Pilot Saw Orange Object Disappear Behind Cloud

Approximately 2120 CT, four officers (two rated pilots, two air intelligence officers, all 'cold sober') saw a brilliant light traveling east in a zig-zag course 'much like a water bug,' overhead, then turning 90 deg into the south; observed for 5 min until lost in moonlight.

Witnesses

Capt. John H. Cantrell · 1st Lt. Theodore Dewey · Capt. Redman · Capt. Wilson H. Kayko

The object

Light, brilliance slightly greater than a star; no audible sound; behavior 'contrary to any common aerodynamical laws'

Outcome

Lost in brilliancy of the moon at 2145 CT; Maxwell Field operations confirmed no experimental aircraft scheduled in the vicinity

Four NRL Rocket Sonde Section personnel (Zohn, Kauke, C.C. and N. Rockwood) traveling NE to White Sands V-2 grounds saw a silvery sphere/disc at est. 8,000-10,000 ft, moving N at unknown rapid velocity; faster than the 60-mph car; observed ~30 seconds; possibly some vapor trails.

Witnesses

C. H. Zohn · J. R. Kauke · C. C. Rockwood · Nancy Rockwood

Sensors

unaided eye

The object

Silvery sphere or disc; uniform shape with no protuberances; about same apparent size as the sun at 45 deg elevation

Outcome

Disappeared by becoming too small to see; reflection angle thought to have changed abruptly

USN P-80 student Lt. McGinty at 25,000 ft, heading south to Williams Field, saw two round objects going at 'inconceivable speeds, straight down,' one following the other seconds apart; light gray, ~8 ft diameter; would have impacted ~25 mi south of South Rim.

Witnesses

Lt. William G. McGinty

The object

Two circular light-gray objects, ~8 feet diameter, vertical descent at extreme speed

Outcome

Pilot turned away; presumed ground impact

United Air Lines DC-3 (Capt. E.J. Smith / Co-Pilot Stevens / stewardess) en route Boise->Pendleton sighted a primary object plus four smaller objects ~290 deg from heading; second group of similar objects appeared after a 1-2 min interval; observed across two phases for ~12-15 min total. Stewardess saw the same things without prompting.

Witnesses

Capt. E. J. Smith (UAL) · Ralph Stevens (UAL) · stewardess (UAL)

The object

Flat on base, top slightly rough; comparable to a DC-3 wing span at est. 5 mi distance; one large + four smaller

Outcome

Disappeared into the sunset; Ontario, OR weather station could not corroborate when called by radio

Mass sighting reported by 'hundreds' of Birmingham residents; Birmingham Age-Herald 'switchboards swamped'; police, weather bureau and control tower 'baffled'; reports from Edgewood, Mountain Brook, Avondale, Southside, Fairfield, Pratt City, West End, Central Park, Bessemer; one resident-reporter took a 15-second-exposure photograph (Robert Crossland, Age-Herald copy reader, 29th St / Highland Ave).

Witnesses

Mrs. James Bain · Mrs. Gordon Bush · Frank S. Plumstead · Robert Crossland · many others

The object

Round, saucer-like; varied size and behavior reports; 'gobs of light moving around the sky'; some 'as big as dining-room tables'

Outcome

Photographed (15-sec exposure produced two round white spots); subject of large local press coverage

S/Sgt Ira L. Livingston, Air Corps (AA gunner experience), at 2045 hrs while eating supper, was called outside by neighbor H.M. Bookwell to view 7-10 'flying discs' traveling W to SE at est. 2,900 ft, ~2 ft diameter, dim glow, 500-600 mph, silent.

Witnesses

S/Sgt Ira L. Livingston · Herman M. Bookwell

The object

Round, ~2 ft diameter, dim glow, single light each, silent

Outcome

Sworn before 1st Lt. James L. McFarlane on 7 July 1947; report classified RESTRICTED; Fourteenth AF declined to investigate as 'an isolated case'

M. Lenore Gorey, sole passenger on Hollywood-Tarzana bus, saw a row of 'Saucers' rolling north at great speed parallel to Ventura Blvd, plus a second 'phenomenon' of cris-crossing milky-white rays and small spinning carnelian-red fragments in a vortex 'as if flying to a Magnet'.

