PROJECT BLUE BOOK

PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD (

1. DATE

2. LOCATION | 12. CONCLUSIONS
1 0 Wes Bolloon
20 Jan 5] Sioux City, Iowa O Probably Balloon
3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION O Possibly Balloon
\ cm Wos Aircrofr
Lecol saelictitinn ote O Ground- Vi suo! © Ground-Rodor O Probably Aircroft
cmt__Not reported a ae & Air- Vi suai D Air-Intercept Radar |? Possibly Aircroft
' ~ | 6 SOURCE ij O Wes Astronomical
0 Yes Airline Pilots Q Probobly Astronomical
& No | Multiple Tower operators O “Possibly Astronomical
7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION 6. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE O Other rae ees
0 Insufficient Dote fer Evaluation
VU, min one Varied O Unknown

— — ——

—_——_ —=———_---- ---+ = oo ++

11. COMMENTS
valuated as B-36 a/c

(UK DENTS Js igre )

10, BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING
CMe 33 tf Prayer Bice oer. fif'se1
<€ —

ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP 52)

(UNCLASSIFIED é | ae am |
ITE 2 Amc sconprod ‘zaLy | waters t
FROM JL ROHN MCIAKAWLA oe CBS ASACT |
0 L/C WILLIS TcB — oot, |

AN INFORMATION COPY OF TT NO. 13 OSI | We i fi pov ap fy ee fo
27 DATED 22 JAN 51 FROM HQ 13 DISTRICT els all fe
C3. ORFUTT A¥3, NEBRASKA, OMAHA, TO

SEPCR/DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS, L
Q USAF, HAS BEEN RECELVED. THE CONTENT OF a Ane
‘MZ TELETYPS 1S QUOTED IN ITS ENTIRETY: Ove tw us °
“SPOT REPORT DETAILS UNCONVENTIONAL
MERCRAFT REPORTED BY CONTROL TOWER SIOUX CITY
(UNICIPAL AIR PORT, IOWA, AT 2020 HOURS

CST 20 JANUARY pe —— — TOWER
VONTROLLER, AND i ’

$SSISTANT TOVER CONTROLLER, REPORTED FIRST
SLSHTING AT ABOVE Time AT VARYING ALTITUDES
TIMATED- AT° FROM- 2090-TO-3.000- FEET. OBSERVATION.
43 VISUAL AND WITH FIELD GLASSES,
!\NEUVERS VARIED FROM HOVERING POSITION
ht ABOUT 2000 FEET TO RAPID ACCELERATION
T) ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 3000 FEET,
TZN RAPID DESCENT TO FLY LOOSE FORMATION
WitH 9 (FLIGHT NUMBER), MID-CONTINENT
AIRLINES, WHICH HAD JUST TAKEN OFF FROM
ALRPORT. OBJECT REMAINED IN VICINITY
*PDROKIMATELY FOURTEEN MINUTES AND
PX SAPPEARED FLYING COURSE NORTHWEST
PiRSCTLY UNDERNEATH COMERCIAL PLANE.
SHAPES AND SIZE COULD (NOT) BE_NOTED 5Y
CIN TROL YOWs R PERSONNE sot APDE: LICE
VAS_PHAT OF LARGE MILITARY. ALRPLANS <—~_
WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE CLEAR. ao

‘ND WEMMBBB CONSIDERED RELIABLE cians SE
/ZPORT OF INCIDENT MADE BY
CHiZ¥ TOWER CONTROLLER, SLOUX CITY, _to— =

DENVER FLIGHT SERVICE (FROMPTRANSMLSSION TO
CONAC, MITCHEL AFB, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE,
sASHINGTON, AND COMMANDING GENERAL,
“EARZST MILITARY DISTRICT,
PILOT, AND
COPILOT, FLIGHT NINE, STATE TIME OBJECT
(4SERVED BY THEM AS 202s HouRS CST IN
FRIGHT MOONLIGHT. NOTED LIGHT
LETWEEN RED AND ORANGE IN COLOR AT CSTIMATED
DISTANCE OF FOUR MILES AT ABOUT 3900 FEE
ALTITUDE. IN COORDINATION WITH TOWER
(PERATOR, QM CIRCLED TO LEFT I |
VESTERLY DIRECTION AND OBJECT ALSO CIRCLED,
PALNTAINING DISTANCE AND HEEPI NG ABREAST OR
Ren CF ALRPLANE- IN-WIDE ARS e- AIRPLANE - a j
CONTINUED CIRCLING TO SOUTH AND THEN EAST AND,
AS IT APPROAC HED |] EASTEIRLY BEARING, 93BJ2 =rcT BLINKED
LIGHTS SIMILAR TO RUNNING! GUTS. QUT |
BLINKING APPEARED TO BE MANUALLY CONTROLLED, |
AS OBJECT REACHED A POINT DUE EAST OF AIRPLANE, |
\ BRIGHT LIGHT SIMILAR TO LANDING LIGHT |
VAS VISIBLE FOR A SHORT TIME. AINTEANS c |

AXA

UNCLASSIFIED

Sigating of Unconventional Aireraft’, Sloux City, Tova
VOTA HCTAXASLa 23 Jaa 51 i

1. Reference is made to teletyve_ no, 13 O52 27, dated 22 Jaa ‘Ol, from Offutt Ara,
Chana, Te ED, Giving spot cetails of? subject sightings a

2. Whe subject sighting can be classed as confirm inzormation slace tio Tower
Controllers first observed the object at 0:20 in the evenitg and the pllot ond copilot
of the commercial transport observed the object at es &. Also, a “shakeeoft” maneuver

pevZorned by the transport alrplane waa stated to 1 "an: coormiination with tover
Oper tors."

