PROJECT BLUE BOOK

1 - 28 FEBRUARY 1952

DATS LOCATION |: .*" OBSERVER EVALUATION
Fob Gonzales, Texas aie Other (SAUCER FAN) |

2 30036N = 140,02W (Pacific) Military Astro (METEOR) |

6 Dobbins AFB, Ceorgia Military BALLOON
10 Bander Abvis, Iran Civilian INSUFFICIENT DATA

li Kansas City, Missouri Civilian BALLCON |
ll Pittsburg, Pennsylvania Military UNIDENTIFIED
12 - Washington, D. Ce Mllitary AIRCRAST

13 . Granite City, Illinois Military (PADAR) 1. Other (PADAR MALFUNCTICN)

2. INSUFFICIENT DATA
1), 31.45N = 159.105 (Pacific) Military AIRCRAFT
16 Korea Military (RADAR) 1. iINSUPFICIENT DATA
2. AIRCRAFT

17 Roswell, New Msxice Military Astro cosement |

18 Virginia, Nerth Carilona Astro (METEOR)
(CARDS MISSING) ~~?
20 Mt Dinble, California Montgomery, Watkins BALLOON :
(CARDS MISSING)

22 El Paso, Texas =m. SC PHOTO) Other (FLAW IN NEGATIVE) l
23 Sinuiju, North Korsa Military — UNIDENTIFIED
23 36.50N = 08,50W (Atlantic) Military INSUFFICIENT DATA i
26 74W - h3N (Near Albany, N.Y.) Military Astro (MSTECR)
28 Cambells Creek, Newfoundland Civilian INSUFFICIENT DATA |

(CASE MISSING)

ADDITIONAL REPORTED SIGHTINGS (NOT CASES)

2
Pod

LOCATION SCJRCE EVALUATION

:, ijt - =a 4. Mis JG
SECURITY LuFO YNCLASSIF | £: SAP I?=:

TO ATIAA-2C RUPPELT FROM AFOIN-V/TC FOURNET AaaAA
5G Ah.
ERIEFLY INTERROGATED COL JOSEPH D, _ CALARA, SENG) We
Font J a ”*

USAF 1043 A, OF OFFICE OF JOINT CHIEFS

OF STAFF RE U/I FLYING OGJECT OSSERVED

BY HIM AND HIS WIFE, FOLLOWING SUMMARY OF

SIGHTING FOR YOUR INFO AND FOLLOW UP ACTION IF YOU
THINK WARRANTED?

(1) BRILLIANT GREEN SHPEROID WITH TAIL SLIGHTLY

NARROWER THAN DEAMETER AND LINGTH ABOUT 3

TIMES DEAMETER OF SPHEROID. TAIL OF ORANGE AND RED

COLOR. TRAVELLING IN FLAT ARC GENERAL Sw ah
DIRECTION ACROSS NW QUARANT OF SKY FROM 45 (7
DEGREE ELEVADTION TO ABOUT 20 DEGREE |
ELEVATION, AT WHICH POINT IT FADED OUT OF SIGHT.
NO SOUND OR OTHER FEATURES. a
. (2) SIGHTED FOR A FEW SECONDS POSSIBLY 15 a

30 43 2530 2 HOURS ON 29 JAN 52.

(3) VISUAL OBSERVATION FROM GROUND.

(4) OBSERVERS AT POINT IN WEST SECTION

FALLS CHURCH, VA,

(5) COL CALDARA IS USAF PILOT WITH Wy 11

EXPERIENCE iN PACIFIC. STATES THIS OFJECT

DORE NO RESEMBLANCE TO NUMEROUS METERORS AND
‘ETEORITES OBSERVED IN PACIFIC, APPEARS TO

SE RELIABLE, ,

COL CALDARA INITIATED ACTION THIS INCIDENT WHEN

HE SAW AD IN NEWSPAPER ™ SUNDAY STAR"

* HAGAZINE SECTION OF £0 FEB, THIS AD

BY DR LAPAZ SOLICITS INFORMATION OF SIGHTINGS
GREEN FIREBALLS, DG YOU KNOW IF LAPAZ IS
‘WORKING SN USAF CONTRACTOR 30 ENG THES ON- GIS -
CUN, PCSSIBLY WITH HOPE OF SELLING FINDINGS
T) USY YOUR INFORMAL COMMENTS THIS QUERY

wait 3h 7) INTERV:
iOULD BE APPRECTIATED DOWNGRADED AT 3 YEAR Birr ps.

