~ ~;on~ AF P!t:Cunr::";E:''!' Jiiii.T) CFF'ICi AIR .!AmiA!. CCI:ll.!A'm ~ .t'!O!tEs ')4, c-T_ nrrt\'tiA %JC PFl"!' /C :l.t /wmb SUPJ~Tr Repc:trt (\~ nbeervation ~r an Un~entified vbject. in the S1q Commanding General Air ~!ateriel Com:'mnd l.'riaht-Fatterson Air Dayton, Ohio Attentions IICP Force Ba~e 1. F01warded tor your information is a copy or a rep~Jrt preparflld by a :~orthrop l.:trcr~rt. :~e. pi!.ot 1., regard t :> an un- identified ohjeci: observed in the elq in the vicinity or t:e:nphis, Texes, on lg April 195~. 2. 'Ibis !"'!& ter!al has l'een claesif:!.~d c~fide!'l~ial" pending t!le evaluation o!' tt.s cont~.,t.s nn~ rlecieicn by Headquarter~;, Air !.!aterial COJ'tnand. FOR '!'f.i! CHI!F, Lt"'C #.'TOE~-~ ~F f';'O:UP.~lE!~T FIF.In Ol"FICEt Rpt b.f Kax Stanley dtd 27 Apt 50 CHARlES E. l(COP.E J.!ajor, USAF Chief, Fl~ht Oper~tions NOITHIOP AIICIAn, ,. Obeenat1on otv .... ~ t1t1e4 ObJeot On 1~ Apr1l 1~50 a flight was made from Northrop Fiel4, Hawthorne, California, to Amarillo, Texas, in connection with ProJect ~775. The airplane ~sed tor this flight waa F-e1C No. Ar 8367 with a three-man crew consisting ot Llor4 Baleam and F. Weet ae observers, and the under- aigne4 ae pilot. Sbortl.J before departing trom Amarillo on 18 April 1960 tor the return flight to Northrop Field, I was re- quested by the Amarillo Airport office to call the local CAA radio range station on the telephone. Upon contacting the CAA office I was informed that the CAA observers in Clarendon, Texas, had under observation an unidentified obJect in the sky. This object had been observed since 9:00 A.M. (it was then approximately 12:00 noon Amarillo time), and wae described as a silvery object with an orange glow around ita perimeter. The Clarendon observers in conjunc tion with observers at Childress, Texas, had triangulated ita position ae being in the vicinity or Memphis, Texae. I requeated to fly to the position or the object tor a . oloeer observation. Atter reaching an altitude ot approximately 20,000 teet in the vicinity ot Memphis, Texas, an object was sighted to the so~theast ot our position. It was at a considerable diatance and could be detected only. by the intermittent re- flection ot sunlight on what appeared to be a metallic sur- race; it could have been another airplane. A heading was taken toward this object and radio comm~nication established with the Amarillo range station. Amarillo radio was ques- tioned as to the possibility or other aircraft being in the area at an altit~de of 30,000 teet or above; they advised that no other aircraf~ at that altit~de were known to be in the area, but that a B-36 had taken orr trom Fort \'lorth. Texasi to search for and observe the object but it had not ret t own into the vicinity ot Memphis. Arter tlying toward the obJect tor approximately 10 m1n~tes, it began to take form and appeared as if it might be a weather.balloon. Amarillo rad~o was then questioned Classihcatl:.>n .~-I OR Ch:J~Il(!d I ~I~ IINCLAsSifJFn . NOITHIOP AIICIAfT. r '- . MIMOIANDUM AVOID VIUAL ~ Ob1ervation ot Uni4en\1tie4 ObJect in the 8kJ in Vicinity et Memp&ia, Texa~ on 18 April 1iDO ~ April 1960 aa to thil poas1b11itr. Arter oontacting the local weather atation, they advised that it could not possibly be a wea ther balloon inasmuch aa 1t had been observed continuously in the aame area tor approximately ~our hours and that the winds aloft were such aa to preclude the possibility or a tree balloon remaining visible trom the ground tor that. length of time. At this time the obJect was lost trom eight due to a deok ot oirrua clouds; the obJect went behind or into this cloud lQJer. Flight was continued on the same heading for approximately another five minutes. The obJect then re- appeared slightly to our right and above us; our altitude at that time was approximately 30 000 feet and very close to tbe base or the cloud deck. The obJect appeared to be much closer to ua than when last seen. However, it is