 presents
1949
UFO Chronology
and the Grudge Report  Not
the actual cover, but the publication above and documents
therein can be ordered from the Fund for UFO Research. Full NARA version is now onsite at August 10, 1949; Project Grudge Report - The Documents Created
December 20, 2005, updated 29 Nov 2009
This project is an ongoing one, but 1949 was (and still is) a very important year in UFOlogy. Many case reports have yet to be linked from this chronology to our DBase, but will be as they are located. Without the help of William Wise (Project Blue Book archive), Dan Wilson (who searched out cases), and Jean Waskiewicz (NICAP's DBase, NSID), this work would not be available in its present form. But without Brad Sparks' Comprehensive Catalog of Project Blue Book Unknowns, we couldn't have done it at all. To look at and/or print all the 1949 Blue Book monthly summaries, click here. Otherwise the monthly listings are inserted within the chronology by month. Note: There are 209 entries in the 38-page La Paz catalog, the " Summary of Sightings of Unknown Phenomena, 17th District OSI" But in the 1949 group there were 144 sightings and the only ones listed here are the reports with some important details to make them extraordinary. Also, brief case descriptions giving the Cat (Category) number, name of witness, and source in brackets (M=military), are NICAP UFO Evidence entries that haven't been located. Francis Ridge NICAP Site Coordinator The Chronology Jan. 1, 1949; Jackson,
Mississippi
(BBU)
5 p.m. Pilot Rush flying private plane saw a cigar-shaped
object cross the sky in front of the plane. (Project 1947; McDonald
list; FUFOR Index)
Jan. 4, 1949; Hickam Field,
Hawaii
(BBU 275)
2 p.m. USAF pilot Capt. Paul R. Stoney, on ground at Pacific
Command HQ, saw a flat white, elliptical object, with a matte top,
about the size of a T-6 aircraft, circle at about 3,000 ft while
oscillating to the right and left, then speed away. (Jan Aldrich)
Jan. 5, 1949; Albuquerque, New Mexico
Briefly mentioned in report at Los Alamos below. No other data. Jan. 6, 1949; Kirtland
AFB, New
Mexico (BBU)
OSI Case 16. Diamond
shaped object in horizontal flight much
faster than a jet.
Jan 6, 1949; Los Alamos, New Mexico (BBU) OSI Cases 16 & 17 (mentions above incident again). Unusual sounds heard. Report mentions a Jan 5 incident) Col Eustis
Poland, G-2
Intelligence, US Army, issues memo to the Director of Army Intelligence
concerning the wild hypotheses that were spreading concerning the
southwestern light phenomena. (Courtesy, Project 1947 and Joel
Carpenter)
Jan. 23, 1949; 4 miles S of Tillamook, Oregon (BBU)
11:05 a.m. Burt Leckington and wife while driving S on Hwy
101, about 1/4 to 1/2 mile SE of Pleasant Valley, saw a shiny, silvery,
round stationary object about 10-15 ft size glinting in the sun to the
SE at about 35° elevation about 500 [or 2,000] ft height about 1/2
to 3/4 mile away. When he went inside his shop to get binoculars the
object disappeared. No sound or trail. Witness Smith in Tillamook saw
for about 1 min the polished silver saucer-shaped object reflecting
sunlight nearly overhead at 45° elevation stationary at first about
1,000-2,000 ft altitude, angular size of full moon (0.5°), then
moving NE at about 30-50 mph, for about 1 min. (FOIA; FUFOR Index)
2.5-3 mins
The memo documents speculation on
Soviet nuclear-powered
disc by USAF Col C. D. Gasser of the Nuclear Energy for the Propulsion
of Aircraft (NEPA) project at Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Gasser
reported rumors coming from Wright-Patterson AFB that nuclear-powered
disc-shaped planes might be making incursions into US airspace and
returning to the USSR over the North Pole. (Courtesy of Project 1947
site)
Jan. 24, 1949; About 250
miles SW of
Bermuda Island, Atlantic (BBU)
12:00-2:10 a.m. (Z/GMT/UT) (For more detailed report click on link above) USAF pilot and crew of RB-29 bomber in the 373rd Recon Squadron based at Kindley AFB, Bermuda [on classified Atomic Detection System service] was searching for a lost BOAC aircraft. At 1,500 ft and at 200 mph saw to the left (in the N) a red glow on the ocean 1 to 1-1/2 miles in size extending up to 2,500-3,000 (or 4,000-6,000) ft altitude with 2-4 white searchlight-like beams of light within the red glow. At 12:25 a.m. B-29 turned toward the light and by 12:40 approached so close, estimated 100-150 ft [?] distance at 6,000 ft altitude, that pilot made a sharp bank to avoid collision. B-29 crew unable to take nuclear fallout sample of air around red glow because in haste to take off on search mission they failed to bring filter paper. B-29 circled the red glow from all directions for 44 mins as the glow slowly moved [at about 10 mph headed W], when they finally departed the area at 1:24 a.m. Red glow still visible on landing in Bermuda [at about 2:10 a.m.]. (BB Maxwell Microfilm Roll 5 pp. 167-233; Project 1947; Saunders/FUFOR Index) Jan. 27, 1949;
Cortez-Bradenton,
Florida (BBU 284)
10:20 p.m. Capt. Sames [Sannes?], Acting Chief of the
Aircraft Branch, Eglin AFB, and wife saw a cigar shaped object as
long as 2 Pullman cars, with 7 lighted square windows and throwing
sparks, descend then climb with a bouncing motion at about 400 mph.
