On 26 September 1947 a memorandum for the Assistant Chef of Air Staff went out on the subject "Radar Pick-ups of High-Speed Targets in the Far East." The "SECRET" memo covered events from July 1 to September 16 in the Far East.
July 1, 1947, Chitose AAB, Hokkaido, Japan, an object tracked on radar traveling in excess of 500 mph (or 435 knots) at an altitude of 9000 or more ft.
August 28, 1947, Radar Station, Fukuoka, Japan. A target picked up in orbit at a range of 26-30 nautical miles, 390-415 knots, and an altitude of 1500 ft.
September 16, 1947, Radar Station, Fukuoka, Japan. Radar picked up at 89 miles at a speed of 840 - 900 mph (730-380 knots) and an altitude between 10,000 to 20,000 feet.
The first two fell within the range of potential Soviet jet aircraft but the last one was not known. No aircraft were reported in the areas where the targets were picked up.
The "Preliminary conclusions" stated, "Great stress was given by the reporting agency to the high degree of proficiency of the radar operators and controllers in each case. An operator of even moderate proficiency would have no trouble differentiating between a target and a weather phenomena. Frontal activity as seen on a radar screen would show depth while the reflection from a meteor exists for such a short period of time that it would probably not be distinguishable from static interference. Therefore, it appears that the incidents were not due to natural phenomena.
Further, it was concluded the July 1 "pickup" was of more than one object. The size comparable to responses received from four F-51 type aircraft. "When this target initially reversed course at point A, it broke up into two responses and then again merged into one marge response on its outbound course. The track of this target, if an aircraft, could " indicate a photographic mission."
The second sighting of August 28 was "probably a jet-propelled aircraft. Soviet jet aircraft are believed to have performance sufficient for such a mission (speed of about 390 knots).
For the last event in September, "the speed indicated in the last report seems unreasonable for piloted aircraft since it was well into the supersonic range. The target, if an aircraft, would require an extremely large fuel supply for this speed. If rocket propelled, it is hard to visualize operation for a long enough period of time to enable it to return to its base. The cable report of this last sighting indicated that further details, including weather, would follow. Upon receipt of this information a better evaluation may be possible." James F. Olive, Jr. Col. G.S.C. Chief, Air Intelligence Division AC/S2 concluded the report with one last point. "Present information does not permit a definite evaluation that all objects reported were either aircraft or airborne missiles but does support the conclusion that they were not natural phenomena."
A document of titled, "ANALYSIS OF 'FLYING DISC' REPORTS " (AFOAI-CA; 18 December 1947) was sent to the attention of the Director of Research and Development and the Director of Intelligence. Stamped on the file is :" George C. McDonald, Major General, USAF, Director of Intelligence." It was stamped "22 Dec. 1947". The five (5) page document was unclassified per executive order 12356, Section 3.3. NND 863511 by G. Lewis, NARA, on 3/13/1986.
The introductory page has 5 pointed enumerated points.
1, Contents are two papers (a) one summarizing "Analysis of Flying Disc Reports" prepared by the Directorate of Intelligence, USAF and (b) one prepared by the AIR MATERIAL COMMAND, subject: "AMC Opinion Concerning "Flying Objects"."
2. The Directorate of Intelligence report presents a summary of information and observations of the "flying discs", and the line of investigation pursued, since the first sightings.
3.AMC was asked to conduct an independent study, and the attached reply indicates that "it is possible within the present U.S. knowledge -provided extensive detailed development is undertaken - to construct a piloted aircraft which as the general description...(of the flying discs)...which would be capable of an approximate range of 7,000 miles at subsonic speeds."
4. THE AMC report recommends the issuance of "a directive assigning a priority, security classification and code name for a detailed study of this matter to include the preparation of complete sets of all available and pertinent data" which would be available to all interested agencies."
5. IN view of the conclusions reached as a result of the study of the problem made in this office, the Director of Intelligence concurs in the AMC recommendation and forwards it for your consideration [a different look to the font for this line] "and reply to the CG< AMC. Request reply be coordinated with this Directorate."
Enclosures were: 1. Subj: "Analysis of 'Flying Discs=' Reports." and 2. Subj: "AMC Opinion Concerning 'Flying Discs", dtd Sept 23 1947.
Quick Summary of the contents of the "SECRET" stamped "Analysis of 'Flying Disc' Reports" (18 Dec 1947). With notes.
The summary (1) stated "the past months" reports had been coming in from around the world concerning "unidentified flying objects", variously identified as "flying discs", lights, trails, etc. have been by "separate and unrelated" sources. [Note: This, it should noted dovetails with other sources saying the sightings had first begun around May and supports the presence of other reports from much earlier in the year. The reliability and quality of most witnesses was noted and many witness in different locations reported the same phenomena at the same time. [Note: It should be noted that at this time the official stance was that such reports were bogus and people making them were suffering from mass hysteria, mistaken identifications, or were hoaxers].
