1. DATE f a.u: GROUP ctm xsu Hilitary PROJ~CT 10073 RECORD 2. L.OCA TION Lebec, California 10. CONCLUSION NUMBER OF OBJt:CTS 2, Misinterpretation or conventional objects. S. L.ENGTH OF OBSERVATION 11. BRIEF SUMMARY AND ANAL. YSI$ Observers sighted object which rapidly gained altitude and .._----------4 tumed in a sharp left bank, then headed due south. No sign 6. T'!'PE OF OBSERVATION or emaust or trails. No sound. Photos were taked or the grow1<1 Air visual in that area whim disclosed unidentified objects on t h e growlC, t. PHYSICAL EVIDfNCE Sandberg WX station launched a balloon at 1230. The balloon would have been in the Lebec area during the time of the sigt- 1ng. The ~ckn alleged unidentified objects on t he g round ! lddch sho\-ted up on photos were f ound to be a corr.ll and shed used to feed and shelter cattle, a building with an incompl eb<!( second sto17 and a hunting lodge. IBSEIITIAI. ELEMENTS C6 INF e. Object w.a noticed accidentally nd attention waa not drawn to it by any apecifio ooourrence, but because or daily association with airoratt. b. S6S8th Maintenance Squadron. Mather AFB California c. Airmazl United States Air Force d. Agency chealca J neighbor derogatory information. and fellow employee checkiJ reTeal no Observer is considered truthful and . 10. SGT action and ooJgnenta during discussion ot incident would cate peraana a bove &Terage intelli gence. It ~ apparent th&t a extremely a incere in his report and that was inoliDed to be influenced observations. All persona interTiewed resarding SGT and ated that their che.ra.ctor, int e gr ity and dependabilit,y are of the highest caliber. 1. Local Weather Conditiona, Sandberg Weather Station, California, 6 September 1949 a. 12SO PSTJ no cloud ooverJ visibility 50 mileiJ wind SE at 16 knotts1 tempers.ture 810FJ Dowpoi:lt 22~ z. Winds a1ott. Sandberg, California, 1200 houra, 5 September 1949 Se Aircratt in vicinity or ~bee, California, 1200 to 1300 houri & September 19'9 a. L-1:5 type aircratt, AF #47--302, enroute to Ontario, Calif be L-1:5 type airoratt, AF 147-300, enroute to Y.roh AF!l Calit Oe Ho o &1 or civilian airoratt reported in this area betw .. D the houri or 1~00 &Dd 1300 5 September l949e &SSBllTIAL EIBMEHTS OF I ....,. B (Cont'd) 4. weather reporta trom Uather Air Force Base, CaliforniA, indicate that a pilot balloon tor winds aloft testing purpoaes was released at Sandberg~ Calitornia. shortly prior to 1300 hour 5 September 1949 . Pilo t balloon a are approximately t'wentr cslx (25) inohes in diaJMter, with an aaoenai~n rat e or two hundred (200) to two hundred and sixty (~60) yards per minute, and the type generally uaed on a clear day,such as reported on 5 September at Sandberg , ie White in colr According to the Sandberg \linda Aloft Report. at t tis ti,. the balloon wcu.ld have drifted northweat tow&rda X.bec during the ti:at two thousand (2.000) teet ct ucenion and theA wered northeast toward.l Mojave Calitornia. a. Bot applioable e. lot applicable 7 Photoetatic copiea of aketoh81 submitted by SGT and lnolosed u Exhibits E and F respectiTely . Oriz1nal copies ot sketches an file at DO fl9 Fairtield3uiaun AFB California. a. Object appeared oval in shape b. Surr011inding terrain is hilly with billa ranging to a. ooo Ge Bot applicable de Object rapidly gained altitude seemed to pause, then aped away in lenl flight e. Bot applicable 8e 8t&te!n8nte aeoured On tile at 19th Diatriot Ottice ot Special Ia'ti&ationa FairtieldSuieun AFB Cal1torn1a 9e Hot arplioable 10. No projection. ot any kind were observed CSI C='=>C t~l-JO WO.I OCT q ISM DEPARTMENT O F TttE AIR FORC E HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES AIR FORCE WASHINGTON flU : I NiiP'tCTOR OtNC:UAI.. u, .. f 5TH 01$TRIC.T OrrtCC 01 SPI.