(Berliner; FUFOR Index) 25 mins
Jan. 30, 1949; Near Amarillo
to near
Lamesa, Texas (BBU)
5:54 p.m. (MST). Thousands of witnesses over several states saw spectacular green fireball, N-S trajectory triangulated by Dr. Lincoln LaPaz as 12 mile altitude over Amarillo area descending slightly on nearly horizontal 143-mile path to near Lamesa disappearing about 8 miles altitude. No noise except slight hissing. 100+ witnesses interviewed. (Sparks; FOIA) 10-20 secs Jan. 30, 1949; Roswell, New Mexico (AFOSI 19) 5:55 p.m. Approximately 200 observers. W-E, 2000', horizontal flight, blue green, moving slowly, disappeared in shower of lighted fragments. Also seen at Alamogordo (AFOSI 20) and Fort Worth, Texas (AFOSI 21). "Protection of Vital
Installations (note all three pages)
This document is a UFO sighting
report from the chief of the
Kirtland US Air Force base to the USAF chief of staff. The one-page
memorandum expresses concern of the Kirtland AFB Commanding Officer, of
the ultra-vital AEC, of the 4th Army, over the repeated appearance of
unknown flying objects over a number of locations in New Mexico.
Possibility that some of the
incidents may represent technical
developments far in advance of knowledge available.
Feb. 14, 1949; Canado, New Mexico (AFOSI 22) 6:40 p.m. Two observers reported a stationary white/slightly green light that fell in slight curve to the west. Feb. 17, 1949; Grants [Sandia Base, Albuquerque?], New Mexico (BBU) OSI Case 24. 6 ? p.m. [Mitchell ? and others] saw oval white
light moving
S in vertical climb then leveled off, then a gradual ascent. (FOIA;
FUFOR Index)
Feb. 17, 1949; Albuquerque, New Mexico (BBU) 6:00 p.m. (AFOSI Cases 23 and 24) Apparently the same object viewed at different or overlapping times on its trajectory. Case 23 is truck driver Herman Wilcox at about 6 PM (actually 5:57) from near Grants, NM, and Case 24 is UNM Prof. Marvin May at 5:57 PM from Albuquerque (who with his training in meteorite tracking with LaPaz has the more accurate time than the truck driver). There were also about 100 guards at Sandia Base including the Officer of the Guard, sighting it at 5:59-6:06 PM evidently. Feb. 23, 1949; Sandberg
Pass 40
miles S of Bakersfield, Calif. (BBU)
10:30 p.m. USAF pilot of T-11 with 703rd Air Reserve
Division saw a sausage shaped object circle the plane in 360°
and 180° turns. (Project 1947)
Feb. 27, 1949; Los Alamos,
New Mexico
(BBU)
7:05 p.m. Green-white fireball seen in horizontal flight from W to E. (FOIA) 2 secs March 2, 1949; Los Alamos, New Mexico (BBU) 12:10 a.m. Sewald saw high speed light in horizontal flight
low in the sky N to S. (FOIA; FUFOR Index) 2 secs
March 3, 1949; Los Alamos, New Mexico 1:59 a.m. (AFOSI 27) This report is not an original BB unknown, nor has it been included in the Comprehensive Catalog of Project Blue Book Unknowns by Brad Sparks. The report is, however, mentioned in the BB Microfilm files and listed in the La Paz/AFOSI Catalog. The behavior of the Green Fireballs is suspect in almost all of the AFOSI Catalog cases, especially so in this one where the FB is in an almost vertical descent, something no meteor of any kind can do. March 6, 1949; Killeen Base, Camp Hood, Texas (BBU)
8:20 p.m. (AFOSI 29 & 30) Army Sgt. Hubert Vickery and
PFC John Ransom on
patrol at the AFSWP (Armed Forces Special Weapons Project) nuclear
weapons storage site saw a blue-white oblong object about 2 ft x 1 ft
in size travel S from 286° to 279° azimuth elevation 5°45'.
Other sightings by Army patrols from 8:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. (FOIA)
March 7, 1949; Camp Hood, Texas (AFOSI-32-34) PFC. Max Eugene Manlove, 1st Provost Squadron, Camp Hood,
Texas, observed a teardrop-shaped object, orange in color, drop
vertically in front of him. Observation time: 2 seconds. (AFOSI 34).
1:30 a.m. Two other sets of military witnesses. Very brief (2 secs?).
(AFOSI 32, 33).
March 8, 1949; Killeen Base, Camp Hood, Texas (BBU) (AFOSI Case 39) 2 a.m. Army infantrymen in
separate
locations 1/2 mile apart
sight different lights, one white seen by Payne, the other, by Cpl.
Luke Sims, was of a yellowish red
light in level flight crossing 60° of sky. (FOIA; FUFOR Index) 5
secs ?
March 8, 1949; Los Alamos, New Mexico (AFOSI Cases 36-37) 6:35 p.m. Two observers reported intense white/aluminum colored object moving horizontal, then descending, from 800 mph to slower than a twin-engine airplane. March 13, 1949; Albuquerque, New Mexico (AFOSI Case 40) 9: 50 p.m. Not a BBU but a Sandia Base OSI Case. Ball-shaped object with a tail of fire flying at a speed slower than a meteor on a slightly descending path. Object appeared to be half the size of full moon. March 17, 1949; Killeen Base, Camp Hood, Texas (BBU 319)
7:52 p.m. Capt. Horace McCulloch, Asst. G-2 of the 2nd
Armored Division at the nuclear weapons storage site, was preparing the
test firing of flares in order to prove recent sightings were mistakes
when he and his men themselves saw aerial phenomena, 7 separate
sightings by trained artillery observers in different locations enabled
rapid triangulation of large, green, red and white flare-like objects
flying in generally straight lines. (FOIA) 1 hr ?
