PROJECT BLUE BOOK

. | PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD

i. DATE | 2. ' CONCLUSIONS
} Was Balloon ;
en ane 30 Ma y 1952 00 | BRPIS? N-139° 30° EB 2 Probably Bellon
3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION == — an ore
Local _. .. igooLocAt : D Ground- Vi sual G Ground-Radar 1 Was Aircroft
- _ i Oo 3 onenly Aircraft
3 ont. <® Ofooe BR Air- Visuol C) Air-Intereep? Radar Possibly Aircraft
‘| $ PHOTOS , 6 SOURCE 'O Was Astronom:col
0 Yes ; : 'G) Probably Astronomical
‘ X No ! C-54, Crow ,o Possibly Astronom:col
12, LENGTH OF OBSERVATION (8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS 9 COURSE = ‘& Grher.. Cloud...
t zr 4 1&)) insufficient Data for Evaivation
5-10 Min } 1 : ,O Unknown
SERIES ic nay a BE ILI NAPE SONS SRE ee) SOR a Cae ee
10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING ‘oe COMMENTS
Golor: Dark | | Believed by pilot to be cloud,
Shape: Round .
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668 AvIRO 220'
\@e MISHIMA | .
.S85_OMAE Zan 154"
AMATSI oO. — 678 HAGHIJO JIMA 267
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140° |
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: 963 TORISHIMA 276° : iio
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Cha Pree

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at 642 YOKOTA 260
L- 848 _ CHOSHI
eo S62 Tonos

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al a $60. Tecra 308

67| HANEDA =i ;
<a 679 ATSUG!_195'
639 FUJISAN 12379.

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LEGEND

@ HOURLY USAF REPORTS
© HOURLY INDIGENOUS REPORTS (JAPAN AND ISLAND STATIONS ONLY)

 « J HOURLY REPORTS (JAPAN AND ISLAND STATIONS ONLY)

O , FIBAL OR RAW/N

)- MOST REPORT 4TIMES DA ILY
re A FEW REPORTS 2 TIMES DAILY

$e) | | | :
xt FPADIOSONDE REPORTS f ,
4 | | an

STATION ELEVATION IN FEET FOLLOWS STATION NAME.
ELEVATION IS OMITTED IF LESS THAN 1/00 FEET.

(M) SIGNIFIES ELEVATION DATA NOT AVAILABLE.
) 5 S. NUMBER

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DOWNG YGRADED AT 12 YEA
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DOD DIR 6200.10

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x | AIR INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION REPORT

Unidenta tied Flying Object

>

gprs 5 | “* wus! “Intelligence Office ~
Oshima <n hape Honshu, Japan ¥. 6lst Troop Carrier Group, Heavy; APO 704
7 dune 1952 — i 30 May 1952 — oe. Bo

ee Se LD tp iy Members, C-54 # # 42-72452A —

RAY F GRODHAUS, Capt aptain, USAF, Intel. 0. ith Troop Carrier Sqdn, APO 70h \

or. FEAF” ai Rents. 16 Jan 52.
Yaar re cats BP fate 7 Eseaics aginst

VIMMARY ‘egulatl Paice drape Tans videsinasia'bs inal shegibracs paragraph, List inclowere at lower left. Meyen ter tat te. tat g

On 30 May 52, the pilot, co-pilot amd engineer of C-54 type aircraft 4 WeTaisak: ‘Bae
Troop ‘Carrier Group, Heavy, AFO 704, flying on a course of 190°, at altitude of 8, 500ft
reported observing unidentified aerial object between 1900 and 1930 hours, that date,
at approx 34°15'N - 139930'E. Three crew members agree object was round, dark and et :
it hovered.

The co-pilot and engineer, observing object from five to seven mimtes, agree that

object disappeared rapidly to the west, that no exhaust flames were visable, no means
of propulsion ascertainable, and that object was unfamiliar and dissimiler to any \ '
aircraft known to them. |

The three observers agree object was at approx 10,000 to 20,000 feet altitude,
s

Co-pilot and engineer agree that object was not a cloud, nor a balloon; Agree on all
- + points except that the engineer believes object had a "tail".

) Pilot minimizes entire incident, stating that in his opinion object was merely an
urmsual-appearing, dark, round and towering cloud, detached from other cloud formatio
in area and that, therefore, no identification action was taken.