~ tAL I N\ti,Tt..; ... J , ON"' 26 Ootobor 1949 SUBJECTa PROJECT GRUDGE (Incident near Camp Oak Flat. California) SPECIAL INQV IRY TOa Ca:"rming Gemral Air Materiel Comtand Wright-Patterson Air Fo roe Base Dayton, Ohio J..'nla MCUXS 1. The inclosed report of investigation by Speoial Agent BERL B. PENNINGTON, DO #19. Fairfield-Suisun AFB. California. dated 17 Ootober 1949, is forwarded as a natter pertaining to ;your Connam. 2e Th1a investigation was not requested by or through this otfies. JAMES F X. 0' COllNELL Lt Colonel. USAF District Comaander HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES Alit FORCE TH! INSPECTOR GENERAL OffiCf Of SPECIAl INVESTIGATIONrl" n QC! REPORT OF INVESTIGATION*" Ul:OlM!HTIONAL 'lTPE AIRCRAFT (Sir,bted 6 September 1949 ~a.r Camp Oak Flat, California) an initial re ort FILE NO. I DATE IUQRT J.MDE IY BERL E. PENNIHl'l'OH~---,---------I REPORT MADE AT DO #19 Fat rtield-~u.ii\W AFB Cal1!'.!..r . a OFFICE Of ORIGIN DO :Jtl9 Ft.irf'ieldSuiaup AFB. Calif~ a ~l.-stigatian requested by CAPT GORDON T. COIJRY, Base Seourity Officer, ~ther Air Ferce Baae, California. SGT acd SGT stated tilat while flying in a priTate aircraft in the Ticinity ot Lebec, California, they had ebaened an unconnntional type aircra.fte Aircraft waa de1cribed aa o..-ulu in ahapo and conatruoted ot a dull grey JDIItalio aubatanoe. apprexhlately thirty-tiTe (35) teet in diameter. Object rapidly gained altitude te approxiMa~ely aeTen thouaand 000) feet, turned ill a aharp left bank, and headed 1n a soutnernly direction- liabing grkdually, and atraight out in the direction of the ocean, approximately enr Santa Paula nd Venturaa No aign ot exhaust or T&por trail and no 3ounda were noticeable. Object in eight approximately two (2) minutes before diaappear~g in the diatanc lnTeatigation revealed no other witne Aarial pho~o~rapha teken of area diacleaed unidon~ifiable objectl on the ground. 4 trip waa ~de to Lebeo, Caltt to 1nnatigate unidentifiable objeota, aa illUitrnted in aerial photographa at which time these objecta were determined not te be oo~ected with unooDTenticmal airoral'te Inteniew with SUBJECTS indicated them to be l:rut.'-lf'ul ~nd dependable &nd not addicted to neroetica or alcohol. Last phyaioal exminati~n completed on SUBJECTS indicated no abnormalitieaJ no other physical exeminationa anilable. Reoord and Ageocy oheoka revealed no derot;atory infor:nation caoceming DISTRIBUTION 5 (Action Copy) ACTION COPY FORWARDED TO 2 Cqseuanding General 2 Air Material Conund filE STAMP CG, Mather AFB 2 Wrifibt-Patteraon AF Bue 2 Dayton. Ohio An'Na MCIUO S l>OD Dllt 62UJ.l0 DISTPICT COMMANOFR &MAMA-Nov 48 lOOM OSI Caae f24&0 le lhia innst16 was requea ted by CAPT GORDON To COLLEY, 10552A., Base Seouri~ Officer, Mather Air Fo Base, California, and was edicatod upon a report to the effect that SGT 3538th ~atotenance uadron Mather Air Force Base, California, and SGT intenanoe Squadron, Mather Air Foroe Base, ~alif ornia had obaerv.d an unconventional type aircraft in flight ~ t he vicinity ot Lebec. California, on 5 September 1949. Lebeo, California, ia a pproxicately leYenteen (17) milea north of Camp Oak Flat em u.s. Hi ghway 99, ~andber~ {feather Station, thirteen (13) miles to the s outheast of !Bbec. forms a rough e qu'\la-t;.,ral triangle with Lebec and the cmall hmlet known aa Camp Oak: Flat, W1 ich ia ten (10 ) 11Lile1 aouthweat ot Sandberg. 