PROJECT BLUE BOOK

SO re mr ee er ree ee te rhe er eee egress ee en

PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD

————

1. DATE

2. LOCATION 12. ONCLUSIONS
O Was Bolloon
) Decembe : 20 Mi S of Portland, Maine O Probably Balloon
3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION O Possibly Balloon _
Wp ee SLR D Ground- Vi suol O Ground-Rodor e Pobale kee ats
cm7.10/1130Z2 1130Z 2X Air Vi sucl D Alr-intercep? Rador O Possibly Aircraft
5. PHOTOS - SOURCE 0 Was Astronomical
0 Yes O Probably Astronomical
Neo B-47 Crew O Possibly Astronomical
7, LENGTH OF OBSERVATION @. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE 4X Orher_Sputnik
O Insufficient Date fer Evaluation
approx 4 minutes | one NW to SE 0! Uninewn
10. BRIGF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING 11, COMMENTS
B-47 crew sighted a small object Time, appearance, bearings etc.,
somewhat similar to a star, while indicate that the object was
flying at 35,000 feet. Object was | Sputnik - the Soviet satellite,
On an unvarying heading of about Check with orbital tracks and
170 dgrs. Did not appear to gain | Smithsonian Astrophysical
or lose altitude, | Observatory confirmed this
assumption,

ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP 52)

/

UNCLASSIFIED & dE4
BRA@18 Chee 5/7 (7? a4 - .
EOA @41SYYO95 P Pie oe NOT REQUIRED EXCEPT PRIOR ‘ru Gx
ae PD tS ata a
an RJWFSY 67 PRIOR TO DECLASSIFICATION C
FM COMDAIRDIV 892 SCHILLING
TO RJEDEN/COMDR ADC ENT AFB COLORADO SPRINGS (

RJEDSQ/COMDR AIR TECH INTELLIGENCE CENTER WRIGHT PATTERSON
RJEPHQ/DI USAF WASHINGTON DC

BT C
4SDOI 7 SECTION I OF -II SUBJECT "UFOB"
S A REPOR THE SIGHTING OF AN UFOB BY TWO B-47 AIR

1.) DESCRIPTION OF OBJECT |

(A) OBJECT APPEARED TO RESEMBLE A STAR FROM THE DISTANCE
INVOLVED SN THE OBSERVATIONs

(B) IN SIZE. OBJECT APPEARED COMPARABLE TO A PEA HELD AT ARMS

_ LENGTHs IT APPEARED 3/4 THE SIZE OF PROCYON.

(C) OBJECT WAS COLORLESS} GAVE OFF LIGHT COMPARABLE TO THAT |
OF A STAR OF THE 4ST MAGNITUDE. CassMeston Conceleg

OR Chan
Auth: ey aad. \

LR 205-1p
UNCLASSIFIED SYR

%

CREWS OF THE 48 BOMWG/ Cx.

2 pee

' PAGE TWO -RUJWFSY 67 : ee}
CHISONE’ -
(E) N/A
CF) NONE

(G) NONE
CH) NONE UNCLASSIFIED
(I) NONE
2.) DESCRIPTION OF COURSE OF OBJECT |

(A) CREWS ATTENTION WAS DRAWN TO OBJECT BY ITS BRIGHTNESS
AND ITS SPEED, AND BY THEIR INVESTIGATION AT THAT TIME FOR
A CELESTIAL BODY SUITABLE AS AN AID TO NAVIGATIONe

(B) (C) OBJECT CROSSED THE TRACK OF BOTH AIRCRAFT WHILE THEY
WERE MAKING GOOD A COURSE OF 239 DEGREES AT AN ALTITUDE
OF 35,990 FEET. THE ANGLE OF ELEVATION OF THE OBJECT WHEN

S FIRST AND LAST OBSERVED WAS APPROXIMATELY 5@ DEGREES. IT |
WAS DETERMINED THAT THE OBJECT WAS DESCRIBING A COURSE (
FROM 328 DEGREES TO 179 DEGREES, AT AN UNDETERMINED
ALTITUDE (TRACK DESCRIBED IN TERMS OF CLOCK POSITION WAS
FROM 2322 O'CLOCK TO 12329).

