; . o ;v:.,:-o8 06/ll.J) Z i-marillo, Texas . (3 \'li tness'es) Civilian & ivlili t '.<. HeMaER O'f OBJECTS LENGTH OF OBSERVA TIOr-1 TY? E Of OoSERVA.rJON G.:-ound-Vist:a 1 , 7. COU RSE $ . PHOTOS , 9, PHYSICAL EVJi)EHCE 10. CONCLUSION Posnibl~ (AlMC ) re were no radar paints of 'l!lU~ual objects. A shgllo..t inters:. which a thin layer of ~oke was t rapped.existed at the t~e the sightins . Sever a l aircraft were in the area du~ing tho t~ .. ~ 11. BRIEF SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS e s Gf.t.t. n 3 ee ne S t!)".,;it appear s to be an aircraft that \IA..S -i.r.J the area with landing li&<ts on~ At about 0.530 first observ e r sighte~ a::l object t!1at was d~sc;-i l as being like the edge of a pla~e but q_ui te thick i n the cen~2-. i It r emained stationary briefl y then tilted, taking the form o i I the to;> view of a plate and sped away eastward. :..t 061 0 anotr..,)r observer Has enrou~e to !.marilla J,.}B when she heard a ::1oise I l s~ilar to a wind tunnel or a tor nado. She also obse~red a li~:Sht tra'reling east\o~ard. Sha d r ov e t o a truck stop where sh. s topped and asked for the manaGe~ to observe the object. ~t l about 0625 the truck stop manasar steped outside d cbse4~e~ ,~ , b~ight lizht to tfie east . He tried to follow it in his car ~ 1 X ~o the light quickl y disappeared. Neanwhile the other observer ' on C.uti' ~vhat she had seen . About 15 mi~utes late:::-approx 0700 ! FTO SEP SJ 0-329 (TOE} Prnlou edlUon o Lhh torn au7 b. u.oed. . (o '/ /':" ;::>) l So Cas~ l~f~rmation Cnly ;\marillo, ':'e.xaa Oltla.no#'.a identified Flyi~g Goject ~cport :;!:'i&;ht-Patterson AF3 (FTD) Dayton, Ohio L~5433 l. On 6 Narch 1968, in the early morning, scvc!'al unidentified flying objects Here reported by four ( 4 ) persons. The sie;htings Here repo!' ted during a period of l hour 40 minutes jllijt prior to official sunrise. The s i ghtings Here not reported to local neHs media. 2 . Statements of observers are fortrarded for your informacion. Hajor, USAF l Atch Directo!' of Safety Lnide~tified Flying Object Report 10 to 15 seconds Direction Djsa.ppeared: iJo. Visual Obser-rcrs: l l:o. Oo.jects: 1 Size: 30 o 70 feet in diameJ_.cr Distance : ~ mile East :t.fotion: Stationary to extreme speed Other Features: Definite outline, circular, quite thi ~:eather: See last page of attachr."ent -.leather Condi;,.i,o:m; Ouserver-Harne: R'eporte. , Amnrillo, Texas Occupa"':.ion: Service Sta ion I~r.te~1d.:m'L Occupa-tion: llo, Texas Station !{ana2er tated that he lT;:ts ,rorking tte night stift a.~ t he ~:n ... ck a H~IY 287 at Pullr:an S;ritch Road. At about 0530 to ou:rs he We!1t outside the s tatio!'l to put a packa.:e of fruit in his car. As he He.s return:L'I'lg, he noLiced the tail light s cor;e on on VITo tractor-trailers, hich ;Tere traveling Eas t on H,ry 287 on the overpass ore~ Pullma~ SHitch ~oad. ".Jhile iat~hi."'lg the t.:-uckc, a!'ld object to his ri&h L (:::ast) cat~.sht his eye. T'r..e o::>ject Has des:ribed as ceing like the edge oi' .:;. pl3.te out q~ite thick in tne cente::-. I t renai.ned stationary b.c:..efly then tilt-ed, t~dng the forn of t he top viet-r of a plate and sped rapidly a.ua;y :S:J.st- at about a 30 up-:,;ard angl e and d~sappeared into the clouds. He: f::: ::.her descrE:ed the oojsc-: as being '(,he color prod1.:.ced ~, shinning a Dtu a ti on: 10 minutes (ap~:no:-:i!rnte) lfo. Visual Observer~: Diroc t.ion Disappea_ed: Si e: So -60 feet in diameter G olor : Greyish Distance: rrc::tr Over head .!i.Ov_...; .... Eoverin~ to extrc!"'