PROT cident ATIC NO: UNCLASSIFIED DATE OF INFO 4Aug1947 AF NO. LOCATION NW of Bethel, Alaska REPORT NO. REPORP NO. SOURCE Civilian Pilots DATE OF REPORT DATE IN TO ATIC TRE OF FE TPTNG Sunset COLOR Black SHAPE C-54 Fuselage Estimatad Estimatead SPLED EST 520 mph Measurer BIZE BIVE Stame or large than C-54 Sane or large than C-54 Estia.t. Estiat ALTITUDE E5T 500-10001 M asured COUR. COUR: NW LENGTH OF TIME OBSERVED 4 M1na LENGTH OF TIME OBSERVED 4 M1Da NO. IN GHOOP NO. IN GROOP 1 TYPE OF OBSERVATION Acrial VID MANEUVERS PHTC SKETCHES A/C Tomporary ATIC Form 329 UNCLASSIFIED (2 Jan 52)
C O P Y UNCLASSIFIED August 5, 1947 Regional Director Weather Bureau Regional Office Anchorage, Alaska Subject: Pilot's report of "Flying Saucer" vicinity UB. Dear Sir: I though you would be interested in the attached report, even though it probably has no meteorological significance. Mr。 related the following additional details in a conver- sation immediately efter the reported flight. He and the co- pilot first sighted the "saucer" ehead of them and at about the same altitude at which they were flying. It was in sil- houette against a brilliant evening sky and they, being unable to determine at first in which direction it was moving, pulled up to about l2o0 ft. to avoid possible collision. In thia new position they could determine that the object was moving away from them and at a very rapid rate. It appeared to be as large or larger, in mass as a C-54, and black in color. It main- tained the same altitude but soon disappeared from sight because of it s superior speed, which the pilots estimated roughly to be three times theirs. I kmow Mr. I kmow Mr. well and he is not the imaginative type. well and he is not the imaginative type. Respectfully, /s/ R. Allen Showalter R. Allen Showalter Acting Official in Charge C 0 SSIFIED P Y
C 0 P Y UNCLASSIFIED KCDW V KMZI #10 D A KMZI O51112Z KCDW GR 101 75 IFN 1. FLWG RPRT BY PILOT OF AWYS AND COPILOT COMMA SEVENTEEN AND SEVEN YEARS EXPERIENCE RESPY. AT O50820Z ABOUT 10 MILES NORTHWEST UB SIGHTED DISCUS LIKE OBJECT RESEMBLING REAR VIEW OF CHARLIE 54 WITHOUT MOTORS COMMA OR FLYING WING COMMA ALTITUDE 50O FEET. WIND NEGLIGIBLE COMMA CAVU COMMA TRUE COURSE NORTHWEST COMMA NO VSBL MEANS OF PROPULSION. AFTER DETERMINING NO REPRTD TFC AT UB FLWD OBJECT IN DOG CHARLIE THREE FIVE MINUTES AT INDCD AIRSPEED OF OBJECT IN DOG CHARLIE THREE FIVE MINUTES AT INDCD AIRSPEED OF 170 MPH BEFORE IT DISAPPEARED. WITH 170 MPH BEFORE IT DISAPPEARED. WITH APPROVAL THIS IS APPROVAL THIS IS FWDD FOR YOUR INFN. JACKSON. JACKSON. C 0 P Y r
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE UNCLASSIFIED Weather Bureau Washington 25 Aug 22, 1947 Chief Air Weather Service Gravelly Point, Va. Attention: A-2 Dear Sir: Enclosed is a copy of thecorres- pondence concerning "flying disks" which is being forwarded in aecordance with a verbal request from your office of this date. Very truly yours, Very truly yours, /s/ /s/ F.W. Reichelderfer F. W. Reichelderfer Enclosures 2 Chief of Bureau Chief of Bureau DOWNGRADED AT 12 YEAR INTERVALS: NOT AUTONATICALLY DECLASSIFIED. DOD DIR 52010
Capt and his Copilot stated that on 4 Ang at sunset they sighted and followed a"flying saucer" northwest of Bethel. Alaske. The object which appeared as large or lerger in mass than a C-sk and black in color appeared silhouetied egainst a brillient evening siy. In order to avoid a possible collision (being unable at first to determine in what direction the object was moving) they pulled up to ebout l200 ft in order to evoid possible collision. The object crossed their path at right engles to them. Seeing that it was moving away from them at a very rapid rate end flying at an altitude of from 500 to 1,000 ft they swung in behind it and followed it at an air speed of 170 MPH but the thing was out of sight in four minutes. They state the object was smooth-surfaceiand streamlined and resembled txxtxaf a C-54 without motors (from the rear) and was without wings or any visible means of propulsion whatever. Wind was negligible and it was on a NW course. Official in Charge of the Airlines for which was working states that the pilot is not the "imaginative type". 1 )。 、 1707