March 18, 1949; Fort Chimo, Quebec, Canada (BBU)
7:50 p.m. (EST). USAF and RCAF personnel at Detachment
Crystal-I, 1227th Air Base Sq, including USAF 1st Lt. and Warrant
Officer JG, RCAF Flying Officer/Liaison Officer Brodribb, and a USAF
civilian employee, saw a red light like an aircraft light to the S
traveling W to E at high altitude estimated 10,000 ft and 200-250 mph
silently with stops and starts and flickering, and a turn to the S at
the end. (FOIA) 2-5 mins
March 27, 1949; Tucumcari, Montoya, New Mexico (BBU) 6-6:30 p.m. (AFOSI cases 42-45). Various witnesses, including police officer, postmaster (Montoya, N.M.), newspaper editor (Tucumcari Daily News), saw a contrail-like yellowamber-orange object, length/width ratio 5:1, 1/6 moon's diameter, slowly moving from S (205° azimuth) to W (254° azimuth) at about 45°-60° elevation (75° at Montoya moving 180° to 260° azimuth), wiggling slightly, at first in a vertical orientation [?], dived steeply-leveled-climbed 2-3 times, reversed course once at top of a climb, a bright glitter of white light at a leveling off. No sound or trail. (FOIA) 15-30 mins March 29, 1949. Shemya AFB, Aleutian Islands, Alaska (BBU)
10:05 p.m. USAF crew of B-29 bomber saw a dull yellowish
light flying at 2,400 ft. (Project 1947)
March 31, 1949. E of Killeen Base, Camp Hood, Texas (BBU)
11:50 p.m. (AFOSI Case 46) Army Lt. Frederick Davis on
patrol saw a reddish
white ball of fire pass horizontally over the base airstrip, and noted
interference on the field telephone afterward when he reported it.
(FOIA) 10-15 secs
April 3, 1949. 1 mile SE of
Dillon,
Montana (BBU)
11:55 [11:50?] a.m. Miller Construction Co. owner Gosta
Miller, a commercial pilot and aviation engineer, and an employee, and
a trucking company owner and a gas station attendant (Lovell, Lessey,
Greene) saw an object like two inverted plates attached
face-toface, matte blue-grey or greenish-grey non-reflective
bottom, bright aluminum top reflecting sunlight, 20 ft diameter (others
estimated 15-25 ft), 4-5 ft thickness. Object seen over the N end of
town at 3,000-5,000 ft height about 4 miles away moving in several
directions rocking or rotating in semi-circles 6 times, move E
descending rapidly to about 700-1,000 ft height, rock again a few times
with upper side now visible reflecting sunlight, fly SW to 2 miles W of
Dillon, rock again a few times, then rapidly flew over airport 12 miles
NE of Dillon at 1,000 ft departing rapidly to the E disappearing over
mountains. No sound or trail. Speed 1,000 mph so great object
seemed blurred. (Berliner; cf. FOIA; Jan Aldrich) several mins
April 4, 1949. Merced,
Calif. (BBU)
10:20 p.m. Major William Parrott, former Air Force pilot,
saw a generally round object with curved bottom and dull coloring,
giving off clicking sound until overhead. Parrott's dog reacted.
(Berliner) 35 secs
April 5, 1949; Los Alamos, New Mexico (AFOSI Case 47) 10:00 p.m. S-N, green with red afterglow, approximately 300' above S. slope of Fejarito Mountain, object of tremendous speed disappeared behind mountain. April 6-7, 1949. Memphis,
Tenn.
(BBU)
12:01 [12:30?], 2, 3:30, 4 a.m. Housewife Mrs. Mike Love
Stewart and Dorthy [Dorothy?] Hall (and Helen Howell?), a husband and
son, saw 6-9 climbing, diving, whirling yellow or silvery oval objects
which avoided 3-4 airplanes, traveling from SW to SE about 45°
elevation about 1-2 miles away, 1/4 moon angular size. (FOIA) 2-4 hrs
April 7, 1949. March AFB, Riverside, Calif. (BBU)
Bet. 2:45 and 3:00 p.m. Air National Guard Lts. Reeser and
Salter, pilots in a T-6 heading SE over March AFB's radio beacon at
7,000 ft, first saw about 1,000 ft below them for 4-5 secs a tumbling
red and grey wingtip-tank-shaped object, smaller than a T-6, and then 4
white domed-disc parachute-shaped objects separated by about 1,000 ft
each. They circled around and copilot saw the 4 white parachute shapes,
no shroud lines, etc., and climbed to 9,000 ft for a better look but
the objects disappeared to the E. (FOIA; FUFOR Index)
April 12, 1949; Albuquerque, New Mexico (AFOSI Case 51) 7:30 p.m. SE-NW, round white object 1/8th size of moon moving very fast. April 12, 1949; Elpaso, Texas (AFOSI Case 52) Witness reported grayish object rose straight up leaving smoke trail, 15 minutes duration. April 20 [21?], 1949. Ludington, Mich. (BBU)
Afternoon. Paul Timm and Pat O'Connell, high school
students, saw a fast moving white "comet with a tail" cross the sky to
the W disappearing over Lake Michigan. (FOIA; FUFOR Index)
April 22, 1949; Cliff, New Mexico (AFOSI Case 54) 9:05 a.m. W-E, 20-degrees dropping slowly, aluminum colored, round flat thin 15' diameter object in view 2 minutes. April 24, 1949; 3 miles N of
Arrey, New
Mexico (BBU 358)
10:30 a.m. (MST). General Mills meteorologist and balloon
expert Charles B. Moore and 4 Navy crew on a balloon launch crew
(Akers, Davidson, Fitzsimmons, Moorman) saw a white, round ellipsoid,
shadowed yellowish on one side, length/width ratio 2.5x, cross the sky
from the S (azimuth 210° elevation 45°) to the E at about
5°/sec angular velocity, passing near the sun (126° azimuth
60° elevation), tracked by Moore viewing through 25x ML-47
theodolite after it came out of the sun. Object seemed to turn to the
N, maintained constant azimuth at about 20°-25° when it
suddenly climbed from 25° to 29° elevation in 10 secs and
disappeared by distance or dust obscuration. Distance unknown; by
assuming 57 miles, velocity is then 5 mi/sec or 18,000 mph (earth
orbital velocity, not escape velocity) but this is pure assumption.