3. The general trend of the reported sighting 1s slailar to previous alchtings

which reported Lichts at nicht. Hovevar, the teletype states that the "“woather

comlitions were clear" end that the cbseryations vere made "in dright nooald gnc."

the plilok of the transport airplane thea continues to give a fulsly detalled deseription

of the ovject as being definitely air poy gars as with an unusual eoaklgurat lon, large

size, and ehoveenormal pesrormances obilit; 3 ics Pie off eect
ol Pe ee Rs sink 4,

ad - 4: nd

4. On the basis of the nbovs EDATYELS, the object avcears to. have been An aire
Cru rkyl the dasertption of which does not agree with any aown types. The aetali of
tie deseript! ‘aa and the reported cred! ibility of the witnesses do not indicate that
the report could de caslly discredited,

5. The expected! final conclusions nce difficul’ to state at thig tire. Purther
revelations mlcgat be brought out by a check of aircraft in the viciuity or by a check
Oo? the “roted Licht between red and crange in color", or by the additioral data belng
Lorcwactad. The mention of “lishts stuilar bo running sone» eo biioKes as ise
manually teems to indtcate a friendly airerart and the "bright Light siailas
lending light” would seem to verity this.

.
»

GS. Action has been taken to have the OSI-5D rorward the eidditional data og svon
as veceived, A telecon is belng sent to (3 informing taen of the sighting and
wequesting if trey have any additional information. It is considered that ro additional

ection should be taken on the subject sightiag untll the additional data is received
from GSre

7. “The resnonsibilities of the Alr Defense Command in cornacttcon with visita-

tions of this kind should be rore Piruly estadlished than currently uppears to be
the case,

KEP PARROT sir/eos
Lt Colonel, USA? 5-§376
Chis?, Vis * &% Propulston See P Dell
Wechnical Analysia Division 326

Intelligence Dspartnent

Cel -. oad =. - --—< - = ~~ -_ - - - as - - - - ad “* - ~- - ~~ - - - ~ Rd — oo -_ oo -_ _ ca a _ - —- =

UNCLASSIFIED ; »

-_ ”

‘

CONTINUED CIRCLING fTO NORTH AND OSJECYT MADE
SUDDEN SHORT TURN OF NINETY DEGREES AND
DESCENDED TOWARD AIRPLANE AT HIGH SPEED,
CROSSING IN FRONT AND ABOVE AIRPLANE.
OBJECT THEN TOOK POSITION APPROXIMATELY TWO
WUNDRED FEET OFF LEFT SIDE OF AIRPLANE AND
SLIGHTLY AFT AS IN A LOOSE FORMATION,

O3JECT REMAINED IN THIS POSITION FOR TWO |

TO THREE SECONDS THEN DISAPPEARED BELOW

AIRPLANE AND WAS NOT SEEN AGAIN, OBJECT

LESCRIBED BY AT THE TIME IT |

ASSUMED POSITION AS FROM EQUAL TO ONE AND {| tus

CNE“HALF TIMES THE SIZE OF B-25 AIRPLANE. Paci, + eter
FUSELAGE APPEARED CIGAR SHAPED AND WING Me sage 72 htt
WAS LONG AND SLENDER, WELL FORYARD AND - Meese 2
STRAIGHT ACROSS, LOOKING LIKE A FLATTENED CIGAR. emg See
WING WAS FROM MIDDLE TO HIGH ON FUSELAGE. i px rt waghE
SNGINE NACELLES VISIBLE AND WING APPEARED =

AS A GLIDER WING. NO LIGHT WERE NOTED ON

C3JECT AT THIS TIME AND NO FORMS OF OTHER

OBJECT COULD BE NOTED, NO RUDDERS OR

STABILIZERS WERE SEEN ON OBJECT WHICH APPEARED ALWAYS
UNDER PERFECT CONTROL, MOVING At WILL

AT SPEEDS VARYING FROM HIGH RATE TO CLIMBING

SPEED OF AIRPLANE, 120 MILES P! ER HOUR.
OBJECT-DED-NOT-FLUTTER -OR- OSCILLATES. AND-

MAINTAINED STABLE POSITION AT ALL TIMES

OSSERVED AND WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER WITH GREAT EASE,

FEPORTEDLY TURNING, SLOWING DOWN, SPEEDING UP, i)
A MANNER NEVER BEFORE BSE RVED ay
EX@NAY PILOT. BOTH AND

CONSIDERED RELIABLE WITNESSES, DISTRICT
COMMANDER, 13TH DISTRICT OSI AND S/A
= SAME DISTRICT, WERE PASSENGERS OF

IGHT 9, MID-C NT AIR“-LINES, AT
DIIS TIME. S/A AS SHORTLY AFTER TAKE-OFF
FROM SIOUX CITY, NOTED WHAT HE BELIEVED
WERE RUNNING LIGHTS OF ANOTHER AIRPLANE
TO HEAR LEFT OF FLIGHT 9, NOXTHING UNUSUAL
NOTED BY DISTRICT COMMANDER OR OTHER PASSENGERS,

DATA REQUIRED BY ASCSI LETTER NO. 85 oe

MEING OBTAINED AND WILL BE FORWARDED DOWNGRADED AT 3 YEAR INTERVALS; |

EARLIEST," DECLASSIFIED APTER 12 YSARA,
ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN TO OBTAIN THE DOD DIR 5200.10

MDDITIONAL DATA BEING FORWARDED BY yeas
AYE YOU ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

we

ee ee

END ITEM 2 AMC /CoNSEbENTtat/ UNCLASSIFIED

i)

; ROUTING AND kc “RD SHEET INCLASS HY -YATERIEL COMMAND

Usa thie ff for Inter-ofice correspondence VV thorized off bols to denignate ¥ intial i i 1
witha aiqerces. addreseer and Gddrscscs. melhor wad nsdn te teed ao eee
Number all comments consecatively, ee vanes sienal at poe ae of per
mal cient on or
Use entire width of sheet, beth sides. proper shuclng’ of Wy Prorition: SUNGSIERE > —~\ 1-+ fleparata comments by horizontal lines serons pare.
susJect tne ayia) ; =e 3 Se aay
Sighting of Acrial. Phenomena % : Sora ties mF
to 5SD-OST raOM Ss MCT ANA-la DATE 23 Jan 5). COMMENT NO. = }).