im- possible to make an estimate or ita distance inasmuch as the size or the obJect was unknown. MJ beat estimate or ita apparent size would be that ita diameter was one halt that ot a full moom when viewed directly overhead. obJect was or a silvery metallic color with a tranalucent quality; no orange ring or other evidence or oolor was observed. The shape or the obJect was sphere-like with prominent detente on the top and bottom, and with a dark streak or shadow connecting these detente. For the most part, this abadow was vertical and appeared to tilt occasionally, resulting in a sideways movement or the obJect. The motion vas not rapid and any movement was or short dur- ation. There was no visible or apparent means or propulsion. During the period or this observation~ radio contaot waa established with the B-36 airplane and a description or the obJect was given to them, but I was not able to estab- lish my definite position above the ground. The B-36 r..,. ported that they were above the cloud layer at 46~ 000 teet ClassificatiOn "~r .. ~: and were Wlllble to a1ght the obJect. Ch to /h2_ The obJect was again lost from sight due to its going f behind or into a cloud, Arter circling in the vicinity ot Y J/1.. ~- tha last visual contact for approximately five minutes, the ~ obJect was again sighted tor about 30 seconds in a break UNCLASSIFJ~ NOITHIOP AIICIAfT, , , MIMOIANDUM ObaerwatioD ot,Uni4entitie4 ObJeo' ln the Sq 1n 1c1nttJ> ot -Meapllia, fexaa, on 18 April ib rl April 1950 between two clouds. that we 4eacen4 due Atter this. contact to depletion or tne it was neceas&l')' hip a OXJgen It 1e est1 ted that 20 minutes elapaed between the tiae ot tirat aighting the obJect and losing sight ot it tor the aecond time. During thia period a constant east erlr heading waa maintained while olimb1ng trom 20,000 tee' to 30 000 teet altitude at an average indicated air"-; apeed ot 1DO aph. Two or three minutes attar commencing the descent trom &o,ooo feet, the B-36 reported that they too were leaving the area due to fuel shortage and that they had been un" euooesstul 1n sighting the obJect. Mr. Llord Balau, who was riding 1n the gunner tion in the airplane~ is a graduate or the Maasachuaetta Institute ot Technology. Mr. Sam r. West is a graduate ot the Univeraity or California~ and tor tive rears was em- plored in the Radiation LaboratorJ at the Masaaohuaetta Inat1tute ot Technology. ot the above observers are t amiliar with th1a report, an4 are in agreement with tbe statements made herein. further, we all. agree that the obJect sighted was not an airplane, balloon, celestial body, or any other obJect c seen above the earth Max Stanley Engineering Teat Pilot tfNCLAsSIEJE6 /'auto 1w ra ' 'te A~ r~t 1'ld rttiee '" r.1 Awe, w-P Ar!, laD or an tJnldent1tled rbject. ln t" A WCP, "'eeper\ Oft !JCIAXA-) I ~JR/pel Pa, Co:; ton, f"lhlo !Oa Chler, roe '"le1H AV Procurement Field ~"ftic-e, Air . at.ftlllel C.-ftd, 155 .. , uhtntr.ton Dld 1. !he repcat. tcrw1rded ln ~be !1aa1e letter has rout..ed to the cr11n1aat.1on in ted in theee ft'at. 1. tn the natvo ot the report in quest ton, the intCP."A t.1on .., be da.Nded rrc. Confi*U.l to i~eat.rict.ed PRA!!!t ' t>UN!'I Colonel, USAF Aots th1et, tntell1r.ence Depart:nl nt (!~lCU\SSIEJEQ lc ltr fa Anplee AF t Pld Oftice tn CO &MO, l':'-P API, Aftlt IICP, "'eport en Ober,aticn or an Un1.dentit1ed Object in the let Ind IICIAXA-1/J.JR/pel Bq A'C, Wri&ht-Patterecn Air Force Base, Jayton, Ohin MAY 25 l9~l. ~-~ !Oa Chief, toe t~nplea '" Procurement Pield otfice, Air t'aterial Cc.aand, 155 VI . 'iaehington Blvd., P.O. Box 3849 Terminal Annex, toe Anplee ~. Calitarftia 1. !he ort in the baaic letter baa been routed to the oraan1sation intereeted in these matters. 2. Due to the nat\D e or th report in quAstion, the intor"mation 7 be dOII'lgraded f"rCII Confidential to Restricted. Br C<"MIARD OF LIKUT!NAR'l' OENmAL C4 IDtA1h Act1 Chief, Intelligence Department UNC.tASSlfJi.tl c.nu& flu con