Dr HYNEK'S EVALUATIONS EXTRACTED FROM PROJECT GRUDGE REPORT. INCILENT INDEX 1. Astronomical Eigh probability: 26，27，30，31，32，33，34，48，49，59，60，66，69，70，94。 95,96,97,98，101,102,103,104,116,119,132,136,140, 147,148,158,174,184,185,187,197,203,204,208,216, 219,238. b. Fair or low probabilitys 许19，20。23，24。28，35，36,46，50，63,67，80，82，93，1C0, 112,120, 121, 129, 130, 144, 153, 165, 166,167,175, 192, 199，202，205，220，230，240. 2. Non-astronomical but suggestive of other explanations 2. Non-astrononioal but suggestive of other explanations a。 a. Balloons or ordinary airoraft: #3,11,22,41,42,53,54,73,81,83,91,92,113,114,115, 126,131, 138, 141,145, 155, 156,157, 159, 160, 161, 163, 126,131, 138, 141,145, 155, 156, 157,159, 160,161,163, 169,171,173,178,180,182,188,190,194,195,196,198, 200，201，209，210,217,222,235,237，239。 200，201，209，210,217，222，235,237，239。 b. Rookets, flares or falling bodies: Rookets, flares or falling bodies: #4,5,6,7,8,9,12,13,14,15,16,25,56。65,78，106,107, #4,5,6,7,8。9,12，13，14,15,16,25,56。65,78，106,107, 108,109, 133,170, 211,218. 108,109,133,170,211,218. a. Miscellaneous (reflections, auroral streamers, birds, eto.): #39,89,123,124,128,146,164,181,189,214,221,231,234. S. Non-astronomical, with no explanation evident a. Lack of evidence preoludes explanation: #38,44,45,47,56,57,72,86，87,88,90,99,110,117,118。 125, 127, 137, 139, 149, 150, 177, 179, 191, 206, 212, 213, 229, 232, 233. do Evidence offered suggests no explanations #1，2,10，17，21，29，37，40，51，52,58,61，62，64，68，71。 76,76,77,79,84,105,111,122,135,151,152,154,162, 168,172,176,183,186,193,207,215,223,224,225,226, 227, 236, 241, 242, 243, 244, 134.
CHECK-LIST - UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS 1. Date 4 Aug 47 UNCLASSIFIED Incisant # 58 2.Time evening 3. Location NW of Bethel Alaska 4. Name of observer Capt and Co-pilot 5. Cccupation of obsorver Pilot and Co-pilot - Flying Sve. 6. Address of observor N/S 7. Plac0 of observation 60° 57' N 161° 48' W 8. Numbor of objocts s 1 9. Distanco of object from observor 1200 ft 10. Timo in sight 4 mimutes 11. Altitude 500 to 1, 000 ft 12。s 12。 Speed 520 MPH - 3 times that of C-54 13. Direction of flight NW 13.D 1h. Tactics N/S 15. Sound N/s 15. Sound N/S 16. Size As large or larger than C-54 17。 Color black in color 18.s Shape saucer - like that of C-54 (from rear) but without motors or flying vings. 19.0 Odor dotected N/S Exhaust trails N/S 22. Woathor conditions brillient evening sky 23. Effect on clouds N/S DOWNGRADED AT 12 YEAR ah. Skotches or photographs Mone INTERVALS: NOT AU DECLASSIFIED. DOD D (Hanner of disappearance flew repidly out of sight 26.Remarks: (over) UNCLASSIFIED 11
With loh ineidents thus eliminated, there remain thirty-four which contain some evidence butrkave no apparent ready explanatich. This statonent is tmue oply under the asswrption that the evidenco is ancopted as reliable and accurate. When psychhological and physic- locleal factors are taken into consideration, all of these incicens be explained rationally, as pointed cus by Ren: Corporation Fltts of Alr Vatoriel Gommand Aero-Medlcal. Leborasory (see nd."G"). Air at riel Command Aoro-Madical Lanorutury 212 Incid nto considered) There pre euffieient psyehologieal emplanations for tho unidentified flying objeets to provide plausiblo explanations ports not otherwise explainable. Thess errors in identifying real atimuli rocult chiefly from inmability to estimate speed, distaree size. All of the remaining 34 ineidents are treated in detail is ent report. those incidents form no pattern in regard to area of r bype or cbjeet, or merner of porrormarces There Are Indisatiers ovor, thas mno sight inge wero infind ced by eurller repert ovor, tha:o sigh' angs vero inrinmcoe oy eurleer repor probably ronld noo hato boon ecnsicer d unusnw) or poport probably ronld noo hrto boon eonsicor d unusow) or roport boon mo pabltsity. boon mo pablesity. Project Gradgo St. amy ef AMc Evalentdon of Femaning Raports S. aay ef Anc Evalentaon of Femaning Reports V7 my ef AlC Eimlvatfen of Becefnfur Benorts The remaining unexplained ineidents (sde Appendix "I") 1 r commeh sharmeteristics. Tho of themy by statemants of the repor ald not rive been made had the withesses not read of the 't. Roki Acident (Thsident No. l7). Fost wore distributed vithout pattem hroughout the Inited States. A fow were outsife the i. S. No two reseriptions ef appearance or perfomrance were exactly alike. The rew ayrbed siphtinge oecurred at varlous timps of day and year. APPSNDIEX In the following section of this moport, each remeining uonl eident is considered separately. It is not the intent to gomerrlly character of observers, but each case las undesirable elemente, anot be disvaganded. The mumerical designation is nerely the cat or of dent in the prnjoet Pilan 17, 21, 29, 35, 37, 40, 51, 62, 64, 68, 71, 75, 76, 77, 79, 04, 112, 122, 134, 135, 151, 152, 154, 162, 162, 176, 183, 186, 193, 207, 215, 235.
