AIR FORCE UFO SIGHTINGS
UFO Sightings by U. S. Air Force Personnel
(All Reports on File at NICAP. Cases shaded in gray are detailed following chart).
Date & Location	Witnesses	Description
8-29-42 Columbus, Miss.	Michael Solomon, Control Tower operator	Two round reddish objects descended near Army (Air Corps) Flying School, hovered, accelerated and sped away.
3-44 Carlsbad, N.M.	B-17 pilot (conf. Report certi- fied by Bluegrass NICAP AF- filiate)	High-speed glowing green object lit cockpit, moved out of sight over horizon.
8-10 Sumatra	Capt. Alvah Reida, B-29 pilot	Pulsating spherical object paced bomber, maneuvered.
11-44 France	Lt. Ed Schlueter, pilot, 415th Night Fighter Squadron	Eight to ten orange ball-like objects in-line formation, sometimes moving at high speed.[3.]
12-44 Austria	Maj. William D. Leet, B-17 pilot	Bomber paced by amber-colored disc.
1-45 Germany	415th Night Fighter Squadron pilot	Plane followed by three red and white lighted objects; UFOs followed plane's evasive maneuvers. [4.]
Abt. 1-2-45 France	Lt. Donald Meiers, pilot	Two UFO sightings reported; one object paced plane at 360 mph, "then zoomed up into the sky." [5.]
8-1-46 Florida	Capt. Jack Puckett, pilot	Cigar-shaped UFO maneuvered near AF transport plane.
6-28-47 Maxwell AFB, Alabama	Two pilots, two intelligence officers	Bright light source zigzagged with bursts of speed, made 90 degree turn.[6.]
6-28-47 near Lake Meade, Nevada	F-51 pilot	5-6 circular UFOs in formation off right wing.[6.]
7-6-47 - - - - - -	B-25 crew	Disc-shaped UFO below plane.[8.]
7-6-47 Fairfield-Suisun AFB, Calif.	Pilot	UFO "oscillating on its lateral axis" shot across sky in few seconds. [9.]
7-8-47 Muroc AFB, Calif.	Four separate sightings by at least four officers and a crew of technicians	Circular or disc-shaped UFOs sighted at 9:30 a.m., 11:50 a.m., 12:00 noon, 3:50 p.m. [See Chronology, Sect. XI]
8-47 Media, Penna.	Single engine pilot	Hovering disc.
5-28-48 - - - - - -	C-47 crew	Three UFOs dove at transport.[10.]
Summer 1948 Labrador	Major Edwin Jerome, Command Pilot	Reports tracking of UFO at about 9000 mph by U.S. and Canadian radar. [See Section VIII, Radar].
10-15-48 Japan	F-61 crew, radar	Elongated UFO which alternately moved slowly, accelerated to about 1200 mph. [See Section VIII, Radar].
10
11-18-48 Washington, D. C.	Lt. Henry G. Combs, Lt. Kenwood W. Jackson, pilots	"Dogfight" with glowing oval UFO which put on bursts of speed up to est. 600 mph.[11.]
11-23-48 Fursten-Feldbruck, Germany	Two F-80 pilots	Bright red light source, tracked on radar at 900 mph. [See Section VIII, Radar].
12-3-48 Fairfield-Suisun AFB, Calif.	Pilot	Ball of light flashed into view, ascended rapidly out of sight.[12.]
11-3-49 Baja, Mexico	Capt. William H. Donnelly, pilot	Four discs in 'cavorting' flight.
Fall 1949 Atomic Base	Radar officer	Five apparently metallic UFOs tracked at approx. 4500 mph. [Section II]
2-2-50 Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona	Lt. Roy L. Jones B-29 pilot	Chased unidentified object which was leaving smoke trail.[13.]
3-8-50 Dayton, Ohio	Two F-51 pilots, several airline pilots	Round UFO observed from ground, tracked on radar, climbed away from interceptors through clouds.[See Section VIII, Radar}.
