Newsclipping

Form: Research of newspaper archives

Fort Pierce News-Tribune

Fort Pierce, Florida

Thursday

July 31, 1952

Page 6, column 5

Mysterious Light Over Miami Beach Is Photographed

MIAMI (AP) The Air Force will get statements and photographs of a

mysterious light seen over Miami Beach Tuesday night.

Photographs of the "orange, yellowish object" made by Marine Pfc.

Ralph C. Mayher, Cleveland, O., and statements by Lt. Comdr. Joe

Gardner; Lt. Joe Mills and Lt. I. M. Blum, who reported seeing the

object, will be turned over to naval intelligence and sent to the Air

Force in Washington.

Mayher said he watched the object from a Miami Beach home and took

40 feet of film but only eight frames showed any image. The

photographs were made about 9:35 p. m. EST and Mayher said the object

had no diffused edges and was "very clear."

Blum, returning from a squadron flight to Tampa, said he saw the

object about 9:50 p. m. for "only a few seconds" and described it as a

"very deep blue, round, large and very bright."

Gardner and Mills, flying together in a PBY from Fort Myers to

Miami, said they saw the object about the same time as Blum.

"It obviously was below the horizon," Gardner said, "and was

headed southeast and down. At first I thought it was a meteor but it

was on a converging course toward and under us. I saw it for five or

10 seconds."

Blum said the object appeared to be 15 or 20 miles away, traveling

on a diagonal course at a terrific rate of speed until it reached his

altitude of 2,000 feet. He said he saw it only a few seconds.