PROJECT BLUE BOOK

-200-Mile Straight Line Marks Mystery
Trail Of Strange Craft Over Carolinas

' 43 miles away, a

line on a map,
across the Carolinas, today marked
-streaked trail of a

flying object.
first was

i
|

ee

seen at

, the site of an air force)

at about 4:30 p. m. Wednesday.
a half-hour, scores of resi-
Hamlet, Chesterfield, S. C.,
Speyer: S. C., reported
it on its eerie flight through

EXPLANATION

HH

rf
zs

thi

age
a

after its 4:30 p. m. appearance at

"CHARLOTTS CBSERVER" = 30 December 1949

of the setting sun. They
said ww aes were able to ‘follow its
southwestward flight for 10 minutes
or more. But four pilots who rose
in light planes at Hamlet and at
Greenwood were unable to catch
up with it.

Witnesses who saw the strange
object included business and pro-
fessional men, housewives, a city
policeman, trained air pilots and
the mayor of Greenwood, A. H.

Woodle.
One of the pilots, Philip Gibbons,

no explanation today|a former Air Force pilot, said that
ng could have been.|when his plane approached the
attached significance|object, it moved into the glare of
t its path was straight|the evening sun. He was unable to
They noted also that/regain sight of it.

DISCOUNT REPORTS

it was seen at Hamlet,| Some observers discounted re-
a few minutes later|ports that it could have been a

and at Greenwood, more pagel 150|reflection from the sun. They said

miles away, shortly after 5 p
Descriptions of the flyin
At Fayetteville, it looked

the object was directly between

F ebiest them and the sun.

Air force officials at Pope field

like a vertical neon Bg oat near Fayetteville suggested it could

At Hamlet it appeared to

alhave been a weather observation

“dirigible standing on end.” Pend balloon, But the Charlotte weather

at Greenwood,
Sm 0 man pee a

who chased/|station, noting that most reports
said it looked/|said the object appeared to be silver
like a smoke trail coming from an|colored, said: that

the weather
bureau does not use balloons of

Ground observers at all four cities|that color.

spoke of it “drifting” into the di-

fo. a of ne Mg

Reports of the strange flight re-|winda.

counted the numerous stories of
ing saucers since the war. Gib-
ibons, the Hamlet pilot, said that

like a saucer, The Air Force re-
ported only this week that there
are not any “flying saucers” and
that it has ended its special two-
year investigation of reports on

,

the object definitely was not shaped |

—_—_ Oo

Object Reported In Sky
Near Danville, Virginia.

DANVILLE, Va. Dec. 29. —(}—
Two Danville men came forward
today to say that they had seen a
spherical object floating in the sky
similar to that reported in press
dispatches from Hamlet, N. C., short-
ly before Christmas.

They are Randolph Hall, city
auditor, and Hamilton Vass, busi-
nessman and member of the vestry
of Epiphany church.

They say that the floating object
appeared in the skies in the vicinity!
of Dan River mills.

They added that they paid little
attention. to it, having concluded
that it might be a weather balloon
released at Greensboro, N. C., and

|arifted this way by prevailing

af.

them. |

"THE STATE" Newsparer
Columbia, S. Carolina

lof what the thing could have been.

30 December 1949

| Mystery Object

Through Two Carolinas’ Skies;
Columbian Is One of Observers

straight line on a map, extending
200 miles across the linas, to-
day marked the mystery-streaked

trall of a strange flying object.
The object first was seen at Fay-
etteville, the site of an air force
base, at about 4:30 p. m. (EST) yes-
terday, Within a half-hour, scores
ef residents in Hamlet, Chester-
field, S. C., and Greenwood, S. C.,
reported sighting it on its eerie

- > through the Western sky.
ere was no explanation today

But observers attached significance
to the fact that its path was straight
for 200 miles. They noted also that
— its 4:30 p. m. appearance at
Fayetteville, it was seen at Ham-
let, 45 miles away, a few minutes
later and at Greenwood, more than
150 miles away, shortly after 5
Dp. m.
William (“Bill”) Shields, di-

| rector of the city tree depart- |
Columbia, reported see-
object while hunting
reenwood Wednesday at
p. m. Mr. Shields re-
object looked like a
t light bulb.” He
tched it for at least
while it hovered in
then shot off
the sky at a terrific

oH
oF:

|

EEEtEAT
a

Seen Streaking

saw the object with him,

Descriptions of the flying object
varied. At Fayetteville, it looked
like a vertical neon lighting tube.
At Hamlet it appeared to be a!
“dirgible standing on end.” And at
Greenwood, a pilot who chased it)
in a light plane said it looked like)
a smoke trail coming from an un-
seen plane.