(Sparks) 60-secs
April 25, 1949; Springer
Lake, New
Mexico (BBU)
6:30-7:30 a.m. Mr. Abreu saw silvery white spherical objects
like Christmas ornaments fly over the lake at high speed, reappearing
repeatedly with a highpitched whistling sound a few secs each
time. (FOIA; FUFOR Index) Few secs
"Memorandum to the Press" No. M
26-49 (Project Saucer Report)
April 27, 1949. SE of Killeen
Base,
Camp Hood, Texas (BBU)
9:20 p.m. 2 Army soldiers [Pillett and Belislandro?] on patrol saw a blinking violet object 1-secs 1/2 inches in diameter 10-12 ft away and about 6-7 ft above ground in motion, passing through branches of a tree before disappearing. At 9:25 p.m., 2 miles away 4 Army men sighted a 4-inch bright light, with a 2-4-inch metallic cone trailing in the back, 600 ft away 6-7 ft above ground silently approaching from the NE in level flight at 60-70 mph, disappearing suddenly in the SW at 150 ft away. At 9:37 p.m. the same witnesses saw a 2-inch white light appear 100 ft away to the NNE flying in a zigzag in level flight about 6 ft above ground, disappearing suddenly. At 9:39 p.m. the same witnesses saw a 3rd light in the WSW. (FOIA; FUFOR Index; Jan Aldrich) 1 min+ April 28, 1949. Homer, Mich.
(BBU)
9:15 a.m. William Sackett and William Gibson pursued 6 flying discs 10 inches diameter by car along Hwy 60 for 5 miles as they flew at low altitude in "wide circles" paralleling the road. (FOIA) 5 mins April 28, 1949,
Top
Secret Analysis
April 28, 1949. Tucson, Ariz.
(BBU 361)"Analysis of Flying Object Incidents in the U.S.", Report 100-203-79 5:45 p.m. (AFOSI Case 57) Howard Hann [Hamm?], Mr. Hubert
[Huber?] and Tex
Keahey saw a a very large bright, sausage-shaped object, with no fins,
wings or protuberances, roll and fly fast. (FOIA; FUFOR Index) 40 mins
April 28, 1949. SE of Killeen Base, Camp Hood, Texas (BBU)
8:30-10 p.m. Several Army security patrols sighted a variety
of strange lights, mostly slowmoving changing color from white to
red to green, one with a red blinking light, one with a
"coneshaped affair" trailing in the rear similar to one seen the
day before. (FOIA) April 30, 1949
First installment of Saturday
Evening Post article by Sidney Shallett "What You Can Believe About
Flying Saucers."
May 2, 1949. Elko, Nevada (BBU) 11:40 a.m. CAA radio operator Mr. Small using field glasses
saw 3 flying discs 30 ft diameter at 14,000 ft moving (heading?) SW at
300-400 mph make a left turn and depart ahead of a United airliner
taking off from Elko airport. (FOIA; FUFOR Index) 3-4 mins
May 3, 1949. Sidney, Ohio
(BBU)
9:00 a.m. Store owner Wilford and Sprague saw bright shiny
disc high overhead at about 85° elevation heading NE wavering,
climbing and descending slightly on a straight path. (FOIA; FUFOR
Index) 2 mins
May 4, 1949. 4-1/2 miles W of Maplewood, Ohio (BBU)
6:30 p.m. Ms. Wical saw bright silver flat circular object
to the SE traveling NE with sun glaring off the surface, spinning at
high altitude, no sound or trail. (FOIA; FUFOR Index) <2 mins
May 5, 1949; Ft. Bliss,
Texas (BBU 376)
11:40 a.m. Army officers Maj. Day [May?], Maj. Olhausen, Capt. Vaughn saw 2 oblong white discs, flying at about 200-250 mph, make a shallow turn. 3" object passed through field of fire on Waco #4 firing range. (Berliner) 30-50 secs May 5,
1949 Letter to CO, Kirtland AFB
From IG USAF, 17th District OSI, Kirtland May 6, 1949: Sidney, Ohio (BBU)
8:30 a.m. Stump, Herman and Quinn saw a bright object about
1/2 mile to the W moving S at high speed, no trail or sound, one saying
it was too bright to see the shape the other saying it had a flat
circular shape. (FOIA; FUFOR Index; Jan Aldrich) 2 mins
May 6, 1949; Livermore, Calif. (BBU 379) 9:35 a.m. C. G. Green saw 2 shiny, disc-like objects rotate
around each other and bank, then one shot upwards with a grey trail and
rejoined the other. (Berliner) 5 mins
UFO observation network using Army artillery observers
(Ward?), established 2 days earlier, tracks its first object. (FOIA;
Jan Aldrich) real-time triangulation?
