Radar Sighting of Unidentified Object - Lackland AFB, Texas, 23 May 1953

This document collection details a radar sighting incident that occurred on 23 May 1953, involving the 741st AC&W Squadron at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. Radar operators observed multiple unidentified tracks, designated N94, N97, N3, N4, and N5, appearing over the Monclova, Mexico area. The objects were estimated to be at an altitude of 35,000 feet or higher and were observed for approximately one hour and five minutes. The radar controllers, including Captain Ralph S. Hoggatt, noted that the targets appeared to be in a definite orbit, suggesting a grouping maneuver. Initial reports indicated that the targets were not identified as conventional aircraft at the time of the sighting. The radar equipment used was an AN/FPS-3 unit. Scope cameras were activated, but the resulting film was unreadable due to a camera malfunction. Following the incident, the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) requested further information and an investigation into whether Mexican aircraft were operating in the area. Subsequent inquiries by the Assistant Air Attache in Mexico City, Major Sigurd L. Jensen, Jr., revealed that the Mexican Secretariat of Agriculture had authorized a flight of F-47 aircraft to conduct cloud seeding operations in the Monclova region during the time of the observation. Based on this information, the official conclusion reached by the Air Force was that the unidentified radar tracks were likely these F-47 aircraft. The documentation includes various forms, including AF Form 112, Electronics Data Sheets, and correspondence between the 741st AC&W Squadron, ATIC, and the Air Attache in Mexico. The reports emphasize the importance of identifying potential weather-related anomalies, such as temperature inversions, which were noted in the weather data for the day, though the final determination focused on the identified aircraft activity.