BLITZ EVALUATION: Unidentified Object Recovered off the Coast of Taichung, Taiwan

This document details the recovery of an unidentified object by fishermen off the coast of Taichung, Taiwan, in March 1958. The object, which was turned over to the Chinese Nationalist Air Force and subsequently forwarded to the U.S. Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC), was described as a 20-inch long assembly of plastic, rubber, and metal components. Upon examination, ATIC personnel concluded that the item was likely a float or control valve mechanism rather than an unidentified aerial phenomenon. The report includes a detailed technical drawing identifying various components, such as a polyethylene bottle, a sponge rubber hemisphere, and an aluminum alloy rod. The document reflects the administrative burden placed on the Air Force by the submission of such items. The investigating officer, Clarence L. Arnold, noted that the Air Force had received several similar objects over the preceding nine months, all of which were determined to be hoaxes or otherwise misidentified. The report explicitly distinguishes between 'flying' objects (UFOs) and water-borne objects (UWOs), noting that the latter fall outside the primary responsibility of the Air Force. The author expresses significant concern regarding the waste of resources caused by these submissions and suggests that if the source is intentionally perpetrating a hoax, they should be held liable under U.S. Federal Code, similar to the statutes governing interference with the functions of the FBI. The document serves as a record of the evaluation process, confirming that while the object was unidentified upon arrival, it was ultimately categorized as a mundane mechanical device.