May 7, 1949; S St. Louis, Missouri (BBU)
7 p.m. (CST). Just after sunset Vaughn saw the sun glinting
off a flat reddish-brown object, "somewhat triangular" shaped,
oscillating, the size of a private plane but faster. (FOIA; FUFOR Index)
May 7, 1949; Killeen Base, Camp Hood, Texas (BBU)
7:40 p.m. Lt. Mardell Ward, at the Army's UFO observation
post, and another observation site, spotted a brilliant white
diamond-shaped object at triangulated location 15,000 ft away at 1,000
ft 57 secs 2+ real-time triangulation altitude headed NW. Object was
tracked for 57 seconds as it traveled 20 miles (at 1,300 mph) while
changing color from white to reddish to greenish as it dropped altitude
and dimmed then disappeared. No sound.
(FOIA; Jan Aldrich; Loren Gross Jan-Jun 1949 Supp p. 79, erroneously
put at Los Alamos)May 8, 1949; Killeen Base, Camp Hood, Texas (BBU)
10:08-10:17 p.m. Lt. Mardell Ward, at the Army's UFO
observation post, and 2 other posts sighted brilliant diamond-shaped
object to the W moving NW or NE at 1,600 ft altitude slowly dropping.
Severe radio interference during sighting, none afterward. (FOIA; Jan
Aldrich; Loren Gross Jan-Jun 1949 Supp p. 80, erroneously put at Los
Alamos) 9 mins real time triangulation
May 8, 1949; Tucson, Arizona (AFOSI Case 67) 9:30 a.m. Four witnesses reported a motionless, metallic, circular object at 4,000' that started moving west then turned to the north. Object was moving horizontal, then rapid climb at 45-degree angle to 20,000' until out of sight. 10-20 minutes. May 9, 1949; Tucson, Arizona (AFOSI Case 68) 2:30 p.m. SW-NE, silvery object, 25' in diameter and moving at 750-1000 mph. 6-10 secs. May 9, 1949
Time article called UFO
witnesses "spinners of yarns."
To Director of
Special Investigations, Office of the Inspector General USAF,
Washington 25,
D.C. Page 4-- Dr. Kaplan expressed a great concern, as these
occurrences relate to the National
Defense of the United States.
May 12, 1949; Holloman AFB, New Mexico (BBU)9:30 p.m. (MST). AF contract solar astronomer, Donald H. Menzel, of Harvard Observatory, was being driven by military car from Holloman AFB, on Hwy 70 just outside the base, en route to Alamogordo [headed ENE on road azimuth 66°], when shortly after leaving the base he saw a bright reddish star Antares about 6°-8° East [to the lower left] of the nearly Full Moon estimated to be 15°-18° above the ridge line [99.3% illuminated Moon at about 19° elevation 136° azimuth, Antares at about 11° elevation 132° azimuth] rising above the Sacramento Mountain ridge. Shortly afterward he noticed first one small round white light low about 3°-4° over the ridge to the lower left of the Moon and star and then another identical light to the right of the first and in horizontal line, about 3° apart [at roughly 122° to 125° azimuth, 5°-6° elevation, seemingly over Moore Ridge, summit 7,264 ft, 32°42'22" N, 105°51'11" W, 15 miles away]. Each light was white possibly slight greenish tinge, about 0 to 1st stellar magnitude, the left one slightly brighter, both increasing in brightness as if possibly rising above a haze layer, both initially "fuzzy" but apparently sharpening in edge contrast. Each light suddenly disappeared one after the other before the car could be stopped. Menzel estimated that as the car traveled 50 mph it created a 3-mile baseline over which he nevertheless noticed no perceptible change in the lights' azimuths, or perhaps no more than 1° to 2°, hence a distance he calculated at 180 miles and object "diameter" about "¾ mile" (4,000 ft) [correct figure 2,300 ft]. (Sparks; BB NARA Microfilm Roll 88, pp. 904, 920-1; Roll 91, pp. 424-5; Maxwell Roll 6, pp. 241-9) 4 mins 1 witness 1/4 Full Moon May 16, 1949; Davis Monthan AFB, AZ 5:00 pm. Object was described as black, round and flat in shape, similar to a washtub. It maintained the same altitude, fluttering as it disappeared behind an obstacle. Ground/visual from a military source. 8-10 seconds May 19, 1949; Fort Bliss, Texas 8:30 a.m. Numerous military witnesses observed a round silver thin object, rocking giving an edgewise and sideways view, 30 degrees altitude. Object in sight for approximately 5 minutes. Object moved about 15 to 20 miles during observation. Maneuvers: Irregular rolling and tilting motion slowly rising as it traveled away. May 21, 1949; Moses AFB, Hanford, Washington (BBU) Afternoon. An F-82 fighter was dispatched from Moses Lake AFB, near Hanford, Washington, to intercept a flying disc that was observed hovering in restricted air space over the Hanford Atomic Plant at an altitude of 17,000 to 20,000 feet. The silvery, disc-shaped object bad been visually sighted by crew and personnel from the Hanford radar station and confirmed on radar. May 24, 1949; Rogue River, Oregon (BBU) 5:00 p.m. (PST). NACA Ames Research Lab employees Don Heaphy
and ?, plus Mrs. Oliver Elizabeth McBeth, pharmacist and wives, saw in
the E at azimuth 60° a hamburger-shaped metallic disc about 25-35
ft to 100 ft wide with a tail fin and "dirty" surface, rough wrinkled
surface in the rear, at about 5,000 ft altitude about 1-4 miles away
traveling at about C-47 speed (200 mph?) which accelerated to jet speed
(600 mph?) to the S, azimuth 170°. Observed with 8x binoculars.