2. Special Agente lEE Be NOLTON and LAWREIJCE w. BROUSSARD ass is ted the writer iD this investigation. A'l Mt.tHER Am FORCE BASE, CA;LIFORNIA. a. OD 6 September 1949 SGTS reported to the Office ot Special Inveatigationa Mather Air Force Base, California, that they had observed an unconventional type aircraft in fli~ht in the vicini or Lebec, California, while flying in a Pi per Cub aircraft operated by SGT 4a SGT executed the following statement on 6 September 1949. Original signed, witneaaed statement and carbon copies on fil~ a t 19~1 District Ottioe of Speoial Inveatigationa, Fairfield-Suisun AFB. California& Squadron. Mather Air Force Base, 1tatement to BERL Ee PENNINGTON, Alent OSI USAF. Mather Air Foroo Base Mather Field~ Califorcit. 6 September 1949 aasignod to the 3538th !alaintenance California. voluntarily make t h e follo'"Ning who hu identified h1:nselt to me u a Soecial On 6 September 1949 at approximately 1200 hours, while flying at approxi- mately 1.000 teet enroute from Loa Anrele to Sacramento. California, I sighted an object onr Cmp Oek Flat which was eeTeral thousand feet below aa coming up with a territic ascent headed approximately due aouth u if to go over Loa Arlbele.s. We were just rounding an a.ooo toot mountain and took him by surprise. iie w11s ooming up at about an 85 ngle and coming up from 80m8 emall foothill..a to the ri&Rt of the large mountain. When he reached our altitude he 1eemed te hover or time and changed course aa it ~;oing out to eea over Santa Paula. I follcrNed him with rq eyea until he was out ot eight. I could. not detect any sign ot power or controls u the 1hadowa underneath proven ted it. It looked matal with a canopy on top with approximtel.y 35 teet ot lp&De '!here was no way to determine 1peed but the rate ot ol~ waa territlo. I haYe read thi1 1tatement ccm1i1ting ot one (1) page and haTe initialed eaoh page thereof llld all cerrectiona therecm. 'lhil 1tatement ia given freely OSI Cue :fZ 30 DITAII8 (CODt'd)t ~ . ...-r I ApiJjilj .. a ~ am ia the truth to tlw beet ot 'I'll:/ launrledge or belief. WITNESSED a Sf Gordon T. Colley GORDOH T. CQIJEY, Capt USAF 8/ Berl E. Pecninc;t=, BIRL E. PENNIOOTON, S/A OSI 3635tb Bomb l'rng. Yling Mather Air Foroe Base Mather Field California &. SGT PAIIDlR executed the following at&tement em 6 September 19'9 Origin! signed, witnessed statement nd carbon copies on fils at .19th Diatrict Office of Special In?eatigations Fairtield-Suilun AFB, California Mather Air Force Base Wather Field, California. 6 September 19'9 I SGT uaigned to the 3538th N&intenance Squadron, r Air Force Base, California, ToluntMrily make the tollowi.J::.g atatent to BERL E. PElmtmrou. who haa identified hielt to me u a Special Agent OSI USAF OD 6 September 1949 Sgt I lett San Fernande at approximately 1200 hour headed in a nortpernly direction straight owr Graperlne Pass. Juat before we reached the higheat point of the pa.s with an a.ooo too~ mountain to our lett and on the right other lower mounteina, we sighted an objeot uoendi ng from the foothill at about an 80 or 850 angle. It waa about 3000 teet below ua when we spotted it and came right up approximately enn witb ua, about 1.000 teet oft our right wi~ tipo Our eleTation at thia wu approximately 6500 feet aboft aea le?ele It seemed to rise fro:n the floor or tbe:. hills but we didn't actually aee it lean the