(D) NO MANEUVERS WERE NOTED. OBJECT MAINTAINED AN UNVARYING :
HEADING OF 172 DEGREES, AND DID NOT APPEAR TO GAIN OR | |
LOSE ALTITUDE. :

_—-—

Se efit) art twa we ote ae 4 yee —— — ah “Baro
_ ; tee my - .

rr * ° =

Y ; ; . - Ty ~ ys e : f
oa AB. f
é , _s \ :

; ‘
PAGE THREE RJWFSY 67 ff |
CE) OBJECT MAINTAINED ITS BRIGHTNESS UNTIL IT PASSED ves |
THE RANGE OF ON OF THE OBSERVERSe IT DID NOT “S8LINK / |
NOR DID IT ngo our" ALL AT ONCEs ; pee 2]
(F) OBJECT WAS OBSERVED CONSTANTLY FOR FOUR MINUTES. V | -
3.) MANNER OF OBSERVATION Pa |
(A) AIR-VISUAL
(B) NO OPTICAL AIDS WERE USED \j

(C) B-4?, ACFT NO 542, 35209 FEET, 239 DEGREES, 425 KNOTS, &
SCHILLING AFB, KANSAS.
B-47, ACFT NO 566, 35929 FEET, 239 DEGREES, 425 KNOTS, /
SCHILLING AFB, KANSAS. |
4.) TIME AND DATE: OF SIGHTING an |
(A) 10/19392Z - 412/19342
(B) DAYN CONDITIONS PREVAILED. OBSERVERS STATED THAT IT WAS
LIGHT ENOUGH TO MAKE MOST STARS INVISIBLEe ONLY PROCYON
AND JUPITER WERE VISIBLE, ALONG WITH THE UFOBe
5.) LOCATION OF OBSERVERS:
(A) OBSERVERS MADE OBSERVATION WHILE FLYING AN 8 AF DIRECTED |
MISSIONe THEIR POSITION WAS 432628N- 7337254,
APPROXIMATELY 29NM SOUTH OF PORTLAND, MAINE.

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED |
PAGE FOUR RJWFSY 67 |

Se) IDENTIFYING INFORMATION OF ALL OBSERVERS$
CA) N/A
€B) 1. IRVING, JOHN Ce y» MAJORy USAF, 4OBW, SAC,
AIRCRAFT COMMANDER RATED EXTREMELY RELIABLE, MAJOR
IRVINGS EXPERIENCE AND PROFESSIONAL SKILL ARE

eee - —_

A ATTESTED TO BY HIS POSITION OF STANDBOARD AIRCRAFT Cae
COMMANDER OF THIS ORGANIZATION. |
"Wy 2e MEAD FRANK Fe III, CAPTAIN, USAF, 42BW, CSAC),