6-21-50 Hamilton AFB, Calif.	S/Sgt Ellis Lorimer (control tower operator), Cpl. Garland Pryor (cto), and S/Sgt. Virgil Cappuro	Fiery object made several passes at the control tower.[14.]
12-50 near Cheyenne, Wyoming	Capt. J.E. Broyles	Aluminum-like oval with conical tail streaming behind, move slowly.
2-14-51 Alamagordo, N.M.	Capt. J.E. Cocker, Capt. E.W. Spradley, pilots	Flashing white disc observed while tracking a balloon.[15.]
6-1-51 Dayton, Ohio	Unit Chief, Wright-Patterson AFB	Disc observed making right angle turn. [Confidential report to NICAP, certified by NICAP Director and Ass't. Director].
Summer 1951 Augusta, Ga.	Lt. George Kinman, F-51 pilot	Large disc about twice the size of F-51 made repeated passes at plane.
9-10-51 Sandy Hook, N.J.	Capt. Edward Ballard, Lt. Wilbert S. Rogers, flying T-33	Chases silvery disc with evaded them at speeds est. over 900 mph.[16.]
9-23-51 March AFB, California	F-86 pilots	Attempted to intercept UFO in apparent orbit at 50,000 feet.[17.]
1-20-52 Fairchild AFB, Wash.	Two M/Sgt's, intelligence specialists	Blue-white spherical object sped below overcast; speed computer at 1400 mph.[18.]
1-29-52 Wonsan, Korea	B-29 crew	Disc paced bomber for 5 minutes, shot away at angle.[19.]
3-29-52 near Misawa, Japan	Lt. D.C. Brigham, T-6 pilot	Watched small disc maneuver around an F-84.[See Section I].
4-17-52 Nellis AFB, Nevada	T/Sgt. Orville Lawson, other airmen	18 circular UFOs in group, one zigzagging.[20.]
6-18-52 California	B-25 crew	UFO paced bomber for 30 minutes. Official "unknown".[21.]
7-12-52 Chicago, Illinois	Captain, weather officer	Reddish object with small white body lights made 18 degree turn, disappeared over horizon.[22.]
7-20-52 Andrews AFB, Maryland	Betty Ann Behl, WAF, weather observer	High-speed UFOs tracked on radar during Washington, D.C., sight- ings.[See Section VIII, Radar; Section Xii, 1952 Chronology].
7-22-52 Uvalde, Texas	- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -	Round silvery UFO spinning on vertical axis sped across 100 degrees of sky in 46 seconds, passing between two banks of cumulus clouds. [24.]
Note:Assuming various altitudes, it is possible to compute the speed of the UFO for those altitudes:2 miles = about 250 mph. 5 miles = about 635 mph. 10 miles = about 1270 mph.
7-23-52 South Bend, Indiana	Capt Harold W. Kloth, Jr. (over 2000 hours flying time)	Two blue-white objects, changed course.[25.]
7-23-52 Braintree, Mass.	F-94 pilot, others	Pilot vectored in on a UFO by radar, saw blue-green light, got radar lock-on, UFO sped away.[26.]
7-24-52 near Carson Sink, Nevada	Two Pentagon Colonels in B-25	Three silvery triangular UFOs sped past bomber at est. speed over 1000 mph. Official "unknown."[27.]
7-26-52 Washington, D. C.	Lt. William L. Patterson F-94 pilot	Chasing UFOs detected by CAA radar saw glowing objects all around his plane.[28.]
7-26-52	F-94 pilot	Chased UFO detected by radar, saw large yellow-orange light, got radar lock-on. UFO repeatedly pulled away at high speed, slowed again until jet caught up. Official "unknown."[29.]
7-28-52 near St. Paul, Minn.	Pilots, others	Several UFOs tracked on radar, pilot saw fast-moving lights, which accelerated, sped away.[30.]
7-29-52 Albuquerque & Los Alamos, N.M.	Jet pilots, reserve Colonel	Jets chased two UFOs, which maneuvered around behind planes; Colonel saw elliptical UFO.[31.]