1. Reference is made to the telephone conversation between Lt Col J F O'Connell,
5N-OSI (50200), and Mr. J L Rohn, MCIAXA-la (65376) on 23 January 1951, subject as
above,

e. ‘The following is in confirmation of the statements and the request made by Mr.
Rohnin the reference conversation. This office has received an information copy of
teletype no. 13 OSI 27, dated 22 Jan 51, from Headquarters 13th District OSI, Offutt
A¥B, Omaha, Nebraska, to JEPCR/Director of Special Investigations, Headquarters USAF,
Washington, D. C. This teletype contained a four-page spot report detcils of an un-
conventional aircraft sighted at Sioux City, Iowa, and concluded with the statement
that “data required by ASCSI Letter No. 85 being obtained and will be forwarded
earliest."

3. It is requested that a copy of the data being forwarded be obtained and be
hand-cerried to this office as soon as possible.

Si bys
ai Kaboom WAL 4, qial

BRUNOW W, FETLIN

G Colonel, USAF 6-5376
Chief, Technical Analysis Div P N-1l
Intelligence Department B 2632p

MCIAXAla : 5D-O05I 2k Jan 51 26
Request this office be furnished a copy of cited TVX.

dre OG a2

JAMES F. X. O'CONNELL JEV/ vz
Colonel, USAF 5-0227
District Commander p-1hA
Bldg. 262

\
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Phy ai
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POPMERSDED BT i At bh ers
WLASSUIED7EETYR 12 Yang ® TONG >
: Dob DE 5300A0 es + nee 5
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| FILE :

WF-L-31 OCT 49 4,452M . ' (CONTINU ON OTHER. SIDE).
4C fore No. 5 (Rew 29 Jul 47) .

'
if

by

+4

+ eer ont — . *
SSCA SSIFIED , oe 7 be used until stocks on hend are exhowsrted,
om Jali us Ge. a a

- “ Bs &.

—_—=—=—_— ——__

This form replaces AMC Form No. 10-3, which will

/ AW HQ (30 May 4) {UNG ASSIFIED Orman) ( 7

HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES AIR FORCE

ROUTING AND RECORD SHEET

/

SUBJECT: (Unclassified) Unconventional Aircraft, Sioux City, Iowa
___SPSCIAL INQUIRY

TO: Directorate of Intelligence pate 8 FES 1831
ATTN: Lt. Col. Willis

—~ a —- —_ — - — —_— - — _—_

COMMENT NO. 1
FROM: Counter Intelligence Division, Directorate of Special Jaj, Yetwiler/amb/71776
Investivations, The Inspector Veneral AFCSI.6

Herewith for your information and any action deemed necessary is copy of
Soot Intelligence Heport, loth District, dated 1 February 1951, sudject as

edove. ; L’ fi" | pg
Royo / bar 3 il
f b> oh o ate \
iU-~ y, ‘ = — Sip
of ’ rt “ww ee ¢
1 Incl: UU” GILBERT R, LWY GH
Cy of Spot Intel Rpt ActgChier, Counter Intel Div
dtd 1 Feb 51 w/9 incls. Dir, of Special Investigations

The Inspector General

when Tacl No. PUR? Ph is (eres, withdram
or met attached, the classification of
CONFIDENTIAL 02 «~~. correspondence -
vill Se cancelled in accordance #**:

sar 28 9, ATR 205-1.

:
eee ae
$
;

’

ef Spected la 1G, ut eS
DOWNGRADED AT 3 yr \R INTER
> Yl ~ vs d sat ba TERVALS:
nf DECLASSIFIED AFTER 19 vmina™?
\ UNCLASSIFIED DOD DIR 5200.19 ~ 9":
pre - _
: ee

2 —-

\ ra NACA - ~ o { c D lh Soons-t

UNCLASSIFIED

Uses Ltr to fg Ost, 1 fyb 51, File 2e0, object: ‘WicouvENETOUAL
Al LRCRAPT , Sloux City, Towa"

inuclosures continued; s

ih thotestatic cy of sketch of cl ject.

wo ~ Snotecatatic cy of vhetch prepured by DACHMEIR chewing
SLlichs of od<¢ yuCt.

yO - Fhotoatatic cy of sketch chewlng Plight of objoct in
rolatioa © (Oo DBD OF fren.

vl - Photostatie cy of item frou Sloux City Journal, 22 Jan 52.

4 = Photostatis cy of item from Sioux Clty Jcurnal-Iribune,
22 cea Dl.

43 - rhotostatic cy so? item from Kansans City Star, 22 Jon Ol.

*

[Ltée (in duph); Intel Dest, Aw
SERV; bo sD

Pe A ‘
f .
( i
‘ s®
\

19 DOWNGRADED AT 3 YEAR DD
DECLASSIFIED AF TER 12 YE

a ~ DOD DIR 5200.10
TUNCITSSIFIED s200-

NITRVA

|
|

S-
ante

mind Pot hey
| w. “i I. ae ASST ie)
’
Joasas City, ‘issourd
: 22 vannary 1951
ant ce e —* -_ * , Pe + ” 3 >
Ua 20 Janwary 1951, at 2925 houra, 7 wus plloting a ite Gontinens 40-5
wiearaft and yas tekinsg off in a north wast direction of the Gionx Glsy,
Toya Atroort oscloted yy —iligMMMiMggamamate , 25-09%, Mam one oo cen toa
“42 callin by “na + Fe tT yt t ie? ae tak igh $9 an on act La tha 2? f 29 a
want of tha field. ‘fhe object ot Tirst appesatod to ba Qatween & Ped oF
an oranges Livht and I would estizate that it wes 4 oraxinately 4 miles
ayvay ab aa altitule of aporoximately 6,000 feet, “6 a 45 dasree ARPL Ae
he sur vlavne sft She gronuné, and et tha raovaat of the cantrol tower
s>arater, wa abarted our clinbd and circled In 4 comter clock vise direction.

