PROJECT BLUE BOOK

ittiole S

3. DATE-TIME GROUP

Local

GMT___
5. PHOTOS

—

oO Yes

¥y

0 No

———- =

7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION

PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD

| 2. LOCATION

raf sf ath Say aroay, wv at
4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION
ie Ground- Vi sual

0 Air Vi suvol
6. SOURTE

0 Ground-Rodar

D Air-Interceapt Radar

8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS COURSE

gcoooc: 0o0q ago oago

12. CONCLUSIONS

Wos Bolloon
Probably Balloon
Possibly Balloon

Was Aivcroft
Probobly Aircroft
Possibly Aircroft

Was Astronomicol

Probably Astronomical
Possibly Astronomicol

Orher eS or eer fh

for Evaluction

Insufficient Dota
Unknown

ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP 52)

10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING . COMMENTS

DATE

DATS

23

25
31

5 se pee mem wntee See Cee SP 0K

. _——— eS oe SeRee a=
. ondin eT ee eee Se ee Sa since oe See 2 7 bene. -

21 - 31 AUGUST 1960 SIGHTINGS

Hachijo-Jima Island
Dyrenville, Texas

NNW Lebreville, Africa
Mianisburg, Ohio

Wichita, Kansas

Sitka, Alaska

MeComo, Onio

Uniontown.,. Ohio ae
Western Mediterranean
Sioux Narrows, O,tario, Cenada
N of Midway Island

Andover, Massachusetts
Springville, New York
Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin
Shawano, Wisconsin
Stoughton, Massachusetts
Centerville, Ohio

Zaragoza AB, Spain
Vicinity Taiwan

Crete, Illinois

Pontiac, Michigan

Dedham, Massachusetts
Blackwood, New Jersey

West Roxbury, Massachusetts
South Tewksoury, Messachusetts
Indianapolis, Indiana
Yokohama, Japan

Wilmington, North Carolina
Chisago, Illinois

Glenview, Illinois

David City, Nebraska

ADDITIONAL REPORTED SIGHTINGS (NOT .CAS=S)

LOCATION
Sozersvtlle, Peansvivani
sZLia AXB, slorida

Holmstad, Sweden
Du quain, Lilinois

OBSERVER

USN
eae

Military Air

pinesensaniady
Northwest Airlines

USN

unenliesde”
Mtlitary Air

Anonymous
Military
USN

Unidentified
Multiple.

SOURCE

a *
Nevselirvoing

Newsciipping
Newsclivping

Oe | L<c )

EVALUATION

Satellite (3CHO I)
Insufficient Data
Astro (METEOR)
Astro (MSTEDR)
UNIDENTIFIED
Astro (METEOR)
Astro (MST=OR) :
Aircraft
Insufficient Data
Insufficient Data |
Satellite (ECHO I) |
Aircraft
Aircraft
rerart
Aircraft
Aircraft
Astro (ALTAIR)
Astro (METECR)
Satellite (SCHO I)
UNIDENTIFIED
Insurficient Data
Insufficient Data
Insufficient Data
Astro (METZOR)
Insufficient Data
Astro (MARS/STARS)
tellite (ZSCHO ZX)
insufficient Data
Astro (CAPELLA)
Insufficient Data
Astro (REFRACTION 023)

EVALUATION

APC Di-LS2 428 NOV 960

Gongressional Kequest for Cunmmary of Uru Sighting
(ir RoLert Smart, iiouse Armed Services Comittee)

vAFUL<3d (L/Col ‘iacker) ;

1. ‘the summaries contained in this corresponuence are of tne Ui!
sightings which occurred in the Red sluff, California area colina
12-20 August 1960. These swiraaries and the associated ATIC analysis

re forwarded per telephone requests by L/Gol lacker, »APUI-3d and
L/Col J. Boland, SAFLL on 15 November 1960. Information concorning
these signtings was requested from SAFLL by Mr Robert Smart, House
Armed Services Committee.

