Air Intelligence Information Report — Unidentified Flying Objects Near Rhein Main, Germany

This document is an Air Intelligence Information Report regarding a sighting of unidentified flying objects near Frankfurt/Main, Germany, on the night of January 28, 1953. The primary report was filed by 1st Lt. Marlowe B. Sorge of the 60th Air Police Squadron, who was piloting a C-47 aircraft at approximately 8,500 feet. At 2020Z, Lt. Sorge observed a bright white light with green edges that appeared to be traveling at the same speed and direction as his aircraft. The object performed several maneuvers, including a 1,000-foot dive at a 75-degree angle and a perpendicular climb, before hovering. A second light appeared at 2030Z, which also exhibited variations in brightness and relative position. The objects were visible for approximately 10 and 15 minutes, respectively. The report also includes accounts from Lt. Col. Max O. Mitchell and Major David W. Pearsall, who were flying in the same vicinity and observed similar phenomena, describing a very bright light that performed violent maneuvers, including what they characterized as a 'dogfight' pattern, before disappearing. The weather conditions were reported as clear with a slight temperature inversion. The official conclusion reached by the Air Technical Intelligence Center was that the objects were most likely astronomical bodies, specifically identifying them as Venus and the star Deneb. The report includes detailed meteorological data and flight information for the area at the time of the sighting. The documentation includes multiple copies of the technical information sheets filled out by the witnesses, as well as sketches illustrating the observed flight paths and maneuvers. The case was forwarded to Dr. J. Allen Hynek for further evaluation.