Project 10073 Record Card — Madison, Wisconsin, 9 December 1952

On 9 December 1952, at approximately 1745 CST, Captain W. D. Bridges and 1st Lieutenant J. E. Johnson of the 433rd Fighter-Interceptor Squadron were flying a T-33 aircraft (TR-516912) south of Madison, Wisconsin, when they observed four bright white lights in a diamond formation. The pilots were conducting an instrument let-down at the time. The objects were initially sighted at an altitude of 8,000 feet, traveling at an estimated speed of 400 mph on a Southeast heading. The pilots pursued the objects, eventually overtaking them and passing them at an estimated speed of 450 mph. During the encounter, the T-33 passed the objects at a distance of approximately 1,000 feet. The objects maintained their diamond formation throughout the sighting, flying straight and level before turning toward an East heading. The pilots followed the objects until they were low on fuel, at which point they broke contact and landed at Truax Field at 1800 CST. The point of break-away was approximately 10 miles west of Racine, Wisconsin. Throughout the encounter, no silhouette of the objects was visible, even against the lights of Milwaukee, and there was no audible sound. The 755th AC&W Squadron (Soapberry) was contacted during the incident; they were unable to detect the objects on radar, although they successfully tracked the T-33. The intelligence officer, 2nd Lt. Charles W. Youngson, interviewed both pilots and confirmed their accounts were consistent. Additionally, an article in the Wisconsin State Journal reported that a local farmer, who was a World War II pilot, observed four bright lights in the same general area at approximately the same time. The official conclusion reached by the Air Technical Intelligence Center was that the nature of the objects remained 'Unknown.' The report emphasizes that the objects' speed and behavior were inconsistent with weather balloons and that the lack of radar return, despite the T-33 being visible on the scope, suggested the objects were not conventional aircraft.