4. NlJMBE ~ OF OBJECTS s. LENGTH OF OSSERVATION /.. TYPe CF 08.) VATION Greund Vis~al Tx 9. PHYSICAL EVIDENCE PROJECT 10073 RECORD 2. LOCATION Gw:lnn~:-, 10. CONCLUSION Unidentifi.l'!d 11. BRIEF SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS Obs~rver noted ell:.ptical sh:.1.ped object with ;t gl~ss bub~:e protruding .:~ron: th~ top. The ebject \-tas silvery gray in color and .:ppenred t~ hover before departing to~e.rd the north\l~:;t. Tht~ observer said he c~uld he::lr & low pitched whi.r.~1 ut on~ time. Tn~r~ wa~ evioenc~ present in the form of depressi~ns in the ground. ...~.r- surruunding area showed no effects of heat ~nd n~ evidence of high vel~city wind bl~st f the inve~t:i r~ating vfficials said th-.t it looked li.:.Ce SCimeone had jumped Up and down on a bowling ball. r: Tn c ~ D I. .. n.~:--~ fT::>E) PNIoaa cS:tiOftl of thl ro,. ~a.. .... d In the followl"l a~etch, lrnotlne thot you ore ot the point how". Place on A'' on ,.._, r:urv~ I ir' to a how ho .. hl;h the o-~ltct wa1 above the horizon (alcyllne) when yw llrtt aaw lt. Place r.1 "8 .. ora the ~m. cur~cf line 2C" ahow how hl;h the obiect woa above the horizon (skyline) when ynu last 'uw it. Place -.1n ''/A.'' on the tompos when you llrtt 1ow lt. Place o "8" on the comJt whr you lo1t 1aw the oh,ect 2o . Draw c ;: ictvr9 that will ahow the mot ion that the obiect or obiects macfo. Place on .. A' at tho boginni:1g ot' ~ha poth, o "S" :t the end of the path, end show any changes in direction during the ~our& e 29. IF ther w= ,-..\CR! THAN ON! obJ~t, then how ny wer ther? -_ Draw o pJc~l,jr. of how they wr orran;d, oncl put on arrow to ahow the direction that th"Y were trovulin". 30. Hove rou aver n thia, or a aimilor obiect before. If ao ;fvt dot or dcltta and location. 31. Was onyoM I with you at ftte time you saw the object? (Circle One) 31.1 IF yC)U o:-tawered YES, did they the obiect too? (Circle One) 31.2 PI list their names 1nd addr: 32. Plecut ve tht following lnfmotlon c!:>out youraelf: TELEPH~E NUMBE SEX c:rlj. lndl~ote o,.,~ ~dcfltlonol lnfor,..tlon o~ut youratlf, Including ony aptelol experlnct, whleh might be ~rtlnnr. When ancl to ~om did you report that you had teen the obfect? 34. Date you cofftpleted thit quatlonnalre: 35. Information whleh you fHI pertlnnt and which It not adequately coverd in the apeclflc polnta of the queatlonnolre Of a narrative explanation of your alghtlng. ~'l'D ( TDErR) Wrigbt-Patterson AFB, 7 rroveaaber 1966 Reference your unidentified observation ot 13 September 1966. The information which we have received is not sufficient for evalta tion. Request you Conl;plete the attached l'TD Form 164 and return 1 t 1n the envelope !)rovided. . We wish to thank you for reporting your observation to the Air Force. Sincerely~ ProJect Blue Book ASSISTANT ADJUTANT GENERAL FOR AIR DAKOTA AIR NATIONAL GUARD t ~ Fargo, North Dalcota 58103 ) '3 (J 1 ATTN OF: ND-AAG .25 September 1965 SUBJECT: Report of UFO Sighting TO: AFSC (FTD) 1. A report of UFO sighting is submitted in compliance with AFR 200-2, paragraph 14. a . (1) Elliptica l with glass bubble protruding from top. (2) ApproxiJna t ely 36 f eet in diameter. (3) Silvery-Gray. (6) Retractabl e tripod in bottom, five (5) flashing lights visible -T\'lO (2) red, two (2) white, one (1) green. (7) None, exc~p t for bluish glo\'l at bottom on take-off. (8) Very l oud on take-off resembling low-pitched whine. observer was Seen at distance of approx~ately one (1) mile while waiting for school bus. (2) Elevation 10, azimuth 24-0 one .