Report of Sighting of Unconventional Aircraft — Shaw Air Force Base, 1 October 1952

This document is a formal report of an unconventional aircraft sighting that occurred on 1 October 1952, near Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. The report was filed by the 118th Tactical Reconnaissance Group and addressed to the Air Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The primary witness was 1st Lt. Thomas J. Piontek, a combat veteran of the Korean War and a pilot with the 155th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron. According to the report, Lt. Piontek was flying an RF-80 aircraft at an altitude between 16,000 and 22,000 feet when he observed a brilliant white, circular light. The object was described as being three times as intense as the stars, with sharp contrast and no visible halo, radiation, trail, exhaust, or propulsion system. The object exhibited highly unconventional flight characteristics, including horizontal, vertical, and still flight, as well as gentle turns and abrupt dives. The object maneuvered in front of the pilot's aircraft, stopped, and then moved in the opposite direction before stopping again at the pilot's 10 o'clock position. The sighting lasted approximately 23 minutes. Lt. Piontek attempted to intercept the object by increasing power to 100%, but he was unable to close the distance. He also attempted to alert ground radar for electronic tracking, but these efforts were unsuccessful. Weather conditions at the time were reported as clear with a full moon and 8 miles of visibility. The report concludes that there is no physical evidence of the object and that the final evaluation of the incident remains 'Unknown'. The document includes a weather detachment certification and a Project 10073 record card, which categorizes the source as 'Excellent' but the report details as 'Poor' due to the lack of corroborating data.