UFO/Flying Disc Investigative Records 1947-1968 Section 4

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SAC, PORTLAND

SUBJECT:[

DATE:

October 9, 1947

FLYrnG DISCS

SECURITY MATTER - X.
Reference is made to Portland teletype dated September 13, 194?.
Records of the Radio Dispatcher, Portland Police Department, reflect
that first notice of unidentified objects in flight over the city on September 11,
1947 was received from officers in District 18, which is in the extreme northeast section of the city, at 5:21 P.M. The log further reflects that at 5:23 P.M.
the radio requested District 14, which is further south, to attempt to locate
and identify the objects and that at 5:24 P.M. a report was received from the
car occupied by Chief of Police JENKINS, reporting that they had sighted some
objects. District 14 at 5:27 P.M. reported seeing nothing unusual in the sky.
ROBERT D. ADAIR; 4325 S.E. Madison Ave., Portland, advised that he was
one of the two officers on duty in District 18 on September 11. 'lhe car was in
the vicinity of N.E. 25th Avenue and Saratoga Court when ADAIR and his fellow
officer noticed a number of people looking upward and pointing. Upon looking at
the sky ADAIR observed the very bright reflection of the sun on some object
which was apparently made of silvery metal. The object was coming from the east
and made a wide turn over the city and disappeared to the south. ADAIR estimated
its speed at about 150 miles per hour and its altitude at about 5,000 feet.
He watched it for a period of about two minutes and during that time it gradually
disappeared in such a manner as to appear that the angle was slowly changing,
so that the sun was no longer reflected into ADAIR's eyes. He says that the
shape appeared to be round but that the glare was so bright that it could have
hidden the true outline of the object. '!here was no oscillation visible - only
steady flight. ADAIR believes it was an ordinary metal airplane reflecting light
of the afternoon sun.
, , 1 :mnau:r, 1t'l'-'l
J. R. CALDWELL, 7652 S. E. Lincoln St., Portland, Oregon was ADAffi's
partner in District 18 on September ll. CALDWELL states that the object appeaired to him to take the same course as that described by ADAIR. He pointed out
that the speed, height, and size of the object were difficult to judge, because
of the interdependence of the three factors. However, he believes that the
obj ect vrhen first sighted was about three miles away and about two miles high.
He believes it was traveling at a much greater speed than a conventional aiiplane and was a great deal larger. It appeared t o him to be elliptical in
shape, and inasmuch as it did not bank or tip he could not judge its thickness.
It was of a very bright silver o~ ~ su tanco.

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PD 62-1531
Chief of Police LEON V. JENKINS advised that he was travelling south
on N. Williams Avenue near Russell St., when he and Officer H. s. RANEY, his
driver, received a call on the police radio requesting District 14 to attempt
to observe an unknown object in the sky reported by officers in District 18.
JENKINS observed what a ppeared to be a round silver object, about 10,000 feet
high, travelling northeast to southwest. It was directly to JENKIN's left ffllen
observed first . He thought it was a weather balloon. Further observation convinced him that it could not be a balloon because of its speed which was extremely great . As JENKINS watched, it turned gradually until it was travelling due
south, and as it did so, its shape seemed to change until it appeared to be
egg-shaped. It disappeared in· about 30 seconds.
Patrolman H. s. RANEY stated that when he first observed the object
it was straight ahead of him and travelling straight away from his car.
RANEY was driving south on N. Williams Avenue. To RANEY it appeared to be just
a glare of sun on some object, and he was unable therefore to tell its shape.
It appeared to be very high and travelling extremely fast. It was out of sight
after he had travelled 4 or 5 city blocks at a speed of about 25 mph. RANEY
stated that he has never seen an object at such an extreme height before and
that if the sun had not reflected from it he could not have seen it at all.
He believes it could possibly have been a reflection from a large airplane at
great altitude.
ROBERT W. SHAYLOR, 4810 N. Fessenden St ., Portland stated that he was
on duty in District 14 with Officer DONALD r'l. CO,JLit{G on September 11, 1947
and received the call to watch for the object flying over the city. SHAYLOR
and COWLING-immediately scaMed the sky f rom a vantage point in open territory
where they could see the entire sky. They saw nothing in the sky at that time,
SHAil.OR stating that they did not even see any airplanes.
A short article in "'lhe Oregonian", Portland daily newspaper, for
September 12, 1947, describes the object as seen by Chief of Police JENKINS and
also states that 11The Oregonian" received several calls from other persons
reporting the object. FRED M. WHITE, Assistant City Editor, advised that the
paper has no record of the identities of the people making the calls.

