RECORD frO ,_OUTED TO 8US~ENG DAT E ESTAOL.IS H = o B Y oi HITt :.s / -Tao, uLY DI8~081TION: ~ 1. OA iE TIME GROUP iJ. SOURCE ~ 4. NUMBER OF OBJECTS PROJEC ~T ~ 10073 RECORD LOCATION 10. CONCLUSION Aatro (ME:HX>R) T,_AN8MITTAL aaa onta or; S. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION 11. BRIEF SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS 40 Minutes 6. TYPE OF OBSERVATION Ground-Visual t. PHYSICAL EVIDENCE Qle obserY'er saw onJ. a ttJail of somoke. Other observers saw a briS'lt object at the head of the trail. Appeared to be t spinning or spiraling toward earth. Disappeared &i'ter a !las~ Made m erratic nzn in the sky See case Fila. AF FORM 112-PART I APPROVED I JUNE I!MI (C\.ASStFICATION) COUNTRY REPORt ilk)~ CLJr:A V M BL.tNK) AIR INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION REPORT Unidentified Flying Object AREA REPORTED ON FROM (Apmc: ) , Tampa, Fl orida A~r Opc rot~ons Intelli :er.c o ~ ""icor I'REPARED BY ( Odfctr) B~B:3l'TIN, Capt , USAF ~ampa !::or ninr; Tri bunEl, i.:onda~', _ C Jr: .. ~c 19)1 " 'iiUiR'EMCES ( Cofttrol nt&mber, llfrtetire, pmlou rtpori: de., a~ applicatHi) -------- SUMMARY: (Bnlu cmtc:i1e rummarp tJ/ rtpqrt . OIM lvn lficm in j!n a/ t>lle-ltnlertct paravrapA. Lilt iftcl!UIrtl Ill IOIIItl' lt ft. Btglntut of rtTKJrl on A F Jo'11tm / I t - Pert /1.) l.A nevrspo.per article appeared in the ~ar.l!?a L:orninb Tr i btme of Ta.':lpr. , Fl r;r 1 ,:u on t-:onday, 6 JunE'! 1949 concerning an Wlidenti f ied f l yinG obje ct. It i s fon ra rC.od because certain cor.clusions r e ached in it a r e :-:ot concurred with b y a nu.-:1ber o: military personnel stationed at :.!acDill .Air For ce !3a.se, ,.,:,ose ob;;ervat i o:r~s s rc f'orwarded on accompanyine Air Force Forns 112 2. To assist rurth0r anal ysis of' t his ?heno.m.e~on, -.renther co;~di~iO!lS :;o;r e as follo'.vs at 0 1302, 6 June 19 4 9 : 15 r-:ilc:J vlsi1)i lity; to-::1per o.ture 7-~ point 7.3 ; surfc..ce ..,rind west o.t 9 !'PH; a.ltkoter s otti:1g, 20. 8 6 inch e s ; so~. level ~res sure 1011.2 nillibars. 3. , .. rinds alof't: local a t 3 5 , 000 ft, 290 n.t 30 lrnots. altitudes unrecor dod . 4. :\b oYe we!lther conditions W-3re obtai:1od fron the !,.aoDill ':leathe r station. AP?:lOVI:D: .\LE7~1IDER li . B.Sl3~1!I!i Captain, USAF Wing Intelli{;ence Officer IIIT&r THIS DOCUMENT CONTAI NS INFORMATION AFFECTING T HE NATIONAL DEFENSE Of THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE ESPIONAGE ACT. SOU. S. C.- 31 AND 32. AS AMENDED. ITS TRANSMISSION OR T HE REVELATION OF ITS CONTENTS IN ANY MANNER TO AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS PROHIBITED BY LAW. IT MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED IN WHOLE OR IN PART. BY OTHER THAN UNITED STATES AIR FORCE A<iENCIES. EXCEPT SY PERMISSION OF THE DIRECTOR OF INm IJGENCE. USAF. 11-11111 I I. -arf Nllllt CWFICI AF FOAM 112-PAAT II APPROVED I JUNE 1,_. 'lctAssrFI r.c, AIR INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION REPORT n~I'ORT r.u. FIIOM I ' lVI'rlt, l Air Operntiona Intellieence 0 307th Bombardment Wing Medi\.D'Il I'AGE 2 oF 3 (Article From Tar.:pa Uornint; Tribune, Tampa, ? 