(Battelle Unknown 10; Bruce Maccabee; FOIA; FUFOR Index; Jan Aldrich)
90 secs-3 mins
May 27, 1949; Near Hart Mtn., south-central Oregon (BBU 404)
2:25 p.m. (PST). Oil company vice-president, USNR
pilot, former AAF flight instructor, Joseph C. Shell, flew his
lightened-load SNJ Navy aircraft from Red Bluff, Calif, to Burns,
Oregon, heading NNE at 212 mph ground speed at 9,000 ft above MSL
(about 4,000 to 5,000 ft above ground level), saw to his right (about
NE) something metallic in the distance [about 20 miles away] at about
42° 38' N, 119° 43' W, which as he approached resolved into
5-8, most likely 6-7, oval or egg-shaped metallic objects, 2:1
length/width ratio, and 1/5 as thick, each the same size less than 20
ft in diameter, fly in trail formation, with an interval equal to 3-4x
their length between the lead object and the 2nd object, and only 1/2
to 2/3 object length spacing between the 2nd and all remaining objects,
which separation remained constant almost as if being towed by the lead
object. He saw the objects "outlined" against the bluffs of Hart
Mtn, and could see the dark ground between each object, and noticed
they had slightly changed course from a "quartering" path to a path
parallel to his course in the opposite direction (heading SSW) at about
230 ±30-40 mph while following the rim of the bluffs (which rim
was about 7,000 ft MSL), appeared to be about 1,000 to 1,500 ft below
his altitude about 5-1/2 to 7-1/2 miles away at closest approach (to
his ESE), but less than the 10-mile distance to the bluffs. Near
end of sighting Shell dropped in altitude and then could see the
objects at his flight level, at his estimated position 42° 41' N,
119° 49' W, hence his estimate of objects' altitude as about
1,000-1,500 ft below his original 9,000 ft MSL. Objects
disappeared on the horizon out of visual range, at estimated position
42° 28' N, 119° 48' W. Visibility being >60
miles. (Sparks; Berliner; Jan Aldrich;
Footnote.com images 6313041 ff.) 5
mins 1 witness 1/30 ? Full
Moon
May 31, 1949; Misawa AFB, Honshu, Japan (BBU)
11:10 a.m. USAF pilot Giles flying F-80 saw a circular
object moving at high speed and disappearing into cirrus cloud
overcast. (Project 1947; FUFOR Index)
June 1, 1949; 2 miles from Stewart Field, Newburgh [or at
Walden?], New York (BBU)
8:30-9 p.m. (EST). S/Sgt. and 6 others saw yellow oblong
soundless object appear and disappear every few mins 30° NW of the
moon [which was at about 268° azimuth 35° elevation]. (FOIA;
FUFOR Index) 30 mins
June 5, 1949
Walter Winchell column: "The New York World-Telegram has confirmed this
reporter's exclusive report of several weeks before--which newspapermen
have denied-- about the flying saucers. Said the front page in the
World-Telegram: 'Air Force people are convinced the flying disk is
real. The clincher came when the Air Force got a picture recently of
three disks flying in formation over Stephensville, Newfoundland. They
out-distanced our fastest ships.June 6, 1949; Killeen Base, Camp Hood, Texas (BBU)
9:05-9:08 p.m. Williams, Jones and others in UFO observation
and triangulation network tracked a hovering orange object about 30-70
ft in diameter, 2 mils angular size, 1 mile above ground, 3 miles S of
the observation post, 4-1/2 miles S of the Plotting Center, which
suddenly started moving in level flight then
exploded in a shower of particles. (FOIA; FUFOR Index) 2 mins 40 secsJune 10, 1949; 20 miles SW
of
Boston, Mass (BBU)
June 14, 1949; White Sands, New
Mexico (BBU)USAF pilot Kirschbaum flying T-6 with 58th FI Sq saw a white
tubular 100 ft long flying at 100 mph, chased but lost. (Project 1947;
FUFOR Index)
June 10, 1949; White Sands, N.M.
Two round white UFOs maneuvered around a missile in flight. (Confirmed by Capt. R. B. McLaughlin, USN) [II] Not listed among the original BB Unknowns, this case IS listed in the Comprehensive Catalog of Project Blue Book Unknowns by Brad Sparks. According to Sparks, the date must have been the 14th, rather than the 10th as previously thought.. There was a report in the LA Times that there was film taken but AFOSI was told the film showed nothing. The WSMR launch records show the only Navy missile launches in the period were the Viking No. 1 on May 3rd and No. 2 on Sept 6, 1949, and nothing in June 1949. There was however an Army V-2 launched on June 14, 1949. My search of the BB microfilm records turned up the correct date and the fact that it WAS a V-2 rocket. The film may have showed something but there is no evidence to support it as yet. (Brad Sparks) (Note: Blossom IVB Ionosphere-solar/Biological mission Launch Vehicle: V-2. V-2 47 Apogee: 134 km (83 mi). Launched 15:35 local time. Reached 133.9 km. Carried cosmic and solar radiation, temperature, pressure, ionosphere, photo experiments for Air Research and Development Command. Second V-2 flight carrying a live AF Aero Medical Laboratory monkey, Albert II. The monkey survived but died on impact. - Dan Wilson) June 24, 1949; Mesa, Arizona
(AFOSI
Case 75)
3:45 p.m. Five objects observed by two witnesses. One object
moved vertical. Described as steel gray and at least one was a disc
with two flanges. 400 mph.
July 3, 1949; Longview,
Wash.
