PROJECT BLUE BOOK

PROJECT ICO73 RECORD CARD
1. PATE LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS
Was Bulloon
5 Dec 52 LACKLA TEXAS a Prabubly Ballcon
4. XX Possibly Bailoon
J. DATE-TIME GROUP TYPE CF CASERVATION
Local.5/20/8CST 0 Ground-Visuai Grovnd-Radar S.P n Was Aircraft
Probnbly Aircraft
6/02482 Air Visua! CI Air-inturcopt Rudor Possibly Aircraft
CMT
5. PHOTOS 7. SOURCE . 0 Was Astronomicul
CYes C Probably Astronomical
No AF Pilot C1 Passibly Astronomical
7. LENGTH OF CBSERVATION : 3. NUMSER OF OFJECTS COURSE Othee..
. - Insufficiont Data for Evoluation
Unknovm
8 min : one
IO. BRIEF SUNMARY OF SICHTING 1I. COMMENYS
Unidentified object traveled at high rate of 1. Observer was unable to give a
speed climbing rapidly while in a counter- brief description of the object.
clockwise orbit around Laekland AFB. Object
made a headon pass at observer's plane missing
a left wing about 50 yards Object had a
bluish light which flickered on and off.
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FOR TB TICKR:
10
JAMES W. ERYANT
1 INCLS Captain, USA?
Ass't Ad jutant
1. t path
DOWNGRADED AT S YEAR INTERVALB;
DECLASSIFIED AFTER 12 YEARS
DOD DLR 5200.19
DISTRIBUTION BY ORIGINATOR Commanding General
4 copies Flying Training Air Force
Waco, Taxas
UNCLASSIECE
NOTE: THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING NATIONAL DEFENSE OF THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE ESPIONAGE ACT, 5O U. S.C.-
31 AND 32, AS AMENDED. ITS TRANSMISSION OR THE REVELATION OF ITS CONTENTS IN ANY MANNER TO AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS PROHIBITED BY LAW.
IT MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED IN WHOLE OR IN PART. BY OTHER THAN UNITED STATES AIR FORCE AGENCIES, EXCEPT BY PERMISSION OF THE DIRECTOR OF
INTELLIGENCE, USAF.
PHINTING OPPICE

to his position, yas about two miles The
the light appeared to be the Heights residential area, directly southwest of the
base, and traveling on a southeastarly Lt Arnold considered the object to be
a fourth Jet aircraft still outside the pattern until he no a ac sence
o position, pasaing, and fuselaze lights.
3. At this point, Lt Arnold steepened his tur keep the object
in sight objeat contimued on a southeasterly course until aporoxinately six
milas southeast or Lt Arnold's position, which was approximately where he had origi-
nally sighted the ooject. this time the object rose immediately to Lt Arnold's
altitude and began weeoing counter clockrise orbit of the Air Base.
The tarrifie speed the cbject 3t177 led Lt Arnold to think
until he realized previous Jet experience that the aoeed should have cons.1-
erably dissipated atter such sition approximately three mles
north of the airfield in the objecte.orbit t immeciately descended to approximately
1500 to 2000* again and contimued its orbit to the left around the city of Laredo,
Texas, until it reached : approxinately the center of the business district, at which
off the left wing of Lt Arnold's aircraft within a 50 rds and Lt Armold
noted a blurred recidish-blueish haze of undetermined sise and shape . but defimitaly
no larger than his airoraft. This action happened rapidly that Lt Arnold was un-
able to take any svasiv8 action. Immediately after object passed, Lt Arnold broke
sharply the left in order to keep the object in object rapidly made a
flitting ascent again to aporoximately 15000' and the Let and began to
descend as positioning itself for another paas Lt Arnold's aircraft, At this
point, out of shear fright, Lt Arnold tured running lights and spiraled
staeply to left, keeping the object in leveled off at 1500' At this
ti.me the ooject seemed to level circling descent towards Lt Arnold's air-
craft, turn sharply to wutherly hoadin ilitting
.znt.
DOWNGRADED AT : YEAR INTERVAIS
HGTE: THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING 190
3I AND 22. AS AMENDED. ITS TRANSMISSION OR THE REVELATION OF PROHNEITED BY LAW.
IT MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED IN WHOLE OR IN PART. BY OTHER THAN UNITED STATES AIR FORCE AGENCIES, ESP BYPERMISSION OF THE DIRECTOR OF
INTELLIGENCE, USAF.
70-1 OVERNMENT PRINTING OEFIC -O-918132

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C
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:
*.
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DOWNGRADED AT S YEAR INTERVALS:
DECLASSIFIED ANTER 12 YEARS.
DOD DI2 5200.10
DEFENSE OF THE UNITED STATES WITHINT THE MEANING OF THE ESPIONAGE ACT, SO U. S. C.-
IE: THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS PROHIBITED BY LAW.
3I AND 32. AS AMENDED. ITS TRANSMISSION OR THE REVELATION OF ITS CONTENTS IN ANY MANNER TO
NCIES, EXCEPT BY PERMISSION OF THE DIRECTOR OF
IT MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED IN WHOLE OR IN PART, BY T
INTELLIGENCE, USAF.
GOVERNME FFICE:1950---918332

