PROJECT BLUE BOOK

1. DATE - TIME GROUP LOCATION
17 April 1967
2100 CST
3. SOURCE 10. CONCLUSION
Multiple civilians
Unidentified
4. NUMBER OF OBJECTS One
(plus 2 which separated
and flew away)
45 LENGTH OF OBSERVATION 11. BRIEF SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS Witness, th
mins. overall. described very brilliant light approaching him at a height of
Initial encounter lOmins less than 400 feet. The light was so brilliant witness stated
6. TYPE OF OSSERVATION 6. TYPE OF OBSERVATION that it made his hands look as though in x-ray. Object resembled that it made his hands look as though in x-ray. Object resembled
Wiewed with binoculars Viewed with binoculars a World War I helmet 2 objects each the size of a DC3. Smaller
land telescope land telescope objects separated objects separate main object and took off in different
7. COURSE directions with directions with ex reme speed. Observer stopped car 3 times,
Northeast to Southwest once originall, secondly at once originall a local junk yard and thirdly at thd and thirdly at the
Ozark airport where object was observe through telescope. gh telescope.
8. PHOTOS Object reportedly confirmed by airport officials and pilot of in- Object reportedly confirmed by airport fficials and pilot of in-
coming Ozark plane. Object flew almost directly over airport. coming Ozark plane. Object flew almos directly
Yes Information from local police chief o effect that sighting was
XX No result of hot air garment bag balloon completely discounted by
9. PHYSICAL EVIDENCE witness in phone call with Hynek. Witness knows personally boys
Yos who launched the balloon which was sent up at different time
XX No and different date,one of the pranksters being the police
FORM commissioners son. 31
FTD SEP 63 0-329 (TDE) Previous editions form may bo uaed. (eval OS Do Hynes)
**

Missouri would have, but I'd appreciate a
H All right, fine.
M
about this. Do you think that the Air Force could be using this
situation merely to keep a secret? mean, are you
H Well, no, this is all right, for me say this. I have often wondered
this myself.
the other hand, I've had
across some tangible
a communication
M wahts bothered
me. Have you ever checked into any Canadian incident?
H Yes.

The reason I think
,
with me. Now I know, sir, and of course you becauseyou
full of hot air themselves. You see.
H Yes.
M
logie I can f figure out, OK, there's something rotten
You see.
H
dumbness, and the military mind.
41

and also they have into certair categories of exactly what is
reread many of your
foil like e that, and
H
National Academy Sciences - having given its fine OK to the Condon
9.2

H And this is what I, this is thing
. herenor
M
particularly as s a scientist to find out the answer
p Entirely.
M That's good. That's I can help
you, if facts, I vOu But
M
Now, I have a number of State Patrolmen S friends that (they're close
them lives in the house
1
15 Th1e The Hira Pasman
mere ceienTo 'on payc 3
43

-
H Yes, that's it. The only way we information is essentially from
private so urces.
M That's ;about right. The state will not cooperate.
H Now that's quite right.
M
in their ranks.
H Well, this is probeematical, alright. Say, I do want to thank you for
that I'm sorry that something
slipped up and we didn get together.
M not receive word. If I had I would
have been there, Ex in fact Jack S he patrolman and S were ready
to meet you . .
receive it
H
that straightened out. I was really looking around
for you at the airport and wonderédg - 1 - thought that something had gone
M
thing like this happens when to be there
44

enough to know that if someone do n write me and
reason. You can logic.
H Right.
M
across.
H That's just great. E Well thanks a great deal.
M
H - though I never met him.
Mqc Mcs I will and you will meet him. I will and you will meet him.
H H Fine. Ok Good night.CHeT Fine. O Ok Good night.CHET
2 Cood Night. OALiO Good Night. oaLiO
45

