Report of Unidentified Flying Object - Incident 405

This document is a formal report concerning an unidentified flying object sighting that occurred on July 19, 1949, over Columbus, Ohio. The report was generated by the Wright-Patterson Flight Service Center and addressed to the Commanding General of the Air Materiel Command. The witness, a photographer by trade with experience working with jet aircraft and engines, reported observing a single object at approximately 2135 hours. The witness described the object as having a 'flying wing' shape with swept-back wings and a tail, but noted it lacked a noticeable nose, comparing it to contemporary jet aircraft. The object was described as luminous and appeared to be too small to be a one-man aircraft. It was observed traveling at a very high speed in an easterly direction at an altitude estimated between 3,000 and 4,000 feet. Notably, the witness reported that the object emitted a 'humming noise' rather than the typical 'rushing noise' associated with aircraft, and explicitly stated that there was no visible exhaust. The weather conditions at the time were reported as clear with 15 miles of visibility. The report confirms that no photographs or sketches were produced during the incident. The document is marked as 'RESTRICTED' and includes standard declassification instructions under DOD Directive 5200.10. The report was signed by Lt. Colonel Charles E. Grogan.