1 orida., 6 .Juno 1049) Sl.:OKE-TRAILIHG FLASH S&~RS SKY OV=:R STATE A fiery object, believed by some authorities to be a meteor, wa.s sibhte~ tonight high in the sky over Florida. The object l'tao observe d over an aroa rou(;hly 800 niles long , from Key to St. Sirr.on' s Island, Ga. 1.i:acDill Field said it was out of tho ro.n;;e of present ai rcro..rt and appo.rf)ntl~ was a meteor. :vatchers rep<'rled it trailed a long, lur.~inous tail nnd disappe~red over the horizon in the vicinity of Cedar Keys, north of Tampa. It also \'las seen at i'iia."lli, Orlando, Ocala, Daytona Beach, Jacksor.ville o.:Hl Fernandina. Pilots of aircraft over Florida also sa,., it. Donald Trivett and E. L. ~alston, on duty at the Navy mastor field at 1\:in."ni said it was a "ball of fire." "It was fairly low and I saw it with the glasses," Ro.l ston said. "It w'lz traveling in a straic;ht line and went behind a bank of clouds in the nort:-:-;:er;t. "The trn.il rtn.s a sort of 'Z' s~aoe. It looked like '7hite sMoke and ZSJ:r--r;-d but did not dissipate. -:7e sa"; it for about 25 ::1inutes." Ralston said it was too lo.rz;e to be a -:uicied missile, as nor.e t:~eori zed, and added he was posit~ ve it vra a neteor. ; . !t. Davis and P. L. ;.:oore, t\vo foreca.sters on rluty o.t the !'io.ni :GI\the : Bureau, said it was "very brilliant and someYrhat s:'!'lo.ller i;han a full noon." That description tallied with the one given by :~o.l ::;ton. ;)avis and ::oor c also believed it was a meteor and said the tail "drifted about "lt hi~h nl t i -':.1 .- " "It lit up the sky to the northwest and fell vcrtic~lly, leavint; a lu:-:-.i !. ;:..:;, weaving trail." they said. The phenomenon resulted in hU!'ldreds of queries to rreather sto.tior..s, ~ollce and nmvspapers t hrouGhout the state. . l'he fiery object vro.s seen plainly in Tan:~a shortly before 8 o'clock , and from the downtc:wm section appeared to bo over Drew Field Field. however. it was reported farther nort:nrest, orer Dune din. !Jut at Dur.edin it was seen about 10 miles out over the Gulf. Observers here first took the sight to bo a falling pl:me, p'lrticulnrly :;i.nco it left a trail of white smoke like that of a sky vtriter which hunG in the s l:y past darkness. Trail Stays In Tampa there waa a flash just a.!'ter the sun had dipped belmr the horizon, then the trail that appeared to be vertical but soon flattened out to be a horizontal line. seeming about 25 to 30 feet long to the eye from the t;round. Then the switchboard of the Tribune was swan ped. Clearwater was experiencing the same wonderment. So waG St. Petersburg, Fort l!yera. l.!iamj Jacksonville, Brrmswick, Ga., Ocala. and other cities. The Tampa ITeather Bureau said the object appeared to be a ~eteor, but observers here could not account for a go.seoua or vapor trail. l.:acDill Air Force Base observers said the phenomenon apparently was in the area of Cedar Keys, and sighted at such distance that the "tnil" was 50 or 60 ~iles long. The Coast Guard at St. Petersburg put up two airplanos, but diverted thea shortly afterwards to investigate reports of.a ship in distress eight niles west ot Big Pass. Residents at Fort J.tyers said the object was sighted in the slcy northwest of that ci~y and .L)a.ytona Beach said a "cloud of sr.toke or sa-.1ething in ~h~l sl< ,lroolce(~T'".' ' like the figure '2 for a ffifl minutes after a flash. DECLASSg~5DlR r,zoo.lO 1011: THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NAT IONAL DEFENSE OF THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE ESPIONAGE ACT. 50 U.S. C.