,

yr ANeed GUT ring tha clin» wes sernproxt: soatpaly 1°95 milas ner hour, ™ha obf act

3 mnoying in a wider are around us sotng in the tana direction. When the

Ouiset reached a noins ae gan& of onr olene, 1% blinked sone lidhts which
nocearead Like normal rvaniug 1] nts 94 & plana but the blin«ing arnoeared as
2? $¢ were ganwally contr Spe » han the object reachad a roinat Iuea ea3% of

thea Agroaetion tnat our Ana was hen? ad, there nooenred @ eine beicnt

lisht siniler to a landing Licht which was visibis only @ short tine snd as
our nianes dezan circling toward the north, the objest sudaenly nade os s!

re ee

$5 @ezree turn sad detanded toward our “lane at a terrific speed, sroasine
over and tn front of our clane. ‘The next thing I knev, the object pis on
our left, traveling in the sane direction: ahout 200 £4225 from onr left wine
sad nt the same aneea, Tae object ravained in tala poultion woroxiwtely

i was nos 6°94n
below our aisns

éu9 or three ae¢comda and then clisasneared below our olems an
inst
ain, end continua

ecain., The towsr advised that the objecst was Pollowing Jns
tub va could nob monenver our »lane go aa ta obGeerva it
on onr echeduled Plicht to Omaha,

the aize of ea Bet), The fuselage appeured to be clear phaped end s

was long and slender, mounted wall forvard on the fusakages aad th
trainht acro3s, he wing was monnted from nid to high on the Resse

/ looved like a slider wiaz. There were no naceliss visible, If did not

on 3erve any ruddars or eee sera on the objest. J observed no evidences

of any exhaust; could not determines its means of propulsion; heard no noise

other than our own ee engines: and received no lLaterference on our redlo,.

she object arpeared to be us Lary? ana 3e-?9 to ona and one half tines
ne 2

The obfect annearad to alveys ba under perfect control, and moved at
will, verving in eneed fron very high speed down to the clinbiag seed of
our vlane,

AVilan Durrett
S/A ost

: DOWNGRADED AT 3 YEAR INT OLY.
a ee DECLASSIFIED AFTER 12 YEARS
UNCLASSIFIED POD Dike 5:00.10

fe é _f ll

cs rte

| ~~
1. F. : UNCLASSIFIED
Faze 1 of ib pase, 2308 aaricwooa Dyl
a Fanoasa City, Kans
22 #fa L951

? ~» 4 7

cvayw o enarsin ‘ Kansas Cit Dw Continaas slirnas 7° ay. Uf ~) Jonuary Oe
erninatot the Tlisht ot hiaues sai a% w00u% L2t0 atter mains atoos a

ery weLAvlog, and Nochsater. i? Orriyed L morse tabs Gua to head vinie,
Other than thas the flicht wis normale

We depasted Minneapolis on achednie at 133 »» iter a four nour rest during
which tine J visited ay mother anc vom frience of the feally in 24 sane
Sagante on Flt 9 we made echetuwled stona 6% sepiete Ystartown, Nurcn, siowm <nlls
ni Giouse Gity, oneratine ciose to schaduled tine,

han taxiaz ons at Slouxy City, the tower orerator dy t us of an adiects
he hat gtenatec wast of the flelfA and asiad us to investionate, Va took off
Sara 2 of 9 .7a%

—— S-e-r0

antl immediately seotted the object west of the fiel 5 an esticated altitude
ef 8000" and about three miles distant. The odject’s path of flisht we in an
ere from a position wert of the Tick’ thronsh sovth and $9 a position casi of
tha field, Wa took off northwest and mide a turn inside the object to the lets

uatil ha ch dt rectly ahead of 25 on Gn ea st eriy head me 2% an estinated
eltiltudsa of sooo and ahont two miles ahead of us, At thie >5o
clinbing ab an inileeted airapesd of 120 wae

Just before gettlas hin ina poet sion directly ahead o
three blinking Lienta (red, azreen, wilt a} that dlinied abou .
to have been operate manually. saan 23 the chf-ct was directly uhenc of us we
noticed a white, brignt Limes

ly nner. .
—<—_—— ee -

5
qv
*r
.
:
o
rh

similar in intansity to one of our landing ligats. iis List Lasted only o

:
couvle of seconds, but seemed to v4 coulne from where IT would Juice to be the
side of tha fusaluges althousch at the cistance he was 2roa na thet would be
hard to asesrtain.

Vp until this point i would Judge the speed of the object to be sonewnera

between hog and 990 lv.

Now vt thie woint when the object was Ghaad of us about two miles anc abouts
boot ebovs, it seemed to wake a 90” turn to thse ri mS and then cone directly at
us at a terrific ansed, vhich I w mldn's try to eat? 21te, ond suddenly take im
* poaltion abont 2099 to the left of na and stay with us 2} ovr soeed for a rev
GAGCINAT, It seened to hava a clay enaoed Tusalaoze abou’ the Lenstn of nn GPx
and # straicht wiag almost asa lons mounted rlichtly
al
wee kt of + pazes

aimarwess” * mena

forward of the center of the nlinne, There asened to be no tall membera nor any
evidence of envines or pronetlers. The oleae 4roomd below and behind ua mtil
I Joot ateht of 2+, Ve infor med the 4wer tower onerntor und verte told he wna

directiy below tus $25 wa were nevot dle to 2298 45 avoing Avter ~anooverine

DOWNE?. ADE OAT 3 YRAR Int

. DEG 4s AS ; LI THY) A Ir rs eet

; ok wk J

-o HALLS.

eT As ie DoD DIR 5200.19

——

U

|. Se* a fe Petr .
‘ UNCLASSIFIED

' i
1, MMMM 2, Aivoort fresfic Controller wnt anita tt azaistant

AAroort Traffic Controller ware on tuty at the Stloux Clty Aivriar+ Traffic Ocntrol
Soyer at Slonx City Huniciml Airvort, Sergsant Zlnuft?, Tova from 16005 ta 72009