Ground observers at all four
cities spoke of it “drifting” into the
direction of the setting sun, They
said they were able to follow its
southwestward flight for ten min-
utes or more. But four pilots who
rose in light planes at Hamlet and
at Greenwood were unable to catch
up with it.

Witnesses who saw the strange
object included business and pro-
fessional men, housewives, a city
policeman, trained air pilots and
the mayor of Greenwood, A. H.
Woodle.

One of the pilots, Philip Gibbons.
a former air force pilot, said that
when his plane approached the ob-
ject, it moved into the glare of the
evening sun. He was unable to re-
gain sight of it.

Reports of the strange flight re-
counted the numerous stories of
flying saucers since the war.

Gibbons, the Hamlet pilot, said
that the object definitely was not
shaped like a saucer. The air farce
reported only this week that there
are not any “flying saucers” and
that it has ended its special two-
year investigation rts of
them. ;

_ —_ ——--

ES C. BAKER
AC FAO #13

-_

UE ere Ode 7)
winULAVOIrIEU,
6. Mrs. MERTIE DICKENS, RD #5, Trumansburg, New York was interviewed and
stated that on 28 December he was at her home all day and did nct see the

objects described by Mrs. and her children, nor did she hear any airplanes
flying overhead thet day. She further states that later than evening, Mrs, Sa
called her and asked whether or not she had seen the objects which were seen near
her home. She stated that she did not know of anyone in that vicinity who had seen
the objects, except Mrs. and her children.

7. Mrs. SQ Trumansburg, stated upon interview, that

on 28 December 1 at home doing her housework and did not see the objects
described by lirs although she had read about it in the newspaper. It had
been determined by irs. that t house was the closest to the
spot in the road where they stopped to observe the objects in the sky. lLrs

tated that she did not see or hear anything unusual and did not know anything
ut it witil she read about it in the newspaper.

S. Mr. QP nose farm borders the strip of woods over which Mrs.
GMMR san the objects flying, stated that on 28 December 1949 he was at home and
had been out on the farm with his tractor and had out in the car also but that
he had not seen the obje described by Mrs. He stated that he was well
acquainted with Mrs. and remembered her calling him on the phone the evening
after she had observed the flying objects, to inquire whether he had seen these
objects in the sky.

9. This Agent interviewed ifrs. PEM, <<)001 teacher, Trumansburg,
New York and she stated that she was at home on December 1949 as this was during

the Christmas vacation period. She stated that she had beer? going in and out of
the house a great deal that afternoon as she was helping her mother and father to
pack their trailer prior to their leaving for Florida. She stated that she did
not see any objects in the sky nor did she hear any airplanes. She stated further
that since the Christmas vacation she had talked to a great number of her students
and fellow teachers but no one had seen the objects described by irs. QM. lost
of the students and teachers live in the vicinity of the location where iirs.

and her children saw the objects in the sky.

AT ITHACA, NZW YORK ‘

10, This Agent interviewed the Chief of Police, “MARSHALL, and he stated that
he had seen the article in the Ithaca Journal relative to the @gRRMM—Ms who live in
the Perry City section and who had seen the objects in the sky. A check of the
records revealed that there were no complaints received on 28 December 1949 nor had
any information other than that which-was in the newspaper relative to the flying
objects, been heard of in that locality.

ll. Professor Richard Parmenter, Assistant Professor of Research at Cornell
University, was interviewed by the Writer and he stated that he had seen the article
in the Ithaca newspaper anuwas quite interested, having read considerable publicity
about various people in the different parts of the.country who had observed flying
saucers. He further stated that there were no experiments being conducted at the
University at this date and that there was no weather apparatus sent up to register
the weather that day. He added that to the best of his knowledge, 28 December 1919
was a warm, clear December day with no snow and excellent visibility.