Witnesses

M. Lenore Gorey

The object

Multiple uniform-size discs in regular intervals; secondary phenomenon: milky-white converging rays and red carnelian fragments in vortex

Outcome

Reported via Bureau of Standards (Hugh L. Dryden) to Director of Military Intelligence

Capt. James H. Burniston, 2d Air Transport Wing, voluntarily reported (under 24th Article of War advice) a NW-to-SE object at ~10,000 ft, faster than any aircraft known to him, rolling side-to-side three times in path across visible sky; comparable to C-54 in size; sun reflected from top in flashes.

Witnesses

Capt. James H. Burniston · Mrs. Burniston (wife)

The object

Comparable to C-54 in apparent size, rolled side-to-side three times; alternate views of top (reflective) and bottom (non-reflective)

Outcome

Disappeared at ~30 deg above earth's surface

Major Archie B. Browning, AC, sighted a bright, silvery, round object 30-50 ft diameter at ~11,000 ft, ~10 mi to the left of his B-25.

Witnesses

Major Archie B. Browning

The object

Round, very bright, silvery, 30-50 ft diameter

Outcome

Sworn statement attached

Lt. Col. James O. Cobb (Office of the Air Inspector), at ~2250-2300 EDT, while sitting on edge of bed, observed a cool bright-white light cross from right window edge southward over treetops at 3-4 deg elevation; 'no train' (no smoke/sparks); silent; computed as ~3/4 mi distant, 30 ft size, low altitude (well below 500 ft), apparent speed of a jet.

Witnesses

Lt. Col. James O. Cobb

The object

Cool, bright-white reflected light; round/oval/discal/irregular indeterminate ('blob'); 'like the moon on a clear night'

Outcome

Bolling Field weather records consulted; Cobb explicitly ruled out balloon, beacon flash, airplane on fire, imagination, hovering object

1st Lt. Alvin E. Moorman, 196 Fighter Sq, in CHF P-51 at 20,000 ft, saw at 1550 PST a flat light-reflecting object without vertical fin or visible wings, P-51-depth, at ~35,000 ft; sighted again at 1550.5 PST at ~50,000 ft over Mt. Baldy. Pilot at 300 mph could not keep object in sight. March Field and other area bases reported no aircraft in the air.

Witnesses

1st Lt. Alvin E. Moorman

The object

Flat, light-reflecting; no vertical fin or visible wings; depth comparable to a P-51

Outcome

Lost from sight; spot report TWX'd to AAF Wash DC AC/AS-2 CI Div, 6th Army G-2, 8th AC AMC via Sacramento AMA

Constable Eric Kearsey (Newfoundland Constabulary) reported four egg-shaped phosphorus-color discs in line-astern formation moving E parallel to ground at est. 30,000 ft above Grand Falls at 2330 local; a single similar disc 10 minutes later. Kearsey's wife, mother-in-law, and John Jackman of St. John's were co-witnesses.

Witnesses

Constable Eric Kearsey · John Jackman · Mrs. Kearsey · Mrs. Kearsey's mother

The object

Egg- or barrel-head-shaped, phosphorus glow, black spots on tail end, no smoke trail; 'huge jellyfish flash across the sky' in rocking motion

Outcome

Reported to Newfoundland Base Command; signed statement included as Inclosure 4 of Capt. Miller's 28 Jul 47 transmittal

David N. Johnson, aviation editor of the Idaho Daily Statesman flying an AT-6 on Statesman assignment at ~14,000 ft MSL ~12:17 hrs, saw a black round object near cumulus over Camas Prairie that performed a partial slow / barrel roll then disappeared after rolling out at ~180 deg; attempted 8mm Eastman f/1.9 motion-picture (16 frames/sec, 16 sec exposure, f/16 at infinity); film later analyzed by Stohr (241 Battery St, San Francisco) showed no trace.

Witnesses

David N. Johnson · Idaho NG ground personnel (separate sighting)

Sensors

8mm Eastman f/1.9 motion-picture camera

The object

Black, round, then thin black line when rolling edge-on; flashed once in sunlight; size of a quarter at unknown distance

Outcome

Film negative; Idaho National Guard subsequently flew P-51 high-altitude oxygen searches; ground personnel at UAL/Gowen later corroborated similar erratic black object at ~14:00 hrs

PAA mechanic John W. Woodruff, TWA mechanic John B. Mehrman Jr., and PAA mechanic Robert W. Leidy en route from a fishing trip saw a translucent / silvery wagon-wheel-shaped disc at ~10,000 ft cut a clean ~15-mile bluish-black trail through scattered cumulus on a NNE horizontal heading. Leidy took two Kodachrome 8mm Argus F-2.5 photographs of the trail. Trail described by Woodruff as 'as straight as an arrow,' the cloud cut 'similar to a weld'.