_*

Jarmary 20, 1951 and obdsarved the followtag:
At anvorericately 20200 a bright Lignt wae 234erve!l Tron ¢t .
first noticed the lient anneared to be ayoroximtely 2,000 Taat sbove bt’ surtecs
on a braving of approximately 225° fron the tower en’ “bout 2) to > miles omaye

This As fest ayoeared to ba atationery and of extrene brilliance for a neariod of ona
to to minutes, then ersdnally begun to fare, Ab thia tine hideSontinent Airlines
Ylirnt Nine uae Fivan taxi inst<nctions for talraoff ani waa then udyised of ths

Lisht thea tower hee in sight. The pllot wis mnstle to locete the

re baer ge? «
>
“

fated to a aull glow and waa climbing ranidly in a ssutheriy cirection, CPt ates
imately eir-ht or aine thoneand fast ani a distanca of about four xi Clue Li hs
oearest to berome atationary asain southveat of the alroort, ‘" imUorsinent -ivrliaes
Flicht Wine took off northwest at 20°79 and mede a ieft turn. The tower the izined
as te tha ile atta position. Within oa fav saconis tha. {i<@ontinent Fliet vizater
the object, Tha oilot than turnad to a sontherly heattins and adviesd tae tove ‘oe
oO”) Jock aoneared toa be @ very lerva military aircesft., The ollot usked if thare ware
gay Jet aircraft in the vicinity. “:0 tower then racliad thare were not Any nova
gat afroraft in tha viciatty of the airoort. At this time ELSLOV, e& Gassna Model 140
called the tover and advisei ha was low on fuel end was making aa enereency luniiag
at Sioux City. Ths Cesona was immediately given lenadin: instructions and Lendad at
20320, Also, at anproxinately the sane time 4 31377, 2 DSeeaencraft Sonanza culiad
for landing instructions and laaled 2% 20350. At apororinatel: 20300 ons inent
Airlines Plight Nine advised the odject was flylrs « loose Yormation with hin, isd.
2

Continent Alrlines Jlisht Nine was at mn approximate altituce of
northeast heading abowt one mile -southeast of the act Nantes me p
towar had the object in sicht. The abject conld not be observad from the tovar

Vide-Gontinent Airlinas Flicnt Ak then took un a northwest heading circliag directly
c

q
<r =
: ty
ir)
w
or
9
-
r
~

- Ob
?

over the tower, sdvising at tha neme tine the object wia directly on their tail.
At avororinately 2031C the objec ‘ was observed acnarentiy followings MideContinens
Airlines Flight Mina just before Piicnt tine paused over the terer,. The pilot thea
tool un a northeast heading and asked Lor the posizion of the object. The tower

eat the object wae in sicht about a nile and @ halt dua east of ths towar 26 an
timated altitude of 2,000 to 5,600 feat above the sround eronrently in @ stationery
eakton, The object then besten to move ab a hich rate of aoned in a northvesterly
Girection. The oilot of Flicht Nine azain ask the »oaltion of the object and the
Cirection it was traveling. the tower adviaad that the abjacs was annroxinately half
way hetween Mid-Continent Airlines Flieht Mine's altitude and the ground and waa roving
very rinidly in a aorthwatterly direction, MideVontinent Atrline Flight “ine then

. m+
yYoceedad on conrse to Omaha, Vebraska at aoproximatealy 203, The abject was last

sichted fron the tower at paste eaced in a northwesterly direction,

be |

The forrczoine statement is true anc correct to the bast of our knowled xe

Nate January 22, 1951
——————— Seiad

3 OUNGRADED AT 8 YEAR INTE ALS,
a” ad DECLASSIWIED AFTER 12 YEAS.

Ar 4 tte i a hae POW DIR 5200.10
Ui> 44n, Se r

‘ ‘

— oe —

wht Strung e Aireralt
Over Sioux City; It Does
_tTricks New to Pilots)

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“|Airline Flier Describes
Amazing Performance
by Huge Ship —

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fs ™ ok Sie *71 Kansas City, — (®)— A veteran}
trans 7 | {airline pilot Sunday night told of
| reds eAircratt _|seeing a strange aircraft Saturday

° , " |alght that did something “you just
Sighted In Sky -jcan’t do with airplanes today.”

ry. . Larry W. Vinther of Kan-
% ;

By Two i ly ers sas City, Did-Continen!d alr-
KANSAS CITY, Mo., Jan. 22—| Mse Pilot who has been flying
{CP)—An airline pilot said today | 1% years and bas been with
he Saw @ strange, monster air- | DMild-Continent seven ycars,
Craft in a moonlit Iowa sky above'| sald the Ineldent occurred

Sioux City, Iowa, and described jt: over Sioux City,

as having n isible ,
aNeouhiien 0 visible means of| He destribed the stranre

“I'd say it was as large or half-|| Plane as about “one and a half
again as large as a B-29," pilot} j times the size of a B-29, with
Harry W. Vinther, 32, Kansas a long, slender fuselage, long
ph Tenge _— “It did things} straight wings set farther for-
ome ee supposed) | ward tham a 11-295.”