!e creed Other f eatu..r-cs: Had flashir:g red, green, and tThite lights on o'J.t0r edge '\-I9ather: See last page of at tach.'Tlent -~:eath'3r Conditions Observer Earr.e : Reporter -Har.:e: Rec:eiver: .A.ir Police desk, :\.AFB) Ext-200 De:;;cription: USAF rrurse rille AFD, Texa~ Occupr:d:.ion: Air Police:"lan IiaJor Hot.:. ... nger stated that she left her .::-esidence at 2)00 3 . S~:c-ing Street in lt~"YJ.:.rillo at apprczi:18.1;ely 061:) er:oute to .Ain1.1'illo ft..FB ~h3re she is a nurse at the bast; hospital. s::e ;r!3.s driving :forth on East8~n Street and ;;as about to turn ~ast onto }:igh:ray 287 vrhen she heard a loud noisz she d9s~ribed as siMilar to 2. lii :;.::. ".:.;,:,!mel or a tornado. She stopped her car, stepfled out of it and looked a..::-~:L--:d. She said she observed a:1 object an estimated 1000 feet aoove ~r.d t.o -v!"le East uf' her. She J.o0Y.ed arou..11d fo!' oth.:3r people and. :;eeing !'lO:'la, sne .reer.tered her car ana started driving East on 287 to find :.:o::.e 0:13 to ~-:::.cr. she coul d !'epo.::-t the si,;hted object. The object preceded her East~ia..~d ::>.-7:, a positi.n:1 ~;here site 0"'lUld soc it just "telor the top of he:-17indsi::.e2.d at speeds up to 90 HPH. After clri v - Highfc>.y 287, 'tren t into the se"'"r ic,:; sta::.~n aY:d. asked the m:u~ager, to cone outside nd ... ;:Jscrve the co~ ~ct. Ea.j or li:ot tin~er said that ut -: door a:1S. ~ stepped m.:tsic~s, .. ,e object moved E3.st~r ly hi :.;h speed. t ir~.:..o his c:a.:t to f )110~: the ob~ec t and Ha,:j or i1: .. ,-:.7,int;er T'o:.J.o:red behind in her cu:'. :'lhe said she co~: ... i!1'.h3d to obGe::ve the :);,Jject tL"lti'i sr:a t'.lcned. eft Hi,..;:-1:-ra.~ ?07 fio~th PJ.1.c.:e: Higr..~ray 2 8 and PullJ1a:: :.oad Dural.i.O!'l: 5 to 10 seconds Di ctio!'l Di ppeared: Bas' No. 7isual O';)se-:vers: 2 Ifo. OrJjer;ts: 1 Size: t he size of yard liGh t 1 mile Shape : Glo;,rir.g light Color : lf/.A -Obserrer is color- blind Distance: Estw.a ted 1 mile East Hot ion: Unable t o see any Ot.her Feat.ures: Glo'N'ing bri6ht a."ld dim aluernaLelj' Wea t.her: See .last page of at ~ ..... -::h~'l.::!nt -1!ea ther C ondi ti ons Observer-Ha"':'le : Reporte-r-. lia.":':e: rillo, Tez:as 79103 Occupation : USAF i:ucse tated that h e arrired at r.-rork at the Skelly Truck Stop about 0600. A nig h t s hift attendant, , r e lated his ex- perience of sighting an object a fe,, minutes earlier. A t aoout 0525, Eajor Ho:.tinger came into ;~he stat.ion and asked him t,o co:ne outside to obser-re an object in "-he air. aid that he sa>:T a [lc:-ring light above a farn house approxl.!"'.a l y 1 mile Eas t of the s '.-~. .. i . ?b.e f'arm house has tr...-o flood ligh-cs and t!1e glcr,fir..c: li-h:. tTa3 located betr.reen t h ese light s . '.t"P.e object ":ra.s ~lcr,rin~ b:-ig h t an~-1. -... he:'l di.~ altern.ately. co'J.l d ~ot. d:.stir..gui.sh a."ly colo:=-s as he is color blir..l. !-Ie decided to chase :.~e object and [Ot into his c.1.~ and star ':-ed :=::a.sr. on H':iJ" 287. Hrr.rere.~, by the ti.rr:e ha started his car and heJ.ded Eas t , t.h~ object had disappe2.reo. fron his ~:ie-..,. f'.e drol8 to t:~e .:'irst tr:' off t o l. he ~.-ig!:.t (a di.rt roJ.d.) :l~d retur:1ed to vhe Ser-r:.-:r:: s:.c.tion ~ri..,h,oll\', f'l . .:rthr::!' signti~lg Date: 6 Narch 196 8 0 700 hours Pla --:e: South Ga.Le, .AA.FB, 1'ex Dcration: 5 Lo 6 39con:ls Direction Disappeared: Nor theust Ho. Observers: l No. Objec':.s: 1. Si~e: Semi-trailer Shape : Obsclli'C gloH Color: Yello:-i Motion: Do~m-horizont.