PROJECT BLUE BOOK

1. DATE · TIME GROUP LC ION
-Jan 53 10/03272 9
Santa Ana, California
3. SOURCE 10. CONCLUSION
AF Pilot AIRCRAFT (KC-97)
4. NUMBER OF OBJECTS
One One
5. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION LENGTH I OF OBSERVATION 11. BRIEF SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS ARY AND ANALYSIS
5 Sec. Numerous blue lights appeared to close Nunerous blue lights appeared to close on observing a/c.
6.TYPE OF OBSERVATION 6. TYPE OF OBSERVATION Another pilot confirmed observation by reporting two KC-97 reporting two KC-97
and stabed that this
Air-Visuol Air-Visual particular type a/c was equipped vith a conalderable muder particular type a/c was equipped with 2 _consi derable muder
7. COURSE 7. COURSE of blue foration lights. of blue forntion lights.
8. PHOTOS 8. PHOTOS
Yes .
ANo
9. PHYSICA IDENCE
Yes
No
FORM
FTD SEP 63 0-329 (TDE) Previous sditiona of thle form
.

PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD
L. DATE 2LOCATION SOURCE
9 Jan 1953 Santa Ana, California AF Pilot
44. TIME 5. NUMBER OF OBJECTS 6. SHAPE 7. COLOR
Local 2/1927EST
8 1703277 one light blue
8 COURSE DE, 1O. ANGULAR VELOCITY 11. PHOTOS 10. ANGULA VELOCITY11. PHOTOS
per second per second Yes No No
12. TYPE OF 12. TYPE OF 13.LENGTH 13. LENGTH OF TIME 14. MANEUVERS
OBSERVATION OBSERVED
air visual air visual 5 seconds
15. CONCLUSIONS 16. COMMENTS COMMENTS
Numerous blue lights appeared blue lights appeared to close on Was aircraft - KC-97 Was aircraf KC-97
observing observing aircraft. Another pilot confirmed
the observation by reporting the observation by reporting two KC-97
aircraft over Santa Ana at the time of
sighting and stated that this particular
type aircraft was equipped with a considen-
able number of blue formation lights.
ATIC Form 329 Rev 27 May 52)
.

CASE del (contd - page 4)
9 Jan 53 Santa Ana, Callfornia
0b
served the object while flying on a heading of tw 33o deg. The objocts appeared as a
fron a banked to a level position, stopped and banked any imodiataly bufore disap-
peacring. No sound was heard. The time of the sighting vas l9a7 Pst vith the lights
plane S
S
distance from rtalned, The weather
gat out of the line of flight of the objects. As both vere fonilior with the reflection
B
- --
diate vicinity and none ilitary Filght
Bervice.
ATIo Coment: Tvo Kc-97 type a/e over-Santa-Ana-as-si-e-of-sighsing-sai-dsabed-Skiy--
yarslawlar-afe-eeuiyge
numdber
2343 of blue
that a/e.

4
UNCLASSIFIED
8
Miltipt
SANTANA (
CSAFIIES(UNCL) 77 8
FROM : CAPT SMITH AFOIN -2A2. 139053
TO: CAPT RUPPELI, ATIAA-5 ACTION
FOLLOWING FRCM LAX INSAC FORWARDED FOR INFO AND
NECTSSARY Y ACTION "UNIDENTIFIFD OBJFCTS OVER
SANIA ANA 19G7 P ALTITUDE 16SNSL COMPRISED SANTA ANA 19CY P ALTITUDE 16SNSL COMPRISFD
TIUMERCUS BLUDE LIGHTS UHICH APPFARFD. TO CLOSF TIUMERCUS BLUDE LIGHTS UHICH APPTARFD. TO CLOSF
ON OBSERVATING AIRCRAFT PD DURATION OF SI ON OBCERVATING AIRCRAFT PD DURATION OF SI 5
SECONDS PD WEATHER CONDITION COOD PD SECONDS PD WEATHER CONDITION COOD PD
RFPORTED BY LT L D BRANDT PILOT OF AF 6566 RFPORTED BY LT L D BRANDT PILOT OF AF 6506
FOLLOWING CONFIRMATION OF SIGHTING CAM FOLLOWING SIGNTING ; CAM
PILOT OF AF ADB3 F REPORTFD TUO,KC 97 T TYPE
AIRCRAFT OVER SANTA ANA AT TIME OF SIGHTING
AND STATED THIS PARTICULAR AIPCRAFT FQUIPPED
ERABLE NUMBER BLUE FORMATION LIGNTS .
LAX 1204072" PRELLNINARY EVALUNTION IS THAT
SIGNTING' CAUSED BY ANOTUER A/C FOPMULATED
BY PHONE CONVIRS OIN-2 DUTY OFFICER
AND ADC.
FND CSAF ITFMS(UNCL)
OKOLASSIFIED

