PROJECT BLUE BOOK

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PAN AMERICAN WORLD AIRWAYS PROJECT 10073RECORDCARD °—titi—‘tité«S

2. LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS

24 Jun 60 . Vicinity Ascension Island Probebly Belleon
3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION

Possibly Balloon
Local * Sa

Wos Aircraft
BD Greund- Vi sual 0 Ground-Roder Probably. ar
GMT 25 0034Z YO Air Vi suol © Air-Intereept Radar Possibly Aircrafe
5. PHOTOS AlLRCE
0 Yes

Probably Astronomical
Possibly Astronomical

Orher Flare

Military and Civilian

7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION 6. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE
10 sec -— one

oO

0

Oo

Oo

Oo

. Was Astronomical
0

oO

Oo

x

insufficient Date for Evaluation
Unknown
10, BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING 11. COMMENTS
Bright surface flare was observed in immediate| No positive conclusion regarding the
vicinity of recovery operation during Test identity of this object can be reached

1802. Witnesses at sea level at first thought | with the available data. The object was
this to be a/c flare. Crew of one plane a flare of some type; source, or origin,
thought other plane had dropped it. Question- | remains unidentified.

ing of both a/c crews later confirmed that neither

a/c had dropped any object at any time during
test.

ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP 52)

SS SS a, eR to ae

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—

Ltr Hq AF°Missile Test Center (MTGRY), 27 Jul 60, Rpt of Unidentified

Surface Sighting .
2nd Ind (AFCIN-2)
TO: AFCIN-4

Forwarded for your information.

REPLY TO
ATTN OF:

SUBJECT:

TO:

‘FOR THE COMMANDER:

HEADQUARTERS

AIR FORCE MISSILE TEST CENTER

AIR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT COMMAND
UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, FLORIDA

MTGRY

Report of Unidentified Surface Sighting 27 Jul 1960

na anno (noe)

_ Wash 25 0

1. ‘The attached file on a sighting in the Ascension Island recovery
area is forwarded for your information. Because the report was not /
received in this Branch until 27 July 1960, no further action could be
taken to identify the source of the light. Corrective measures have
been taken to insure prompt reporting of future incidents.

2. A copy of this file has been turned over to the Naval Ordnance Test
Unit here for onward transmission through their channels.

lh ho Spun,

OSCAR C.. Atch a/s
Captain, USAF
Chief, Technical Information and .
Intelligence Branch

Hq ARDC, Andrews AFB, Wash 25 DC

lst Ind (RDYIC) 6 September 1960
TO: Hq USAF (AFCIN), Wash 25 DC |

For your information,

FOR THE COMMANDER _ /

OW Sb uchante oe

LAURENCE C, SHERMAN 1 Atch
Colonel, USAF Ltr, Pan American World
Director of Intelligence Support Airways, Inc, 26 Jul 60,
pcS/Intelligence Unidentified Surface Flare
Light Sighted During Test
1802 Recovery w/4 Atch

Commander
Air Force Missile Test Center
Patrick Air Force Base, Florida

ATTN: Down Range Affairs Office
(MTGRY) U/ 7-25 9°°

SUBJECT: UNIDENTIFIED SURFACE FLARE LIGHT
SIGHTED DURING TEST 1802 RECOVERY

Dear Sir:

A bright surface flare was observed in the immediate

vicinity of the recovery operation during Test 1302, This flare
persisted for approximately 10 seconds,

Range Contractor personnel at first thought this light
to be an aircraft flare dropped to illuminate the recovery area
and consequently made no effort to photograph this light. By
the time the Ship Operations Manager had confirmed the fact that
none of the aircraft had dropped a flare, it was too late to attempt

to photograph it..

Page two
Log No. 61A-4130-12

~

Personnel engaged in the recovery operation were
unable to identify the light or its source, Statements des-
cribing what was seen by eye witnesses are herewith attached
fer your information and further pursuance.

Very truly yours,
PAN AMERICAN WORLD AIRWAYS, INC.