(BBU)
10:40, 10:49, 11:25 a.m. (PDT?). Aeronautical engineer
Moulton B. Taylor with experience in USN guided missile and pilotless
aircraft development was airport manager at Longview preparing for an
air show when someone pointed out an object in the sky to the NW at
about 30° elevation. Taylor immediately announced this
sighting over the public address system to the crowd of 150-200
observers, including pilots, who watched a metallic discus-shaped
object cross the sky from NW to SE (track offset to the W not quite
reaching zenith) with an oscillating falling-leaf motion along a
straight path and occasional sun glints, estimated altitude 30,000 ft
at 300 mph, approx. size of DC-3 [about 100 ft] disappearing in smoke
from a wood pulp mill at about 80° elevation after a total duration
about 2-1/2 to 3 mins. A 2nd similar object was seen about 6 mins
later coming from the N [or NNE] at about the same altitude/distance,
at about 45° elevation, heading about due S on slightly curved path
(concavity of path away from witness, radius of curvature about 15
miles), disappearing in the sun (about ENE [actually ESE azimuth
116° elevation 53° at 10:51 a.m. assumed PDT]) after total
duration about 2 mins (on a possibly 8 mile long path [240 mph]). Then
a 3rd sighting at 11:25 a.m. coming from almost due W [or WNW] at about
40° elevation, on a W-E straight line path (passing to the N, not
quite reaching zenith) again at about the same altitude/distance at
which time the oscillations were precisely timed at 48/min, and again
disappeared in the sun (to the ENE [actually ESE azimuth 127°
elevation 58° at 11:27 a.m.]) (again on a possibly 8 mile
long path [240 mph]). (BB Maxwell Microfilm Roll 6, pp.
1227-1240; McDonald 1968) 3 + 2 + 2 mins 150-200 witnesses
1/5 - 2/5 Full Moon
July 3, 1949; Longview, Wash.
Navy Commander, others, watched disc pass above air show. [IV] July 21, 1949; Mount Pleasant, Utah (BBU)
1:13 p.m. (MST). Military aircraft pilot Knight saw 2 white
or silver objects on head on course below the nose of his aircraft.
Project 1947; FUFOR Index)
July 23, 1949: North of Delphi, IN 11:40 AM. 2 observers fishing at some quarry, plus a separate witness, saw some 12-meter objects circle and play in the sky at about 1500 feet estimated altitude. Type unknown. July 24, 1949; Mountain Home, Idaho (BBU 483) 12:03-12:13 p.m. Henry Clark, manager of a flying service,
flying a Piper Clipper at 19,000 ft, saw 7 delta-shaped objects, 35-55
ft in span, 20-30 ft long, 2-5 ft thick, light colored except for a 12
ft diameter dark circle at the rear [center?] of each, with a flat top
surface and a 2-5 ft high dome, sharp needle nose, flat tail, outer
panels oscillated then disappeared. Objects flew in a tight formation
of 2's with 1 behind, and made a perfect, but un-banked, right turn
about 1,500 ft ahead and 500 ft below with no wake turbulence,
displaying decreasing smooth oscillations, then turned right again
passing the aircraft at about 450-500 mph. Clark's engine ran rough
during the sighting, and on landing was found with all spark plugs
burned out. (Berliner; cf. NARCAP) 10 mins
July 30, 1949; Mt. Hood, Oregon (BBU 496)
9 p.m. Northwest Airlines Capt. Thrush, 2 Portland control
tower operators, and a flying instructor (Henry, Penhallegan, Brasford)
saw an object with 1 white light and 2 red lights, maneuver and hover.
(Berliner; Jan Aldrich)
August
8, 1949, Medford, Oregon
11:20 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. At Medford Municipal Airport, six observers (some military; some civilian CTO's) saw a number of objects, varying from 1 to 7, traveling slow to very fast. the objects were estimated at 30,000 feet and were shiny, and would fly formation for a while and then break off and reform in trail formation. They would disappear for short periods and then reappear in the same general area. Persons from the control tower used binoculars to get a better look at the objects and were able to distinguish wings on the objects but no further identification could be made. Air Force Conclusion: Balls of thistle. (Dan Wilson, BB Archives) August 10, 1949; Project Grudge Report - The Documents August 19, 1949; Norwood, Ohio Aug. 20, 1949: Las Cruces, New Mexico (BBU)
10:45 p.m. Astronomer and discoverer of planet Pluto, Clyde
W. Tombaugh, with wife and mother-in-law, all saw a rigid formation of
faint bluish-green rectangles as if windows on a solid dark object
about 1° across, which flew at high speed from zenith SSE to about
35° above the horizon where it
disappeared all the while the rectangles foreshortening due to the
slant angle. No sound. Wife thought she saw faint interconnecting glow.
(FUFOR Index; etc.) 3 secsFall 1949; Key atomic base
A high AF officer was involved in the radar tracking of 5 apparently metallic UFOs which flew S over the base at tremendous speed and great height. [II] Sept. 5, 1949; Reno, Nevada
2:00 p.m. MST. Observers: S/Sgt Willie L. Cole, USAF, 23rd Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, his wife and another lady reported a perfectly round, silver object with curved sides coming to a smooth round edge, about the size of a P-38 wingspan. Altitude: 3000 to 5000 feet; speed: 500-600 mph heading due west. Object flew perfectly straight and level for about 2 minutes. Comments: No sound, smoke, contrails, or exhaust was observed. (BB Archives, Ridge) Sept. 5, 1949; Lebec, Calif (BBU) 12:10 p.m. 2 USAF pilots flying military aircraft with 3538th Maintenance Sq saw an oval object climb at tremendous speed to the S. (Project 1947) Sept. 9
[10?], 1949;
Goose
Bay,
Labrador, Canada (BBU)
9:56 p.m. (AST). Military aircraft pilot saw an egg-shaped object disappear into a cloud at high speed. (Project 1947; FUFOR Index) Concerning/including
"Light
Phenomena" letter of 14 Sept.
