STATEMENT OF T SGT QUINTON A BLACKWELL

I, T Sgt Quinton A Blackwell, AF18162475, was on duty as chief operator in the Control Tower at Godman Field, Ky. on the afternoon of 7 January 1948. Up until 1315 or 1320 matters were routine. At approximately that time I received a telephone call from Sgt Cook, Col Hix's office, stating that according to Ft Knox Military Police and "E" Town state police, a large circular object from 250 to 300 ft in diameter over Mansville, Ky. and requested I check with Army Flight Service to see if any unusual type aircraft was in the vicinity. Flight Service advised negative on the aircraft and took the other info, requesting our CO verify the story. Shortly afterward Flight Service gave Godman Tower positions on the object over Irvington, Ky. then Owensboro, Ky. of about the same size and description. About 1345 or 1350 I sighted an object in the sky to the South of Godman Field. As I wanted verification, I called my Detachment Commander, 1st Lt Orner, to the Tower. After he had sighted the object, he called for the Operations Officer, Capt. Carter, over the teletalk box from the Traffic Desk. He came up stairs immediately, and looked at the object through the field glasses in the Tower. He then called for the CO, Col Hix. He came to the tower about 1420 (appx) and sighted the object immediately. About 1430 to 1440 a flight of four P-51s approached Goldman Field from the South, enroute from Marietta, Ga. to Standiford Field, Ky. As they passed over the tower I called them on "B" channel, VHF and asked the flight leader, NG 869, if he had enough gas and if so, would he mind trying to identify an object in the sky to the South of Godman Field. He replied in the affirmative and made a right turn around with two planes and proceeded South from Godman Field. The fourth plane proceeded on to Standiford Field alone. The three ship formation proceeded South on a heading of 210°, climbing steadily. About 1445 the flight leader, NG 869, reported seeing the object "ahead and above, I'm still climbing". To which a wing man retorted, "What the Hell are we looking for"? The leader reported at 15,000 ft that "The object is directly ahead of and above me now, moving about half my speed”. When asked for a description he replied, “It appears metallic object of tremendous size”. At 15,000 ft, the flight leader reported, “I’m still climbing, the object is above and ahead of me moving at about my speed or faster, I'm trying to close in for a better look. This last contact was at about 1515. About 5 min. afterward, the other two ships in the flight turned back. As they passed over Godman NG 800 reported "It appears like the reflection of sunlight on an airplane canopy". Shortly afterward, the same pilot and plane took off from Standiford and resumed the search. He went to 33,000 ft. one hundred miles South and did not sight anything. I left the Control Tower shortly afterward.

The foregoing statement is true and correct to the best of my knowledge.

/a/Quinton A. Blackwell

QUINTON A. BLACKWELL

T Sgt AF18162475

Det 733D AFBU

“A CERTIFIED TRUE COPY”

JAMES F. DUESLER, JR.

CAPTAIN, USAF

Source: http://www.nicap.org/bb/USAF-SIGN1-279.jpg (http://www.bluebookarchive.org/page.aspx?PageCode=USAF-SIGN1-279)

CHECK-LIST – UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS

1. Date 7 Jan 48 Incident # 33

2. Time Between 1345 and 1350

3. Location Godman Fld, Fort Knox, Ky

4. Name of observer T/Sgt Quinton A. Blackwell

5. Occupation of observer Chf Operator in Control Tower at Godman Fld, Ky.

6. Address of observer USAF, Airways & Air Communications Svc, ATC Detachment 733-5 AF Base Unit (103D AACS Sq) Godman Fld., Ft. Knox, Ky.

7. Place of observation Tower, Godman Fld.

8. Number of objects 1

9. Distance of object from observer N/S

10. Time in Sight N/S

11. Altitude Over 15,000 ft

12. Speed In excess of P-51

13. Direction of flight South

14. Tactics N/S continued climbing

15. Sound Not Stated

16. Size Tremendous

17. Color Silvery or metallic

18. Shape N/S

19. Odor detected N/S

20. Apparent construction N/S – seemed metallic

21. Exhaust trails N/S

22. Weather conditions N/S

23. Effect on clouds N/S

24. Sketches or photographs None

25. Manner of disappearance N/S

26. Remarks (over)

Source: http://www.nicap.org/bb/USAF-SIGN1-280.jpg (http://www.bluebookarchive.org/page.aspx?PageCode=USAF-SIGN1-280)

At approximately 1320 Sgt. Cook from the CO’s office notified the observer (T/Sgt Quinton A Blackwell) that according to Ft Knox Military Police & “E” Town State Police, a large circular object about 250 to 300 ft in diameter was over Mansville, Ky. Advised him to check with Army Flight Svc. They advised negative but shortly thereafter reported object over Irvington, Ky, then Owensboro, Ky. Object first sighted by Blackwell about 1345 to 1350 over south Godman Fld.

Verification: 1^st Lt Orner (Detachment Commander)

Capt Carter (Operations Officer)

Col Hix (CO) sighted it about 1420

At approximately 1430 to 1440, four P-51’s approached Godman f/south enroute f/Marietta, Ga. to Standiford Fld, Ky. Blackwell asked Flight Leader NG 869 to attempt to identify object. Accompanied by two other planes he proceeded south f/Godman. Fourth plane proceeded to Standiford Fld alone.

About 1445, flight leader (NG 869) reported sighting object “ahead and above – still climbing” At 15,000 ft he reported “Object directly ahead and above and moving about half my speed.” Again “it appears metallic of tremendous size.” Still later “I’m still climbing – object is above and ahead moving about my speed or faster – I’m trying to close in for better look.” This was about 1515. Five minutes later the other two ships turned back. NG 800 reported “it appeared like the reflection of sunlight on an airplane canopy” Shortly afterward this same pilot (NG 800) resumed search going to 33,000 ft, 100 miles south but did not sight anything.

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