- 31 AND 32. AS AMENDED. ITS TRANSMISSION OR THE REVELATION OF ITS CONTENTS IN ANY MANNER TO AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS PROHIBITED BY LAW. IT MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED IN WHOLE OR IN PART, BY OTHER THAN UNITED STATES AIR FORCE AGENCIES, EXCEPT BY RM_I ION OF THE DIRECTOR OF INTEl.UGENCE. USAF. 1 i\1 t ~ J. :-It ~ E.1J INCLASSirll::r. AF FORM 112-PART II APPROVED 1 JUNE INI AIR INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION REPORT nQM llltlmtrl Air Operations Intelli~;ence 0 k t.PORT 110. . ':Jeather observers had nc th9ory other than it may have boon a motoorito ;; ~ :h a tail formed by millions of tiny p~rticles. The Florida highrto.y patrol also had rer>orted of the objtJct being si1.;htcu near Fernandina and Ocala. The C~vil Aeronautics Adrni1ustration s~id scvoral pilot s reported seeing the objoct from planes 0.3 far !lorth aa :9run:rtick. Go.. similar but smaller phenomenon appeared over Florida a ffi\V weeks s.e;o, 'h.t"t left no trail. At that time the phenomenon led to reports of a plane crash in the Z:,rer:;l~des. but it \Vas finally writ 'tl!n orr o.s tl shootint; star. UNCLASS\f\Ejj 1111: THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE OF THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE ESPIONAGE ACT, 50 U. S. C.- 31 AND 32. AS AMENDED. ITS TRANSMISSION OR THE REVELATION OF ITS CONTENTS IN ANY MANNER TO AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS PROHIBITED BY LAW. IT MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED IN WHOLE OR IN PART, BY OTHER THAN UNITED STATES AIR FORC AGENCIES, EXCfPT BY PfRMISSIDN OF THE DIRECTOR OF IN IGEHC. USAf. AF FORM 112-PART I APftROVED I JUNE IM IUI'OitT 1'0 . I ILh:A " "S BL.-tN/0 AIR INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION REPORT Unidentif'iod Flying Object To.~po., Florida 301th llo:1ho.rdme nt 1fi116 !.:c L------- PREPARED IY ( OA!ctr) AL}:;{ANDER l!. DEDE~-IIN, Capt, USAF REFt:MltCES ( Omlrlllnumbfr, dlrtdlr t . pralotu rtf)l)rt . ttc . IU rrpplkabu) - Air Intelli~anc6 RequiroPlent::; !.:emorand'Ul'!l ;'/:4, 15 Feb 49 SUMMARY: ( Enter ,"O'IId "'""narr of rtporl. Ol~ itnljltll!ltt Ira final OIINmltntt paravrap". LUI lnci~J~Urtt Cll IOit'tr lt/1. BttJitl l r.rt of r r{*t Oft .4 F Jo'orm / It -Part /1.) 1. At approx:!.ma.tely 0054Z hours C. June 1949 iced a tl'ail or \1hite smoke in the northwest quadrant of the location in the control tower of the International Airport, Tampa, Florida. Object appare lJ causing snol:e appErared to be Going in a westerl:r direction and .:;eor.:ed t o i .. '"'::.t.i:nnt to be located tt.ppro.xi:nately over the city of Duned ir.., Florida. From the des: t;n of the trail of smoke in.!'ormant thought the sn~oke was co.usod b y a falling n.irc:ro.ft. , I::irection of t ra. i.l of anoke was str&.it;ht dmm. Actua.l object cau~ ir.g sr.:o~::--t tai l was not soar.. by this infor::-.ant. Phenorar:-non ,.,ns witne~sed b:r in!'o:-:1!l.l:t e.ho..