2. N13 susust 1960 at 23) PST, two California highway patrol-
men, and observed an «unidentified
esdige: object while patrolin: 15 miles south of Red Bluff, California.
ine two cfficers stzted that the object suddenly appeared eo in tas in
front of their patrol car and their first impression was that it va |
an aircraft about to crash. ‘the officers leapod from thoir car je
order to be in a tetter position to act after tie expected crash.
“nen outside of their car both officers were inmeulately struck by
tne absence of sound, but assum eu the aircraft was witnout power,

AS L.e obsect anosroached within 2002306 feet of Lie vrovnd Lt suddenly
reversed itself, and at he soeed gained ap oroximavel, S(t Leet of
Gltituce, wnere it came tv a complete stop. ins of ficers descrited

the olbject as surrounded Ly a flow, and at cach end of the round or

who ag he Xject Lhere were red lights. At ag there were aporoxi-~
mately five write Lights visible between tne red livnts. vuificer
Scott's impression was that the object was sweeping tue area with

red livht beams and estimated that six or seven sweeps vere made.

je Turther stated that it appeared to take positive action to avoid

nis shining the red lignt of the patrol vehicle upen it. soth cfficers

described tie motion as abriot, Lut generally toward the east and
reported that trey followed in their vehicle. is they followed and
watched the object, it was approached by a Similar oi jeci. Finally
ioth ol jects disappeared below the eastern horizon. ‘Jpon retimn to

the Tehama Vounty Sheriff's Office, it was determined that two deputies

and the night jailer had also experienced seein;, tne object and their
impressions were the same as the two patrolmen.

a, te 2? August 1260, at 1930 hours rol, eb ANA PERE ETS.

Red Bluff, California was driving up selle i111 Road with
hiS’wife and son toward what is comuonly called Hoz Back ftozu. ir
Meme ve ,orted that he and his fanily sishted a brignt metaleLike
object at sapped aakely tree ton level which was flying in a northerly
cirection,. ‘rages ated that the object was approximately three to

'* @ &

5!

four miles away and the first inpression wus tnat it was a large
helicopter, When ‘Iir@MM and his fanily reached the spot where they
thought the object to be, they sighted it aporoximately one=-nalf auile
away and approximately 100 feet below then. ihe object apveared to
innediately pick up speed, rising ont of tne canyon and passing over
the road in front of the family. I[t cropped from signt for a few
moments and was then seen traveling up a branch canyon. he object
was described as completely round and approximately 35 to 50 feet in
diamuter. when Lt rose from the canyon and passed over the road it
appeared to have a light near the nose. The light had a reddish purple
hne. The object was reported to have a second light which was located
on tne back. the second light appeared as a narrow bluisn banc. The
chject was estimated to have a speed of 25-30 miles per nour,

le on 17 August 1960 at approximately 2100 hours local, SOQ
(lle, gest of Correction, ‘irs ae | ForestLook=Uut, and
Mi Ss (pee si hited an unidentified flying object fron the forestry

look-out at Inskip Mountain. The object was described as a dull red
light atove the horizon. ‘he object was reported to have faded and
reap eared several tines in gradual cycles. ihe object was reported

to be generally stationary. At approximately 2130 hours another object
was sighted wniich was Similar to tne first; however, it a »pearsd to be
moving; from right to left at a constant elevation.

5. AS evidenced Ly Exhibits [ and H of attachment #1 to this document,
there were many sishtings of UFO's in the California area Letween 12-20)

August 1960. Theses exhibits also cunlfirm the fact tat the circustances
surrounding these sivhtings vere gunecrally tie sate.

5. This case was brournt to the attention of ATIC on 16 Aupist 1960 by
a televaone call from L/Col | Le ijacker, SAFUI-3u. on tris dace a iWx
(Atch #2) was = to ficClelland AFB, California requesting a Full and

uetailed investization in accordance with the provisions of AFR 2002,
dated 1k castunner 1959.

7. Un 15 August 1960, AVIC made telephone contact with the 359th kadar
Squadron (SAGE ) (A mG), Red Bluff Air Station, Ked Bluff, California.
The 559th is tied in with the Portland Air Defense Sector, Adair Air
Force Uase. Major LeRoy of the Radar Station reported that nothing

had appeared on their scopes which called for a scramble between

12-16 August 196C. Contact was azain established with tne 359th on

17 kovember 1960, and at this time /iajor Leitoy denied havin: informed
patrolmen ay: =e that an unidentified object was on the

scope of hiS unit on the night of the sighting. ‘The idar Unit at

ned bluff is a SAGE station. The equipment at Red olwf ie only
monitored at that station and is tied in to tne Portland Air Defense
Sector, which has the identification anu intercept Snavansibst thy «
HNajor LeRoy informed the California :iiznway Patrol thet nis station hed
no capability for identification, but thet in view of tha fact that no
scramble had occurrec, no unidentified object was con the scope,

ine major stated that the officers were not convinced thul his infor-
mation was ail true.