(1) mile from observer, (3) Angle 80, azimuth estimated 350 upon disappearing. (4-) Hovering \'lhen first sighted one (1) mile from obsel"ver then moved to a position 280 from observer at about 300 yards and made vertical lar1ding in field. slightly to Object left \~ith great rapidity near vertical but the north. (6) E~timated five (5) minutes~ c. (1) Ground-visual. Optical-aid September 1966. mounted on e . Ten (10) miles \vest, two (2) miles north of G't~Jinner, North (1) Randy Rotenberger, 11, Gwinner, North Dakota. Reli- abilit}' considered excellent for age of observer. g . (1) Overcast, visibility good. (2) thru (7) Observed weather at three (3) nearest points a t 1300~} 13 September 1956, as follo\~JS: FAR measured 700' broken, 1800' overcast, visibility more tha n fifteen (15) miles~ temperature 59, dew -point 57, wind 360 17-24 ABR estimated 6000' broken, 12,000' broken to overcast, visibility more than fifteen (15) miles, light rain sho'Jers, tempera- ture 5~, dew point 57, wind 2700 5 kts. ~18 balloon ceiling 2100' overcast, visibility more than fifteen (15) miles, ter.1perature 53, de\'/ point 49, wind 010 23-32 l<ts. h. Cold front passage occurred in the area between 0900Z and 10002: '-'-;i t h some thunderstorm activity. Electrical po\~Jer was off in the i~r. iate area for approx~nately four (4) hours and included the time oi' -::~2 reported sighting None known k. At 19306-15 Sept ember 1966-a telephone call wns received by the preparing officer, Thomas E. Marking, Lt Col, Commander, ll9th Combat Support Squadron, from Mr. Clifford Melroe of the ~1elroe Manu- facturing Company of G\\linner, North Dakota, tru.n e object had been observed near Gwinner by a schoolboy, and that the object, upon landing near the farm home of the boy, had left tracks in the field. He suggested that someone be sent out to observe the tracks and possibly expJ.ain them. At 2130g, Brig Gen Homer G. Goebel, Lt Col Thomas E. Marking, Capt Edtvard A. S~roch and MSgt Everett E. Brust arrived at the scene of the reported sighting. A-t the point where the observer said the = object landed, three (3) imp~essions were found in a summerfallowed field. The impressions were ball-shaped, 10" in diameter and 7" deep, in the form of an isosceles triangle, 26'x21'6"x21'6". They were apparently made by an object or objects pressed vertically. There was no evidence of digging ~nd the impressions were q~1~acted solid~y. It is estimated from the condition of the soil that approximately 1500 lbs wDuld be required to make each one. There was evidence of pedes- trian traffic but no vehicular tracks were seen entering the field. The dried stubble in the area showed no effects of heat and no evi- dence of high velocity wind blast was apparent. Radiation at the site"' was insignificant indicating .1 milliroentgen on PDR-27. No electrical trans~ission lines are loc!ated i .n the area. T~e information in a. through e. above was obtaine d through an interview with the observer, Tl1e impression gained from the interview was tha t the boy s very level-headed and objective for h i a age. Although he admitted being frightened at the time, his 8+- y G.id not vary i n any detail during the interview. When asked to m::',':: a drawing of what he saw, he did so without hesitation or apparent doubt a~out what he t h ought he observed. Al ~hough the possibility of a hoax always exists, it is not con- sidered a certainty. The observer obviously lacks observation ex- p erience and technical knowledge but he displayed obvious sincerity. The im~ressions could have been made by individuals, but the instrument used \\O~ld have been quite heavy and required two or more to carry it. The nl..l17lber of persons having knowledge of the alleged sighting was limited prior to 15 S~ptember since the boy was reluctant to mention it to anyone except his r.1other. he possibility that some ball lightning phenomenon '\vas observed is not c~nsidered valid since, according to meteorological texts, weath2r co:1ditions were not correct, i.e., no active thunderstorms, wind ve:'_oci'!:y too high , etc. A whirlwind or "dust devil" mus t be ruled out sin::e the ground \!as damp and the air was stable as evidenced by the proo?.ble temperature-dew point spread. According to the u. s. Weather Station, the cold front at this time was east of Fargo, south of Gwin112r but north of Aberdeen. If one assumes a relationship b et\veen the sighting and the im- pressions i n the field, then any meteorological phenomenon must be discoun t ed. No aircraft, experimental or operational, is kno\'111 at this station which \\1ould account for such impressions that were left .in the field or, assuming the observer's story to be