negative finding (Hoover, 7 Oct 1948)

R. C. Person spotted from his private plane an object that appeared to be a crashed flying disc on his Mojave airfield. The next day Person, Lonnie E. Noack, Nathan Smith, and others drove out and photographed it. Noack described a ~7 ft natural-aluminum (24 S.T.) disc, ~2 ft thick at center, feather edge, two ~4 ft wings (yellow-green camouflage) with rocket-cartridge cylinders on each tip, mounted on ball-bearing axle, leading edge like an aircraft, weight 80-100 lbs. Noack took 8mm Kodachrome film and removed a wing-tip cylinder as a souvenir. FBI Houston / Los Angeles initially treated as a serious flying-disc recovery; within 48 hours Henry T. Rice (Olson & Rice Mfg. Co., LA) positively identified the parts as a Wolfert/Wolford 6-ft tow-target tow-tested by Rice over Smith's Helendale airfield; tow-target had crashed and been abandoned at the airfield. One part was stamped 'WOLFORD MIBHEE PLASTICS MOLDING CO., LA.'

Witnesses

Lonnie E. Noack · R. C. Person · Nathan Smith · Mrs. Smith · C. A. Toce · Robert Broussard

The object

Aluminum disc ~7 ft diameter, 2 ft thick (feather-edge rim), ball-bearing axle, two 4-ft camouflage wings with rocket-cartridge cylinder tips, no markings

Outcome

Hoax/misidentification confirmed (model tow target); film and parts returned to Smith; LA report 30 Mar 1949 closed (Provinse)

Resident W. R. Presley took two photographs in his front yard while photographing his family late afternoon: photograph #1 of a vapor trail; photograph #2 of a 'ball of fire'/sphere (corona). Distributed copies; AEC's Rathman recovered 24 copies. Col. C. D. Gasser (NEPA, Oak Ridge) and Rathman submitted to AMC Wright-Patterson Technical Intelligence Division for analysis. AMC determined that examination of the negatives by strong incident light revealed the emulsion was raised — a drop of warm water/developer rolled across the negative and the succeeding negative; sphere and trail are emulsion artifacts, not real exposures. Recommendation: declassify and inform Presley.

Witnesses

W. R. Presley

Outcome

Photographs ruled accidental developer-drop / hoax artifact (10 Feb 1949 Gasser letter to Rathman); Gasser's broader UFO opinions retained

Recurring green-fireball sightings near AEC Los Alamos investigated by OSI agents, airline/military pilots, Los Alamos Security Inspectors, and civilians. Speed estimated 3-12 mi/sec (avg 7.5 mi/sec / ~27,000 mph), East-West tangential paths at 6-10 mi altitude, approaching from the northern quadrant (apparent 'last stage of great-circle route from Russia'). Brilliant green light (one spectrum analysis suggested a copper compound used in rocket experiments that disintegrates without debris); no debris ever found. Dr. Lincoln La Paz of UNM described the 'Starvation Peak incident' with anomalous characteristics (constant intensity, ~5200 Å yellow-green color, horizontal path, constant angular velocity, ~2 sec duration, no noise). On 16 Feb 1949 Los Alamos conference, the matter was classified secret and renamed 'Project Grudge' under AMC T-2 responsibility.

Witnesses

OSI agents · airline pilots · military pilots · Los Alamos security inspectors · Dr. Lincoln La Paz · Lt. F. W. Davis (Killeen Base, Camp Hood)

The object

Bright green ball of fire / point of light with definite area; some diamond-shaped; ~1/4 diameter of full moon; basketball-with-trailing-baseball size

Outcome

Classified secret; designated Project Grudge; primary responsibility passed to USAF AMC T-2

USAF Kirtland AFB OSI message to Chief of Staff USAF: identical aerial-phenomena sightings at 22:55Z 30 Jan 1949 by ~30 people, with estimated 100+ total sightings across El Paso, Albuquerque, Alamogordo, Roswell, Socorro and elsewhere, all apparently the same object at different points in trajectory. AEC, AFSWP, 4th Army, and local commanders 'perturbed by implications of phenomena'. Kirtland intended an all-out investigation to locate any impact point.

Outcome

OSI-1-96 dispatch (31 Jan 1949); copied to FBI

USAF Reserve Major William H. Parrott (pilot since 1941, ~2200 hrs) heard a continuous clicking sound 'like beaters of a home mixer that were not properly meshed'; locating the source ~40° elevation east, he saw a solid mass blanking out stars on a west/northwesterly course at <1000 ft altitude; estimated 4-5 ft diameter with curved underside (light-colored metal under reflected street light); the object made a ~90° turn left, the clicking grew louder and stopped overhead. Parrott's dog was alerted to the same direction throughout. Sky 20,000 thin broken; 12 mi visibility; ~9 mph surface winds at Castle AFB.