8. For further support of the data collected during the investizaticn of
this case ATIC obtained from the Air veather Service (uiS) at Asheville,
North Carolina tie WJAN Porms 31 (Adiabatic Uharts) for the aed Bluff,
valiforuia area covering the period J-2) August 1950. ‘he weather
Statlons at Red Bluff, Chico, and itedding, California are second order
Stations. These sscond order stations observe on a limited schedule,
generally daylight hours, and do no complete adiabatic charts. ‘the

most reoresentative records available for determing the vertical tem-
perature gradient for Red Bluff are the Adiabatic Cnarts fron Oakland,
Caiifornia and Medford, Oregon. fed Bluff is located almost exactly
half way between these two cities, 165 miles from Oakland and 155 miles
from Medford. Since the general weather for Vakland, Red Sluff, and
Medford was the sane, it is safe to ussume that interpolation will give
a representative picture of the vertical temperature gradient at Ned
Bluff. The Adiabatic Charts indicate that a strong temperature inver-
Sion was prevalent in the entire northern Callfornta area during the

period of the sishtinss.

9. The conclusion of ATIC is that the sichtings which occurred in the
Red Bluff area were due to atmospheric refraction. It is an impossibie
task to determine what the exact light suuirce was for each specific
incident, tut tne planet Nars was tie most proballe culprit in tie
instance of the highway patrolnen. ine planet at the tine of the
Sighting was just below the sorizon and probably hove into view due
to the refraction of its light by the atmosohere. A contributing
factor to the sizhntings could have deen the layer cf smoke whieh hung
uver the areca in a thin stratiform laver. This ssoke cune frum the
ires in the area and nung in @ layer due to the statle condi-
tions associated with the inversion.

1G. the usual eccurrence in nature is for the temperature of the
atmosphere to cecrease as altitude increases. ‘ihis chanze in tempera-
ture with altitrde fs kmown as tne "lapse rate." in sume cums, however,
instead of decreasing with altitude ine temperature actially increases
and the condition is termed an "inversion."

ll. in passing from one medium to another of dilferent densities or
agifferent densities of the same medium, waves of radiant energy are
refracted or bent from their original straigit line course, except
when entering at 90° to the surface separating tne two media. The
bending is explained by the tact that the waves travel at different
speeds in media of different densities. ‘ihis, in effect, means that
@ person can in fact look around a comer, or a curve when there are
an infinite number of layers of slightly different densities next to
gacn other, as in the atmosohsre. lWue to the fact thet light of
different wave lensths (colors) bend at different angles, white lignat
is separated into color bands (spectrum) ranging usually from red to
violet. ‘The longer wave lensths (red) being bent less than the short
(blue). ‘This secondary effect of refraction is called dispersion.

3

.
s-.

—-e- =

12. In addition to the usual re6ults of atmospheric refracilon, special
optical effects known as imlragos may occur when there are strong tem-
perature contrasts in adjacent layurs of air. siirages fall into two
yeneral categories termed "inferior" and “superior.” ‘he most cormzion
mirage is the inferior type, occarring when the temperature profile is
following the normal pattern of decreasing with altitude. lowever, ror
tus vondltion to occur, a layer of extremely warm air must cxist near
the surface with relatively cooler and, therefore, denser air above it.
Convection would normally occur under these conditions, tut usually has
not begun due to lack of turbulence and the slow transfer of heat cue
to conuuction and radiation. ‘these conditions cause the Light which
reaches ine eye to be less curved than normally, and in some extrene
conditions to sctually be curved in the oyvosite direction. the effect
£ inferior mirages is to shorten the distance to ones apparent horizon
(see Atch #3). In this type of mirage a distant object is sometimes
Seen inverted and velow the real object. Yhis is the tyne of mirage
which is so faniliar to osrsuns on deserts. The water they see being
an inverted image of the sky. 4An evoryday experience with a mirage of
this type is tne wet appearance of imown to be dry highways. The wet
Spot remaining sume distance ahead of the car, ihese inlrages are called
"inferior" because the image is below the real object. When the ospo-
— site temmerature conditions cccur, a cold Layer of air with warmer air
on top (inversion), the conditions produce a superior mirazgo. ihese
mirages tend to increase tne distance to our horizon and their effects |
are much more startling than inferior mirages. when these cormlitions
occur a person can actually sce ojccts which normally would be Lelow
his horizon. ocSometines the images wili te highly magnified or extrancly
distorted. ‘this mirage is called a sipcrior mirage because the inage
occurs above the actual object. [n this explanetion reference has busn
nade to layers of air, bit it should te understocd that the transition
Since une layer to the next i5 nov abrust. ne is mixing and a vradcual
Chanse in the refractive power of tiie air, and tne effects seen in
mirages are dve to this continuous variztion.

