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LOS ANGEL™S AF PROCURTIE'T FIELD CFFICE
AIR "NATERIAL COLMAND

155 “. WASUINGTO EVD.
P, OC. POX 3449 TERITIAL ANNIE
LOE ANGELES 54, CATTFORNIA
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SUPJECT: Report on Observation of an Unidentified object
in the Sky

TO: Commanding General
Air ‘Materiel Command
Wright-Fatterson Air Force Base

Dayton, Ohio
Attention: MCP

1. Forwarded for your information is a copy of a report
prepared by a Northrop ‘ircraft Inc. pilot in regard to an un-
identified object observed in the sky in the vicinity of liemphis,
Texes, on 1% April 1950.

2. # This material has been classified “Confidential” vending
the evaluation of its contents and decision by Headquerters, Air
Material Command.

FOR "HE CHIEF, LCC MIGETES AF PROCURRYENT FIFIN OFFICE:

CHARLES E. MOORE
Major, USAF
1 Inel Chief, Flight Oper:.tions
Rpt by Max Stanley
dtd 27 Apt 59

NORTHROP AIRCRAFT,
MEMORANDUM
AVOID VERBAL ORDERS

Lt. Col, Gaayggyen

geeks “Biynas vieintgy of Nesp Sy Date: «27 April 1960
ex on | Ret.:

On 17 April 1950 a flight was made from Northrop Field,
Hawthorne, California, to Amarillo, Texas, in connection
with Pro ject MX~775, "The airplane. used for this flight was
Fe61C No. AF 8367, with a three—man crew consisting of
Lloyd Baleam and Bam F. West ae observers, and the under-
Bigned as pilot.

Shortly before departing from Amarillo on 18 April
1950 for the return flight to Northrop Field, I was re-
Guested by the Amarillo Airport office to call the local
CAA radio range station on the telephone, Upon contacting
the CAA office I was informed that the CAA observers in
Clarendon, Texas, had under observation an unidentified
object in’ the sky. This object had been observed since 9:00
A.M, (it was then approximately 12:00 noon Amarillo time),
and was described as a silvery object with an orange glow
around its perimeter, The Clarendon observers in conjunc-
tion with observers at Childress, Texas, had triangulated
ite position as being in the vicinity of Memphis, Texas. I
was requested to fly to the position of the object for a
closer observation,

After reaching an altitude of approximately 20,000
feet in the vicinity of Memphis, Texas, an object was sighted
to the southeast of our position. It was at a considerable
distance and could be detected only. by the intermittent re-
flection of sunlight on what appeared to be a metallic sur~
face; it could have been another airplane. A heading was
taken toward this object and radio communication established
with the Amarillo range station. Amarillo radio was ques~ |
tioned as to the possibility of other aircraft being in the
area at an altitude of 50,000 feet or above; they advised
that no other aircraft at that altitude were known to be in |
the area, but that a B-36 had taken off from Fort Worth, |
Texas LG search for and observe the object but it had not |
yet flown into the vicinity of Memphis. |
"

After flying toward the object for approximately 10 rpemaeeseg |

minutes, it began to take form and appeared as if it might ,.,, PY Arne
be a weather balloon, Amarillo rad‘o was then questioned goat

 Aath the”
UNCLASSIFIFN ia

u9-00 (maa NORTHROP AIRCRAFT, 1"
~. ° MEMORANDUM | RANE IN og)
AVOID VERBAL ORDERS KES |

Lt. Col, Si iam, fom: a

To:

Subject:

Copies:

Obeervation of Unidentified Ob iS. Date:
in the Sky in Vicinity eof Memp ;
Texas, on 18 April 1950

27 April 1960
Ref. ;

as to this possibility. After contacting the local weather
Station, they advised that it could not possibly be a wea=
ther balloon inasmuch as it had been observed continuously
in the same area for approximately four hours and that the
winds aloft were such as to preclude the possibility of a
free balloon remaining visible from the ground for that
length of time,

At thie time the object was lost from sight due to a
deck of cirrus clouds; the object went behind or into this
Cloud layer, Flight was continued on the same heading for
approximately another five minutes. The object then re-
appeared slightly to our right and above us; our altitude
at that time was approximately 50,000 feet and very close
to the base of the cloud deck, The object appeared to be
much closer to us than when last seen, However, it is ime
possible to make an estimate of ite distance inasmuch as
the size of the object was unknown. My best estimate of its
apparent size would be that its diameter was one half that
of a full moom when viewed directly overhead, |

