r. L=.!<ehtr::;t ..l.rlUvCS Descrit)tion :i.ncidc:-~t ~00 Unid.,titied ~ Object UNCLASSIFIED 1. tour attention is invited to the abtached correspon:lence trcm Hq USAF relative to the above subject. . 2. As indicated in the attached letter (Para 1) no definite conclusions can be reached on the information presented. However, it has been the experieD:e of this office that observations in the air especiall.T at night are often very deceiving even to the JI08t experienced observers. 3. A check ot the tiles in this ottice reveals no other reports which add anything to the report in question with regard to both the time aR1 location involved. Rerue st the matter be investigated by your ortice to determine ~ttthe r any other persons re- ported similar obs.ervations lllhich would coincide from the standpoint or time ani general Subject ltr HAROLD E. WATSON 4JR/peg Colonel, USAF 65376 Chief, Intelligence Department B 263-D UNCL.ASSIFIEQ AJIOIH-V/TCtJNCLASSIFIED Unidentified Airbox'lle Light Commanding General Air Materiel Conmand Wright-Patterson Air Force Base D"vton, Ohio l1'TBJ, Chief, Intelligence Department 1. The inclosed report is forwarded to your department tor analysis and coDIDent. It is p-obable thht a detinit'e conclusion cannot be reached from the facts presented in the report 2. The nature of the observation suggests a possibility of the object being a lighted balloon. However, this ion was ex- plored when LTJG Haven was interviewed b.r Lt Technical . Capabilities Branch. LTJG Haven stated that jet ght era had made interceptions on his aircraft on many occasions. He stated that the light had a speed range much greater than a jet fighter. It appeared to circle his aircraft at a terrific rate of speed, even when Climb- ing. The rate of climb was estimated to be over 2000 feet per minute Therefore, it would notbe possible to class this incident asfllighte~ weather balloon, if the description is considered accurate. 3. It is requested that this report be reviewed and evaluation forwarded to this Headquarters. BY COMMAND OF THE CHIEF OF STAFFa 1 Incl: LESTER S. .AIR IS Ltr fr LTJG Haven to Hq USAF, Colonel, USAF dtd 29 Nov 50, Enc0\mter with Chief, Technical Capabilities Branch strange phenomena while night Evaluation Division and Ltr fr CO, Air Develo~rectorate of Intelligence ment Sq Three to Hq USAF, Dtd .30 Nov SO, aame subject OOWNGJlAb~D A 'I' 8 Y~Att IN "ft,_..-.SSIFI~ ... pECLASSlFIED AFTER 12! i~J.' .. hCOiil Ropr1, IICIAXA-U REUR LET!~R APOIN-V/TC DATEU 29 DEC CONC~nNINC UNID~NTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS R~PORTED SY L NO DEFINITE COilCLUSIOi~S CAN Bii; ~ACHF.J ON BASIS OF FAC~'S PR~SENTED. OSI t!.~S BEEN REQUESTED TO CHECK ON 'NHETHER P.EPORTS V. REC~IVED FR0~1 OTHER PERSONNRL AT THE SAN.E TIME AND G~NERAL LOCATION. AS SOON AS REPLY JS RECEIVED Al1C Cm.l~.IENTS WILL BE FOR\VAREED DOWNGRAD~D AT 3 YEAR ~TEH \ ........ ~ DBCLASSI FlED A FT~R 12 Y&AUS. IJNCLASSIF1El1 DNa.ASSiFi&:D UNITED STATES ATLANTIC trLIEET AIR DEVELOPMENT SQUADRON THREE % n.&KT .. DIT OI'I'ICE NEW YORK, NEW YORK l'IR!l' El!'OR!El on ltr ot L~JG Commrndlng Officer, Air Development Recdr.urrtera u.s. Air Force J.FOlV-TO (J..t.tna Lt. Col. \TILLIS) PentP~on Buildine ~aAbington 25, D.O. S(lu.e.dron THREE Su.bJa Enco\Ultcr vith atrenge phenomena whll~ nieht flying 1. rorwErded. DNCLASSIFJEil UNCLASSIFIED UNITED STATES ATLANTIC FLEET AIR DEVELOPMENT SQUADRON THREE % FLEET POaT OP'P'ICE NEW YORK, NEW YORK HeF.dc:w.rtere U.s. Air Force AFOlV-TC (Attna Lt. Col. ',tiLr .. IS) Pentagon uilding lTashington ~5, D.C. Commending Officer, Air Development S~UP.dron Encounter With str2.nt;e phenomenR While nieht n;rint; RIPI.R TO: 1. ' '1h1le on c. rnutine night r~.dpr navie~.tion flir:ht from UAS Atl?.ntie City on the night o! ~ 7 Novclilber 1950, the follo,dne incident too!t plr-.oo. I w~s flying c.n ).D-1 ; r :>turninc !ro:t ECP\vrrn, r..n1. hor:1i r.r: in on l~A ~. L"'':eh'.lr st. A~ \/e r:.p'?l.O::'Chcd L~l:e~.Ul!Jt ~t c.pproxim?tr-ly ),)00 feEt, I bec ... J;le l'.\;Ne or e. s1~1e:le ote2.dy white light to my stPrbo:'rd. cbout five (5) miles, \'lhich I ,j,Jdf.;cd to 'oe tdrcr~ft' e fu~elr.