CLASSIFIED

‘. ‘ei wn ae “Swadle

UNCLASSIFIED

12. This Agent interviewed ir ations Officer for the
Robinson Airlines, Ithaca, New York. a check of the records and
stated that there was no weather apparatus on 28 December 19,9 or at any time
during the month of December. He further states that he observed the article in

the Ithaca newspaper and had questioned the pilots flying Robinson aircraft in this
‘vicinity on that date. He further states that it is possible tht lirs. GAY may

have seen one of the Robinson Airliners, which is a DC=3, which landed at the Ithaca
Airport at 1535, coming in from a Buffalo to Rochester to Ithaca, New York flight,

He stated further that this would place the aircraft in the vicinity described by
Mrs. MD at approximately 15350, the time she states she saw the object. Another
DC-3 landed at the Ithaca Airport at approximately 1522 from a Syracuse to Ithe-ca,
New York flight. He stated further that upon checking the maps in the Operations
Room at the Robinson Airlines, he determined that both flights, the one from Buffalo
and the one from Syracuse, New York, would circle for a Landing near the vicinity -
where Mrs. SS observed the objects on 28 December 19,9.

13. Mr. Ithaca, New York was interviewed
by this Agent. tated that he was a pilot with the Robinson Airlines and
was piloting a 10-3 on 28 December 19,9 on a flight from Buffalo to Rochester to

Ithaca, New York and that he landed at approximately 1555 after circling the area
where Mrs. is alleged to have observed the objects in the sky. He stated

that he did not observe anything unusual and that he circled at approximately 1530.

ee cai Dalene ig 4
= “pee el UNCLA- IFIED c /
HEADQUARTERS THIRD ARMY ’ }
FORT MCPHERSON, GEORGIA «ete ;
w=
AJACI<-3 360.35 4 January 1950

SUBJECT: Unconventional Aircraft

p AX
TO: Commanding General
Air Materiel Command
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base

Dayton, Ohio
Attention: MCI (Control No. A-1917)

Inclosed herewith are newspaper clippings and summary of
information re strange objects in sky over Charlotte and Hamlet,
North Carolina, :

FOR THE COMMANDING GENERAL:

Aha

OHN MEADE
Colonel, GSC
AC of S, G-2
6 Incls:
1e- s/t dtd 29 Dec 49 _ —=s«.
2-6 Clippings P

DOWNGRADED AT. 3 Y'\ 1 INTT :
DECLASSIFIED: AFT"? 1 YER
DQ WIR bevy, ip,

5\\

UNCLASSIFIED

BRA yc assiFied

SUMMARY OF INFORMATION

coor FOR USE IN INDIVIDUAL PARAGRAPH EVALUATION
OF SOURCE: OF INFORMATION:

Unconventional and Unidentified
Aircraft Sighted at Hamlet, N.C. and
Pageland, S.C.

> D> & NS
*_ + * © © © © WR  . .x.x+— OMe SPA »« «© «+ © £ © © ©

* ++ © © 8 SS ;|| $C iS SPO «© «© © = © & ©

> *+ + © © *© © © © TR  . OP ORGS +» «+ © + + ee +e Fe

Confirming telephoned report on this date, information is furnished that
according to an Associated Press dispatch from Hamlet, .C., dated 28 December
1949 vihich was published in the Charlotte Observer on 29 December 1949, a strange
unidentified aircraft, resembling a balloon or blimp, was reported flying
"erratically" over Hamlet at a»proximately 1645 on 28 December 1949 » apparently
out of control. According to the above dispatch several residénts, including ~
two pilots, gave various reports of the craft as "heading straight down" and
"levelling off" and "turning over", One observer stated that he thought he saw
something resembling a man drop from the craft and one pilot, who chased it in ~
an airplane, said it appeared to be from 20 to 30 feet in diameter. (F-3)