<t forty ( 40) i.".inutes. when darkness precluded further obsorv~tio::-1. Inf'~rr..ant e:-tnressed his ooinior. that tho nhenor.1e:1on he o":>s':lro-? coul d r.ot h"-\e bce'1 , neteor, reG::r dl9s5 of stF.-:ements appeo.rinc in o. locfll :'n.m:->e. n9wspat>Or, :::. i(;\.t cited certa.in "a.utr.ori ties" as ider.~.;ifying the ::hcnonenrm a s a n~tcor. 2 . Following de.ta is relrttive to tho observer. L'r. Aw~mue. ls Air Traffic Control Operator at International P.ir::ori..., Florida ( locn.ted west of Drew Field, Florida). !!e is ll.!l n.r.".ll.tour ?i 1 C't. uf four ( 4) years experionce. It is believed that subject is reliable with aY0ra::e intelligence. Captain, USAF \'fill Intelligence Officer DIITIUIIITION IY OIUGINATO" UNCL~A.SSIF E\1 THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE OF THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEAHING OF THE ESPIONAGE ACT. 50 U. S C.- 31 AND 3Z. AS AMENDED. ITS TRANSMISSION OR THE REVELATION OF ITS CONTENTS IN ANY MANNER TO AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS PROHIBITED BY IJ.W. IT MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED IN WHOLE OR IN PART, BY OTHER THAN UNITED FORCE A(ifHCIES, EXCEPT BY PERMISSION OF THE DIRECTOR OF INTELLIGENCE. USAF. ' II IIIII I e. _, .... , Nlr cwrtcc IF FORM 112_,ART I APttROVED f JUNE 1941 UNCl_l\ SSIFlE.D (CU SSI FlCAT!Oft) ftEI"'RT ItO. I (LEA VII BLANK) , AIR INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION REPORT Uni'l!ent.ified Flying Object A'-:R=::EA-::ftEI'ORTEO Cit - Tampa, Florida no!~erations Intelligence Offi~er 307th Bombardment :~ri~n~g~t~:e~di~'=~------------ EVALUATION DATE Of' REPO!rr I DATE OF INFOftiUTION PftEPAREO IY ( O,Dictr) SOURCE AL3Y.P.nDF.R !J. BEBZNirl, Ca pt, USJ:.F Capt, US.'.F REFEitiNCES ( Cbftlrot numbtr, fllrtaiPI, pralftl rtport, ttc., applicabU) --- ---..!..--------------------------------------------- --- Air Intelligence Requiremen-:;s ; lemorandum ]4, 15 Feb 49 SUMMARY: (~ter COftriH ,.,.,..,, o{ report. OIH lifllljlcn ht {mal Ollt-HMmu para,apll. Lllt iftclMml 1-er l tf t . B'gm tur of rrport 01t A F Jo"'lrm Ill- Part II.) )X1llllltely OlOOZ h ours 6 June 1949 a phe nomenon was obs~rl7ed b y ~:l?tain who was located about two miles north of !.:acDill !.ir Force =a.::~, Florida. The phenomenon observed by hi:a was located at a hi~;h o.lti tude i:1 the quadrant of sky northwest of Tampa, Flor~da, and appeared to be l ocated about twenty (20) miles northwest of Tampa. A spiral condensation trail cover inG .~ large sector of the SkJ' is infor.mnnt'3 best description of phen omenon . The pat tern formed did not appear t o be regular, or in info:-mant' s .1or d s " p r e - :iett; r- mined", nor did all the action seam to i n!'orr...'lnt to t~e place at one alti~4~le level. A definite refl:>ction, similar to that from a mirror, flo.shod f rcJi". l newly-formed sector of the trail for nn i:1sta:t. Dt.trin~ the ?'::riod o:" t-;~i2 :_:~1t and within tv1o minutes foll~uing the rc~lection ~oted above a bri : ht flasr.. illu:ninating the entiro sky. occurred. Jl.ltit'J-ie of phenomena was estir..o.