The mystery plane was observed) | “There were no engine mount-

Ol ‘ZLiv

; ‘Va

--
«es

also by Vinther’s first officer, |, ings on the wings and I saw il

4

ae Fr. agg eel also of Kan-} |exhaust glow,” Vinther said. “Th
“ts City, Nan. shortly after take},
off in a Mid-Continent Airlines| |Wim8 Were Straight, not sweg

1 Vinther said the -plane had al |boypbers, and there were no jet
;/Straight wing “and no tail assem-} |p visible.”

r bly to speak of,” ,
Dachmeier said the aircraft was inther sald the craft was seen

“shaped like a cigar and its w bythis copilot, James F. Bachmeier
like a flattened cigar,” oe of Kansas City and one of the 11
| But it was a head-on pass and| | Passengers aboard,

. omer te ee immediately “As I was getting tower clear-
ollowe hat most astonished
both Vinther and Bachmeier. ance to take off from the Sioux

Vinther said the plane an City field at 8:26 o'clock,” Vinther
proached his DC-3 passenger) |S5aid, “the tower asked us to check
Plone, and then, “just after {, |on the strange light in the sky.”
nad turned my head to watch him “We spotted the light and
pass, there he was again flvine ‘ ;
sume 200 feet by our side—and ctinbed tn that direction, We
Soins In the same direction as) | 88 the plane had some sort
we were.” . of navigafion lights, fin ad-
“You can’t turn ordinary airs dition to a strong white Iicht

Planes that fast,” he said. h | wnderneath the fuspage, The

_—

~-—

eco CLUTd SE—SN0LS

. a 4
-.-

A¥aii ud
MAIGUTO

ica
‘
an

poe ed |

lights all blinked off and on Fe |
. five or six tlmes a8 we drew 23”
nearer.” : <?
Vinther said his DC-3 was do- ne
ing 120 miles an hour and the yi
other craft was going faster than 44) 38
that in the opposite direction. rf fe
‘ = ae “I had just turned my head +
Wyn Pr ASSP] sip) from watching him go past our uP s
: ed at » i t- 27°" wing when there he was again, Pre
7 he tubes 2 "laying right beside us about 200}, es0

feet to our IcIt, roing In the same

We eey bette s LAAL =

otf in a Mid-Continent Airlines
DC-3 Saturday night, :
Viniher said the Plane had a

Straight wing “and no tail asser.'
bly to speak of.”

wings were Straight, not ewe;h
back like on the B-47 and other jet
borpbers, and there were no jet
potls visible.”

OTLOW

*

:

—_ ——-  -— - — OC

=a Vinther sald the craft was seen t-

Bachmeier said : onl ;
“shaned like oes Bona waa tie pores iby:his copilot, James F, Bachmeier a
like a flattened cigar,” "| of Kansas City and one of the 11 t,

| passengers aboard,

“As I was getting tower clear-
ance to take off from the Sioux
City field at 8:26 o'clock,” Vinther
said, “the tower asked us to check
on the strange light fn the sky.”

“We spotted the light and —
cilmbed in that direction. We -
saw the plane hed some sort
of navigation lichts, In ad-
dition to a strong whiie light *
underneath the fusgace, The
lights all blinked off and on
five or six times as we drew |
nearer.”

Vinther said his DC-3 was do-
ing 120 miles en hour and the
other craft was going faster than

But it was a head-on pass and
a maneuver which immediately
followed that most astonished
both Vinther and Bachmeier,

Vinther said the plane and
proached his DC-3 passenger!
plane, and then, “just after
had turned my head to watch him
pass, there he was again fly ine,
some 200 feet by our side—and,
xoipg in the same direction as!
we were.”

“You can't turn ordinary air-
Planes that fast,” he said.

SzOTE

2
S ¢e6

tates
eTILATO

L

— — |

that in the opposite direction. The

aint te “I had just turned my head _T

VT Stat been sles ale from watching him go past our
Dr chAssin ere ~4wing when there he was egain, Fes
iSite iis °° ©" flying right beside us sbout 200), ese

fect to our left, going in the same

direction we were,” tre said.

mystified him because “you
just can’t tern an airplane
around that fast at that pp

speed.” - “as

The strange plane flew slong- ;
side about four seconds then
eased off below the DC-3 “and / 7
we lost him,” the pilot said. '

Vinther’s flight stayed over-
night at Omaha. He said he
checked the airbase at Offutt field \
there and learned there were no .
airforce jet planes scheduled in
that area.

Attempts to learn further detai's
concerning the strange aircraft re- 5
ported over Sioux City were un- |
availing here Sunday night. A “-
Mid-Continent airlines official said) ee eee en, ghey | 3
that as far as he knew no one}! mdi SGRA!I | ad
at the municipal aepert . eA Bory As * y LAR
Vy ~- . » geant Bluff had seen the aircraft. Cyt 0.1
hy . j AASSIF lf: | \* Other sources, however, declined ‘
comment.

beat 27 Le ceeacceilegil ai

ntered af Serorty Taw Matter

Postoffies, Slous City, lowe

—_—_

Startling Performance ~

4

of Strange Plane Over
City Related by Fliers |

Airline Pilot, Air impressed by the bright light on
Guard Captain Tell the tall of the fuselage of the
of Amazing Speed strange plane and its speed.

Reports grew Monde, of an ; iT ;
amazing performance by a strange en Sta asond mage. sm
aircraft over Sioux City, augh sai onday at Vermil-
Larry D. Vinther of Kansas lion, S. D., where he is a senior
City, a veteran airline pilot, told . beg a gd hea ec eet
of seeing a plane over the city En 3300 Soon oe wast: ome is here
Saturday night that did apa ap ikon alte $5 .
ip Bel Ag go net| Capt. Baugh, who at the time
how the plane passed him once ee = aw a ane
‘lin the epposite direction, then in r. a tah cddcla A :
an unbelievable sho-t time passed ous plane, but it circled and our

7

appeared to the northwest.
Capt. Baugh said that the night

of his experience was So dark that

he could not describe the plape

rec on,
Monday Capt. Richard

Fhugh of the 174th fighter
uadron of the afr national

t th its bright light ajjd
guard, disclosed he had a | mer, Cae oa ree
similar experience ® month Keith Armold, Sioux managpr
Or 50 ago,

Capt. Baugh, like Vinther, was PLANE on Page 5
f
Y \ilane
é Continued from Page One_

4 of Mid-Continent airlines, Vin-
ther’s employer, sald that he had
been unable to leart. any more
details, However, he said that

James Yanney, i100 S, Glass
i street, had notified him of seeing!
/ \ a plane with particularly bright

i ys lights at the same time as Vin-
j ther.

Gives Description

. Vinther has been flying 17
Ss years, seven with Mid-Continent.