17ar67
TDPT (uro)/Lt Marano/sac/typed 13 Mar 69 13 MAR 1969
rson City, Missouri
Dr. J. Allen Hynek
Lindheimer Astronomical Research Center
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois 60201
On 3 Mar 69, we requested transcripts of all conversations that
you have had with Mr. On 17 Sep 68 3 you also had a telephone
conversation with Mr. regarding his sighting. We have not
received a transcript of this conversation. Please forward either
a transcript or the this conversation so that our records
will complete.
ECTOR TOR QUINTA ANILLA, Jr, Lt Col, USAF NILLA, Jr, Lt Col, USAF
Chier, Aerial henomena henomena Branch
Aerospace Technologies Division
Production Directorate
46

us with a copy of ter so that our records will be complete.
from near Jefferson
City, Missouri. On 3 Mar 69, we requested transcripts of all conversa-
tions tions that you have had with Mr. Metz. Our records indicate that you Our records indicate that you
have had t have had two-telephone conve ersations with Mr On 10 Mar 69, you On 10 Mar 69, you
forwarded the second convereation with Mr. forwarded the second conversation with Mr. but as of this date we but as of this date we
have not yet received a trasacript of your have not yet received a traaacript of your first conversation with him.
Please forward a transeript of this transeript of this conversation conversation as soon as possible so as soon as possible so
that our records will be commplete. be commplete.
)
ZCTOR GUINTANILLA, Jr, ANILLA, Jr, Lt Col, USAF ,Lt Col, USAF
Chief, Aerial hief, Aeria Phenomena henomena Branch
Aeroepace Technologies Division Aeroepace Technologies Division
Production Directorate
47

—
-
1969
TDPT (UFO)
Metz Tape Recording
Dr. J. Allen Hynek
Lindheimer Astronomieal Research Center
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois 60201
Enelosed is the tape recording of your conversation with
Nr. ti concerning the 17 Apr 67, Je Person City,
tape recorders
available to us that can play at speed of the recording.
Therefore, we are making a
transcript.
HEOTOR HECTOR CUINTANILLA, Jr, NTANILLA, Jr, Lt Col, USAF Lt Col, USAF 1 Atch
Chief, Aerial Thenomena Office MomTape ape Record-
Aerospace Technologies Division ing 1.
Production Directorate

HynK
NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
EVANSTON, ILLINOIS 60201
DEPARTMENT OF ASTRONOMY LINDHEIMER ASTRONOMICAL RESEARCH CENTER
24 April 1969
Lt. Colonel Hector Quintanilla, Jr.
FTD (TDETR)
Research and Aerial Phenomena Division
Wright Patterson Air Force Base
Ohio 45433
Attn: TDPT (UFO)
Reference:
Subject: UFO Sightings of 3 April 68 from Cochrane, Wis. and
from Jefferson City, Missouri
TO: Lt.C Lt. Col. Quintanilla, Jr.
1. 1. Enclosed is copy atter to Mrs. dated lated 18 February 1969
as as requested in your above referenced letter. referenced letter.
2. I am am unable to send you the first transcript of f my conversation with my conversation with
Mr. Mr.. simply because inadvertantly something had gone wrong with my simply because inadvertantly something had gone e wrong with my
recorder and I got nothing but a garbled sound. I can assure you that
the contents e second tape are largely the same as the first.
would have boen 04
fost, of GTellgible.
J. ALLEN HYNEK, Director
Lindheimer Astronomical Research Center
Northwestern University
Evanston, Ill. 60201
JAH:1p
encl.
48

TDPT (UFO) 3 MAR 1969
UFO ng of 17 April 1967
J. Allen Hynek, Director
Lindheimer Astronomical Research Center
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois 60201
Please forward transcripts of all conversations that you have
had with Thank you.
ECTOR CUT IILLA, Jr, ,Lt Col, USAF
Chief, Aerial Phenomena Branch
Aerospace Technologies Division
Production Directorate Production Directorate
4
32