~c:i ~t: 'Je about 40,000 feet. Ant;le of e levation from horiz.o:1 -.:as a ':out for ty-five ( ~!:) degrees. Time in sight: eight ( 8) minutes. Object which "flashed" like ;;;ino r appeared to be about one inoh in diameter from position of observor. The ol j~ct ap?eared to be spinning o r spiraling towards the earth. Trail , co:nposcd o~ . 1! .:l"; appeared to be "smoke" was ?Thi te. J.~er of disappearance: r1hen the flrl:;h of light brightened the sky object Tras not a g ain soon. Point of a?parcmt dis~:"l:c:l.r nnce was about fifteen (15) degrees above the horizon. follmvin information is relati ~ to the observer. Captain 'ldquarters & H9edquarters Squadron, 307th Bombo.rdr.lc!:i. .','j '!". t:ediur.1, Force Base. Florida. Home Addreas: Tampa. Florida. Co..ptai s 307th Bombc.rdzncnt :'ling '!'ruining icer. is a navigator of eight years experionce. His ability to determine en) cr , epeed of moving objeots. and size at a distance is considered good. It i:; :,,} :.'J'7':'d subject int"onnant is CClr.lpletely r elie.blo, with above c.ve r at;e intell:.;:enc e , ur.d of stable character. ----llliQS DISTIUIUTa.IY OIUGIMATOR ALEXAliDZR 11. DE3EUIN Captain, USAF Wing Intelligence Officer llNC:l .. t\SSIFtED lOIII THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE OF THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEAHING OF THE ESPIONAGE ACT . 50 U. S C.- 31 AND 32, AS AMENDED. ITS TRANSMISSION OR THE REVELATION OF ITS CONTENTS IN ANY MANNER TO AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS PROHIBITED BY LAW. IT MAY NOT BE REPRODUC0 IN WHOLE OR IN PART, BY OTHER THAN UNITED STATES AIR FORCE ~IES, EXCEPT BY PERMISSION OF THE DIRECTOR OF IHTElJ.IGEHC. USAF. IF FORM 112-PART I APPROVED I JUNE I!NI (LEA VII BLANIC) RErc>RT ItO . AIR INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION REPORT . Unidentified flying object. ARIA REPORTED OM FROM (Af"KJ) Tampa, ft'la UIU.: OF .... IU" -E' ITIU" - I Pft ;>) BY COiiiFl !iiWBEN ~! . NORMAN, 1st Lt, USAF Ten l:ilit.A y Aircrew members of 3C7th Rm Gp -RE_I't_R.....,ENC-.!5 ( On!Crol 11UmHr,dlrec:tiDC, prtnOII.I rtport, ttc .. tU Air IntelliD !rlCe rr uirements Ueocrc..:dw:. No . 4 SUMMARY: ( fi.'nter condle nmmarr n{reptlrl. OiH ,..,{It-111 filial MNftllmu porQ#rap1. Lilt mclonm1 It lovm ltft. &gift tuc of rrport on .4 F Form 1 !1-P.,e II.) I~ 1. 19:45 hours 5 June 1949 at Tampa, Fla an unidentified object traveling S.E. to N.W. at a very hieh rate of speed vras observed by Aircrew personnt:!l of the 307th Bm Gp. This object was emitting white smoke and/or vapor trail which indicated its flight path was horizonal but very erratic in direction. It made a ~arge "Z" turn on course and then faded from view. The trail was visable for au)ut ~0 minutes. 2. It is the opinion of this officer t hat this object was not a rneteor due to erratic course. ,3. All of t he information contained in this report is indorsed by the ten ( 10 ) eyewittness intervie~1ed. All ten (10) wittness are Aircrew members of the .3C7th 4. The significance of this report is urltnown 1. Newspaper photograph OISTIUIUTIOIIIY OftiGINATOR 1 Copy CG AMC, AT'tN: MCIAX~3 1 Copy CG 15th AF ATTN: A2, tor Info. 1 Copy CG SAC, ATTN: A2, for Info. l.l l-&,uv cr. '307th 'Pm ~'lin!'. A'l Tl\!: A?A for ru APPROVED a