The Associated Press said that,
Vinther described the plane as,
about ‘one and a half times peat
size of a B-29, with a long, slen-!
der fuselage, long straight wings
cet farther forward than a,
B-29's.”

“There were no engine mount-

—. ings on the wings and I saw MopOWNGRADED AT 3 YEA

Ngee ye Se gl ti A exhaust aw inther said. “The

iwings were Straight, not swept

— ad

“It had more speed than any-lon the strange light in the sky.”

side about four
eased off below the DC-3 “and

SIOUX CITY, IOWA, MONDAY, JANUARY 22, 1951—2 SYOTTIONS—34 PAGES

{back like on the T-ITUNE other jet

bombers, and there were no jet
pods visible.”

Vinther snid the craft was seen
by his copilot, James F. Bachmeier!
of Kansas City and one of the 11
passengers aboard.

“As I was getting tower clear-
ance to take off from the Sioux
City field at 8:26 o'clock,” Vinther
said, “the tower asked us to check

“We spotted the licht and
climbed in that direction. We
saw the plane had some sort —
of navigation lights, in ad-
dition to a strong white light
underneath the fuseage, The |
lights all blinked off and on |
five or six times as we drew —
nearer.”

Vinther said his DC-3 was do-
ing 120 miles an hour and the

him, again going in the same di- climbed him. He lost it as it dis- other craft was going faster than

that in the opposite direction.
“I had just turned my head
rom watching him go past our
jing when there be was again,

eet to our left, going in the same
irection we were,” he said.
Vinther said that's what
mystified him because “you
just can’t turn an airplane
around that fast at that
speed.” ~
The strange plane flew along-
seconds then

flying right beside us about 200
speed. f

we lost him,” the pilot said.
Vinther’s flight stayed over-
night at Omaha. He said he
checked the airbase at Offutt field
there and learned there were no

airforce jet planes scheduled in
that area, “= sq

oe -—— —-

L INTERV
DECLASSIFIED AFTER 12 YEAR
POD DI 5200.10

OUX' CITYJOURNA

4: ak | (

| UNCTASSiFiE), ay

FANSAS CiTy s7AR 22 JAIUARY 1951

Pa? oe

tral ge Aivcraft IsSeen-Over -—-—-
~Sioux City by Kansas City Pilot

|
' Peete’ Which: Cannot Be Performed by the Airplanes of}
|... Zeday Were Executed by the: Mysterious Ship, * ..
| ideas aery Vinther Says. 2° oy

'
n

‘ . VETERAN air line nilotito check on the strange light "i

~~) 208 ee

—- ~

- - last night toid of seeing # the sky. ~

f° | strange aircraitSaturday| ‘‘We spotted the light and
\~ \""" night that did something/climbed in that direction, We
ys"you just can't do with airpldnes'saw (he plane had some sort of
g.jot today.” = - navigation. lights, in addition to a
e| -Larry W..Vinther, 6028 Buena!strong white light =nderneath
_{Vista, Johnson. County, _Mid-\the fuselage. The Iizhts§ all
.|Continent Airline pilot who has/ blinked off and on five or six

e| been flying seventeen years and'times as we drew nearer,”

ejhas been with Mid-Continent) other Craft Traveling Fast.

B pai EA reo Ps Nout Cs Ia Vinther said. his DC-3 was do-'s

He described the strange plane! 7S 120 miles an hour and the

—“-

~_—< <<

‘
5 other craft was going faster\«
ab nthe wi ge 235, Bl ‘Tong, han that in the opposite direc-'c
slender luselage, long straight," I

t
t
t

bre, set farther forward than a! ws rad tan ae eee
ja B-29's, rte

wing wh th :
‘ No Exhaust Glow, & when there he was again

flying right beside us about 2
»| “There were no engine mount-|feet to our left, going in the

IjIngs on the wings and I saw no same direction we were,” he',
tiexhaust .glow,"' Vinther said.'said. . i
‘|The wings were straight, not! Vinther said that's what mys-
/ swept back like on the B-47 and tified him because you just can’t|'
2jather jet bombers, and thereiturn an airplane around that
3)were no jet pods visible. fast at that speed.

f| Vinther said the craft was| The strange plane flew along-

*jseen by his co-pilot, James F.|side about four seconds then

>;Bachmeler, 2908 Park wood eased off below the DC-3 and we
1 boulevard, Kansas City, Kansas,!lost him, the pilot said.

| and one of the eleven passengers, Vinther’s flight Stayed over-

ti aboard. |night at Omaha. He said he

4; “As I was getting tower clear-|checked the air base at Offutt ;

J) arice’ to take olf trom the Pioak [Bele there and learned there]

* City ftleld at 83:28 o'clock,” Vin-!were no alr force jet: pianes!

»|ther said, “the tower asked us scheduled in that area. |

\

re

. |  NCLASSIFIED °

UNITED STATES

SPAN: 230°

LENGTH: 162’ 6” ;
ENGINES: 6P-W R4360'S-4GE J-47'°S
SPEED: OVER 435 MPH

RANGE: 4,000 MILES COMS. RAD.