Incident No. 58 - 4 August 1947, Sunset, near Bethel, Alaska. A pilot and his co-pilot observed a black object of the design and apyroximate dimensions of a C-54 fusolage, flying at 500-l000 ft altitude M.W. The object crossed their path at rirht angle, and they pulled up to 1200 ft to avoid a collision, then chased it at 170, but lost si nt of it in four minutes. They estimated the speed of the object to be three times their owm, or PH. Assuming the estinate of speed to be correct, elementary com putations deter mine the distances object traveled as 34 miles in four minutes while the ob- server's airplene moved eleven niles in the sane period. Therefore, the object was more than tventy miles distant when last seon. To be capable of being seen at this distance under the con itions given, the object would have to be about 50 feet in its smallest or end-on dinension. If this were true, and the object was proportionate with a C-5l fuselage, its length would be about 500 ft. Assun- ing the estinate -of speed to be incorrect, but time in sight to be correet, the problen is figured inreverse, using as a reasonable width ly fees. In this event the object would Lave been less than ten miles away when lost to sight, therefore,it would have traveled about cighteen niles in four minutes, siving a speed of less than3001!. A C Opinion: It is believed that the pilots were suddenly startled by a conventi nal aircraft crossing their path, and that as they gave chase to the aircraft which was "silhouetted against a brilliant evening siy", they were partially blinded, and were therefore unable to discerm ings or engines. 0 147
Incident #68 -- N of Betnel, laska -- 4 August 1947 There is no astronomical explanation for this incident. The time in sight (four minutes) and rate of speed (520 lPH) seem to preclude any such possibilities. The similarity of tnis incident to l0, in whuen several objects wore soen silnouetted against a sunset, is striking. P ` 。 D
Office UNITEDL STATESY UNCLASSIFIED TO 753074
02 uun NCLASSIPE SIGAK000 UBJECT Califormi SVEND CZHANS I'mel NCOIC.at ACS,/Saattle. Icsa/Saattle End End AIR-PORCE AIR/PORCE SSEP 1947 TO: Commandi Pic 1d Pic 1a reation. Phis headq old not tak
mn INCLASSIFIED (19A ATEDRPENSE CORTAND RFA CWHO Colonal. Arat/chi
UNCLASSIFIED BETHEL, ALASKA 5 August 1947 Subject; Matters of National Interest To: Commanding Officer, Alaska Communication System 550 Federal Office Building, Seattle 4, Washington 1. Per AGAO-S Sl9.l the following report is submitted on a matter which may become of hational Interest. Captainta and his CoPilot have stated that on August 4, l947 they sighted and followed a flying saucer Northwest of Bethel Alaske. This object was bigger than the Douglas DC-3 they were flying, crossed their course at right angles to them. It was flying at an Altitude of one thousand feet. They swung in behind it and followed it at an air speed of one hundred seventy miles per hour but it was out of sight in four minutes. They state the object was smooth it was out of sight in four minutes. They state the object was smooth surfaced and streamlined with no visible means of propulsion whatever. 2. It is realized that the Fourth Air Force claims there are no such things but Captain is Chief Pilot for is Chief Pilot for flying service and is nof a man given to exegeration. In view of the excellent reputation of not a man given to exegeration. In view of the excellent reputation of Captain. Captein. and the fact that no one here doubts in the least but that he actually saw this object, this report is turned in for any action deemed necessary by your office. necessary by your office. /s/ Harold D. Johnston T/4 Signal Corps Operator in Charge DOWNGRADED AT 12 YEAR INTERVALS:MOT AUTOMATICALLY DECLASSIFIED. DOD DIR 5200.10