Pilot, lst Lt Arblaster, is 29 yrs of age, has 1,929 flying hrs, states he frequently
observes odd-appearing cloud formations, believes most unidentified aerial sightings
are imaginative, and apparently does not attach any appreciable degree of importance
to reports concerning unidentified flying objects. (Intel. Officer's opinion that
pilot anxious to excuse himself for not having taken identification action by notifyi
GCL, and for not having taken prompt reporting action upon returning to base. Filot
made his report seven days after incident. However, rilot probably sincere in his
evaluation of incident since he only glanced at object, whereas other members witness
object from five to seven mimtes.) (See inclosed statements.)

Co-Pilot, Captain Leet, is 36 years of age, has 2,328 flying hours, states he, too,
frequently observes odd-appearing cloud formations; 3; insists subject object not cloud.
Captain Leet apparently is a conscientious individual.

Engineer, T/Sgt Roe, is 30 yrs of age, has 231 flying hrs, conscientious to an average
degree. Agrees primarily with co-pilots report,

Intel Officer believes report significant since the two crew members who observed
object appreciable length of time convinced object not cloud nor balloon.

~
;
rr a EE Ee ee ee ee

wy S — a APPROVED; /s/ John J cingerli
‘ /t/ JOHN J ZINGERLI
A Certified True Copy. Captain, USAF
Map ath tions. Adjutant
ofan’ oe ee _ (absence of Intel 0.)
' : x MAN, Lt. Col., UsA ae
veputy vor intelligence INTE NGRADED AT 12 YEAR

. 2 cys JADP TOA SSTRI Tio 69h IFIED. DOD DIR 5200.10
l cy 315th AD ; A f IC W-P Ara ATTY ATIAA-2&
1 oy file Ly GF2ZO"S% Ge 4b ey /U-REC
cates Eieate i. 4 ¥ File.

ATES WITHIN Tete MEANING OF THE ESPIONAGE ACT. 50 U.S C.—

NER TO AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS PROMIBITED BY LAW.
eT ATER Teer oeeeram me Tus Mest na nc

BOTE ThiS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE
'SSION OA THE REVELATIOR

~ ee

“— ;

FROW (Ligases) REPORT HO
oop Carrier Group, Heavy, APO 7C TR—4—52
D/I FRAF COMMENT:

' 1. On 30 May 1952, the winds in the area mentioned were all definitely from ¥
West-Horthvest to South-Southwest. A relatively stable condition exibted and no
wind shifts were noted. A muuber of pilots reports in this area were received,
@ll of which indicated normal winds,

2. Weather persennel of the 2143rd Air Weather Wing are of the opinion that
this sighting is due to am isolated cloud which apoeared dark due to the back light=-
ing, oF possibly to the contamination of the cloud itself by dust, smoke, etc. The
possibility of it Being a weather balloon was generally discounted.

 9- The apparent speed of travel was probably due te shifting light conditions
as the sircraft turned into the sum. It.showld be noted that a maber of "Unidenti-
fied Object" sightings in recent veeks have bees made with the apparent object act—
ing strangely at the time when the sun was almost directly behind it.

bh, The following information hae been received from the 21434 Air Veather Ving,

ean4 should prove of value in future evaluations of reports of unidentified objects
in the Japan-Korea area: .

od

a. Balloer-types

BALLOGe «= AY. _DIAMBTER 486COLOR AY, RATE OF CLIMB MAX ALTITUDE

10 gta. 18 inches Red or black 400 ft per mimute 25,000 ft.

30 gram 20S 24 inches Red, White, or Black 600 ft per mimte 60,000 ft.

100 grew = “4 inches Red, White or Black 990 ft per mimte 100,000 ft. me.
350 grem = 12 feet Crees “4 1100 ft-per mimte 120,000 ft. “| >
750 grem = 25 foot Creem 1200 ft

per-minute: 140,000 ft.

-

bd. Fines of release:

0300/% (1200/Item time), 0900/2 (1800/1), 1500/2: (2400/1), 2100/2
(0600/1), | 350 cram balloons during. daylight hours, and 750° grass Dballoons during
houre of darimese are released from all USAF radiosonde stations, «Thirty and 100
erem balloons are-relessed at all pibal stations, Ten or 30 gram balloons may de
released from any station listed, whenever the ceiling is delow 5,000 ft, Phirty
and 100 gram balloons ere occassionally released on an unscheduled basis.

c. Lighted dallocne:

1 MT th

Ten, thirty and one hundred gram balloons released during hours of ©
darkness, or thirty mimtee prior have lighting devices ‘of varying intensities
up to five-candle-power attached. Wo instance of a dallocn Durning in the air has
ever been reported in this theater. : .r*

5. The attached map gives location and type of weather stations in the Japan-
Korea area.

DOWNGRADED. AT 12 YTAR tis
| INTERVALS: NOT ACTOMMYCALLY
te ) ,DEGLASSIFIED. BOD Dik 5S20u.ue

CAAaQLES YT. BAMVILL
Brit gediow Generel, UIsAF
Sepaty for Istelligsace

ROPE hes COC UAE! CONTAINS (RSORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL OLFENSE OF THE Un TES WITHIN THE MEANING CF THE CPON4GE ACT. BU. SC > .
3) AND AS AMENDED 1 T TRANMENISBION OF Tet REVEL TO AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON iS PROMIGITED SY LAW. «
| §T MAY NOT BE REPYCOUCED IM WHOLE OF IN PART, BY AiA FORCE AGENCIES, EXCEPT SY PERMISSION CE THE DIRECTOR CH |

i sf

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4 6), - yt th

\.

1M ..Lye rey REPORT NO.
clst frp Our tp, ‘‘eavy
abt Trp Gar Sq, feavy, APO 794 _  TR-4-52 _ SE. a. pants

STALSAEXLT

"On 39th of Jay 1952, cliubing to 3,550 feet, enroute to “shina “ange, on
a heading of 190 dewreas, at at roxinately 1925 ours, the co-pilot of my crow
renarced that he saw an o'¢ shap? in the sicy at about 4 o'clock,

"Tl was flying tne aircraft acd raised up out of tie left seat to get a look
at what the coepilot referred to.. To me, it looked like nothin7 more than a
durk cloud, round and towering. It was approximately 60 to 79 miles fron us
reaching to about 15,000 feet,

"Since I was satisfied that is waz only another cloud formation, I did

not deen it necessar: to contact a GCI station and susiced myself wita flying
duties. | .

,

' fT have enclosed a sketch of phonomena observed." ) 2

"T hereby certify that I have made the above statement, wich I have re=
vead for accuracy, in the 61st Troop Carrier Group Intellizence O°fice, APO 794,
this 7th day of June 1952," :

| i \

/s3/ Robert J. Arbdlaster

/t/ ROBERT J. ARBLASTER
lst Lt, Usa? .
AO 1908391
Aircraft Commander

*\ CERTIFIED “RUE COPYs
ieee 29
C yoke te Seas feb Toc j

ROSH KH, STAPLETON
lst Lt, USAF

DOWNGRADED MTOMATICA LLY

? - wry .
Ree ASSLi HED. DOD DIR 520010

‘
—_

MEN ON TRING INFORMATION a EN ED? STATES WITH!’ TKE MEANING OF THE ESPIONAGE ACT, OU.5 C—
nee ED ' TiO IPCRLTINS Pees SATS ON ose} Ry MANNER TO AN UNAUTHOR: ZED PERSON 15 PROMIBITED SY LAW.
ED ST.

; (f2 TPA“OMISSION OR THE REV “4 LD: ’
+ EPEC UCED IN Wet T Ay. DART. BY Ab Mi Seeder! CNT ATES Ala FORCE AGENCIES, EXCEPT BY PERMISSION OF THE DIRECTOR CF

'

god

rpm tener REPORT MO, : —
6lst Trp Car Gp (H : |
__14th Trp Car 3 H APO 70 TR=4-52 PAGE or Paes
ba Od ee --- - —— oman . —_
“Tres a ; aA
sate BLALEYERT
A | ray
ae "Aboard aircraft #42-72/,52A on 30 Mey at approximately 1930 Hours on a
‘of Course of 180 degrees our altitude wa: 6,500 feot, ond we were approaciin,; the

Oshina Range.