"It was first reported flying Wiest over town at about 1645 by Dr, Gas
of Hamlet, N.C. and Se, §9=They reported the ship to the local
airport where an overseas news correspondent, s, took off in a light
plane to chase the craft. a former Air Force pilot, » Said he saw the craft
only once from the air and that it definitely was not saucer shaped. He said he
was unable to overtake it but from that distance it appeared to be a large metal
ball without any external fittings such as are ordinarily carried by free balloons,
Altnough observers said the craft did not seem to have mich speed from the ground,
reported it quickly disappeared in the sun when he drew near. The newsman
d he last saw it about 12 miles southwest of here." (F=3)

"The weather station at Charlotte said there was some possibility that the
object was a radiosonde balloon such as are released by weather stations at
Greensboro and Fort Bragg, N.C. each morning about 1000. The balloons are used
to transmit weather data from the atmosphere, and ordinarily burst at high
altitude, the radio parachuting back to earth. However, the weather station
said that the fact that it was seen over Hamlet, N.C. so late in the afternoon
tended to discount this theory. ge stated that from his Air Force service
he was familiar with these balloons and that the strange craft did not resemble
one. It was mich bigger, he stated. He added that the fact that it did not
change altitude for a long period of time also tended to disprove it was a
balloon." (F=3)

According to another article in the above newspaper on 29 December 1949
several residents of Pageland, S.C. reported seeing a strange object in the sky
moving westward on tne afternoon of 28 December 1949. "The object, according to
the reports, was not moving at a very fast rate, but persons who attempted to
re it in an automobile soon lost it in the evening aa, they reported,"

eonte a teie ‘ ° Fe3)\ LS:
my + DUWNGER ALE 1) pause 12 wee

OA.C. f . 3 4
CGC, of S yGm2, ora Army 1-File UNCLAS ‘SIFIED

WD "us 568 ©. 6. GOVEAAEANT PRINTING CrrIeE = 18-—02906-1 ar ne

Gaur. WNCLASSIFIED
i" oe SUMMARY OF INFORMATION

CIC Field Area Office No. 10

Unconventional and Unidentified
craft Sighted at Hamlet, N.C. and
Pageland, S.C.

On this date the following offices were contacted regarding subject and
information was revealed that none of these offices have received any reports

regarding such an object having been sighted:

C.A.A. Airways Communications Station, Morris Field, Charlotte, N.C.

C.A.A. Aviation Safety Office, Morris Field, Charlotte, N.C.

C.A.A. Airport Control Tower, Morris Field, Charlotte, N.C.

U.S. Weather Bureau, Airport gy Morris Field, Charlotte, N.C.

Civil Air Patrol, Headquarters, N.C. Wing, Tuckaseege Rd., sits 3), oCe
B=2

UNCLASSIFIED

WD ins 568 © © coneemae can eves S800

a ee. —

A LL EAL A A

a

Charlotte Observer - 31 December 1519.

A ghostly silver tube suspended
in cloudless skies brought new
visions of air-going cigars to
mystified Charlotteans yesterday.

But the strange, oblong object
that has been reported streaking

over the Carolinas since Wednesy’.

day had been shorn of its mystery
last night

The control tower at Municipal
airport identified “the thing” con-

clusively as the vapor trail of an
Air Force B-36, flying rae and

|

—

Cigar- Shaped~“Thing’ Over City
Identified As B-36 Vapor Trail

aa hyp feet over the city.

tube-like object, visible
over Charlotte for 15 minutes in
midafternoon yesterday,

nothing more than a mass of ice
crystals formed when the plane's
hot engines came into contact
with aoe air nearly eight miles
up, airport observers said.

er this week, the Carolinas
became the center of excited talk
all over the country when a
mysterious object, described as
resembling a neon tube standing
on end, was reported seen in

UNCLASSIFIED

Hamlet, Fayetteville, and Green-
wood, C.

The tubular white mass that a ap-
peared over Charlotte at 3:45 p.
m, yesterday fitted the same de-
scription. There was some specu-
lation that this explanation might
also tear away the mystery from
the “flying cigars” that were

| popping up months ago.