UNITED STATES

SPAN: 239’

LENGTH: 182° 6”
ENGINES: 6P-W R-4360'S

PEED. {APPROX} 300 MPH

w

ANGE 38,9C0 mlL.es

*

a *

‘
AGE TO JUXC Lat
APRPORT. OGURCT REMAINED IN VICINTIY APPROXIMATELY FOURREEN uINUTES

“f) DISAPPEARED FLYING COUNSD NORTIWEST DINECTLY UNDERNEATH
COMMERCIAL PLANE. SHAPE AND SIZZ COULD NOT SE NOTED SY CONTROL
COMER PERSONNEL SUT APPEARANCE WAS THAT OF LARGE MILITARY AIRPLANE.
SATHT! CONDITIONS WERE CLEAL. gr 5} ee, CONSIDERED
“CLIASLE WITNESSES. REPONT CF INCIDENT MAD? LY = LG Rs,

SHfEF TOWER CONTROLLER, SIOUX CITY, TO DENVER FLICHT SERVICE FoR
TRANSMISSION TO CONAC, MITCHCL APS, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE,
JASHINCTON, AND COUNAMDING GENERAL, NEAREST MILITAR DISTAICT.
nremens, P0T, 6) aetliemems, copilot, FLIC"
Tile, STATE TINE OSJECT OSSERVED BY THEM AS 2026 NouRS CST IN

- EGHT MOONLIGHT. A OTED LICHT BETUEEN RED AND ORANGE

T COLOR AT ESTIMATED DISTANCT OF FOUR MILES AT ASOUT 3000 FELT
*tTITUDE. IN COOONDINATICN WITH TOWER CPERATOR — CIRCLED TO
LOFT IN WESTERLY DIRECTION AND OSJECT ALSO CIRCLED, MAINTALNING
NISTAMCE AND DEEPING ASREAST OR ANTAD OF AIRPLANE IN WIDE ARC.
AIRPLANE CONTINUED CIRCLING TO SOUTH ANID THEM EAST AND, AS IT

PROACHED TASTECLY LEARING, OSJECT SLINKED LIGHTS SIMILAR TO

PUMNING LIGHTS SUT SLINKING APPEARED TO CE MANUALLY CONTROLLEDes

3 Na cir fs mit STAST OF > yt A wYyrecrr trewT
Pad O3J2C f RE CHED It PCT? 7 ' wire! Ly stair 1: Alive it ORIG $ yy i's ig

~ ._* t / : i oa
F 4 / % & 0 a % e_* |
i a | val i a

tobe

PAGE ‘THREE JUXC 142

i ‘ , \
sit SIL.AR TO LANDING a => ie VISISLE FOR A “SHON iT a “s ATRPLANS
COMTINUED CIRCLIN G TO " ORTH AD C3BJECT MADE suDos: SIOf.T

TURN OF NINETY DEGREES AND DESCENDED TOWARD AIRPLANE AT IG! SPUTD,
CORSSING IN FRONT AND ASOVE ATEPLANE. OUJTCT THN STCOK posITION
APETIOXIMATELY THVO NUNDRED FEET OFF LEFT SIDE OF AIRPLANE AND

atomy AFT AS IN A LOOS® FORMATION. COUECT § =D It THIS

POSITION FOR TWO TO THREE SECONDS THEN DISAPPEARED ZELOw

AIRPLANE AND VAS NOT SEEN AGAIN. OSJECT DESCRISTD SY GB AT
mim TIME IT ASSUWIED POSITION AS FROM FOYAL TO CHE AND ChE-HALF

TUES THE SIZE OF 5-29 AIRPLALE> FUSELAGE AS PPEARED CIGAL

— +

SHAPED AtiD WING VAS LONG AND SLENDER, WELL FORYVARD AND STRAICHT

—_ +

_ ee EE ee = _
ae

AONOSS, LOOKING LINZ A FLATTENED CICAR. WING WAS FRO: MIDDLE To
HIGH ON FUSE LAGE. NO ENGINS NACELLES VISISLE AND ING APPEARED
AS A GLIDER WING. NO LIGHT WERE NOTED ‘ON OBJECT AT THIS TINE

AD NO FORS OG OTHER OSJZCT COULD SE NOTED. NO BUDDERS oR

et

DS eS eee

STASILIZERS WERF. STEN ON OSJECT UNICH APPEARED ALYAYS UNDER
PERFECT CONTROL, MOVING AT WILL AT SPEEDS VARYING FRO

NIGH RATE TO CLIMGING SPEED OF AIRPLANE, 120 MILES PER HOUR.
CLJECT DID NOT FLUTTER OR OSCILLATE AND MAINTAINED STASLE POSITION

AT ALL TIMES OSSERVED AND WAS ASLE TO MANEUVER WITH GREAT EASE,
me per 3 ay Ay F:
5/577 674

~™ AT J i dees “eur ~ ‘
AGE FOUR JuXc L4e if
9
“
) fe Fy es . ** . - 4 —_*? —~werrme “as ‘ . * . .
: 4¢ I Y bit eT Ge Sf () iT? C nO be SP ae NT G ji Th A iAM Mes Pe VER
~.

—

tee, ) Aid @ 2 ra
' ‘DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE a, 2
STAFF MESSAGE DIVISION /-y

INCOMING CLEAR MESSAGE

FROM: MATS, NATIONAL AIRPORT, WASHINCTCN D.C.’
TO : CAPT McIVER, HQ USAF, WASHINGTON D.C.

om i eee
WR =: 210200

| 21 January 1951

The folloving message was called by telephone from MATS at
Washington National Airport at 0200, 21 Jan 51 to Capt Mciver,
Command Post Duty Officer. MATS raceived the info via message
from Plight Service addressed to Sec Def:

"Nearest Military area district command Offutt. Cirvis vicinity

of Sioux Cisy Municipal Airport between estimated altitude 2000 to
9000 distance of 2 to J iniles estimated 280-285 dssrees from control
tower i unidentified fiying object odservins aircraft mid Continental
Airlines Flight # 9.. Daparted Stoux City 2031 control altituds of?
object 2 to 9000 variable. Time spent in vicinity apnoroximataly 14
minutes. Pilot and Co Pilot of nidcontinental Plight 9 and 2
passengers from USAP OST. Wsather report clear visability 15 miles
semperaturs 7 daw point - 4 wind IV st 11 altimeter 053, 2030 SUX
weather renort 1 unidentified flying cbject time of first sichting

2102202" Classification: "Unclassified". J
| a
/

ACTION: OIN
INFO +: SEC DEF, CPR

AP IN: 16041 (21 gan51) DIG: 210200 JDM/iws

7

ar mete 0-309D U N C LA $ S | F | E D 16 ~S56s80-5 UE 3, GOvtRAm ANT PRINTING OFFice

——

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