—— — ——

Operations Manager

———

DHT/cer

Encl. -4

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DATE: 28 June 1960

SUBJ: INCIDENT REPORT: FLARE LIGHT SIGHTED DURING DATA CASSETTE
RECOVERY, TEST 1802

REF: Test 1802 Grrr laud /
Zz 5 frre bo

During actual recovery of the data cassette on Test 1802 a bright flare-like / 2. 44/

light was observed by various personnel stationed d the A/C, ORV, and ef
the small recovery boat. Statements by observers who sighted the flare light |
are attached.

The undersigned was aboard ORV WHISKEY as observer and advisor for Test 1802.

The following statement is submitted concerning my observations from the small
boat at the time of sighting.

"Missile impact occured at approximately 25/003l4Z. The data cassette blinking
light was first sighted from ORV WHISKEY at approximately 25/01152 at a range .
of NM bearing 192 deg. true from OSP. The vessel proceeded immediately
toward the flashing light. The aircraft reported sighting the strobe light

shortly after and was orbiting the data cassette awaiting the arrival of the
ORV.

“At approximately 01452 the ORV approached to within 1 NM of the blinking
light. The vessel was stopped, and the small recovery boat was launched with
the recovery crew, RCA photographer, and test observer.

"The small boat proceeded slowly in sea state Ol, toward the blinking light.

The blinking light was not observed directly from the small boat because of

wave action and distance from Data Cassette. The light appeared as a blinking

glow. Half way toward the Data Cassette the small boat members and myself

observed a steady bright glow appearing 100 yards from the direction of the

data cassette. As the small boat closed to within 300 to 500 yards of cassette

(now within line of sight) the flare light disappeared. The light was white or
yellowish and appeared to radiate in a 360 deg. circle rather than a directional
pattern. Its glow was of constant intensity during its entire observed duration. .

‘The small boat aporoached the data cassette, and retrieval was completed by
25/0218Z. A SOFAR event was coordinated with Station 12 at point of pickup.

"The SOM aboard WHISKEY was below deck maintaining communications at the time of
data cassette pickup,

"It has been established by written statements received from the A/C Commander
and vessel personnel, that the aircraft did not ralease a flare, and tha the
light's origin was ‘rom other than test participants,"

eee Pe.
Recovery Specialist

Ascension Island
28 June 1960

Operations Planning

Dear Sir:

In answer to your letter of 28 June 1960 regarding an unidentified
flare of light observed during Test 1802, I would like to state brief-
ly what I saw while photographing the recovery.

While I was setting up for pictures of the small boat lowering, I

saw this flare of light which to me looked like a flare had been dropped
from an Aircraft, This light was stronger than the blue-white in-
termittant flash of the strobe on the cassette, It was warmer and
yellowish in color, It was back of the cassette and about 25 degrees
off the starboard bow as we approached. The cassette at this time

was clearly visible about 14 degrees off the Starboard Beam but seemed
in the same line or distance from the shop.

I was with the first Mate of the Ship at the time and I mentioned it to

him and said that the A/C flare was dying out, that the cassette light
was still visible for the recovery.

I thought nothing more of this, as I expected this was routine for re-
covery, and went ahead and shot pix of the recovery.

Small diagram of position I sighted the flare---------~-

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Da ae fa Sincerely yours,
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———-

(ele:

I was copilot of Silver One flying at 3500' MSL. Silver Two was at
2000° MSL and had reported visual contact with the cassette. Weather
was overcast with haze and sea state of 05. The pilot and | could see
Silver Two's running lights and proceeded to position our A/C above
him and in orbit around the cassette. At this time (approx T# 60) a
bright light appeared, On an overcast night over the ocean in a turn-
ing A/C it is practically impossibie to estimate altitude however I con-
cluded that the light was not farther than 100 yards from the cassette
and either on the surface or very near the aurface. No waves appeared
to break over the light; therefore the light must have been a few feet
above water surface, The light intensity was approximately the same
as that of a parachute flare but did not appear to be emitting smoke.
The light burned for approximately 10 seconds. I immediately called
the other A/C to determine whether he had dropped any flares. A
negative reply was received. Questioning of both A/C crews later

confirmed that neither A/C had dropped any object at any time during
the test.

—— USAF

Encl. it 4

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