down in a steep spiral. The unknown machine
dived to 2,000 feet. Apparently missing Fogle's
plane in the dark, it circled toward Laredo air
4 base, then swiftly turned away. Again climb-
ing straight upward, the achine disappeared
in the night.
. Three years before, many Air Force offi-
cers would have scoffed at Fogle's report. He .
was not ridiculed now. For two hours, intel-
ligence officers grilled him on every detail. Did
the UFO (unidentified flying object) seem to
be piloted or under remote control? What was
. its size and shape? Its s speed compared with a
jet? Did the blue light t blink or pulsate? On
and on went the questions, worked out by th?
Air Technical Intelligence Center to identi
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JOIFIED
( S.K 15
f AFT
3
Lackland 5 December 1952
I. Deseription of Incident
While orbiting over Lackland AFB a T-28 type aireraft sighted an unusual
blue light of about half the intensity noral glow endtted by a T-33
: position light. The time of sighting was approximately 2048 CST under clear
weather conditions with the wind at 6,Oo from 15 degrees at 25 knots.
The object's consisted of counter-clockwise orbit over the air
pass on the T-28 and finally an irregular rapid ascent and
disappearance to the south. The pilot of the observing aircraft attempted an
interceptic zersho object was t sighted after 2056 CST.
n. Discussion of Incidont HOS
Student
- The observing pilot saw these aircraft and could not have confused them with
the unidentified object. A scheduled balloon launch from Lackland AFB was set
for approxinately 2loo CST, very close to the time of sighting. In addition,
the orbiting climb of the object as general southerly heading (which
. ties in with the winds aloftindicate hat the unknow probably 8 balloon.
Project Blue Book has had many reports past balloons apparently
intercepting investigating aireraft.
1
III. Conclusion
Probably a loon.
: .
0
25 T53-3695
SA

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steepened his turn to the left to keep the object in sight. The object continued on a
SE course until approximately 6 atles SE of his position which vas approximately where -
bo bad originally sighted the object. At this time the object rose imediately to the
pilot's altitude of 6ooo' end began a wide sweeping counter cloclkwise orbit of the base. .
The terrific speed of the object still led the pitlot to think it was a jet aireraft
mntil he realized from previous jet experience that the speed should have been consider- I/
air field in the object's orbit, it imediately descended to approximately l5,oegi-ss
BE
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turned Eartwerd and immediately descended to the pilot's altitude of 6,coo' egain and
proceeded Eastard mtil approadmately 6 miles SE of the base again and it seemed to -
aircraft. At this time the pilot added full power and proceeded directly SB tovard the
t
lfle rate in a
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. 3.
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a/e. At this point, out of sheer fright, the pilot tuned off all his running lights
and spiraled steeply to the left, keeping the object in sight and leveled off at
l50p'. At this time the object seemed to level of from its cireling descant towards'
the pilot's a/e, turned sharply to tha right on a S heading and made another rapid
- - -)3 --
observed by

( PP JEPNQ JEDWP JEDEN JUFGO 444 ..
DE LAREDO 262/JMFMBX 32
(. P 8521302 ZNJ 1
( FN CO LAREDO AFB TEX 1
TO JEPHQ/DIRECTOR OF INTELLIGENCE HQ USAF WASH 25 DC
( JEDWP/AIR TECHNICAL -
( CLN ATIAA-2C
JEDEN/CG ENT AFB COLORADO COLO
- JIFGO/CG FTAI
AF GIRG .
/M303M. FLYOBRPT. 7-CI. OBSR IS UNABLE TO
DESCRISE SHAPE CMA SIZE CMA OR COLOR OF OBJ. THERE VAS ONE OBJ OF DESCRIBE F OBJ. THERE VAS ONE OBJ OF
UNDETERMINABLE AERO-DYNAMIC FEATURES CNA NO EXHAUST OR PUPLN SYS WAS
DISSERNIELE CMA SPEED OF THE OBJ WAS EST TO BE IN EXCESS OF 59D
NPH.NO SOUND WAS AUDIBLE CMA AND ITS MANEUVERS CONSISTED OF RAPID
C OF ALT WHILE IN A GENERAL COUNTER CLOCKWISE ORBIT AROUND LAFE
THE CITY OF LAREDO CMA TEXAS AND NUEVO LAREDO CMA MEXICO PLUS A HEAD-ON
PASS AT THE OBSR ACFT AT. AN ALT OF 6EES FT AND NO FURTHER THAN 5S YARDS
OFF THE ODSR LEFT WG WHEN PASSING. THE MANNER OF DISAPPEARANCE
WAS A RAPID FLITTING ASCENT ON A SOUTHERLY KEADING INTO TNE ATM
UNTIL OUT O: LIGHT
CCC LINE TIREE PRPLN RPT PRPLN

( 0248
PAGE TWO JWFMBX 32
IN OPR. THE APPARENT SIZE OF THE LIGHT WAS EST AT APPRX 1/2 THE SIZE
OF THE NORNAL GLOM EMITTED BY A PSN LIGHT ON A T-SS TYPE JET ACFT.
2. TIME OF SIGHTING BY THE OBSR WAS APRX 2E48 CEN CMA THE TIME C7
THE AGGRESSIVE PASS WAS EXACTLY NTC
THE ATM AT APPRX 2056 CEN.
ORBIT AROUND LAFB AT AN ALT OF GCOS F KNOTS. THE 433
WAS SIGHTED WITH THE NAKED EYE. .
LONGTITUDE
LAFB TEX.
5.ORSR
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w i, J.

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PAGE THREE
TERMED AN INTCP.
1S. STU JET FLY WAS IN PROGRESS AT LAFB AND APRX THREE JET ACFT
REMAINED IN TRAFFIC C I PLUS THE OBSR ACFT WI HOLDING ALOFT PENDING
TWR PERMISSION
. OBSR
05/2151Z DEC JWFMBX
a

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