UFO Report: Misawa Air Base, Japan, April 1965

This document is a collection of reports and correspondence regarding a series of unidentified radar sightings at Misawa Air Base, Japan, in April 1965. Between 10 and 14 April, radar operators at the base's RAPCON facility observed multiple unidentified targets on both search and precision approach radar. These targets frequently converged on the Misawa runway or the 6921 Security Wing's Wullenweber antenna array before breaking off. The targets were described as having the radar return size of an F-100 aircraft, with speeds ranging from 150 to 200 knots. Despite the radar activity, no visual contact was made by pilots or tower personnel, even when aircraft were scrambled to investigate. The reports include detailed statements from radar observers, including LtCol Robert C. Damen and Capt Lester D. Waymire, who noted the unusual nature of the targets compared to typical weather or false returns. The Foreign Technology Division (FTD) evaluated the reports and concluded that the most likely explanation was 'anomalous propagation,' or 'angels,' caused by atmospheric conditions bending the radar beam to the ground. The FTD noted that while other causes could not be entirely ruled out, the evidence supported the anomalous propagation theory, as it explained the lack of visual sightings and the specific radar characteristics observed.