The object was of a silvery metallic color with a
translucent quality; no orange ring or other evidence of
color was observed, The shape of the object was sphere-~like
with prominent detente on the top and bottom, and with a
dark streak or shadow connecting these detents, For the
most part, this shadow was vertical and appeared to tilt
occasionally, resulting in a sideways movement of the object,
The motion was not rapid and any movement was of short dur-
ation, There was no visible or apparent means of propulsion,

During the period of this observation, radio contact
was established with the B-S6 airplane and a description of
the object was given to them, but I was not able to estab- x
dish my definite position above the ground, The B-d6 ren Pcceiteatinn Cempatl
ported that they were above the cloud layer at 46,000 feet pp Charced to Kecz-
and were unable to sight the object, uth : OFF
The object was again lost from sight due to its goin p i =
behind or into a cloud, After circling in the vinkaite of y As the USA

the last visual contact for approximately five minutes, the CG MAGS?
object was again sighted for about 50 seconds in a break

UNCLASSIFIED

i — ‘

NORTHROP AIRCRAFT, ’

MEMORANDUM
AVOID VERBAL ORDERS

Lt, Col, GoCUiin, From:

Gao the By, n,Vioinsty (of Nempht Ob om
exas, on nt

between two clouds, After this contact it was necessary
that we descend due to depletion of the ship's oxygen

aupply.

It is estimated that 20 minutes elapsed between the
time of first sighting the object and losing sight of it
for the second time. During this period a constant east~
erly heading was maintained while climbing from 20,000
feet to SO feet altitude at an average indicated air~
speed of 180 mph.

Two or three minutes after commencing the descent from
50,000 feet, the BwS6 reported that they too were leaving
the area due to fuel shortage and that they had been un=
euccessful in sighting the object.

Mr, Lloyd Balsam, who was riding in the gunner's sta-
tion in the airplane, is a graduate of the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology. Mr. Sam F. West is a graduate of
the University of California, and for five years was en-
ployed in the Radiation Laboratory at the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology.

Both of the above observers are familiar with this
report, and are in agreement with the statements made herein,
Further, we all agree that the object sighted was not an
airplane, balloon, celestial body, or any other object
commonly seen above the earth,

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Max Stanley Classification Ger~Wu+

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P Pasic ltr fm toe Angoles Ar Procurerent Fld “ffice to C1 AMC, WeP AFR,

ny ¥CP, “Keport on Observation of an linidentified Cbhject in the
let Ind UC IAXA=) /JIR/peg
Hq AM, ?right-Patterson Air Force Fase, La;ton, “hic
TO: Chief, fos Angeles AF Procurement Field “ffice, Air “aterie)
Command, 155 *. ‘ashington Bivd., P. Oe Nox 38,9 Terminal Annex,
Los Anseles 54, “California

le The report. forwarded in the basic letter has been routed to
the organisation interested in these ratters.

2. Due to the nature of the report in question, the inforvation
may be downgraded from Confidential to vtestricted.

BY COMMAND OF LIEUTENANT GENERAL CHIDIAT:

\

1 Incl FRANK '.. DUNN
u/d a } Colonel, USAF
Actg Chief, Intellirence Departze nt

UNCLASSIFIER

——————— nied
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Basic ltr fm Los “ngeles AF Procurement Fld Office to CO AMO, T=P AFB,
ATTN: MCP, "Report on Observation of an Unidentified Object in the

| Sky"

lst Ind MC IAXA-1/JJR/peg
Hq AMC, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, dayton, Ohio MAY 25 194
e-nane—|T0! Chief, Los ‘ngeles AF Procurement Field Office, Air 'aterial
Command, 155 Ww. “ashington Blvd., P.O. Box 3849 Terminal Annex,
Los Angeles 54, California

1. The report forwarded in the basic letter has been routed to
the organization interested in these matters.

2. Due to the nature of the report in question, the information
may be downgraded from Confidential to Restricted.

BY COMMAND OF LIEUTENANT GENFRAL CYIDLAW:

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WP-L-8 NOV 45 500m CENTRAL FILE COPY

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