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'. 

Long Silver Objects In Box Formation
June 1, 1952
Rapid City, South Dakota

Brad Sparks:
June 1, 1952; Rapid City, South Dakota (BBU 1243)
6 p.m. USAF A/1c Beatty and two civilians. At least five long silver objects flew in a neat box formation with a leader. (Berliner)

Dan Wilson:
June 1, 1952; Rapid City, South Dakota (BBU 1243)
6:00 p.m. local time. A/1C William Beatty saw two civilians looking and pointing at something in the sky. Beatty then also looked  to the sky and saw five or more objects that he did not recognize as airplanes. They were long and slender silver colored objects flying in a box-like formation with a leader in front. The objects were traveling to the south at a high rate of speed with no sound or exhaust visible. Beatty watched the object for 15-20 seconds before they disappeared. Beatty was steadfast in stating that the objects were not conventional aircraft.

NCP Note:
On June 1, 1952, the George shot of Operation Tumbler-Snapper was detonated. This atomic device (code named XR2) used a Mk 5 bomb assembly and was exploded atop a 300 foot tower in Area 3 of the Nevada Test Site at 3:55 a.m. local time. Radioacrive fallout spread mainly to the northeast and to the east and was raining down on Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, South Dakota, and northwest Nebraska. *

NICAP Home Page