Sept. 23, 1951.  About 30 miles W of Long Beach Airport to Camp Pendleton, and March AFB, Calif.
7-9:25 a.m. (PDT).  2 F-86 jet interceptors were scrambled from George AFB, near Victorville, Calif., then vectored by air defense GCI radar to [a target?] at 33-degrees 50' N, 118 degrees 40' W (off the coast about 30 miles W of Long Beach Airport), where the jets circled and headed E toward Long Beach when an object was seen at 12 o'clock high position at 7:55 a.m. in a left orbit at about 50,000 ft above the F-86's, appearing to be a bright silvery aircraft with highly swept back 45 degree wings;  [the F-86's tried to climb to intercept the object but it climbed away in response].  Another 2 F-86's were scrambled from George AFB at about 8:00 a.m. as the first 2 were running low on fuel and were released to return at 8:10-15 when the 2nd flight arrived.  The 2nd pair of F-86's was vectored by GCI radar to 33 degrees 20' N, 117 degrees 30' W (Camp Pendleton), arrived there at 8:10 at 43,000 ft [and circled?], spotted the object at 1 o'clock high back to the N toward Muroc/Edwards AFB appearing at about 50,000-55,000 ft in a controlled orbit right and left, appearing as a swept wing aircraft [that sped up when the F-86's tried to close] and the object was found near March AFB, Riverside, to the NNW but they broke off intercept because of low fuel at about 8:20-25, landing at 8:45.  3rd flight of 2 F-86's scrambled [at about 8:45??] from George AFB [?] saw the object shortly after takeoff seeming to be heading S as F-86's made climbing turns up to 43,500 ft under the round silvery object [at 55,000? ft over the San Bernardino Mtns. ?] until breaking off intercept at about 9:25 a.m.  [A 7th F-86 was scrambled to the S toward Long Beach but the UFO was gone.]  (Sparks;  GRUDGE Rpts. 1 and 2;  Ruppelt pp. 94-5)     1.5+ hrs    7+ witnesses ?    1/2 Full Moon ?    Radar-Visual?