17 April 67 near Jefferson City, Missouri.) You brought the tepe
recording of your first conversation with Mr into the Project
Blue Book office in the fall of l968; and although the quality fof
the tecording was poor, there are several portions that have a bear-
ing on the anelysis of the UFO sighting. For instance, Mr.
stated that the object pxssed almost directly over airport and
that an incoming aircraft also sighted the object. Supposedly the
pilot of the aircraft stated that the object was at a lower altitude
was hupe. above is not to be taken as a
quote, but is the best of Lt Mareno's appr tely
the recording.)
2. Both the statements that the object peased that the object passed almost almost over the
Jefrerson City Menorial Jefrerson City Memorial Airport and that the pilot of an incoming and that the pilot of an incoming
aircrart sighted the object sighted the object are are unsupported by the testimony of the by the testimony of the
witnesses vitnesses and the evidence submitted to this office. Therefore, if Therefore, if
you would submit the original recording to us, we will to us, we will make a trens- make a trans-
cript of as much as pessible the conversation. The tape will be
returned to you with a copy of transcript.
QUINTANILLA, Jr, Lt Col, USAF
Chief, Aerial Phenonena Branch
Aeroepace Techaologies Division
Production Directorate
49

NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
EVANSTON, ILLINOIS 60201
DEPARTMENT OF ASTRONOMY LINDHEIMER ASTRONOMICAL RESEARCH CENTER
19 May 1969
FTD (TDETR)
Research and Aerial Phenomena Division
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
Ohio 45433
Attention: TDPT (UFO)
Reference: Your letter of Your letter of 12 May 1969 May 1969
Subject: UFO Sighting of UFO Sighting of April 67
City, Missouri , Missouri
To: To: Lt. Col. Hector Quintanilla, Jr.
1. I am enclosing the tape the tape question, the first portion of question, the first portion of
which is intelligible. which is intelligible. The last two-thirds of the tat
garbled.
2. If you can
of the tb ape is returned to me.
1 1
J. ALLEN HYNEK, DiVector
Lindheimer Astronomical Research Center
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois 60201
JAH:mjs
Encl.
50

Wisconsin sighting credit line to me. My only minor
comment is that replaced the word 'possibly" by
"probably." I!
I see no reason to get excited over the Kansas City
sighting. But apparently McDonald can work up a sweat about
anything. I think th analysis of a small balloon, probably
a garment bag hot air balloon, is probable. The suggestion
of a firecracker is also reasonable, in view of the date. I
feel that not enough attention has been paid to the date, the
evening before the Fourth of July. The description sounds, to
me, more like some sort of fireworks rather than the plastic
balloon. I am not familiar with all the forms of modern fire-
colored, weich are sent up with
a parach I give little weight to the statement that re-
flections of trees could be Seen on the flat bottom surface.
However, the lines of vapor would be quite in keeping with
some sort of flare. There is no way of knowing how far away
it was. They don't know its size. However, the description $o\f }$
"a shallow inverted bowl" o me the parachute.
I think that the failure of the Air Force to record any
planes or radar indicates that it was something quite small.
A search of stores in the area n might produce a duplicate of
what was observed. The deneript ion of Woight jartlnles
rlutloing dhwm," 1n cntiroly canil: th t.hs (hat ths

Could it, for example, hav a re-
flection of the moon? A person seeing such a reflection, when
driving, will observe it to maneuver. He makes statement
that "at one time it was directly overhead."
At no time does he indicate that he stopped the car, got
out and observed. He claims that he observed with both binoculars
and a telescope. Most certainly the question should have been
asked whether he tried to observe with these instruments through
his windshield or through the side windows. I Were the side windows
up or down? Was the top down? Otherwise how does he know it was
directly overhead? These are vital questions that should have
been asked. I should like to know what his eye correction is.
It been a plastic could
have been 1 light reflections of varied character. It could have
been or planet. If the observer was looking through the
glass of window or windshield, the distortion could well have
been considerable. At least it could have been a disk rather
than a point as he concluded.
As a final comment, t the statement in his interview about
"G forces" again indicates some familiarity y with the jargon of UFO.
Finally, I think it is mislcading lynek to have sent him a
copy of his eritical review publishod in the Bulletin of Atomic