CO-PILOT, RATED EXTREMELY RELIABLE. CAPTAIN MEAD Gz |

IS CURRENTLY ASSIGNED TO MAJOR IRVINGS CREW, AND

HAS DISTINGUISHED HIMSELF IN HIS POSITION OF

WING STANDBOARD PILOT. FAMILIARITY WITH CELESTIAL (

BODIES IS ESSENTIAL TO HIS DUTY OF ASSISTANT NAVIGATOR

WHICH INVOLVES POSITIONING THE AIRCRAFT BY CELESTIAL

NAVIGATION TECHNIQUES. CAPTAIN MEAD IS POSITIVE THAT

OBSERVED OBJECT WAS NOT A METEOR OR SHOOTING STARe |
2.  BRETZIUS, WILLIAM Fe III, CAPTAIN USAF, 49BW, (SAC) ac

AIRCRAFT COMMANDER, RATED EXTREMELY RELIABLE. CAPTAIN an

BRETZIUS IS A REGULAR OFFICER IN THE USAF, WITH

CONSIDERABLE EXPERIENCE IN B-47 TYPE AIRCRAFTe HIS

CONSERVATIVE MANNER AND PROFESSIONAL SKILL RECOMMEND (

HIS CORROBORATING TESTIMONYe IN ALL CASES FATIGUE

PAGE FIVE RJWFSY 67 (Yrs vy

HAS BEEN ELIMINATED AS A FACTOR TO BE CONSIDERED. eu
7.) WEATHER CONDITIONS: | :
AIRPLANE WERE FLYING AT 35299 FEET. SLIGHT OVERCAST ag |
WAS OBSERVED TO AN ALTITUDE OF 20903 FEET. VisiBILITy (\ (
ALONG THE FLIGHT PATH WAS UNLIMITED HOWEVER, THERE Birra 7
WAS OBSERVED A THIN LAYER OF CIRRUS CLOUDS To THE ,\ do Wy Y%
RIGHT OF THE TRACK ¢ EXTENDING TO 49049 FEET) ANDA A ®

C
CUMULUS BUILD-UP TO THE LEFT AT A DISTANCE APPROXIMATELY S va

SS
—
%

122 NMe OBSERVERS STATE THAT VISIBILITY OF OBJECT AT

ITS EXTREME ALTITUDE WAS UNIMPAIRED BY WEATHER m\. ) gee
CONDITIONS Fa ae
(B) WIND DIRECTION AND VELOCITY- REPORT SUBMITTED BY YM WwW
DETACHMENT 28, 5TH WEATHER GROUP, SCHILLING AFB, KANSAS ex by |
SURFACE - 230 DEGREES - 1% KNOTS ? 0,
620% FT - 48% DEGREES - 33 KNOTS
42233 FT - 15% DEGREES - 35 KNOTS (
16032 FT - 483% DEGREES - 79 KNOTS
22393 FIT - 130 DEGREES - 99 KNOTS Seer 4 |
39099 FT - 223 DEGREES - 159 KNOTS Wo ie
E 49406 FT - 259 DEGREES - 145 KNOTS yf) eae ro 76 |
23999 FT - UNKNOWN |

BT

15/3252 DEC RJWFSY ee et UNCLASSIFIED |
C4

JRADQ2DEOA B49 . PARAPHRAS? NOT REAUMED EXCEPT PRIOR TO

yeveics tEMOVE
-R RJEDEN RJEDSQ OAT OO EN Raider BY Dare: TINE ‘GROW
i RJWFSY 68 l C Nec o7 v CAE TOR TO DECLASSIFICATION |
Bw 20 OC LEY -
M COMDALRDIV 892 SCHILLING iG Ué4
O RJEDEN/COMDR ADC ENT AFB COLORADO SPRINGS 0 .
RJEDSQ/COMDR AIR TECH INTELLIGENCE CENTER WRIGHT PATTERSON _UXEGY
2JEPHQ/DI USAF WASHINGTON DC uy |

Z42DOI 75594 SECTION II OF II "UFOB."

(D) VISIBILITY UNLIMITED

ser NO CLOUD COVER ALONG TRACK OF OBSERVATION

F) N/A

8.) UNUSUAL ASTRONOMICAL OR METEORLOGICAL ACTIVITY % NONE

9.) NO INTERCEPTION ACTION TAKEN

42e) THERE WAS NO AIR TRAFFIC OTHER THAN THAT OF OBSERVING
AIRCRAFT WHICH WERE IN BOMBER STREAM FORMATION WITH
TEN MINUTE SEPARATION BETWEEN AIRCRAFTe

—— oe Go — em ee ee ee

*.
2 -_,

Vo, aaa
PAGE TWO RJWFSY $8 ,
1.) COMMENTS OF PREPARING OFFICERS
CAPTAIN THOMAS Bs BOWDRE, 423 INTELLIGENCE OFFICER,
PREPARING OFFICER EMPHASIZES EXTREME RELIABILITY OF
WITNESSES, AND HAS RULED OUT, IN PRELIMINARY
INVESTIGATION, THE POSSIBILITY OF FATIGUE AS A
CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. INVESTIGATION HAS FURTHER
ASCERTAINED THAT OBJECT WAS OBSERVED NOT AS THE DIRECT
RESULT OF UNUSUAL METEORLOGICAL PHENOMENA. THE EXPERIENCE
OF ALL OBSERVERS INVOLVED INDICATES THEIR CAPABILITY TO

