Project Grudge (Incident near Camp Oak Flat, California) Special Inquiry

This report details an investigation into an unconventional aircraft sighting reported by two Air Force Sergeants on September 5, 1949, near Lebec, California. The witnesses, both assigned to the 3538th Maintenance Squadron at Mather Air Force Base, were flying in a private Piper Cub aircraft when they observed an oval-shaped, metallic object approximately 35 feet in diameter. According to their statements, the object ascended rapidly from the foothills near Camp Oak Flat, hovered briefly, and then departed at high speed toward the south. The witnesses reported no visible exhaust, control surfaces, or lights. The Office of Special Investigations (OSI) conducted a thorough inquiry, which included interviewing the witnesses, reviewing weather data, and analyzing aerial photographs of the area. The investigation concluded that the sighting was likely a misinterpretation of a pilot balloon launched by the Sandberg Weather Station shortly before the incident. Furthermore, aerial reconnaissance of the area revealed that ground features initially perceived as suspicious were actually mundane structures, including a cattle corral, a shed, a hunting lodge, and a Bell Telephone Company microwave relay station under construction. The report notes that the witnesses were considered truthful and reliable, and their character was of the highest caliber. The case was officially closed with the conclusion that the phenomenon was a misinterpretation of conventional objects.