Witnesses

John W. Woodruff · John B. Mehrman Jr. · Robert W. Leidy

Sensors

Argus F-2.5 8mm camera (Kodachrome)

The object

Translucent or silvery wagon-wheel; size of a C-54 at 10,000 ft; left a 15-20 mile bluish-black trail similar to landing-light afterglow

Outcome

Flash Report TWX'd to Hq ATC (AC/S Intelligence) and Hq ATLD/NBC; film transmitted to AC/S Intelligence NBC for processing; interrogations conducted 16 July 1947 by Capt. William H. Smith

John P. Legge (storekeeper) and Wm. Evans saw a bright disc, dinner-plate to barrel-head sized, with a flame-colored cone-shaped after-glow trail traveling NW->E at high velocity; co-corroborated independently by 12-year-old Albert Samms; reported via Mrs. John Samms (Postmistress) to St. John's. A River Warden at South Branch reported a fourth, second-hand description matching.

Witnesses

John P. Legge · Wm. Evans · Albert Samms · (uncontacted) River Warden, South Branch

The object

Disc-shaped barrel-head/dinner-plate size, flame-colored with cone-shaped after-glow

Outcome

Statements taken 17 July 1947 by Mercedes Burke, Intelligence Office Harmon Field; Capt. W.H. Smith certified

Major Graham of HQ 59th AACS Group observed a grayish balloon-resembling object ~10 ft diameter flying NW at 5,000 ft, ~100 mph (into 20 mph wind); paralleled the course of a C-47 landing NW for ~2 minutes. Several officers from Alaskan Department also observed.

Witnesses

Major Graham · several Alaskan Department officers · (separate report) Colonel Perry · Major Geyser

The object

Grayish, balloon-resembling, ~10 ft diameter; (second report 12 Jul 47 Elmendorf vicinity) aluminum-colored ~3 ft balloon-like, traveling N-to-S at great speed

Outcome

Object followed contours of mountains 5 mi away; second observation 1240 hrs by Col. Perry / Maj. Geyser

At 0015Z, four bridge-company engineers (Maitland, Larkin, Douglas, Hamilton) and Captain Gullage on starboard deck observed 4-5 silvery-to-reddish flashes 1 second apart equidistantly traveling NNE faster than a tracer bullet, like a Fire Fly only larger. Capt. Gullage said he had seen the same on 15 July 1947 at the same approximate position with the object frequently changing course abruptly.

Witnesses

Capt. Gullage (S.S. BURGEO) · Mr. Maitland · Mr. Larkin · Mr. Douglas · Mr. Hamilton

The object

Series of equidistant silvery-to-reddish flashes (object itself not seen)

Outcome

Capt. Gullage offered to make a complete report if officially desired

At 0345Z, Patricia Abbott (Newfoundland Government employee) and Lt. Hammaker, walking near Harmon Field, saw a peculiar reddish light at ~10,000 ft heading NNE faster than a conventional airplane; intermittent flashes for ~3 minutes; left no streak; abrupt darts; no motor noise.

Witnesses

Patricia Abbott · Lt. Hammaker

The object

Reddish intermittent flashes; first thought a falling star, then high-altitude plane; ruled out airplane (silent, abrupt maneuvers)

Outcome

Captain William H. Smith (Intelligence Officer) prepared Final Report of Sighting

Pan American Constellation captain Alpheus O. Powell and navigator W. White saw a bright orange cylindrical object, length of a P-40 fuselage, blunt at both ends, bearing 200 deg magnetic at ~160 mph at ~7,800 ft; observed for 50 seconds; pursuit not undertaken because it would deviate from established airway.

Witnesses

Capt. Alpheus O. Powell · Navigator W. White

The object

Cylindrical, bright orange, blunt at both ends; length of a P-40 fuselage; no gaseous dissipation suggesting non-rocket / non-jet

Outcome

ADC Mitchel Field 12 Sep 1947 Summary of Information; Powell ruled out tow target, pilot balloon, radiosonic device

A. C. Urie and his sons Billy (10) and Keith (8) observed a sky-blue oblong object ~20 ft x 10 ft x 10 ft with a red tubular fiery glow on each side passing 75 ft above the canyon floor at est. 1,000 mph at 11:00 PM (later corrected from Thursday to Wednesday 13 Aug); the object made trees over which it passed 'spin around on top as if they were in a vacuum'; only 'a s-w-i-s-h' for noise; observed against canyon walls. Same day, ~9:30 AM, L. W. Hawkins (Twin Falls County Commissioner, former sheriff) and J. M. Brown saw two circular reflective objects at great height near Salmon dam, 40 mi SW of Twin Falls.