Witnesses

William H. Parrott · Parrott's dog

Sensors

aural (clicking) · visual (silhouette/blanking-stars)

The object

Solid mass, ~4-5 ft, curved underside, dull-surfaced light-colored metal, no exhaust trail, no flame; continuous clicking sound throughout flight

Outcome

Reported to Castle AFB Intelligence (Lt. Col. Stanley F. Jacobs) and AMC Wright-Patterson; OSI Castle planned investigation

Multiple Utah witnesses reported flashes of light, smoke puffs, falling silver-colored objects, and explosions in the air west of Ogden / west of Logan / Sardine Canyon (between Logan and Brigham City). OSI Hill Field eventually attributed phenomena to two B-29s from Wendover Field practice-bombing the desert at extremely high altitudes producing vapor trails.

Witnesses

Army General Supply Depot guard, Ogden · Lt. Ron Hatfield, Logan PD · Utah Highway Patrolman L. N. Jeppson, Mantua · Trenton residents

The object

Silver-colored objects, smoke puffs, mid-air explosions/flashes

Outcome

Resolved as B-29 vapor trails / practice bombing

Special-delivery messenger Wade H. Harrison observed a brilliant ~3-4 in apparent diameter object moving SE at ~2 mi altitude at high speed; mirror-like reflection; soundless (or masked by traffic noise); watched ~3-4 mi of travel before tree-line obscured it. Subsequently met an Army officer (major/lt. col., name unknown) on N. 'C' Street who stated his wife had seen a similar object 15 Apr 1949 traveling out of Oklahoma City toward Fort Smith. Reported to OSI and MID; published in the Southwest-Times Record (17 Apr 1949).

Witnesses

Wade H. Harrison · unknown Army major/lt.col. and wife

The object

Brilliant mirror-bright object, apparent diameter 3-4 in, very high altitude, soundless

Outcome

FBI Little Rock referred to OSI / MID; no further investigation

1st Lt. Frederick W. Davis (Co. C, 12th Armored Inf. Bn.) observed a basketball-sized reddish-white lighted object with fire trail at ~6,000 ft, traveling parallel to the ground directly over him at high speed for 10-15 sec, then suddenly disappearing 'high in the sky' without descending. Soundless, odorless, clear night. Object passed almost directly over the Killeen Base air strip. Static/electrical interference on the telephone immediately after. Earlier flares/lights on 6, 7, 8, 17 Mar 1949 also reported by alert-force personnel ~1000 yd east of the Killeen fence.

Witnesses

1st Lt. Frederick W. Davis

The object

Basketball-size reddish-white lighted object with fire trail, ~6000 ft, level flight then sudden vanish upward

Outcome

G-2 4th Army informed; reported to FBI San Antonio (file 100-7545) under 'Protection of Vital Installations'

Eastern Air Lines pilots Capt. C. S. Chiles and Co-pilot John B. Whitted (and at least one passenger) reported a wingless 'gigantic plane' with 100-ft fuselage four times the circumference of a B-29, two rows of brilliantly lighted square windows, fiery 25-50 ft comet-like tail, black against the night sky, at 5,000 ft, traveling at ~2,700 mph; appeared from a thunderhead, narrowly missed the Eastern airliner, disappeared into another cloud; no sound or air disturbance; no living souls visible aboard.

Witnesses

Capt. C. S. Chiles · John B. Whitted · Eastern Air Lines passengers

The object

Wingless rocket-ship, 100-ft fuselage, two rows of brilliantly lit square windows, ~25-50 ft fiery comet tail, ~2700 mph

Outcome

Reported in Atlanta Journal 25-26 Jul 1948; investigated by 4th Army G-2 and AMC; multiple Atlanta-area secondary sightings (Mrs. Atkinson, Mrs. Delk, Mrs. Sellers, Mrs. Heflin, etc.)

Mass sighting of a 'long cigar' / 'streak of fire' / 'rounded stick of wood burning' across the Virginia–Tennessee region; descriptions: black object with red front, trailing vapor/smoke, faded overhead, sometimes seen as making a slight arc; estimated altitude ~6,000-30,000 ft; some reports described 'roaring sound' (Graybeal). CAA officials puzzled.

Witnesses

J. S. Mays · W. F. Mullins · Mrs. Alfred Tolley & son Albert · Joe Stewart · Fred W. Hurt · Mrs. James D. Heinline · Dody Jones · L. B. Graybeal · Rex Rainey

The object

Long cigar-shaped, black/dark with red lighted front, vapor or smoke tail

Outcome

FBI Richmond (file VLR 2) forwarded clippings; no investigation

Woody Shaeffer's house was struck during a storm at night by a flaming object that came through the roof; the house burned to the ground in less than an hour; ash residue continued to burn 12 hours after water was applied. Frederic S. Marquardt (former AEC Oak Ridge employee) sent ash sample to Philadelphia Fire Marshal; chemical analysis (Dr. Edward Burke) showed magnesium, aluminum, iron, calcium silicates, sulphur and carbonates. Marquardt's opinion: military flare or 'flying saucer'; he disputed meteor hypothesis on chemical grounds.

