PROJECT BLUE BOOK

1. QATE · TIME GROUP 2. LOCATION
(1.9 Dec ?) Patuxent River, Maryland
29 December 64 29/2005
3. SOURCE . CONCLUSION
Military Radar Anomalies
4 NUMBER OF OBJECTS
Two, One
11. BRIEF SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS SK
5. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION 4.800 -
48 Seconds, 36 Seconds Radar report of retu Newspapers er
6,000 knots. Informa verage
6. TYPE OF OBSERVATION wire services.
Ground-Radar SEE CASE FTLE.
7. COURSE COMMENTS: Navy evaluation indicates that the returns were due
to some other electronical device within the Station or an
From 120 Deg abnormality within the circuitry of the Radar set
intermittant
8. PHOTOS itself.
Yes
JXNo
9. PHYSICAL IDENCE
Y.s -
XXXNo
FORM this form mey be ueed.
FTD SEP63 0-329 (TDE) SEP 63 0-329 (TDE)
1
.

II1. Manner of Observation
a. Ground - Eleetr I -
b. I Hone
. NA
rv. Time and Date
a.1 192005 (1505 Local)
b. D Day
v. Location or Observers - Patuxent River Radar Ai- Tr fie Control
Center. Antenna
VI. Persounel ntifieation
a. MA
b.
excellent.
good.
VII. a. CIG UNL/TamP 31°7/DEWPT ACT 30.74
D. Surface 340/3 6 340/38 1 0/66 20 300/66
30 280/113 35 280/127
. UML
DOWNGRADED AR 3-KEARlANTIAVELS
DECLASSIPIED AFTER 12 YEARS
DOD DIR. 5200.10 UNCLASSIFIED

condition.
b. Only on scoce CPS-18A waa sat on the 40 mile
range; the other three scopes across the rocm were set on the lo mile
scale and vere not checked for similar data. The range settings on
these depend upon the
c. Th
nothing.
d. Each cbserver radar signal. Though not one of them claims
to have seen the entire group of signals they saw collectively, they agree
baaically to the size, shape, direction, sceed, Tade of the
dignals.
o. All radar signals vere traczed in a straight line directly toward
the antenoa or directly avdy from it. The sigals indicated no turne.
The last outbound indication was clained to have been seen by only one
observer who interpretad the change of location indication after the
Thlas turn,
DECLASSIFIED AFTER 12 YEARS UNCLASSIFIED
DOD DIR. 5200.10

revealed & single indieation at abcut 20 niles; the 2 remaing
with indications showed it st about 30 and 4o miles respectively. The
trsek wms the reciproeal of the inbound track. About 5 minutes later
another single indieation showed at 40 miles. wree succesgive 3weeps
displayed about 30, 20 and 10 mlles The next
successive sweep showed it in a fado and llowing 2 sveegs with
indieations showed it at 10 and 20 nilos raape ectively and outbound and
tracking about 100M where it was last seen. lsst two indications
vere noticed (rsported)
The faets show a moving towerd the scope center and a
departure from the sCODe center speed of about 600o knots. Mare
The basie delay in the
rirmly establiah a cay and tike of the observution. The two nore rature
and expurierced obeervers aeroe on the date statod earlior in this ratort.
Other factors and rtataments tend to corrotorate thie time and date.
Nowever, this dous not iiscount complately Mlains of the younger
DECLASSIFIED AFTER 12 YEARS
UNCLASSIFIED
DOD DIR. 5200.10

UNCLASSIFIED
and lezs experieneed observer who originally stated the events occured
on 29 December, and then later, 28 December. It is relt the precise
time and day may be obtained from a taped recording of the brief
conversational inquiry to Wnshington ARTCC (see Many tapes
are available for each of the days and ARTCC is processing these in an
effort to locate the taped inguiry and answer. This investigation will
continue but may take several dsteraine.
XII. None
XIII. Confidential
R. W. SCHUMANS, JR.
Copy tot
CNO
Andrews AFB
COMNABPRIC
Wrizht-Patterson AFB ArrN:
TDEW/UPO
DOWNGRADED.AT S-TEAR INTERVALS
12 YEARS
DOD DIR. 5200.10 UNCLASSIFIED