62-1531
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te Memor

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Director, FBI

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SAC, Anchorage

•

m • UNITED ST/i

JVERNMENT
DATE:

10/18/47

(
SUBJECT: REPORT OF FLYING DISCS

-This is to advise that we have been able to locate a

.flyer, JA~K, who is employed by the Al Jones Flying Compa.cy in
Bethel, .Alaska. It bad been ~ported to Military Intelligence that
Mr . PECK and his co-pilot VIN
AJJi bad observed sane flying object
near Bethel, Alaska, in July, 194
Eff or ts previously to contact
Mr. PECK were negative until the above instance.
He related that the occasion of seeing the flying object
near Bethel was on a July day when the sky was completely clear of clouds,
am it being during the early part, it is daylight the entire night.
The time of bis sighting this flying object was about 10 FM and the sun
had just dropped beyom the horizon. Flyir€ weather was extremely good
am he, with Mr . DALY, was coming into the Bethel Airport with a DC-J.
He observed the flyiq,; object immediately to his left alli stated that
it apparently was observed at approximately the same time by Mr . DAIX
am both of them· manipulated the controls of the plane ma.king efforts
to miss the object inasmuch as they could not tell in which direction
it was going. They made a forty-five degree t urn in order to get out of
the way of the object arxi then noted that it appeared to be going away
from them. He described the object as appearing to be some flying wing arxi s
said that it appeared to be about the size of a C-54 without any fuselage .
He could not see any propellor or any exhaust f r om jet propulsion or any
vapor trails arxi could not estimate the size due to his failure to be able
to estimate the distance he was away from the object . He was flying at
1 , 000 feet and stated that he tried to catch up with the object am increased his manifold pressure to approximately 42 inc hes am was traveli!)g
at the rate of 170 miles per hour.
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He called on his radio to the Civil Aeronautics J,dministration station at Bethel, asking what aircraf't was in the vicinity am
they bad no reports of any aircraft . The object he s ighted vras
some five or ten miles from the airport before his arriva l and sta ted
that the path did not go directly across the airport. He, of course, could
not tell whether the object was making aey noise arxi stated that it was
flying at a thousand foot altittrle am estimated travel at 300 miles per
hour. It was travel ing in the direction from Bethel to Nome, which is in
a northwesterly direction. He noted no radio interference and is unable to
describe the color other than that it appeared da rk but of definite shape
a nd did not bl erxi into the sky but had a definite, concise outline . a oth
he and Mr. DALY clearly observed the object at this time.
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Anchorage File 100-1406

It may be stated to the Bureau that Mr. PECK is a well
known flyer as well as Mr. DALY am both are known to be very reliable
and responsible people• am it appears def'inite that they observed
something.
The above is being submitted for the information of the
Bureau.

LOT: I1,1R
100-1406

DATE : llovember 1.

Diraotor. FBI

TO

1947

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SUBJECT:

SAC, Albany
FLYING DISCS./
A. COURTNEV'.i?ARKER., INFORMAm

Reurlet dated 9/25/47•
.An. Agent of this office contacted Mr. A. COURXNEY PARKER at his resi•
denoe in South Royalton. Vermont and he stated that all the information he has concerning the flying disos he saw. is set forth in the letter that he sent to the
Bureau dated September 17• 1947.

Ur. PARKER advised that as far as he knows~ no one else in South
Royalton saw these flying discs., and that he believes ha saw them inasmuch as he haa
wiwmally good eyesight and th.at he can see bees. etc. further than anyone else. He
stated that possibly these flying discs '\'18re out 0£ the range of llOrmal vision. Jlr.
PARKEB was asked to furnish any additional information that comas to his at'..ention
conoa:-;1i~ t.hase flying discs directly to the Air Forces since they now handle matters
of this type.
No further action ia being taken by this office.
RCC:mf's
62-689

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Mrs. A..1fcCaul
70-33 68th Place

Glendale
Brooklun, New Tork
De ar Urs. l!cCaul:

You r lett er postriark e d Octobe r 28 ,
1947, has been received and l want ~o ezpress
nu a pprectatton to you .tor havt ,ig written as
you, d id.

S i ncere ly yours,

John Edgar Ooove r
JJi rsc-tor

NOTE:

This woman rambles on and furnishes no
specific information about anything.

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B? 9/ /2November 10, 1947
Mrs. Milo A~u1:·and

Elizaootntown, New York

Dear Mrs. Durand:
Your letter postmarked November 5, 1947,
has been received and I do want to thank you for
writing as you did . The patriotic motives t'lbich
prompted your suggestions concerning the subject
about wh1ch you ho.ve written are indeed app1•eciated.
Sincerely yours,

John Edgar Hoover
Director

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COMMUNICATIONS SECTION

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NOV 10 1947 P.M.
MAILED

f£DWL IWREAU OF IHVESTISATION

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noucnbcr a, 1947

!Jr. Joseph . / 41~nc
8071 69th Auc~~a

Rtdgouood
Brooklyn 27• llco York

Dear !Jr. Ontltnc:

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Your letter datod llo1.1enber 2:, l9d7_,

to you .