IR-1-53 IUNCLASSIFIED
CNITED STATHS AIR INTELLIOENCE INPORMATION RE ORT
FLYOBRPT
Canta Ana, California
26 January 1063 9 Jan 55 to 12 Jun 55
and Lt G. T. Ladlum Jr. Asst Intel Crow personnel
.
At 1027, rsf, 9 danuary l953, two (8) pilots assigned to this organization
objeots (lights) in the vioinity of Santa Ana, Galifornia
while flying on tine training mlssion. An inveatigation was conduotad and a
herewith.
1927 1927
+0800 0800
+
3727 2727
2400 2400
34
APPROVED:
Coohe
3 ONARLES J. ChOtE
1. Skotoh, stagas during it. Col., USAP
sighting (6 oys) Wing Intelligence officer
2. Statorent, Lt. Brandt (6 oys)
3. Staterent, Lt. Lovelass (6 oys)
CO: CO 15AF DOWNGRADED AT : T
DECLASSIFTED AFTER 12 YEARS.
TUNCLAS DOD DIR 5200.10

California (eporox. 33451-11752).
oast of the aireraft. Thoso objoots appoared to be on a plans with the airornft, which
was flying at an altitude, of l6,Goo foet. The spead of the objeots or thoir distance
fron the observers could not be ascortained.
UNCUYSS
5. Obsarvers:
a
combat crow of the otd Air Refueling Gquadron, 93d Botbard-unt Wirg (w), Castle Air
Force Base, Calirornia. M has baen on flying status three end one half yaars; further,
he has not previously observed unidentifiod objeots.
o. Ist LE. CHARLES G. LOVELESS MP. co-oilot (l2slo) on the sare conbat
2
8. None.
9. Imediate Intorception or Idantification Action:
the objeots.
in the_cockoit. The los Angelas, California Caa radio wns galled and informed as to
ho objeots.
10. Simulsansous Air Traffic: 1
diate viairity end no eported by Air Fraffio Control
Service.
Kepe lunJ
UNICLASSIFIED Ind It., USAF
Asrt. Intelligence
UNCLASSIF
DOWNGRADED AT 3 YEAR INTERVALS.
DECLASSIFIED AFTER 12 YEARS.
UNCLASSIFIED DOD DIR 5200.10

(
UNCLASSIFIED
o
o
o
Direction o
of Travel
APPROACHING RMATION
O
• o
MOMENTARY LEVELING OFF
o
o O
Direction of O o
Break-away O
DOWNGRADED AT 3 YE AR INTERVALS:
DECLASSIFIED AFTER 12 YEARS.
DOD DIR 5200.10
UNCLA
Kel Dns

to a level pos Pore
close a dro
TERVALS:
swedD. Bout
DOD DIR 5200.10 LOWELL D. BRANDE
1/it. USAP
UNCI IED
:

UNCLASSIFIED
STATEAENT
.
concurring I foal his roport is complete and acourate and Can
tharefore add nothing that roport.
Charles C. Loveless
1 It. USAP
DOWNGRADED AT 3 YFAR INTERVALS; DECLASSIFIED A!,R 12 YEARS.
- DOD DIR 5200.15
UNCLASSIFILD
? ER

9 J090 1953
SANTA BrBCALIF
The new sightings looked im-
portant. The first report was dat-
ed January 9, 1953. Early that eve-
ning, a B-29 bomber, with Capt.
George Madden at the controls,
was flying over California on a
routine mission. Lt. Frank Briggs,
the co-pilot, had the right-hand
seat. (As in all these oflicial cases,
witnesses' names have been
changed.) changed.)
It was a clear night. They could
see Santa Ana, some 16,000 feet see Santa Ana, some 16,000 feet
below. Except for the B-29, the below. Except for the B-29, the
sky seemed to be empty. Captain
Madden was checking his instru-
ments when a flash of blue sud-
denly caught Briggs' eye. He stared denly caught Briggs'eye. He stared
out to the right. Coming toward
them, at fantastic speed, was a V-
formnation of blue-lighted objects. formation of blue-lighted objects.
Briggs gave a shout of warning.
Madden took one look, hurriedly
swerved to the left. For a spiit swerved to the left. For a spiit
second, the strange craft seemed
to hold their speed. Then they
abruptly slowed down, the V-for-
mation twisting as if a few of the
machines had overshot. Banking
away, they slanted upward and
vanished.
Though Madden knew of no
supersonic test plane that could
make such speed, he cut in his
mike and called air-traffic control.
The answer came back: No experi-
mental aircraftno planes of any
kind -were known to be in the
area.