Summer 1952 MacDill AFB, Florida	Colonel, pilot; co-pilot & scanner	Investigated radar target, saw maneuverable egg-shaped object.
8-1-52 Dayton, Ohio	Major, 1st Lt., pilots	chased UFO detected by radar, saw and photographed circular object. [See Section VIII, Radar].
8-1-52 near Yaak, Montana	radar crew	Saw dark cigar-shaped object right where radar indicated a UFO. [See Section VIII, Radar].
8-3-52 Hamilton AFB, California	Lt. Duane Swimley, jet pilot; others	Two discs "dogfighting," joined by six others; took diamond forma- tion and moved away. Also tracked on radar. [See Section VIII, Radar].
8-5-52 Oneida AFB, Japan	Control tower operators	Dark circular UFO with brilliant white body light hovered, maneuv- ered over base, tracked on radar. [See Section VIII, Radar].
8-13-52 Tucson, Ariz.	Capt. Stanley W. Thompson, USAFR	Three V's of large bright UFOs in "perfect formation."[32.]
8-24-52 near Hermanas, N.M.	Colonel, F-84 pilot	Two high-speed maneuvering discs.[33.]
10-13-52 Oshima, Japan	Maj. William D. Leet, on C-54 mission	Disc hovered in clouds 7 minutes, sped away disappearing in sec- onds.
10-29-52 Hempstead, L. I.	F-94 pilots	High-speed maneuvering, "controlled" UFO evaded interceptors. [34.]
12-4-52 Laredo, Texas	F-51 pilot	Glowing object made several passes at plane, maneuvered in tight turns, climbed steeply at high speed.[35.]
12-6-52 Gulf of Mexico	b-29 crew	Radar-visual sighting; UFOs tracked at 9000 mph. [See Section VIII, Radar].
12-29-52 No. Japan	Col. Donald J. Blakeslee, command pilot	UFO with rotating red, green, and white lights, 3 fixed beams of white light, out sped F-94.[36.]
1-9-53 Santa Ana, Calif.	B-29 pilots	V-formation of blue-white lights approached plane, banked, climbed away.[37.]
1-26-53 New Mexico	Radar crew	Brilliant reddish-white light tracked on radar moving slowly (12-15 knots) into wind. [See Section VIII, Radar].
1-28-53 near Albany, Ga.	F-86 pilot	Circular UFO accelerated away from jet, observed on ground radar. [See Section VIII, Radar].
1-29-53 Presque Isle, Maine	F-94 and other pilots	Gray oval UFO.[36.]
2-1-53 Terre Haute, Indiana	T-33 pilot	Visual UFO sighting.[39/]
2-6-53 Rosalia, Wash.	B-36 crew	Circling UFO with flashing lights.[40.]
2-7-53 Korea	F-94 pilot	Radar-visual sighting of bright orange light which changed altitude, pulled away from jet at high speed. [See Section VIII, Radar].
2-11-53 Tunis-Tripoli	C-119 crew	UFO approached plane, fell back, paced plane for long period.[41.]
2-13-53 Ft. Worth, Texas	B-36 crew	Radar-visual UFO sightings.[42.]
2-16-53 near Anchorage, Alaska	C-47 pilots	Bright red light approached plane, hovered, sped away when pursued. [43.]
2-17-53 Elmendorf AFB, Alaska	Five Air Police	Red light near end of runway, climbed away rapidly when jet scrambled.[44.]
3-7-53 Yuma, Arizona	Over 20 officers	About a dozen disc-shaped UFOs dove, hovered over base, during gunnery meet.[45.]
Spring 1953 Laredo, Texas	1st Lt. Edward B. Wilford III (jet pilot instructor) in T-33	Dark cigar-shaped UFO leaving contrail; speed estimated at Mach 2.
8-9-53 Moscow, Idaho	F-86 pilots	Large glowing disc spotted by Ground Observer Corps, sped away from jets.[46.]
8-12-53 Ellsworth AFB, So. Dak.	F-84 pilots	Radar-visual "cat and mouse" pursuit.UFO fled jet, turned and followed it back to base.[Section I].