>ge light. ~hit. li~ht w~n lightly ebove m~, at ."bou t ~,000 feet e.nd movin~ in a southeast~rly direction Pt R roxim?tcly my ~i e~d or slir;htly t,Teeter. :9eo::uce of the stf'ady lieht, I belived t h i s \Jt-S e..nothPl. oili ta.ry e.ircre.ft operf' tine from !:!=~ltehur ~t or AtlPntic ~1 ty :\n<' lnr-tructe~ r.ty cre\-r.nPn to s\ritch OUZ" re.d.~.r to "intercept" so \'1e could .te!'t out thi~ pPrt of our geer before rctur :~i~'li:: to base. The tine w~.s P.bout !91~, as we were due to land at 1930. Then I pulled up in ~-slight climbing t .. un in order to eet on this object's tail . The vi9ibility wr:-.s extremely excellent wit~ no ovcrc~st. e.nd \ri th c.ll the ste.rs r::nc plenets Eho\\'lng br if;htly. It \:~ s no E;:ffort to di ncern the motion of this object bccc.use o! ti1e b c Ckf;round of t~1e ~.t:-rr.. Aft()r rollir6 out on thic object's course, it turned a little mo1e sont!i.~!'ly :-n~ t~eFmcc: to eettle.dov.u ~d I pretu'1ed I M'ls directly' behind it, still some\:h'"'t lo\Jer. In less tix1c thr.t it tc-.kes to tcll this liht, \-1it!1:>ut t1f'lcin:~ :uy kin:l of 1cvcrr.'11 turn, bore down oa me in a slight dive, pnas~1e directlY ov~r my cr-nopy, ct <~ inclcdible svce<!, e.bout 100 to ?00 feet ~.bove. Pu::::led at this, l!lY firs t l'Cr'C~ tioll \1:--.s thr t \'le he.d origin~J.ly me t he{'d on, cnC. t h!:'.t this \tr s some f'ilcrr .i't \':ithout runninr_; lights enr .. th~t it had been e. close mis~ for ooth of u s . I:1for:n- ing my crcrt.:13ll of \lhr>t took plr-ce, he C.isreer.:rci~d. his rrd:-1 ope rc..tion 0nJ. !>~occNlcci to witness the follovi~ eveuts. I then pulled into R tit?1t 1c\"crr? l tur;1 in or\ier to see t:'liR lil:;ht cgr.i.1. } .. s bcfo1e, it ':r--s till t'l iG:ltly hi~hr r tht'n I, ~.nC ti1is ti~e I \l~s positive \le \:ere on hiR t~il. Fus i1~;; to no1r~::l rP.tci power ::nd bli!!.bint;, I att~r:1pt~d. to hold the li~ht in front of oe t h ir: ob.j ect &'\de nnothtr ho~d on ss, veering slit;htly port r..nn below so t hat m: clcn.-:7\an could seP. it too. Still nothin& but e. sinele ,.hit light close to 10 to 1~ i:1ches in dirunetcr, it r.1oved \lith !entastic speed. Since \'e \-:ere close F.bo:?rd l'!~.vy Lakehurst, e.uout five (5) milet:: north, I tried cont~ctlng t!leir to\Ier t\'tice on 142.74 rncs. with no re s~onse. Still ene~&ing in this c~.t f'n" mowae tr-e g~me \d t!l this light, r.nd rec;lling thl't our own SC'Udron h rd some jets Pnd ot:1er AD's UNCLASSIFIED~ Flr~orne, I awitched to our on common frenuency, and re~uent~d eas1at~nce froa eJ17 "confine" n1rcr'ft 1n the vicinity. The OO!!ll!'lf'.nding Of~ieer rnc:'. his -..1. ng- ~e.nd in t'l) '91'' 1 answered, and aet course !or L!.kehurt~t. In the meenvh1le, Pi' tor fin (5) to aix (G) pr-tn~ee, this object r'..nd I cot into n port or?it. I i'reruently cheeked rJY inLtrw:.ent,; for r.tltitude r..n~. en.P:ihc limitr.tions, and flew i!l e. Goo climb- ing port brnk, indic~ting 130-135 1-::tB. ~is lit;ht continued to turn cbout me in \':ider cli;;lbing turnr~, mckin~ about two orbits to my one. At 11,500 fe"t I r.brm- doned tho ch~ se end sir.::!11Y orbited in orr: er to keep the ob.~ect in ait;ht. ;.'hP.n tho Com..":''r.ndi~ Officer reported over l.rcGuire A.~ 1\t lh,OOO feet I turned my lic-ht s from "Dim" to :ari~ht", re!'orting we \\>ere still in a :port orbit, but I eGtit-c. ted the objt::"cta height e.t P.bout 18,000 fE.I!ot still clir,binG 1n P. wide orbit 11.nd crowing di!.1~cr. :r the tice they N"rived over me, the object still a!)_-,e~e~ ... thoU{;h f r 1nt, et a~out 25,000 feet. All t~is took pl~ce in a per!od of 25 to 30 minutes, end ~t the Co:mnPnd1ng Officer surrestion tie returned to bPBe. The Co!!Uil.:nd1nc Of~iccr never diu ei&.'lt the li~ht, bu.t hi~ "'inf.T.i"ll did. H~vinc hed exyerienc~ with j ets e~Pinst conv~ntion~l in "Doe ~ic~tr.", I heve ~ go ide~ of their SDe~d, but thi~ obj~et in the eneountPr described previously l-Ias m~kint: o.t lenst t \ice t~u~t s:9eed, or ~P:Tlroxim'\tely COO kts. Uhile it \.':"~ p:'nr.- int; I tried hP.rd to dir.tinguish e. shr~pe or form of win6 or airfoil, but could see nothin~; but this white libht. Pulling up ev~n rr.ore e.ftor it p~s~ed, I tried t~ see if I could hit ita ,,.E>sh or e1ii>stren.m, but thP-re \'i~.B none. Only thit: sin~le stn-:>d~' 'lrhitc li~t t:u.t could r.1ove \iith .:_)hcnomenp~ B!)eed nnd r:~.neuver~bility.