of tho radar sizhting.
be l92os4z which is relativeiy close the estipated tiae and
date reported officiaily.
Enclosure (1) Enclosure (l) 1
rolated to rolated to tho incident.
This report.
R. N. SCHUMANN, JR.
Enel: Classification iCancelled
(1 Transeript from ARTCe tape recording
ottd
- Auth, 6 AD 33 SE Auth. LTA03/63SER 2
By
Date 3U
CCIPY TO CNO Patterson APB ATTN: HAJ QUINTANJ ILLA
COMNABPRNC CHINFO
Andrews AFB
ILTERVALS SENDER'S MAILING ADDRESS
DOWNICEL Conmandinz TAS Offlcar Address reply as shown at leit; or repiy
ADDRESS: 7 heveeo cwd-elwm in window envelope
a1 AiZ Stition classified as
DECLASS-PILD AFT Patuxent Maryland
UNCLASSIFIED

in for awhil
thousand knots zivinz Ma targots
and on the abo tan
miles
DCA way.
outh of Salis-
wilos to the
northenst I'n plekias intarference
DECLASSIND IER 12 YEARS Enclosura (1)
UNCLASSIEIED
DOD DIT. 510

All I'm gotti x (pause) an up at a11.
there. I'll keep
PXT I'n only nlckia on the short
not picking is range radar. I'3
DCA Is that right.
PXT Yeah.
DCA Well, I'a not pieking picking anyt thing up right new on it. ing up right
PXT Okay. oxay.
DCA Thank you,
BORNEMALD AF S-YEAR INTERVALS
DEOLASSIPILD ABTER R 12 YEARS Enclosuro (1)
DOD DIR. 5800-10
UNCLASSIFIED

regarding this si regarding this sigh ing. Negative reply. Negative reply.
Call from SAFOI Call from SAFOI approximately They hey indicated indicated that that
report for
Mr Steponkus Mr Steponkus from the Journal Herald Herald called Major Cuintanilla, after duty Cuintanilla, after duty
hours, at his home requesting information regarding this sighting. Told
him that we had not received a him that we had not rece. a report repor t on this as yet.
At Approximately At Approximately 1630 hours Ma,jor 1630 hours Ma,jor Quintanilla, also received a call from
Major Maste Major Mas Jacks. told Maj Jacks that old Maj Jacks that there was no additional there additional matter.
10

It Volz at this time
Washington (Navy) tha was a completely unconfirmed unconfirmed report. For at
this time the information he had was quite scanty. As of lll5 no technical
report (analysis) had been made. And that information provided at first
was conflicting, inaccurate and in error. He will call us back this
afternoon regard afternoon rega ling this matter and for additional ng this matter and for additional information. information.
At approximately 1130 we notified SAFOI ara Hu above conversation
and gave h and gave r the : the above info above information. tion,
FTD's press zave us an extract extract from the wires, pe
to this sighting. to this They willcontimue They willcn nue to to look for more information.
=

to Mr Vincent Bryant
for radar analysis. At 1145 Sara called and requested analysis. Informed her
that we expected the analysis completed between 1330 and 1400 hours.
At 1400 hours we called Sara and gave her the analysis. She called
1410 us at
submitted a draft for a news release
regarding the analysis. 1515 we phoned SAFOI and gave the suggested news
release.I Between 1515 and 1545 news release was discussed and coordinated
with SAFOI. A
13 Jan 65 at 1l30 final was received.
14 Jan 65 at 0800 hours we fnal analzss
submitted a copy the Navy report and Project
of NAS sighting to SAFOI.
4
iN

HECTOR QUINTANILLA, Jr
Major, USAP
Chief, Aerial Phenomena Branch

-
determined that false radar targets were mistakenly reported as uniden-
tified flying objects.on 29 Dec 64. Study of the shape and illumination
of the return indicates that they were created by some other electronic
intermittent abnormality
within the circuitry of the radar set itself. This conclusion has been
further verified by a check with an independent radar complex at Patuxent -
NAS and with adjacent radar on the East c coast which revealed
no cor responding radar date.
.
.
a

Information Only Petuxent Naval Air Station, Md.
29 December 1964
operators at Petuxent Naval ...On December 29th, radar
Air Station, Maryland, reported an abservation of
two unidentified objects which came onto their scope at 4,800 miles per hour,
at a distance of 30 to 40 miles. The objects approached the naval air station,
executed a tight turn, and disappeared from the scope. The fastest
aircraft is said to be the x15experimental American
4,100 miles plane, which has a top speed of
per hour. It is based on the West Coast and has
range... very short
,
V
.

area your There are
- two inversions. A low level inversion of 8 degrees Celsius
exists from 2000 to 3000 feet. The upper level inversion
refers to a shallow (approximately 500 feet thickmoist
layer around 21000 feet. Unusual propagational effects
could these layers.
3. I Please rther this
data.
fergi Ferge mmlhe milhe
GVORGE MILLS MILLS II II 1 Atch 1 Atch
Major, USAF USAF USAF SKEW SKEW T, log P
Meteorologist Meteorologist Diagram Diagram
a
YOU - THE NUCLEUS OF SECURITYI