29 fin we Pdecs Ciel Yi CGIN A - om
1 © Pre APE pin A Ce mrs Ye VG A, Asras (Ane ra: «)

’ ( (
EXTRACT FROM STATUS REPORT Fh

DATE: 29 Jan 52

TIME (Local): 1830

LOCATION: Falls Church, Va,

LENGTH OF TLiit OBSERVED: 15=30 See.

SOUND: None |
SPEED? Uniuown

ALTITUDES: 15° to 20°

HEADIG: 225°

SOURCE: AF Colonel

ACTION OR COMMENTS: Green flrebsll phenomena, No conclusions,.

DESCRIPTION OF INCIDENT: Bri.ldjisnt green fixcball travolin; in flat arc,

7
———_ oo =

| ITEM. & Ai /

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FROM LT F J wWuPPFLT A coe WY :

TO CAPT FOURNET AFOIN-V/TC

apeky
15 Feb 52

MUNCLASS Fiés

REFERENCE IS MADE DO YOUR TELECON TT 43,
CSAF ITEM 7, 12 FEBRUARY 1952. OBJECT MENTIONED WAT A) |
IN GRFEN FIREBALL TYP OF PHFNOMSNA. INFORMATION
ATIC HAS BEEN ATTEMPTING TO GFT FURTHER
INFO OM WHAT CONCLUSIONS WERE REACHED BY
THE AY CAMBRIDGE RESEARCH LABORATORY
WHO MADE A STUDY OF THIS PHENOMENA, THEY HAVE.
SUBMITTED A REPORT TO THE DIRECTORATE oF -
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN WASHINGTON, BUT
‘= NAVE BEEN UNABLE TO GET A COPY OF
THE PEPORT,.
D2, LAPAZ IS A VELL KNOWN AUTHORITY ON
iWETERORITES, WE HAVE. NO INFO OM HIM
OTHER THAN THAT HE IS TECHNECALLY QUALIFIED
AUD THAT WE ASSISTED THE OSI IN 1947 AND 1948
PURING THE FIRST OUTBREAK OF GREEN FIREBALLS
IN NEW MEXICO. HE IS NOT ¥VORKING FOR ATIC, NOR ANY
AIR FORCE AGENCY AS FAR AS WE KNOW.
If IS BELIEVED THAT HIS FXTRIME INTEREST IN
THE GREEN FIREBALLS I3 PURFLY SCIENTIFIC s ox.c fs yeh
iM THAT HE IS HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT OF OAT AGSIETED AFTER 22 ¥
NPETRORITICS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEU MEXICO, OFOLASA ot cain
AviC NOES NOT CONTEMPLATE ANY ACTION ON THIS
SIGHTING,

wy ~ yr AT im mabe OR

. ee P™UNCLASS:! 2:
FND ITEM 4 AMC / ORR

Yh Rs 7 > VY pads tt. ‘»

nil i at

1.

& UNCLASSIFIED

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PREPARING AND SUBMITTING FORM

Submit ON copy of the completed fornt ATIPA by 1000 hours of day
messe e is to be sen Unless special’ arrangenents ere made with

ATTPA for lste submicsion, messrres received after 1000 hours will

no* be sent until t’e followin, conferconce

Complete form as follows:

Block 1. Preparing office omit. Will be cb: Bietea by telecon Riven.

Block 2. If a classified messages, stemp in security classification. If
not a classified message, enter "Unclascificd".

Block 3. Enter date the message will be sent, not cate prepared.

Block 4, Enter name and symbol of sender.

Block 5. Enter name and symbol of receiver.

Block 6. If a classified messege, enter as the first two words of the
message “Security Inforcation," then proceed with the message.
If not a classified message, omit the words "Security

Infermaticn. ".

Block 7. Originator enter signature and symbol. (May or may not be the
same person whose name appears in Block }.)

Block 8. Coordinators enter name and symbol,
Block 9. Air Adjutant General enter signature.

Bottrmn of form. If a classified message, stamp in security classification,

DOWNGRADED AT 3 YRAR INTERV:

DECLASSIFIED AFTER 12 YEARS.
DOD Dik 520010 |

ISNICLASSIFIED

‘4
_ DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE ;
HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES AIR FORCE

WASHINGTON

.
A |} ATR MATL

: a A ” : wey re

7, aa a THE INSPECTOR GENERAL USAF
3RO DISTRICT OFFICE OF SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS
1612 S. CAMERON STREET, HARRISBURG, PA.