October 1, 1949; Jackson, Mississippi Cat.11 Rush case (M) October 12, 1949; Davis-Monthan AFB, Tucson, Arizona Silver object in the air at 30,000 feet, traveling 1,000 mph, observed by bombardier. Date on AF form unreadable. Oct. 14, 1949; Mt.
Palomar
Observatory, Calif (BBU)
1:15 and 1:20 p.m. Observatory Manager of Public Relations Harley C. Marshall drove away from Observatory when he saw a perfect "V of V's" formation of about 16-18 silver [round?] objects without tails or wings overhead traveling at high 1 + 1 EM effects on cosmic ray detector speed to the NW and emitting a sound like jets but not quite the same which noticeably lagged behind visual location of objects in the sky by about 35°-40°. Marshall stopped car and observed objects disappear [behind?] cloud cover that extended from horizon to about 45° elevation. [Marshall returned to Observatory] and phoned Asst. Superintendent-Electrical B. B. Traxler on duty who at about 1:20 p.m. saw one dark unidentified object traveling to the SW while checking the cosmic-ray Geiger counter recording equipment and saw that the needle had jumped off scale for several secs. For the next 10 days another 21 incidents of off-scale cosmic-ray detector incidents occurred at scattered times fitting a periodic 1.5-hour time schedule, a phenomenon not seen before or after, and unexplainable by equipment failure or radio interference from aircraft. Several Navy aircraft of differing prop and jet types were flown near Palomar Observatory using radio, altimeter and radars on Oct. 21 and Nov. 2 in an unsuccessful effort to trigger the Geiger counter. (Jan Aldrich; McDonald list) Oct. 21, 1949; Mt. Palomar Observatory and Palomar Gardens,
Calif. (BBU)
2:30 p.m. Observatory Asst. Superintendent-Electrical B. B.
Traxler saw an elongated slightly curved or banana shaped object
traveling to the E or SE for about 3 secs. Independently and without
knowledge of Traxler's sighting, George Adamski of Palomar Gardens saw
the dark cigar-shaped object. (Jan Aldrich; McDonald list) 3+ secs
In regard to the 12 & 21 Oct 1949 cases at Mt. Palomar
Observatory in the NICAP chronology and Sparks' "BB Unknowns" list: The
25 Nov 1949 "case" in the Blue Book Archive contains some material on
this incident. It is not actually a case file, but a collection of
correspondence related to the potential
detection of
atomic powered UFOs by Geiger counter equipment, which was put
together in 1952. There are several pages about the events and
witnesses at Mt. Palomar. (MAXW-PBB7 907-953 - Tom DeMary)
It was found that in October 1949 such an incident occurred at the Mt. Palomar Observatory and that the Navy had investigated them (21 incidents). (NARA-PBB85 762, 766 - Fran Ridge) Nov. 3, 1949; Baja (near) California Air Force pilot saw four discs in formation. [III], Donnelly case (M) Nov. 21, 1949; Akita, Honshu, Japan (BBU)
USAF pilot flying F-80 fighter saw a rectangular object
flying at 500 mph. (Weinstein)
Flying discs first observed near the observatory at Mt. Palomar. A
recording Geiger counter was so activated at the times of these
sightings, that it went completely off scale. Written off as an
equipment malfunction, a loose fuse clip. Not only would this turn the
equipment off, instead of on, the Project Record Card mentions a
radar tracking.
Dec. 4, 1949; Bet. Covington and Hammond, Louisiana (BBU) 4:35-4:38 p.m. (CST). USAF pilot of C-47 transport Flight AF 5566, Maj. F. E. Whitker, Base Legal Officer of Walker AFB, Roswell, N.M., copilot 1st Lt. P. H. McDavid and crew chief engineer Staff Sgt. C. Thomas also from Walker AFB, while flying from Carswell AFB, Dallas, to Keesler AFB, Miss., at 180 mph at 5,500 ft heading 90° (E), saw a bright silver sphere about the size of a jet fighter [50 ft?] come towards their aircraft heading about 300° or about W nearly head on at 1 o’clock position [from about 120° ENE] at about the same altitude, 5,500 ft, at high speed in excess of 600 mph or faster than a jet then after about 30 secs object turned abruptly to the S, then stopped, bobbed up and down. Object made several accelerations and decelerations and sharp direction and altitude changes during sighting, very maneuverable in all directions, Whitaker describing as appearing to “bounce all over the sky.” Object disappeared by sudden burst of speed crossing field of vision in about 1 sec. No vapor trail, exhaust, distinguishing features, or sound noticeable above the C-47’s noise. Apparent size half-dollar on windshield. (Jan Aldrich) To Director of R&D, HQ,
USAF, from AMC, Dayton. More on conference.
Dec. 13, 1949; Holloman AFB, New Mexico
Note: Unknown aerial phenomenon sighted (bad link on DBase and no details or source) Dec. 26, 1949
True magazine article "Flying
Saucers Are Real," by Maj. Donald E. Keyhoe, suggested UFOs are of
extraterrestrial origin
December 27, 1949
Air Force issued Project "Grudge" Report (Technical Report No.
102-AC-49/15-100) explaining away all UFO reports to date as delusions,
hysteria, hoaxes, and crackpot reports. Announcement that project had
disbanded. (IX).Dec. 29 [28?], 1949; Bet. Hamlet and Greenwood, North Carolina (BBU) 5 p.m. James and 3 other pilots of military light training
planes saw a blimp-shaped object outdistance the [4?] planes at high
speed. (Project 1947; FUFOR Index)
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