THE OR. 29. M 30
TON TURN
ABOUT PE.TH
WICH HAS_FLO FYIS
AT 4.104
DOAST. IT HAS A VERY SHORT NGE. WEST
THE AIR FORCE MAINTAINS
FORCE BASE IN DAYTON, OHIO, FOR
OBJECT REPORTS. IED FLYING
LT/CR612PES
:
11

Datiwan,
-
?
A
NO UFOS OVER VIRGINIA -MARYLAND?
Thel Air Force is investigating the reported sighting of too
high-speed UFOs by Navy Naval
Air Station, Maryland.
The radar operators observed "two objects on their scope
approaching at approximately 4,800 m.p.h. from 30 to 40 miles
south" of the base at 8:30 P.M. December 29. (1964) (Cleveland
P.D. January 6, 1965)
That would put them over the mouth of the Rappahannock
River in Virginia. (38 degrees latitude)
One of them made a 180 degree turn in five miles, a tighter
radius than many ocean liner can manage at 30 knotts.
What happened to the other blip was not mentioned.
NO UFO SAYS THE AIR FORCE
The Navy passed report to theAF at Wright-Patterson
Base, Dayton, Ohio. Meanwhile the Maryland press kept asking
questions. Last week the AF announced that there weren't any
UFOs at all over Virginia.
"False radar returns," the AF sald. Astudy of the shape and
the illumination ofthe radar blips the announcementsaid, Indicated
they were created by some other electronic device within the
station, or by intermittent trouble in the radar circuitry. Nobody
else on the East coast got any similar blips, it said.
(Times-Dispatch 1-27-'65 Richmond, Virginia)
Editorial Comment:
"Nobody else reported any similar blipe," the AF sald.
For now we'll accept that, but future For now we'll accept that, but future "breaks' breaks may tell a differ- may tell a differ-
ent story. Why didn't the trained personnel at Patuxtent Naval ent story. Why didn't the trained personnel at Patuxtent Naval
·AFB recognize the electronic interference, etc., for what it was - AFB recognize the electronic Interference, etc., for what it was -
If it was? Why did they release this report without checking Brst? If it was? Why did they release this report without checking Brst?
Why did they release the report at all? Why did they release the report t at all?
,
:

.
screens.
30 miles south of
from the scopes still -
ost S State.
a
:

I
Form: AWS WPC 9.16-1 USAF SKEW
0
TEMPERATURE IN DEGE
120*110*10090* 80" 70" -10*
45*40*35*30° 25*20* IS -15* -20* 30"
(20 (223$ 80 90 900
105 f 93 90 35 so
[25]7100
SKEWT -LOGP AMALYSIS 181926 453083×[16180
[24971]
TIME
85
AIRMASS ANALYSIS
TYPE Pauhxet
BOUNDARY FT. FT. NIK
TYPE
BOUNDARY FT. [30]] 8
TYPE 150/100
FREKZING 21 24
LEVELISI 30 Doc
INVERSIONS
FRONTAL
RADIATION 01007 1900 Overc
SUBSIOENCE 120
TROPOPAUSE 50/25
37 39
L.C.L.
C.C.L. 150 Tomp 65
L.F.C. 14447×3609
SIGNIFICANT WIND
MAX. 30
[40]
MIN.
LEVELS OF SHEAR 09
STABILITY
INOEX INOEX 200/150
16 18
To TO
TO
TO
CLOUOS 70
TYPE 85 x16)
AMOUNT :O 12 18 20' 22
[s0 -200
DASES 142903 38452-51744
TOMS [20575 65
2
ICING
TYPE 80
SEVENITY
BOUNDARIES
CONTRAILS
PERSISTENCE 75
HEIGHT [60] 30
100/200
TURBULENCE 250
DEGRKE 1399910363 55
HEIGHT(5)