RiR/mn

300 2-81, 3 28 February 1952
SUBJECT: Green Fire-Balls Reported over Phila.» Pres—~. Pca hee
29 January 1952. ( |. HATED st tee pen he
SPECIAL INQUIRY Hissar pee UR TORE l Span =>
HECTOR Gene. . Vor {4 ry
OH A fis orisha a
TO: District Commander f° Bi: Nett. oh och ae re
5th District OSI (IG) USAF f = tog wabta ty UneUl eile eg perses, ts 7
VrightePatterson Air Force Base - , aes | |
Dayton, Ohio. } ney baci meh
a ~) ag pu
ties tie

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Senate } st

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1. Reference is made to telophone message reesived from Major JOBN-F.-—_
O'CONNELL, your office, st 0950 hours on 27 February 1952, requesting the
securing of information concerning a reporb to ths offeck that green fire=
balls had been seen flying over Philadelphia on 29 January 1952.

2. In an interview on 27 February 1952, Dre CHARLES POLLARD OLIVIER,
Director, Astronomical Observations, University of Pennsylvania, furnished
the following information:

At approximately 1617 hours on 29 January 1952 a FIRE
BALL, better known as a meteor, appeared over Northeastern
Ponnsylvania. This meteor was blue=green in color with
great unanimity by the observers. He stated that the bril-
lancy averaged to be that equal of a quarter moon. Its
visibility lasted approximately 10 to le seconds at which
time it disintezrsated not less than 50 vor mors than 100
‘niles Northwest of Philadelphia, The general phenonena gave
a strong indication that the end point was low enough for

: fragnents to have fallen as nebeorites.

Dr. OLIVIER stated thas he had received approximately
L50 veperts from persons from Massachusetts to Maryland,
These reports have been in the forn of phous calls, letters,
eto., of which approximtely one-third have real saientifio
infornation of value.

Dre OLIVIER stated that he did not personally observa
this meteor nor was it observed by anyous from the University
of Ponnsylvania Observateriss. Dr. OLIVIGR gtated thas there
j3 no doubt that the phenomena was that of a brilliant FIRS=

COM Tat

omen ae oP wads ste

oe t

3D0 2)j=S),
SUBJECT: Green Fire Balls Reported over Phila, Pa. 29 Jan 52
SPECIAL INQUIRY

BALL or moteor inasmuch as he has “worlsed up numerous
cases of instances of this type’

Dre OLIVIER advised that a report of this incident
will be published in a solontific journal by himself and
that the report will be contained in a publication known
as the "Flower Astronomical Observatory" of ths University
of Pennsylvania.

3 The Philadelphia Evening Bulletin of 30 January 1952 carried the
following article on the front page:

SEE A BIG MSTEOR? TELL IT TO ASTROUOMER

If you saw a meteor falling to the north of Philadelphia
last night, Dr. CHARLES P. OLIVIER, Director of the Flower
Observatory, Upper Darby, would like to hear from you.

Several persons reported sesing the phenomanon about
‘ 6.15. Some described it as a huge ball of blue and reds.
flame. Others said the ball was green with yellow "tails".
All agrved it seemed to be falling straight towards the
earth. .

Dr. OLIVIER, who is president of the American Meteor
Socicty, said he bad no first-hand knowledge of the meteor.
But he said he would like to hear by letter from those who
did, with a description of what they saw.

lh. On 27 February 1952, Lt. A. Te MoTAIG, Intelligence Division,
Police Department, City of Philadelphia and Special Agent FLWOOD &,.
FETT, Field Office of the Foderal Bureau of Investigation, Philadelphia,
Pae, were contacted and both advised that their respective offices had
received no reports of the fire ball.

5. This case is RUC,

JR dnat NM. Few
ROBERT He. RAY
. Major, USAF
District Connander
CC: Hq OSI (dup)

2

“PONE!
G ] ere ee a

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SAVE GF DOCUMENTS) TITLE, FILE CODE OR SUBJECT, NUMBER, OR OTHER IDENTIFICATION

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AF eet Si) 614 previous EDITION WiLL BE USED. CHARGE OUT RECORD c-i—siso-t asa ove