While Charlotteans excitedly
telephoned the newspapers and
the airport for explanations, the
silver streak appeared to hang
suspended for a few minutes be-
fore | drifting slowly out of sight.

|

|
|

i

‘
|

"THE STATE" Newspaper
Columbia, ©. Carolina
29 December 1949

Strange Craft
. |Is Reported
Seen in NC

Hamiet, N. C., Dec. 28—(AP)—A
ene. unidentified aircraft, re-
sembling a balloon or a blimp, was
peportediy flying “erratically” over
Hamlet today, apparently out of
control, °

Several residents, including two
pilots, gave various reports of the
craft, as “heading straight. down
ands leveling’ off,” and “turning
over.” One observer said he thought
| saw something resembling a

man drop from the craft and one
pilot, who chased it in a airplane,
said it appeared to be from 20 to
30 feet in diamé@ter.
_ Tt was first reported flying west
over town at about 4:45 p. m, by
Dr. W. D. James of Hamlet and
Fire Chief J. C. Worley. They re-
ported the object to the local air-
port where an overseas news cor-
‘ respondent, Phillip Gibbons, took
; off in a light plane to give chase.

Gibbons, a former Air Force pilot,
sald he saw the craft only once from
the air and that it definitely was

not “saucer shaped.”
He said he was unable to over-
take it but that from a distance it
‘appeared to be a large metal ball
without any external fittings such
as are ordinarily carried hy free
> balloons. Although observers said
the craft did not seem to have
much speed from the ground, Gib-
bons reported it quickly disappear-
ed in the sun when he drew near,
. The newsman said he last ‘saw it P
about 32 miles southwest of here.

The weather station at Charlotte | :
sald there was some possibility that
the object might have been a radio
sonde balloon such as are released
by weather stations. The ballons| :
are used to transmit weather data
from the atmosphere, and ordinar-
ily burst at high altitude, the radio
parachuting: back ‘to earth, How-'
ever, the weather station said the
time that it was seen over Hamlet
—Iin late afternoon—tended to dis-
count this theory.

Gibbons said that from his air
force service he was familiar with
these balloons and that the strange |
ee § = not resemble one. “It was
m igger, he said. | s

eet m4 3

UNCLASSIFIED

28.—(P)}—A

balloon or a blimp, was re
day, apparently out of control.

'| Several residents, incl
fee various pee ay J ‘a
leveling heading straight down and

off", and “turning over.”
One observer said he thought he
saw something resembling a man
drop from the craft and one pilot,
who chased it in an airplane, said
to be from 20 to 30 feet

It was first reported ‘flying west

town at about 4:45 p.m. by Dr.

- D. James of Hamlet and Fire

Chief J. C, Worley. They reported

the ship to the local airport where
former overseas news corresponden

Phillip Gibbons, took off in a sight

Odd Object Puzzles Hamlet

plane to chase the craft, Gibbons, a
former Air Force pilot, said he saw

u the craft from
flying “erratically” over Hamlet to-/|that is J ag Any 5

shaped.”

{

it but that from a distance it «
peared to be a large metal »
out any cxeenal =o

loons. Althou

oons. Although observe
craft did not seem to he cauen
ported it quickly diseppecred in to|
‘sun when he drew near. > tees;

x 12 miles southwest of here.
said there was some possibility that

the object might have been
sonde balloon such a¢ are AA.

He said he was unable to overtake

fittings such as'.
carried by free bal-|:

The newsman said he last
The weather station at Charlotte

See HAMLET. Pase Two.
eo=(Gentinued From Page Oath,
by weather stations at Greensboro
and Fort Bragg each morning about
.10 a.m. The balloons are used to
transmit weather data from the at-.
here, and ordinarily burst at
altitude, the radio parachuting
beck to earth. However, the wea-
ther station said the fact that it

was seen over Hamlet so late in the
afternoon, tended to discount this

theory. .

And Gibbons said that from his
air force service he was familiar |
with these balloons and that the.
strange craft did not resemble one.

“It wag much bigger.” he «aid.
He added that the fact it did not

change altitude for a long period of,
time also tended to on

—~—— = ee

eee eee con CLL es Sn mel

[fT PSCIPICT