-:!1-up Other features: :ro definite form :reather: See last pJ.ge of attachment. -~!e~.t.her Conditions Observer - Name: AlC Joseph F . vTinfie ld Age: 20 Adif'ess: Hq Sq Air Base Group, JLftFtl, Te:-cas PhGne: 349-1511, Ext 200 Occu.pati.o!'l: Air Police~o.'::l.n Reporter -Sarr.e 1.s aboYe Receiver -Air Police Desk, .A.AFB, Tezas, F.xt 200 Date: 6 Harch 1968 Description: Ah.: Jo'se;:>h F'. Hinfield, Jr. vTas on duty at the South G1.te at ap;:>rozi:"".:=J.:ely 05L5 hours, :rhon l'aj or Hottinger sto;:>t;)ed at ... he gate to repo!'t a!'l o'-jec t. follo,ring he::.. Haj or Hottinger told hi.""! that yello:T obje~t .Ti. th a. rs ... l light had fo llmred her. fr o;n t he tine she had left her ho:1e. She rep or ted that she stopped at a f illing station to make sure of ,;hat she h...3.d seen. The station attendant t hen follor,re d t he object. The o'.:>je~t stopped follo:r- ing the Major uhen she turned onfu the South Gate road. About 15 r.in:..t~es later Airman \;infield 'tras looking to the rear of the gate ho-....se i:han he sa:i a yello'H light or object Hith a red flashing light on top, Crop fro:: a dark cloud and t hen ~ake a right angle turn, and tr~vel horizcntally and en go straight back up to t he cl oud. At that tirr:e he called Sectu:ity Police Desk to repo:~t 'Hhat he had seen. The size of the o0ject, ~ras _:~.bo .. t that of a seni-tr~ck a."ld d i d not have any noise or so1.111d at all. The lccat ion of' t.he object 1:a.s Hortheast near t he golf c0urse. Ti:e cb .. ;ect C1.'"':e out of ~he clO'ld about half the speed t.hat it tra-.-eled horiZo!l.:all:. fie bU9SSed ~he object to be about 700 t o 800 feet high . He sa:J t he ooj"'rt. for only ;, to 6 se~onds from t he time it appe1.red to "':.he time it. disappe3.red. Tfe c::.lled the d:lsk and asked for t he Flight C orr.:"l:?.nder but he did not. co:-se. H~' :r:ade a report uh:m he .:;;ot off duty. 1 I W lW'ItrKV I l I ZTl?:W .. TF ,d&:WO A :.;b.ullc:r in;enion exi3terl ove ... AH\ t!'tis :ncrni!.; fro:n Sl~rfD...;i Lo l1f'JC> i'ct. HSL aue J . Sc to rad:..2.t.; onal cooling. fl,. thin luxer of S!1oke '.:'1s in the are:1 trapped under this inversion. ~!inds Hcre lirht and variable. 317 condition> 10,000 h;,;h c.rercast viaibility 15+. Te:r.pe::::tt.ure ':J::ts Summation: This series of si;:;hting occurred during a 1~ hour pe::-iod over a distance of approximately 5 miles in a t;eneral East-vJest line. 1'ilT~es of the slghtings being from 0530 to 0700. b . A te:nperature inversion occurred in the sighting area during a closely corresponding t~e; 0530 to 0800. c . Sunrise was at 0710 CST. Aircraft in the ~rea e:-::h3.'.1St flames are as Tjrpe Aircraft-, of sighting follo;.;s: and bearing flashing lights Direction of Te.keo.:'f Continental DC-9 Conventional 2uO Practice Instrument .Approaches e . All four descrip~io~s vary either in size, color, sh~pe> or sound. f . lfo radar sighting of unusual objects uere observed. A lmT cloud cover related to the inversion lay Southeast of and parallel to the area of sightir~. li~hts from occ.::-:-ed along a line paralleled on the Ho:-th by of t..r:arillo, Texaco Refiner-J and J\.."iarillo A!t'B. contact Has !'!lade b~l 1:as any residue found. i;!..th ~he sightings. the 0bject 1rith gro~ndJ !JS::'sons or property no::- :i'o electric :nagnetic pb.eno~enon vras associated Conclunio~s: Based upon the conditio~s and circumstancec cited above co.,.elated to guidance p~o-Jided by the AF -University of Colo:::-ado Conference> it appeHrs ;;os .. likely th:;.t :.l'!ese sightil~s Here percep":.ual d:~+ ,;rtio~s in t~e form o"' :-:irages cre2.ted oy the te!Tiperat.ure inversion. T:u lo~d noise described by :t-:ajor Hottinger cannot be identified ':)ut CO'lld ..:c been frorr. one o.f th~ ;:>ircraft o;:>r;.r1.ting ne:tr the poinL c-f sighti~;s. T. E ?OLLO':~ING REPOR'.i' >,.;: . s ?Oir,!J\RDSD TO 'i''!E UNIVERSI'TY 0? COLOH.'1LO 0?! 6 Harch 1968 Amarillo AFB, TP.Aaa As'i\A~IllO AIR FORCE BASE