Witnesses

Woody Shaeffer (occupant) · Frederic S. Marquardt (relayer)

The object

Flaming object through roof; one bushel of ash residue persisting after fire

Outcome

FBI Philadelphia (62-2542) closed; ash forwarded to FBI Lab for any further interest

ONI relayed reports of single discs in straight northbound flight in late afternoon; possibly weather balloons but balloons released only from one airport (over an hour earlier than the sightings, and would generally be out of sight within a few minutes).

Witnesses

unspecified observers (some wear glasses)

Outcome

ONI to FBI; no FBI investigation

FBI Special Agent Clive G. Matthews, on vacation, observed an unconventional aircraft 'resembling flying disc'. Reported full information directly to USAF Air Force Intelligence at Fort Crook, Nebraska.

Witnesses

SA Clive G. Matthews

Outcome

FBI Omaha not to report further unless directed

C. A. Atkins (Hollywood) reported that three Department of Recreation employees in LA-area parks had noticed objects in the sky resembling flying discs.

Witnesses

three unnamed Dept. of Recreation employees

Outcome

Hoover forwarded to USAF Director of Special Investigations 2 May 1949

Mrs. Mary [Carter] (Postmistress, Port Allegany) reported via letter to FBI Pittsburgh that on 6 Nov 1947 Mr. Lippincott (Director, Eastern Area Red Cross, Pittsburgh) told local dentist Dr. H. E. Cromwell (Methodist Church / local Protestant Mens Club) that the saucers reported around the country 'were actually from Spain' — ascertained by the Government in Washington but not made known. Postmistress flagged the rumor's potential reach.

Witnesses

Lippincott (alleged speaker) · Dr. H. E. Cromwell (relayer)

Outcome

Filed; cited as example of rumor-spread risk

Reference to 7 Jul 1947 Phoenix interview of William Albert Rhodes (4333 N. 14th St.) by SA J. Bailey Brower and A-2 rep George Fugate, Jr. (Hamilton Field). Rhodes had photographed an object with a 620 box camera. By June 1949 Rhodes was requesting return of the photographs; Fugate now described his memory as 'hazy'. OSI representative Lynn C. Aldrich requested a blind FBI memorandum on the original interview.

Witnesses

William Albert Rhodes

Outcome

Hoover authorized release of blind memorandum to Aldrich (30 Jun 1949)

Mrs. Frank Gardner letter on flying saucers; forwarded to USAF Director of Special Investigations 10 May 1949.

Witnesses

Mrs. Frank Gardner

Outcome

Routed to USAF

Earlier (Jul 1945) Eastern Air Lines pilot/co-pilot/passenger sighting of an unconventional, wingless 'rocket-ship'-type aircraft with windows, larger than the Eastern airliner, traveling ~2,700 mph; appeared/disappeared in thunderhead clouds; no sound/air disturbance. Cited in 31 Jan 1949 SAC San Antonio letter (file SA 100-7545) describing the multi-year Fourth-Army Area pattern of 'Unconventional Aircraft' / 'Unidentified Aerial Phenomena' / 'flying discs / flying saucers / balls of fire'.

Witnesses

Eastern Air Lines pilot, co-pilot, and passenger(s)

The object

Wingless rocket-ship-type aircraft with windows, ~2700 mph, larger than airliner

Outcome

Cited as historical baseline; appears to be the same Chiles-Whitted-class case

Walter Winchell forwarded letter — handwritten correspondent text largely illegible (OCR fragments)

Likely reason: handwriting / OCR noise; no exemption stamps

Handwritten Atlanta correspondent letter — 'Wms. Lawrence' / signature partly obscured

Likely reason: handwriting / OCR noise

Mrs. Frank Gardner letter (29 Apr 1949, El Monte, CA) — body of letter is photostat with marginal text cut off

Likely reason: scan artifact; not exemption-coded

Handwritten correspondent (Gardner?) text at folio break — partly OCR-illegible

Likely reason: handwriting / OCR noise

Warren Franscioni letter to Walter Winchell (15 May 1949) — initials redacted from incoming-routing block but body fully preserved

Likely reason: no exemption codes

Phoenix-Rhodes blind memorandum — content of attached memorandum withheld (only cover letter present)

Likely reason: underlying memorandum was a separate enclosure not included in this section