AMC Report: Incident No. 68
Prospector Compass Incident
24 June 1947
Cascade Mountains, Washington
A prospector reported sighting five or six round
objects with tails, 1000 ft over head, heading S.W.,
and banking in the sun. The objects were in sight
45-60 seconds, and alleged to be thirty feet in
diameter. They made no noise. While the objects were
within sight, the observers compass fluctuated wildly.
A prospector reported sighting five or six round
objects with tails, 1000 ft over head, heading S.W.,
and banking in the sun. The objects were in sight
45-60 seconds, and alleged to be thirty feet in
diameter. They made no noise. While the objects were
within sight, the observers compass fluctuated wildly.
He states that he read of a former sighting (Incident
No. 17) also occurring on 24 June 1947, and submitted
this report solely to add credence to the person who
provided that story. While there appears to be an
attempt on the part of the observer to infer that
these objects were possibly the same as those reported
in (Incident No. 17), there are several major
differences, notably as Dr. Hynek points out (app.B),
that these objects had tails, and that the inferred
size, as determined from the estimated distance, is
quite different. Dr. Valley (App D) has pointed out
and Dr. Hynek concurred that it is difficult to take
seriously the peculiar action of the compass for this
would imply fantastically large magnetic fields.
AMC Opinion: From the limited evidence submitted,
it is impossible to reach a definite conclusion.
However, two possible psychological factors are
readily apparent; one, the observer stated he
submitted this report solely because he had read
several days following his observation of another
sighting. Therefore, he very likely either consciously
or inadvertently may have attempted to conform his
report to that recounted in the newspaper; and two, he
colored his report with inference of huge magnetic
fields, as to the implications of which he was
obviously uninformed.
Project SIGN
Air Materiel Command
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