DETERMINE UNUSUAL ASTRONOMICAL PHENOMENA. THE POSSIBILITY OF

OBSERVERS MISTAKING METEOR OR SHOOTING STARS FOR OBJECT WAS ”

INVESTIGATED AND IN ALL CASES WAS REFUTED BY OBSERVERS. NO
TAIL, TRAIL OR EXHAUST WERE OBSERVEDe OBSERVERS DECLARE IN

ALL CASES THAT EXTREME ALTITUDE OF OBJECT, PLUS ITS UNDIVERTED

COURSE MAKE THE POSSISILITY OF ITS BEING A MANNED AIRCRAFT
ALTOGETHER REMOTEe ALTHOUGH ALMOST TOO CONVENIENT, OBSERVERS

AND DEBRIEFING OFFICER AGREE THAT MOST LOGICAL CONCLUSION IS
THAT OBJECT WAS A SATELLITE IN ORBIT.

iscande DEC RJWFSY Itsy. BSD: YS -/ uf

MIMCLASSIFIE

a ee en

: SECURITY CLASSIFICATION
es JOINT MESSAGEFORM  — it NCLASS! Fi cD le Fy
. athe. SPACE esetedl RESERVED FOR COMMUNICATION CENTER

aes wi aT Bit | | ——
e_2- see |

ACCOUNTING ORIG. OR REFERS TO CLASSIFICATION
PRECEDENCE TYPa MGG (Check) SYMBOL OF REFERENCE
action ROUTINE moox | mucTe | sinaue .
inro ROUTINE : 7 x AF 4 |

FROM: - - SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS |.
COMDR ATIC /

TO: COMDR, S02ND AIR DIVISION
SCHILLING AFB, | KANSAS KI wWesy

co: 106TH ass, er are \ (INFO) RIEDDN e |

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO
UNCL/FROM: AFCIN-4E) / &- Ao/o- g \ "y

REF YOUR UFO REPORT TT MSG 40-DOI-75501, Be47 SIGHTING OF UFO,

APPROX. 20 NM S. OF PORTLAND, MAINE, 10 DECEMBER 1957. EVALUATION
OF ALL DaTA DISCLOSES SHAHACTERISTICS, DESCRIPTION AND TRACK OF va \ A
OBJECT PRACTICALLY COINCIDES WITH ORBITAL TRACK OF SPUTNIK BETA FOP va wr. |
THAT AREA. TO CONCLUDE, REQUIRE CLARIFICATION OF TIMES OBSERVED, | D

TIME CONVERSIONS USED, OR POSSIBLE INADVERTANT ERROR IN REPORTING \V7
TIME. REASON: ORBITAL TRACK SHOWS BETA IN THAT AREA A? EXACTLY tO |

1130 Ze TIMES GIVEN IN UFO REPORT 1030 Z. IN ACCORDANCE WITH wr” IN J
POLICIES FOR KEEPING UFO REPORTS UNCLASSIFIED IF POSSIBLE, SUGGEST >
sf Pe - a e ——— , -
© REFERENCED TT MSG, OR PORTIONS THEREOF, BE DECLASSIFIED, UN- wy oS
LESS OPERATIONAL OR OTHER REASONS DICTATE OTHERWISE. L } \
12 00
COORDINAT ION } ~ DATE Time
AFCIN-LE, Aeey 972. Z Li ees 24 | -0860-
as Tee ova * ae 1 oe MONTH | YmAR
AFCIN@4E _/] t “Dats ZY Dec Dec 57
SYMBOL wLe Hse Ke- DEK iiEiE pyr fr :
nioagigee af,
w | TYPED NAME o > (Signat f req ‘, Py TYPED (1 pe i. TLE
| cane. ET
y jms _ 9216 S| ROBERT E. O'CONNOR
SKCURITY CLASSIFICATION R

| Captin, SAF
' Assistant Adjutant

UNCLASSIFIED

DD. FORM 1 73 REPLACES DO FORM 173. 1 OCT 49, WHICH WILK BE USED UNTIL EXHAUSTED
1 MAY ss :

a >