Case Directory
  Category 1, Distant Encounters 
 
  Preliminary Rating: 5  

                                   
     

A Hynek Classification of Distant Encounter is usually an incident involving an object more than 500 feet from the witness. At night it is classified as a "nocturnal light" (NL) and during the day as a "daylight disc" (DD). The size of the object or the viewing conditions may render the object in greater detail but yet not qualify the sighting as a Close Encounter which is an object within 500'. 

Seven Discs Observed By Many Witnesses
July 4, 1947
Portland & Milwaukee, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington

Brad Sparks:
July 4, 1947; Portland and Milwaukee, Oregon, and Vancouver, Wash. (BBU)
1:05 p.m. Radio newsman Frank Cooley of station KOIN, INS wire service employees in the Portland Oregon Journal Building, Clark County Sheriff's Deputy Fred Krives, Deputy Clarence McKay, Sgt. John Sullivan, Portland Police Officer Kenneth A. McDowell, Harbor Patrol Capt. K. A. Prahn, Harbor Patrolmen A. T. Austad and K. C. Hoff, Portland Police Officers Earl J. Patterson [Paterson?], Walter A. Lissy and Robert Ellis, Oregon Highway Patrol Sgt. Claude Cross, and many others over a wide area saw 5 large discs moving at high speed to the E, 2 flying S and 3 to the E, with oscillating or wobbling motion, sudden 90° turns or zigzagging, radio reports alerted other officers who saw the objects, aluminum or chromium color, disc or hubcap or pie-pan or half-moon shape flashing in the sun, no vapor trail, no noise (except possible humming), some at 10,000-­40,000 ft others at about 1,000 ft. McDowell noticed pigeons reacted. Sullivan, McKay and Krives noted low humming sound and reported 20-30 objects. Cooley reported 12 discs at about 20,000 ft. [Further sightings at 2, 4:30, 5 p.m.] Patterson, Lissy and Ellis were pilots. 30-90 secs. (Hynek UFO Rpt pp. 100­2; McDonald 1968; FOIA; Bloecher 1967)

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