T, log pI DIAGRAM
GREES FAHRENHEIT AND CELSIUS
-50*
-40*
20 70 2.30 o 170
65 55 40
100
25
cot
52
15.5 51
170 so
80. 9O 30] 387.31
15.0 49
222
48
ast 6mi Haze 160 47
133 100
140 46
47
150 45
Dew Pt/37 13.5
A4
150
13 0 43
85 42
20 21
s 2.5 41
2 140
40
12.0
25 28 30 32 34 39
200 200
50
38
11.5
37
40 110 36
60 35
10.5
250 250 120
SSE ME MEEES
100 33
SE IE
155 a55 70 32

d o brmh3   o ae [73 at 90 my a he
Jreluheing in aremtheses () 20
AFVEEMA vT uP  3e  IT  1, =1- 550
ahereia catuampn iore ACT ai a lemgeretone i ut aa mamg 3597
Ta a gromt hagon. F2peses a cene oolaten v the moa 10. 13
ue te ae iad e te a mon co ofte yr to
Eact Jmn d sa a  od a a d 1SS 100 105
and amatedte  carclin.O otecae te nanatony pretoue enh of ohc and -30 700 2000/500
Sa 194823012
A wegmts wed a ths Jungrom ae an guioutentge wst and aolon 30 so
750
1091. (2464
\fr}$
800
5394 1949
850
42011 1497
900
12434986
1
-950 10
11271 14
10m2^2t6300 o
-1000
284 "* 5
20 10
-1050
-45 40 -30 -25 -20 -15 -10 20 30
FAHRE

6.5 21
450
20
6.0
-19
500 S 280/42 5720
5.5 18
18 20 22 26 23 34 36 88 4D 25 17
50
550 550
30 5
45
600 10 500
o 13
650-10 S 12
550
3.5
11
S
135 3101: 700 10
55
750 2.5
-30
7
800 800 2.0
tos 3
850 240/18. 5
28 or
900 1.0
3
1s
950 2
0.5
so
19012
31008 -1000
49
1050
40 5 50 60 65 70 100 105 110 115
HE:T-TEMPERATURE SCALE
FOICT MRnCE. A! 1OS KOMT

electronic device within I the station
xbnormality
withint the circuitry of the radar set itself.
^
Patuxent and with adjacent
radar sector centers east coast revealed d no unidentified i targets.
Unant Dg
IE
,
/

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
NAVAL AIR STATION
PATUXENT RIVER, MARYLAND 20670 IN REPLY REFER TO
AD
3163
Ser 45
MAY 2 9 1969
From: Commanding Officer, Naval Air Station,
Patuxent River, Maryland
Commander, Wright Patterson Air Force Base,
TO: Ohio (TDPT[UFO])
Subj:
Headquarters Foreign Technical Division
Encl: (1) 15 May 1969 w/encls.(2)
1. The attachments of enclosure (1) have been
reviewed by this Command and have been downgraded to unclas-
sified in accordance with OPNAV Instructic 5510.1C.
G. R. OTIS
By direction
!
14
-

3163
, DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR
FORCE
HEADQUARTERS FOREIGN TECHNOLOGY DIVISION (AFSC)
WRIGHT-PAT OHIO 45433
REPLY TO 15 MAY 1969
ATTN OF: TDPT (UFO)
SUBJECT: Declassification of Msg. Ir
P 082239Z)
TO: Commanding Officer
U.S. Naval Air Station
The attached Confidential message and letter from Patuxent NAS is
forwarded for your review and proper classification. All UFO files
in our project office, located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base,
are considered to be permanent files and are available to the news
media and scientific researchers. All unclassified reports are made
available to them in accordance with the "Freedom of Information Act".
mgrading this report to Unclassified.
FO
Jr. Lt Col, USAF Lt Col, USAF ·2 Atch 2 Atch
Chief, Aerial Phenomena Phenomena Branch L. Msg from Patuxent NAS, 1. Msg fron Patuxent 1 NAS,
Aerospace Technologies Division Patuxent River, Maryland, Patuxent River, Maryland, (c).
Production Production Directorate Directorate 2. Speedletter, dtd 2. Speedletter, dtd 8 Jan 65,
Patuxent NAS, Patuxent River, Patuxent NAS, Patuxent River,
Maryland, (c).
not attched, the cipaijntinn ot O is go.
rosprndinen will be downgraded toundeksin
atcordance with 71.
13
C0C6346) 97-69

