Sighting of Unidentified Aerial Object — Brush Creek, California

This document is a formal report of investigation conducted by the Office of Special Investigations (OSI) regarding a series of reported sightings of an unidentified aerial object near Brush Creek, California. Two gold miners, John Q. Black and John Van Allen, claimed that a saucer-shaped object landed on a sandbar at the junction of Marble and Jordan Creeks on May 20 and June 20, 1953. The miners described the object as being approximately seven feet in diameter and four feet thick, featuring a tripod landing gear that left marks on the sandbar resembling elephant tracks. They further alleged that a small, broad-shouldered individual wearing a green, knee-length parka and tweed-like material emerged from the craft to scoop up a pail of water before returning inside. The craft reportedly took off with a hissing sound. The reports gained significant attention from local and national press, leading to a large gathering of reporters and sightseers at the location on July 20, 1953, in anticipation of another landing. However, the object did not appear. Military and civil authorities, including the Butte County Sheriff's Office and the Plumas National Forest District Ranger, investigated the claims. Sgt. Walter Johnson of the California Highway Patrol noted that while the miners were consistent in their general story, they provided vague and conflicting details when questioned about the physical evidence. District Ranger William E. Turpin, who had known the miners for three years, noted that they had not filed a mining claim and had not produced any ore, despite their claims of mining for 'fissionable material.' The official conclusion of the investigation was that the incident was a hoax. The case was closed by the Air Force on August 7, 1953, with no further investigative action planned.