August 26, 1953 - Air Force Regulation 200-2 issued by Secretary of Air Force:"Intelligence. Unidentified Flying Objects Reporting."
Paragraph 9 forbids public release of unexplained sightings. Paragraph 8 requires classification of radar-scope photographs of UFOs.
Air Force personnel instructed to discuss sightings only with "authorized personnel."
(Note rapid drop-off of officially reported sightings after this date.)
11-23-53 Kinross AFB, Michigan	F-89 crew	F-89 chasing UFO; blips of plane and UFO merged on radar screen, plane never found. [See Section IX].
1954 Dayton, Ohio	Lt.Col. USAFR, Senior Pilot	Two UFOs which hovered, took evasive action.
5-24-54 near Dayton, Ohio	RB-29 crew	Brilliant circular UFO sped below plane at est. 600 mph, photographed by crew. Photograph never made public.[47.]
6-30-54 Brookley AFB, Alabama	Control tower operators	Radar-visual sighting of silvery UFO; streaked in from Gulf, circled, moved away northeast.[48.]
7-3-54 Albuquerque, New Mexico	Radar crew	Nine greenish spherical UFOs, hovered, sped away, tracked at about 2600 mph. [See Section VIII; Radar].
7-11-54 Hunterdon, Pa.	Jet bomber crews	Disc paced four bombers.[49.]
7-23-54 Franklin, Indiana	Two jet interceptor pilots, 97th Interceptor Squadron	Four large glowing UFOs seen by GOC; jets closed in one one, then veered away and left scene Incident officially denied.[50.]
8-28-54 Tinker AFB, Oklahoma	Jet interceptor pilots	Radar-visual, 15 UFOs in precise triangular formation, changing to simi-circular formation. [See Section VIII, Radar].
6-16-55 Eastern United States	Dozens of interceptor pilots	UFOs reported seen over wide area of Eastern U.S., jets scrambled from many points.[51.]
8-23-55 Cincinnati, Ohio	Jet pilots	Three round and disc-shaped UFOs, evasive maneuvers as jets tried to catch them; first detected by radar. [See Section VIII; Radar].
11-24.25-56 Rapid City, So. Dak.	Jet pilots	Maneuverable UFOs seen widely. Unofficial reports of sightings by 54th Fighter Interceptor Sqdn., radar trackings.[52.]
12-56 Far East	Jet pilot	Pilot got radar lock-on, chased circular UFO which climbed away at over 1800 mph. [See Section VIII; Radar].
2-27-57 Houston, Texas	Lt. J.R. Pools	At radar site, UFO trailing fiery exhaust observed making several sweeps across sky at est. 2000 mph.[53.]
11-5-57 Keesler AFB, Miss.	A/1C William J. Mey	Elliptical UFO which accelerated and entered clouds. Report coincided with Coast Guard Cutter Sebago sighting. [See Section VIII; Radar].
11-5-57 Long Beach, California	Maj. Louis F. Baker, others	Six shiny circular UFOs maneuvering "like planes in a dogfight." [54.]
4-14-58 Albuquerque, New Mexico	S/Sgt Oliver Dean	About 12-18 golden orange lights, V-formation with smaller irregular formation on each side in steady flight. CAA reported no aircraft flights in area.
7-17-58 Hekkaido, Japan	Control tower operator, others	Reddish star-like UFO circled over base, tracked on radar. Sighting officially denied.[55.]
9-8-58 Offutt AFB, Nebraska	Maj. Paul A. Duich, Master Navigator, others	Elongated object tilted at angle, small satellite objects.
5-20-61 Tyndall AFB, Florida	Air Police, others	Radar-visual report, UFO maneuvered over base, dove and climbed. Reported by NICAP in summer 1961.Later analysis by Adviser Webb determined radar reports did not coincide with visual. Reports still unexplained. [Confidential report to NICAP Certified by NICAP Di- rector, Ass't Director, and Adviser Walter N. Webb].