UNCLASSIFIED
1. PRIORITY
③
A28 1965 JAN 9 03 22
C
CZCSQA757ZCJYX162
PP RUCDSQ CK W (
DE RUECPA 055 08/223 9Z
PATEXENT Rivex MaRYy/AND C
P332232
FM NAS PAXRW 1 C
C
TO RUECYGNAVDISTWASH
INF O RUECW/CNO
RUEAGL/ ANDREWS AFB
RUCDSO 11 Jau F4.062 WAE AME
BT BT
-4.062-
ATTN: MA ATTN: MA QLNT ONILLA QUENT ONILLA
UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED O C
A. UFO REPORT G2183
I. LWO RADAR INDICATIONS S SIZE OF NORMAL PENCIL ERASSER APPEARED S SIZE OF NORMAL PENCIL 3 ERASSER APPEARED
ON SCOPE AT 4OMI MAX RANGE HEADING 300 DEG. M DIRECTLY TOWARD ON SCOPE AT 4OMI MAX RANGE HEADING 300 DEG. M DIRECTLY TOWARD
ANTENNA. 3 SWEEPS TRACKED BLIPS TO 20 MI. WHERE THEY FADED. 12 ANTENNA. 3 SWEEPS TRACKED BLIPS TO 20 MI. WHERE T THEY FADED. 12 R R
SECS LATER A SINGLE BLIP APPEARED AT POSITION OF FADED AND TRACKED
RECIPROCAL THROUGH 3 SWEEPS AT 20, 30, 40 MI I RESPECTIVELY. (ALL
SWEEPS S SEC.) ABOUT BLIP P APPEARED AT 120 DEG. M
43VI. If I TRACKED ARD ANT HROUGH SWEEPS AT 40, 33 20, 13NI
n
PAGE TWO RUEOPA
100 DEG. O MI, TRACKED 0UT TO 20 MI
THROUGH 2 SWEEPS AND NO FURTHER ARTOO CHEO

IMMEDIATELY, NO VERIFICATION.
2. FIRST INDICATION LASTED 43
3. RADAR WAS GROUND ELECTRONIC CPN-I8A, MTI
4. TIME 191930Z DEC 64 FRC RIVER ANTENNA LOCATION
C
33-17-15N, 75-24-04W
5 TWO BSERVERS EXCELLENT CREDIBILITY, ONE OBSERVER DOUBIFUL. V
6. WEATHER: CIG UNL/TEMP 31/DEWPT 4/ ALT 30.74/VIS 10
7. UNABLE TO FIRMLY ESTABLISH TIME AND DATE. ARTCC TAPES BEING CHECKED
FOR VERIFICATION. MANY TAPES, ULON TINUING CHECK.
. SUSPECTED ELECTRONIC C FREaK 121
9. LTR REPORT IAW PRNC INST 33 O. IA IN MAIL THIS DATE.
3P-4 3P-4 COWM .0 C
ST L
3 Classification C Classification Cancelled
Auth.
By
Date 297 29$\ra
UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED
.

..
.
.
UNCLASSIFIED
AO
3700
Ser 03
SPEEDLETTER JAN 8 1965
Fromt ryland
To: Commandant, Maval Distric on, D.C.
Subj: Unidentified Flying Cbjects;
Ref: (a) COMPRECINST 3820.1A
1. The following with
The (a).
I. Deseription
a. Unknown (radar target)
b. Same as the dismeter of peneil eraser . (eraser
matched radar target in size).
c. NA
d. Two on f
e. Two in e. Two in firat
occaaion inbound only.
S. DA f. DA Classification Cancelled ClassificationCancelled
g. g. Oblong in ahs BEe and Autit.3/6 Autit..3/6 SER SER
By Irstusto
h. h. BA Date
5510.1c
i. definition - bri
II. Deseription of Course
a.
b.
c. Angle of elevation ately y same.
d. Two objeata
ring heading approxias antenna. Objects
DOWNGRAUEJ AT 3-YEAR INTERVALS
YEARS 4
5200.10 UNCLASSIFIED.

3
LIMEDIATELY, NO VERIFICATION.
2. FIRST INDICATION LASTED 43 SECONDS, SECOND LASTED
3. RADAR WAS GROUND ELECTRONIC CPN
4. TIME 191930Z DEC 64 FROM PATUXENT RIVER RATTC. ANTENNA LOCATION
C
33-17-15N, 75-24-04W
5. TWO ESERVERS EXCELLENT CREDIBILITY, ONE OBSERVER DOUBTFUL. C
6. WEATHER: CIG UNL/TEMP 31/DEWPT 4/ ALT 30. 74/VIS 10 C
7. UNABLE TO FIRMLY ESTABLISH TIME AND DATE. ARTCC TAPES BEING CHECKED
FOR VERIFICATION. MANY TAPES, U UL ON PROCESS, C CONT INUING CHECK.
. SUSPECTED ELECTRONIC FREAK
9. LTR REPORT IAW " Ein ns. on Thw Thme Tmot osao Th T" Mhie This Dh PRNC INST IN MAIL THIS DATE.
.9 =
GP-4 EONNCAS EONNCA LCOvs
L L
oT 3 Classification
Cancelled
Auth.
By
Date 29 29\r7
UNCLASSIFIED
.
1