and how he was looking, and not give him any leading questions.
Frankly, I do not trust the judgment of the observer.
Well, Hector, it is easy for me, without any evidence
other other than in the files you have e sent, to sit back and try to
reconstruct what might might have happened. I can be e a long way off.
But if I have at least I have at least suggested some some new leads and new thoughts, thoughts,
I shall be satisfied. be satisfied.
It begins to begins to look as if look as if I shall do the do the children's book
on UFO's. If So, I s If so, I shall want to get shall want to get as much as much photographic
material material from you from you i as I possibly as I possibly can. can.
With my best regards and many thanks
continued S, I am,
Cordially
DHM/mb

NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
EVANSTON, ILLINOIS C0201
DEPARTMENT OF ASTRONOMY LINDHEIMER ASTRONOMICAL RESEARCH CENTER
10 March 1969
FTD (TDETR)
Research and Aerial Phenomena Division
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
Ohio 45433
Attn: TDPT (UFO)
Reference: Reference: Your letter of 3 March f 3 March
to: Lt. intanilla ntanilla
1. Enclosed is the taped the case, and the
Lietha case of Cochrane, Wisconsin.
2. Since the former transcription contains material which which s should
certainly be at least administratively confidential, I would appreciate
your considering it so your considering it d labeling it labeling it appropriately.
J. ALLEN HYNEK, Direetor
Lindheimer Astronomical Research Center
Northwestern_University
Evanston, Illinois 60201
33

letter
H Well now, I definitely sent the letter, because . . o something just
- S was sort of, when I the airport
there in Columbia I was looking around for you.
M dn't come through that time. Probably
what happened I new home, see, and got the mail
confused.
H Yes. Something must have happened because I was definitely disappointed
enough about this, so
M
been intended to go or invited, and so
letter, or your
phone call, I figured that you L had made other plans, and I excused it
at that level.
H Uh?
M Absolutely right. this didn't bother me at all.
34

H You'll be probably somethat disturbed to hear
,-the-Air
Force-tentatively identified y you sighting as a hot air balloon.
I see.
H What is your reaction to that?
N I think it's funny.
H I thought you would.
M
Because, now the basis for - I
E
letter before now. However, I was absent from my desk for several weeks
use
effect and it floats And this
M And I even know the boys that did it.
H ORXSHXEX You do?
35

to close
that this is not so easy.
N No, it isn't, sir.
H y meet you and this. you
remarked here t
M -
you. He's one nicest men that you'd ever meet. And he was my
Ch, that was some time before then. Thew The wfo, ow how To mere
M Hot Mie bolLoors couid have boow
H Some time before. posied 7. oTheas
You'd have to the letter that they received.
anvon
3c

And
rsonally,
H
I didn't already suspect. Oh yes, another thing I wanted to ask you.
I take it that n is still incognito.
Yes. He won't talk. Absolutely not. i
I shouldn't say incognito. I should say incommunicado.
M Yes, he just won't
H He just won't, huh?
M
was so far away that it could have been
mistaken for a star?
M the
telescope and even the largest star will not
· · ·
H
VeT sighting Srom Aipiat hes brd diwils
As Sinivs. LR.H. Ngree wit o 0i
37

this Universe.
H
.
it took, and so forth
objects dropping off
it or out of it.
M I could see. This is the thing that
a was huge, you know. I said over
opened. These objects
38

teach at the University this summer and also I'm an elementary
H You are a
discuss this and ve, and there's no prol oblem there. But down here
like that, if you know what
I mean.
H ever
going to get this to, get a real scientific attack on it, because you
know the Condon report is out now..
35