Group /Category 9 - Radar  Case

Francis Ridge
NICAP Site Coordinator & Field Investigator:
At the time of the incident, Harold Hartig was a Staff Sergeant, Air Force supervisor and radar operator (rated, 27370) in the United States Air Force. His security clearance was SECRET throughout his entire career. In 1989 Mr. Hartig found out that he had only 2-3 years to live. He decided that several events that he had taken part in should be recorded for historical and scientific reasons. The following report was filed with me on September 7, 1989. Mr. Hartig surprisingly lived another seven years, but passed away in January of 1996. The incident began with a civilian Close Encounter of the Third Kind, followed by an official alert involving defense radar and F-106's. At that time, Beale AFB, California, was carrying on operational flights with the fantastic SR-71 Blackbird and the hover site of these objects was very near that location.