Witnesses

A. C. Urie · Billy Urie · Keith Urie · L. W. Hawkins · J. M. Brown

The object

Sky-blue oblong, ~20x10x10 ft, red tubular fiery glow on both sides, 'inverted pie-plate' / 'broad-brimmed straw hat compressed from two sides'; daylight between exhaust flame and side; visible knot on side from which flames issued

Outcome

Investigated by FBI agents (interview reported by S/A through case file 65-480 Aug 20 1947); Urie did sketches; Twin Falls Times-News 15 Aug 1947 published story and Vic Goertzen artist's conception. Earlier Twin Falls 'flying disc' (10 July 1947) shown to be a hoax by four teenagers (Army/FBI investigation)

Air Ministry London cypher AIX 6328 (8 Aug 1947): During normal night flying practice at 2230 hrs on 16 January 1947, an RAF Mosquito was vectored to an unidentified aircraft at 22,000 ft. Long chase, two brief AI radar contacts that faded quickly, ending at 2300 over Norfolk. The unidentified aircraft 'appeared to take efficient controlled evasive action.'

Witnesses

RAF Mosquito night-fighter crew (unnamed)

Sensors

AI airborne intercept radar

The object

Unidentified aircraft at 22,000 ft taking 'efficient controlled evasive action'

Outcome

'No explanation of this incident has been forthcoming nor has it been repeated.' Cypher classified SECRET, transmitted via Joint Communications Office.

Sheriff Merle T. Wilmoth (Watseka, IL) sent FBI a package containing an 'instrument' a farmer reported finding in middle of section of farm land. The object reportedly burned 2.5-foot-tall weeds to fine ash within a 1.5-foot-diameter area at the impact site. Device consisted of plaster-of-paris body with oval cavity; 'Nathaniel Baldwin Inc., Salt Lake City' power microphone (Pat May 10 1910 / Sept 4 1916, Pat #957403); a 'Polymat' filter condenser; two bakelite cylinders with copper-wire coils; magnetic-property metal piece. FBI radio section judged the coils 'old stuff.'

Witnesses

Sheriff Merle T. Wilmoth · (unnamed) farmer at Danforth, IL · Mr. Zimmer (FBI) · Mrs. Whedon (Signal Corps)

The object

Plaster-of-paris body w/ oval cavity, screwed to a 'Nathaniel Baldwin Inc.' power microphone; bakelite coil cylinders with broken copper-wire windings; broken on impact

Outcome

Mrs. Whedon (Signal Corps) said she knew what it was 'but couldn't tell Zimmer'

Pibal observer Mr. Minczewski observed a metallic chrome-like ellipse with flat bottom and dome top through theodolite on three occasions during pilot-balloon (pibal) observations in the prior six months, last in April 1947 at the 1100E pibal when balloon was at 15,000 ft (disc seen below balloon, level flight E->W to far north of station, followed for 15 sec). Miss Baron observed the same at her balloon's 27,000 ft.

Witnesses

Mr. Minczewski · Miss Baron

Sensors

theodolite

The object

Chrome-metallic ellipse with flat level bottom and round dome top; dull metallic luster (Baron); much larger than the balloon in the instrument; silver shine

Outcome

Reported by Wright (WBAS Richmond) to Mr. Moxom, Regional Office No. 1, NY, 15 July 1947; suggested dropping the pibal balloon to track the disc on next sighting

Major Browning's sworn statement OCR is partially missing: 'Time _______ Kansas City. My first impression was that it was the top of a ___ ned ___ object ...'

Likely reason: OCR illegibility on a degraded carbon, not a marked exemption redaction.

Handwritten interview notes on page 117 are largely illegible in OCR ('Phae @ sho 4H Asghe~ x', 'Utkin Fenee Ce ae A...')

Likely reason: Cursive handwritten interview notes; OCR limitation, not exemption redaction.

Pages 122-124 contain handwritten notes that are largely illegible in OCR ('Cova ffl Mars fl ba-ty ...', 'Cttlenuetta 7 43 ...')

Likely reason: Cursive handwritten material; OCR limitation.