Report Upon Sighting of 'So-Called' Flying Saucer — Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, 19 April 1952

This document contains a report of an Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon (UAP) sighting by a Brigadier General of the United States Air Force stationed at Dhahran Airfield, Saudi Arabia. On April 19, 1952, at approximately 2120 local time, the witness observed a white object while relaxing on his patio. The witness initially mistook the object for the tail end of a shooting star, but quickly realized it was traveling horizontally at a constant altitude and speed. The object moved in a straight, consistent course, which the witness estimated to be between 1,000 and 1,200 miles per hour. The duration of the sighting was approximately 5 to 6 seconds. As the object approached, it appeared as a dull glow that eventually split into two distinct parts, similar to navigation lights on an aircraft wing, though the witness noted he saw nothing beyond the two glows. The witness, who stated he was thoroughly familiar with aircraft and weather balloons, expressed certainty that the object was not a conventional aircraft. The report was forwarded by the Directorate of Intelligence to the Air Technical Intelligence Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base for further action. The witness, in a personal letter to Major General John A. Samford, noted his reluctance to join the 'great army of flying saucer seers' but emphasized the distinctness and unexpected nature of the sighting.