13. <A number of tie witnesses mentioned tnat the ebject they observed
waS moving at somo approximsete speed. ane speeds most Commonly mene
tioned were centerad around aboit 35 miles per hoar. It shoulc be
noted that these witnesses were riding in cars and that this is pvro-

bably the speed at which they were criving. it is a com.on character=

q istic of mirages tiat the imaye remains a constant uistance fren the
observer in order that the geometry associated witn the phenomena
remains fairly consistent. iiirages of water holes sean in the desert
ere constantly out of reach. I[t is probable that the witnesses' esti-
mates of speed were reached vy the fact that the object as2xeared to
xeep vace witn thelr car's.

q 14. It is quite probatle that revorts of all of the sightings which

| occurred in California during tho period 12-20 August 1960 cid not

reach ATiC. [t is, therefore, impcssible tu make an accurate eStinate

as to how many signtings actually occucred and what percentage were

ly

due to tue inversion. It is possible that sors were dw to other
Causes such as "hysterla" and the "get into tne act” attituce of
some people. However, in view of all available evidence in this
case, it is concluded that the effects associated with the inversion
were responsible for the sightings which occurred in tne ted bluff,
Culifornia area between 12-20 August ly.

POR THis COMMAND ASR:

y ft
Lontip’ a. EYANS 3 Ate
Gi if Ge bY. 4 hy:
Colonel, Usa Ya ao 1, File of UFO Sightings
Deputy for Science and Components de Gy iwk, 16 Ang 60 to

McClellan AFB, Calif
3. Diagram of effects of mirages

nr pryrs A mr ON
. ey
COORD Lis

AFCIN- eh ie hg >to delenbel £9

- ; -
mr. ;

So 2 Oe rn _——_<_—_ . Rag Lee Be - — — —

5 enh
~ TYeyS

TA3

A IR 112 dtd 23 Aug 60 w/14 Inclosures
B investigative Data
C Weather Data
| D Taped Interview with Principal Witnesses on 16 Aug 60
E Extracts from UFO Publications

f SECURITY CLABSIFIy wN

JOINT MESSAGEFORM UNCLASSIFIED

SPACE BELOW RESERVED FOR COMMUNICATION CENT ER

—_——

| neni

SG IF |

: ——— 7 ome
7 of SY pe 2/7

i
/
a fe
! es ’

ACCOUNTING | ORIG. OR REFERS TO CLASSIFICATION

PRECEDENCE = | TYPE MSG (Check) SYMBOL OF REFERENCE

'
| ACTION ROUTINE aca BOOK | MULTI | GINGLE AF ORIG
| INFO |

;

i ROM: ' SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS
ATIC, W-P AFB

t McCLELLAN AFB, CALIF

(2. JP HE |
/UNCLASSIFTED/FROM: AFGIN-KE2x A y 4 E |

SAFOI, WASH, D.C., CALLED INTO ATIC THE FOLLOWING INFO CONCERNING AN

UFO SIGHTING THAT HAS RECEIVED WIDESPREAD NEWS COVERAGE: “TWO CALIF |

Hwy PATROLMEN, SQ? A \nggumnennqumemmn WisRE IN T4ETR
PATROL CARS 18 MILES SOUTH OF RED BLUFF, CALIF wHEN THEY SPOTTED A

FOOTBALL SHAPED uBJ THE SIZE OF AN AIRLINER 13MILES AWAY, 200 FT

ASOVY2 THE GROUND, IT SEEMED TO HAVE A ROW OF HORIZONTAL LIGHTS,
ANO SOMETHING ON THE SND THAT MADE A RzD DAM THAT SSEMED TO SVEEP
dx GROUND. THE SIGHTINGS SEGAN AT 2345 PST, 13 AUG 60", REQ A
DETAILED INVESTIGATI.N BS MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH AFR 200={2, DID

14, SEPT 59.

DATE TIME
16 1330
C MONTH  }+#&éYEAR

ACG 1960

——

STSHATURE/

/ APCIN-UE2x = a er ae oe oe

TYPED (or stamped) NAME AND TITLE

9 | TE ae cigaine Gaara
‘d | Maj Robert J. Friend

—

| 69215 on : [eee

EECURITY CLAESIFICATION

PHILIP G. EVANS
Colonel, USAF
UNCLASSTFIED Deputy for Science and Companents

AMND>Mr-my

2) FORM 1 73 REPLACES DD FORM 173, 1 OCT 42. WHICH WILL BE USED UNTIL EXHAUSTED
1 MAY £5