Beyond the boundaries of the U.S. "an object and its trail" have been seen over Newfoundland, a light that had the appearance of a twin jet plane was observed over Hooker Island from an aircraft going from Midway to Alaska sighted a disc larger than a DC-3. In the Far East, three incidents of rapidly moving, unidentified objects made by U.S. radar operators.
There had been no connections found between the "ghost rockets" sightings in Sweden which might have been the result of guided missile operations, and the unidentified flying objects sighted in the U,S and Pacific areas.
The Discussion (2) showed that study of the various reports had established that "certain features were common." The shape of the mystery objects was consistently a thin disc, rounded at the top and flat on the bottom, perhaps approximating a "C-5h" in size. The front half of the disc is often circular, sweeping back to a square tail across the full width. [Note: this appears to be precisely the plan form drawn by Kenneth Arnold and many others, including the photo from Arizona labeled a "hoax."]. Repeatedly the surface was described as "metallic" or "mirror-like". Another marker of these objects was "extreme maneuverability, coupled with high lateral stability" as well as "high speed" making sudden or lateral " moves. A few reported indicated an ability to "hover" to appear suddenly as if from a five and to "disintegrate" or "disappear", perhaps by increasing speed. There was also the ability to group quickly in a tight formation and to take sharp evasive action. Trails and sound reported in only a very few reports. Estimated level speed is approximated at greater than 380 knots.
Formations of 3 to 9 objects have been reported. [Note: the official stance was one-off objects and to dismiss claims of multiples. Some Project Blue Book reports will condense down multiple reports and hide them in one single object report that can be written off].
One night time sighting saw a change in glow of the object from blue-white , when approaching, changing to a "reddish glow" as it went away. This "could indicate ram-jets."
Some typical reports included. five police officers in Portland, OR on 7 July 1947. On the same day by WIlliam Rhoads of Phoenix and snapped a photo [Note: This is the photo they label a hoax and the story discredited, yet here they are mentioning the planform consistent with the round front and square tail of the consistent reports]. On July 10, a Mr. Woodruff, FAA mechanic, saw a circular object a high speed and leaving a trail. Haram Field, Newfoundland. On 11 July, three people in Cowdrey, Newfoundland. saw a disc flying high velocity and leaving a smoke trail. Here the list makes an error when it says "29 July, Kenneth Arnold....saw a formation of flying objects." It does note "his sketch of their shape corresponds clearly to that shown in the photographs made by Mr. Rhoads. [Note: previous comments on the this case].
On the same day, two USAF pilots at Hamilton Field, Calif., saw two flying discs trailing an F-89, following it toward Oakland, Calif.
The object mentioned in this report that the sketch made by Kenneth Arnold, "corresponds closely to that shown in the photographs made by Mr. Rhoads" (Arizona). Here is one of the Rhoads photos.
 |
| Arnold Sketch |
 |
| Rhoads (AZ) photo |
Continued....
Aug. 4, Bethel, Alaska, a DC-3 crew saw a disc larger than a DC-3. The aircraft was flying at 190 mph and the disc flew out of sight in about 4 minutes.
Nov. 12, the crew on the bridge of the ship on Ticonderoga on the river in Oregon, saw two discs flying an estimated 700-900 mph going north and then into a curving turn to the west in a long and low arc.
Other forms of reports involved "lights" and "radar" sightings.
Some of the lights cases mentioned were -
June 28 - Marshall Field, AL
6 July - Brimingham, AL
Sept. 12 - Midway to Honolulu flight ; observed a blue-white light approaching that changed into a red glow at an estimated 1,000 knots.
The radar cases were the ones mentioned at the beginning of this article from Japan.
The Investigations Made for the Report:
- Requested AMC conduct individual study of phenomena. Their report in document of 23 September 1947.
- Scientists asked if discs might be natural phenomena; some were, they said, but not all could be explained as natural phenomena.
- Request the FBI to check possible subversive motive behind early cases reported; FBI reported a negative on uncovering any subversive activities related to any of the cases named.
- Weather Service was to have meteorologists check possible balloons and related activities but were unable to find links relation to times, dates and locations.
- Foreign aircraft check resulted in the names of two German designers/designs that could potentially be exploited by U.S.S.R. (a) The Horton Brothers (see previous Schulgen memo). Their "parabola" flying wing was crescent shaped. (b) EF-130 long range bomber originally designed and built in Germany and then transferred to the Soviet Union where it was shut down in June 1948. [Note: the EF-130, while innovative and more in the delta wing arena did not conform to the rounded front and straight line back mentioned earlier in this document. See the photos).
CONCLUSIONS
- Discs are "real and tangible."
- "Possibly: human controlled via pilot or remote controls.
- If they exist, based on available information, they are foreign in origin. As such, it is important to locate country and origin of objects.
- Directorate of Intelligence of USAF will continue to collect and analyze all reports of sightings, lights, trails, etc.
No comments:
Post a Comment