valid, would account fol" the flight path or appearance. The possibility-exists that the impressions could have b.een made by repeated pounding and sculpturing with a round object and the sighting invented to go with them or that the sighting was reported and the impressions then sculptured to give it credibility. To prove or disprove this \oJould probably require intensive interrogation. If no connection bet\veen the sighting and the impressions is assumed then the sighting could have been an optical illusion or some unknO\\TI atmospheric anomaly. Ho\vever, based on the asswnption that the reported sighting was reasonably valid, that a causal relationship exists between the sighting and the ground impressions and that hoax of soD2 sort was not involved, the object reported is considered un- knot\n and unidentified pending further information that may become available. 1. Photographs of the site are Randy Rotenberger of his impression Cl1ER G. GOEBEJ1, Brig Asst A~jutant General Gen, NDal<ANG attached plus the dr~twing made by of what he observed 1. Photographs of site (L~) 2 Drawing by DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE AIR FORC. FLIGHT DYNAMICS LABORATORY (AFSC) WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, OHIO 45433 ATTN oF: FDFM/R. J. Parker/55027 26 October 1966 Evaluation of Depressions Found North Dakota in Connection with in Fallowed Field Near Reported UFO Sighting To: FTDTR/Lt. Morley Conclusions: lo The symmetrical layout of the depressions is a logical arrange- ment xor a tripod-type landing gear 2~ The absence o vehicular tracks in the field exfectively rules out the possibility o the depressions being made by a piece o heavy f'a:rxn equipment. 3. Since no soil strength data was obtained, it is not possible to estimate the force which made the depressions. (A cone penetrom- ete~ reading in the area surrounding the depressions plus additional re ings in the bottom of the depressions themselves are essential.) T~erefore, it is not possible to verify the estimated 1500 lbs force pe~ depression figure given by the investigator's reporto 4. '9ased on the in.fo:::m.a.tion contained in the report made by Brig. Ge Homer G. Goebel, NDakANG, there is no evidence to refute that the depressions could have been made by a vehicle with vertical ~ke-off and landing capability. The rounded shape of the imprints wot:.ld normally be associated as the ground-contacting elements for a landing gear desjgned for unsurfaced (relatively soft) areas. Self-aligning 1at-bottom pads would be a more logical selection o= landing on prepared sites. FOR THE DIREcrOR PAu~ :v!. \A!A.GNER - Ac~g : ica1 Mgr (Alighting Mecha2ical Branch Vehicle Equipment Division 1. NDak.ANG ltr dtd 25 2. Photographs of Site. 3. Drawing by 4. Note dtd 21 Oct 66 Conversation with MSgt Brust, one of the ~nves~igat.ing offici~lJ, revealed that the ground was compressed same but not solidly compressed as first stated. The markings were three days old before the investigating group arrived on the scene. He made t he comment that it lmmked to h~ like someone had taken a bowl- ing ball and j ped on it several times. No additional infor- ~tion had become available on this sighting. They had sub- titted all the infc!"L1tion that they had obtained. TDETR /Maj H Quintanilla, Jr/70916/mhs/21 Oct 66 Re~at for Information on Power OUtage _,,_,... tric Company Gwinner, North Dakota 58o4o OOT 2 4 19SS The Air Force office which has the responsibility for investigating unidentiried f'l.ying objects is in receipt of a report from the Gwinner area on 13 September 1966. The initial report mentioned that electrical power was off 1n the i1wnediate area for approximately four hours. This office would appreciate any in:roriaation on the cause or causes of this particular electrical po~er breakdown. This 1n!'orma.tion 'Will be of value in our final evaluation of' the reported sighting. It you have any questions on the material desired you may contact MaJor Hector Quintanilla, Jr at area code 513 FOR :nag COMMANDER COORDI~ATION "Wvlonel, USAF chl1ology and Slbsystems '": TDETR/MAJ DATE?l'ICt"