UFO Observation on Radar, Kincheloe AFB, 11 Sep 67

This document collection details a series of radar-only UFO sightings reported at Kincheloe Air Force Base, Michigan, on September 11, 1967. Between 0342Z and 0501Z, radar operators at the RAPCON (Radar Approach Control) site, including SSgt Michael Burns, tracked a total of 17 unidentified objects. These objects exhibited erratic flight paths and speeds ranging from 150 to 2000 mph. Despite the radar returns, which were described as having a strength equivalent to a B-52, no visual sightings were reported by control tower personnel or other observers. The objects were not detected by the broader SAGE (Semi-Automatic Ground Environment) radar network, which led investigators to conclude the phenomenon was local to the RAPCON unit's equipment.

Initial confusion regarding the number of objects—reported as 17, though some messages cited 16—was clarified by 2nd Lt. Terrance E. Leaman, the Information Officer at Kincheloe. Lt. Leaman explained that the discrepancy arose from a reporting error during his initial telephone communication. The investigation involved coordination between Kincheloe AFB, the 29th Air Division at Duluth, and the Foreign Technology Division (FTD) at Wright-Patterson AFB. Dr. Norman Levine and John Ahrens from the University of Colorado also visited the base to investigate the incident.

The official conclusion reached by the Air Force, specifically by Colonel Jerome J. Jones of the FTD, was that the sightings were likely the result of anomalous propagation (AP) caused by a temperature inversion. This explanation was supported by weather data indicating a clear night with a temperature inversion at 4000-5000 feet. The erratic behavior, high speeds, and lack of noise or visual confirmation were cited as consistent with false radar returns caused by atmospheric conditions. No interception action was taken, as the Senior Director at the 29th Air Division did not authorize a scramble, and the objects were not considered a threat given the lack of corroborating data from other radar sites.