Statements on a sighting of an unidentified object over Sandy
Hook, New Jersey, on September 10, 1951. Text transcripts are provided
after the document images.
1st Lt. Wilbert S. Rogers, USAF
Major E. Ballard Jr., USAF
SECRET
S T A T E M E N T
17 September 1951
While participating in a training flight from Dover AFB, Deleware to
Mitchel
AFB, New York, over Asbury Park, New Jersey, I sighted an unidenti-
fied object
over Sandy Hook, New Jersey. I was pilot of a T-33 type air-
craft,
cruising at 20,0000 feet, making good a 450 mph. At the time of
sighting of
the object, Major Ballard was making a position report to Sam
Worth,
Controller. While Major Ballard was making his position report, I
started
timing the object from the time I saw it and followed it in a
descending
turn to the left. About 45 seconds after I first sighted the
object, I
called Major Ballard and pointed out the object to him. The
object
continued a port turn, disappearing out to sea south of Asbury Park,
N. J.
From the time I first sighted the object until it disappeared, two
minutes
elapsed, with the object covering a distance of about 35 miles.
The size of the object was approximately that of a fighter plane, 30
to 50 feet
in diameter. The object was silver or metallic in color, had
no
markings, exhibitted no exhaust or trail. Most of the time during
which
I had the
object in sight, it appeared to be circular in shape, however,
at one time
I saw it edgewise where it gave a flat appearance. The design
of the
object could be said to be identical to a discus as is used in track
events. I could not say whether or not the object was
spinning. Through-
out the
time of my observation, the object was to my left and considerably
below our
altitude. When first sighted I would guess that it was between
5 and 8,000
feet over Sandy Hook, as is noted on the attached map. It
appeared to
be descending when I first saw it at Sandy Hook and appeared
to level
out in flight just north of Red Bank, New Jersey and continued
on at the
same altitude until it disappeared. At the point of our first
sighting of
the object, I started a descending 360 degree turn to the left
from 20,000
feet to 17,000 feet, gaining airspeed from 450 mph to 550 mph
on a course
paralleling that of the object until it was lost from sight.
In our training and daily practice as intercept pilots, we must note
accurately
the times at which the object of the interception is first
sighted. I did this automatically when I first sighted the object
over
Sandy Hook
and noted the time to be approximately 1135 EDT, 10 September 1951.
Although we
were on a direct course for the destination of Mitchael AFB at
20,000 feet
at the time of the sighting, I was so amazed at the speed of
the object
that I immediately started the turn to the left and waited for
Major
Ballard to get through with the radio conversation he was having with
Sam Worth
so I could point the object out to him. As soon as he completed
the radio
check in, I called the object to his attention and we both watched
it make a
90 degree turn to the left and kept it under observation together
while it
covered approximately 20 miles and disappeared out to sea.
The ob-
ject
appeared to be banking as its course described a gradual 90 degree turn
to the left.
A CERTIFIED
TRUE COPY:
J. L.
HUDELSON
s/t/ WILBERT S. ROGERS
Major,
USAF
1st Lt., USAF
SECRET
SECRET
S T A T E M E N T
17 September 1951
Lt. Rogers pointed out the object to me. I sighted the object
near
Freeport, N.J. The object was in a bank to the left, turning
to
approximately 120 degrees. I saw the object was round and silver
in color.
Lt. Rogers continued a port turn and I lost sight of the
object as
it disappeared out to sea.
A CERTIFIED
TRUE COPY:
J. L.
HUDELSON
s/t/ E. BALLARD JR.
Major,
USAF
Major, USAF
SECRET
MAXW-PBB8-1511