Incident Report and Correspondence regarding Sighting of November 15, 1952 and May 20, 1953

This document collection details the reporting and subsequent evaluation of two aerial sightings by John T. White, a 2d Lt. in the USAFR. The first sighting occurred on November 15, 1952, in Sacramento, California, where White observed a white stone-like object at an altitude of approximately 100 feet. The second, more detailed sighting occurred on May 20, 1953, in Los Angeles, California. In this instance, White reported that a white, football-sized object descended from the northwest and hovered approximately five feet above his head for five minutes. He described the object as being surrounded by a small white cloud that appeared to form from the surrounding atmosphere, accompanied by a 'slight smell of sweet perfume.' White suggested the object was controlled by some electrical force. The Air Force internal routing and correspondence indicate that these reports were not submitted until late 1954. Air Force intelligence personnel, specifically T/Sgt Bolieu and Nicholas Post of AFCIN-4E, evaluated the reports in 1958. They concluded that the sightings were likely 'possible balloons,' noting that a U.S. Weather Bureau balloon-launching site in Sacramento had launched a balloon on November 15, 1952. The Air Force correspondence with White, signed by Major Lawrence J. Tacker and Lt. Colonel Joseph A. Bloomer, maintained that the long delay in reporting the incidents made a more accurate analysis impossible. The documents reflect the standard administrative process for handling civilian and military reports of unidentified aerial phenomena during the 1950s, emphasizing the importance of timely reporting for effective investigation.