ground. ;Jhon it reached our altitude, it aeem.ed to honr for a moment and then it ehot of alroet directly aouth. It waa tranling at a terrific speed, slightly ascend- iDe at about a 5 ngle. It headed south onr the ocean diaappearmg from our riewe lhia object appeared to be like a aphere. slightly on.l 1n shape. appearing a little longer than wide 'lhia object did not appear to haw any aupport ot any kind no exnaua~ or control 1urfacea whatsoever, and was of dull metalio aubstnoe, similar to aluminUIIl It appeared to be about 3 0 er a6 teet in ter. OSI Case #2t 30 DETAD.S ( Cont 'd )a I ha-n read this stu.tement oansiating or one (1) page and have initialed each page thereof and all corrections thereon. This statement ia &iTen freely and 1a the truth to the beet ot my knowledge or be lief. WirNBStaEDa S/ Gordon T. Colley GOKDUN T. COJ.Tk!:t Capt USAF S/ Ber 1 E. Pennington BERL Ee PEUN:rnGTON S/A OSI 3b36th Bomb Trng. l"fing Mather Air Foroe base Mather Field, California 6e Renttw or Serrloe Reoord and 201 File maintained at S638tb Ma ten&!loe Squw.dron Mather Air Force Bllse, California, r e-rea.lod that nlisted in the Air Force on 30 June 1948 and hu an efficiency rat~ ot excell~n~ and ia considered oanacientioua hard worKer, and was r~cently promoted for hia work. ompleted one ( 1) year of h1t;h aOllool and haa an AGCT score of 115. l.Aet phyaicl exam.in .. ticm v;aa giTen on SO June 1948 at that tinW) no phyaic&l abnorma.litit)8 were noted. Viai,.n teat revealed vision to be 20/20. No evidence of the use of narcotic! or alooboliG beverages were noted. 7 1ST SGT 3538th liaintenance Squadron, )lather Air Force Bue, California; 3538th L~i.nteno.nce Squadron, Hangar Chie1 and UR , Civilian F'orercsn Propeller Shop stated tbat't ia dependable and trn.s~torthy and an excoJ:tionally good worker, and to their knowledge, does not drink or use narcotica. 8. ReYie ot rrlce Record and W.li tary 201 File main taioed at 36381-Jl L!aintenanoe Squadron. JJather Air Force Base, Californis . revealed that eulieted in the Air Foro on 10 November 1947 and h u an efficiency rating of excellent and is considered an excellent worker. ccmpleted three .. fourtha (3/4) year of high aohool and has an AGCT aoore ot 108. Isat physical examination waa given on 1 0 November 1947. At that time no phyaical abnor=alitiea ~re ~o~ed. Vision test revealed Yilion. to be Z0/20. no eYi~nce ot the use ot narcotic or alcoholic be-..rage wu noted. 9. lS 3638th lW.intenance Squadron, ltather Air roroe Bue. California. li/SGT 3538th liaintena.nce Scuadron, HBD(;&r Chieta and ~ CiTilian Foremen Electrical Shop, atated that a atea~ good worker and exerciaed good judgement. and to their bow ledge. doe net drink er ua narcotioa DETAILS (Cont At--SACRALW.NTO, CALIFORNIA. 10. Re~iew of the fi lea at the Office ot the Sheritt and the Police Dep at Sacramento California a,.led to reveal any record or informa- tion pertaining to either A%. ~BEC, CAI.IFORNU. On 7 September 1949 Special Agent and flew to Lebec. Cali~crnia. to take aerial photographs of the area to determine if there "ere any indica tiona on the ground ot unuaual aoti Yi tie 1 in the area Photographs were taken to CAPT ROBBRT J. SCOTT, JR., l2905A. Hq & Hq Squadron, 35S6th .5oi:lb Tnlg. Group, 1.1ather Air Foree Base, Calitnrnia, for photo interpretation. Photograph nucblr 9R-2S-1-VV-3535B~- 7 Sep 49-6 3/8''-750o-3450N 11847W..CORRAI., indicated a well tra'Yeled road in the back coWltry and uniC.ent!.fied dark apota on the ground. Photcgraph