 -‘*The co=pilot, Captain Lest, first sighted, and called to the attention
of the pilot, lst Lt ‘Arblaster, and engineer, T/Sgt Noe, an object at three
o'clock, and a little high, maybe 10,000 feet to be confirmed. We éach
aclmowledged that it was an wfamiliar object, end we estincted tast it was
Sinn, t 30 or 40 miles away. It's position was in the center of ea saddle-back
Pale tt » Cloud formation that extended to 20,000 feet, as reported by Base
-. Beterology Section,
~" fYe continued to observe the object for about seven minutes which was
apparently hovering. Upon reaching Oshima we changed our course to 270 de=
Brees, and at~that tine the object began to move at a fast rate of speed
gompletely disappearing in less than a ninute.
*. .- =

i tt appeared to me as 4 round dark shape with a short tail as the only
break in the outline which ra3 clear in definition,"

“f, t/Sgt andrew J. Roe, 4F 14056905, hereby affirm that I mele the abova
statesent, which I have re-read for accuracy of facts, in the Intelligence
pode 6lst Troop Carrier Group, Heavy, APO 704, on this 4th day of

une »

.

nates h
¥ = : }

-
rand
_- es «

| ah Re /s/ Andrew J, Roe
' afer /t/ ANDREW J. ROE
z eo, T/Szt, USAF v
| AP 240560705 _
: ! 14th Troop Carrier Sqdn (+)

~<,
—_—_

. APO 704
A ‘CERTIFIED TRIE COPY:
f =
lst Lt, USA?
» T 12 YEAR
WNGRADED Tr OMATICALL®. |
NTT ASSLFIED. pop vik 52 |

nore. i OGL MEF CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE CF THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE ESPIONAGE ACT, 0U.3.C =
SO BZALAME ED jTS TRANSMISSION OR THE REVELATION OF ITS CONTENTS IN AMY MANNER TO AN UNAUTHH ZED PERSON IS PSOnMIStTED Sf LAW.

baste oe Pane “CED IN WHOLE OR 1M PART, BY OTHER THAN LNITED STATES AIR FORCE AGENCIES, EXCEPT BY PERMISSION OF THE DIRECTOR OF

OM Capea REPL AT WO

61st Trp Car Gp, (3
15th tre Car Sa, APO 704 ' ss TRe4-52 B sor ...

— ee ee ee wees

ZLTALELGENL

"At 1855, 39 way 1952, we took off fron Tachikewa Air Sase on g Troop Carrier

ol in 0-54 hens, I was w-pilot on the crew, We climbed on course to Oshima
§,500 feet, on a magnetic heading of about 120 degrees and at a rate of abot

$90 fost per minute, Our indicated airsnveed was 150 - 160 “PH.

"Pron tine to tine after taze-off ani after clinbing a few winutes I glanced
toward the west observing the effect of the sunset behind the cloud formations,
I noticed what at first apveared to be a rowmd black cloud detached from the
rest of the formation and in a sort of trough in the contour of the tops of the
Clouds. After watching this for about one minute, I noted that my watch read
1908 hours}; as I decided by this tine that the object was not a cloud nor did it
seen to be type of aircraft or helicopter,

"T ; the attention of the aircraft commander, the enzinser and naviga-
tor, who was not on the crew but was in the navigator's compartuent, to the
object. The aircraft commander, lst Lt Arblaster, was occupied piloting the
plane and! glanced only once at the object. The engineer looked at the cbject
for a minizie or two and remarked that it was not an sircraft nor a clow in his

opinion. fhe navigator told me later when I questioned him, that he merely
glanced atithe object and thought it mas a cloud. !

"Yr observed the obiect until it disapvesred from sight at 1914. It apooared
darker than the clouds and of an almost circular shape but somewhat flattened
on top and bottom. At some monents it seemed to whbble slightly. It hovered
perfectly motionless fron the tine I first saw it at 1907 hours wnitil 1913, when
--|. dt started mnoving to the west on a heading I estinated to te about 235 degress.
Tt moved very rapidly and was out of sight at 1914.
’ } :
"OTe sata to move on a track away frou our position and horizontally. I
wateh it until it became a mere soec and disanpeared fron view,

nr noticed ee C-54 during the tine I was watching the object. It was
ay @ higher altitude than ours, acout 10,900 feet and was to the northwest of
our position headed in an sasterly direction.

"The ‘ies to the west was oink ani the sun was not glaring. I did not observe
any exnaust, flame or vapor trails around the object at any tine. I an positive
that the object was not an aircraft of any trove I heve ever seer. It was not
a. ballocn end it was not a cloud,

tp "T could only guess at the altitude and distance of the object. I oestinate
At was about 20-25 miles vest of uy position and at 10,2%=15,000 foet altitude.

ST, Captain Willian D, Leet, £40 L275"O, hareby certify that [ did sake the
adore s7a*aaent of tm »ass, wish I have reerexi Scr accuracy, fn tre intellte
~-wence 2*fice af the Gist Troep Garrier Srous, ‘leavy, ATO 704, . 13 Irtame of _... |

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