I cm eure vou wtll dr.aw no in)'.e7"encc

hao bean recetved. The tnj'.o'l"CUJ~ion contatncd
tn the .ttZco oJ ~hto Bureau hew boon declared
conJ'tdenttal and avatla~le .t,or of.ftctaI :uoc
only, and I cm unable ~o bo of any aaatatance

1IIIOORDIW
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.f:ron ny inability to conply with your reguent.

Stnccrely yours~
John Edgar Hoover
Director

NOTE:

Thia tndtvtdual aaked 1uesttons concerning

O flytng sa~s and the Bureau 3 tnvesttgat~on of

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Port Allegany, Pa•
lonmber 18, 19,1.

Pederal Bureau ot Inveatigation,
Pittsburgh, Pa•
Gentlemen,

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~l~owing the appearance in thi• town on Jbvember 6, 1947,
or a Mr• J~~ppincott~ .Director of the Eaatern Area, Red Cross,
Pittsourgn.Jlia., aa speaker of the eve~r,", at the annual looal
Red Croes dinner, I aa told by Dr• H. B, Cro~, local pra.otioing
den ti at, that in a personal connrea 1 n,
lowi:ng the dinner, !lr•
Lippincott told him that the •aauoere" reported as seen in "Tarioue
parts of the country, were aotually tror:. Spain.
He eaid that Mr•
Lippincott said tha.t thil! had oeen aeoertained by the Government in
r..aahington, but that it 110.a not being made known.
He said that.
'r• Lippincott had been in &.trope and interred that he had been in
Spain and kr:ew conditions ovor there.
Dr. Cranwell ie a man active
in the Methodist Chruch and the looal Protestant ens Club, and it is
easy to see how tar thie report can be spread.
The taot that the
Federal Government indorsee the Red Crose makes a atatement of an ofCioial
reprenntati ve ot that organisation almost indisputable.
Aa a repreeentatiTe tu ot the Federal Government and ae a
o1t11en interested in truth and World peace and racial and religious
harmony in our own country, I queation the ad'Yieability or an aooredit.d
repreRentatin ot the Red Crose giTtng out thi• information. even "ott

the Noord".

I thought you might be able to oheok with Mr• Lippin-

cott or his organia.ti:-n.

Tours v,..ry truly,

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January 14, 1948

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Miss Ua rion DeuBcher
604 est Mai n Street
Menomon ee Fal ls , ¥ts constn
Dear Mis s Beusc~er:
Your letter of January 5, 1948, has been
recetued and I want to t~an k you /or fo r warding
informatton to Me rel at tn g to the su bject you
ment ioned. The facts you rel at ed, however, do not
ref lect any violation of a Fed eral statute ~ithtn
the inuestt gative jurtsdtctton of the FBI . T\e
thoughts prompting your communtcatton are tndeed
apprect at ed .
Sin cerely yours,

John Edgar Hoouer
Di rector
W'N : cm

NOTE : Correspondent reports corr es pondence she has
had with the Ziff -Davis Pub lis hinp Company i n connection
with the "flying saucers" which were observed by her
brother . She is of the optnton that thts public ation
may be trying to conceal information related to our
Nation ' s s ecu r ity and s he mentions a threat t~at ...,doer s
not re/en inju r y to pe r son or property.
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JAN 15 1948 P.M.
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Dear llr .

'ar:11ial1:
Iour lette r dated ,Tammry '29., "].948, has

been raoctvcd, and I oont to e~prcaa ny approci~

atton to you Jlor llavtng i:iada 1movn yoU;r vt.et.'\? con­

ccrntng the oottcr you nenttoncd.

stncore ly yours_,

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Dtrector

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Saa Frtmc i1co t, Cd it'orr 1a
February 12, 1948
AIR MAIL
PERSCIIAI, JIM) ec1,,<1:M._

Director, FBI - ~A_t_t~e_n_t~io~n;...;..:...,;;A~a~•~i~a~t_an~t__D~i~r_e_o_t_o_r_o_._M_._LAD
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FLYING DISCS
Security ~atter - X

Dear Sir:

I b transmitting herewith for the information of the Bureau copies 0 £ an
enoloeure dated February 4, 1948 reoebed from Lieutenant Colonel DONALD SPRlll<IBR,
A-2, United States Air Force, Hamilton Air Force &ee, Califonia. Th~a •nclosuro
is a con£ident1al letter addre•a•d to the Camnanding Generals ot the First, Secom ,
Fourth, Tenth, Eleventh, and Fourteenth Air Foroea, Air Defense Comnand, from Headquarter•, Alr De£enae Comnand , ¥1tchel Air Force Baae , New York, by oo'll'me.nd 0£
Lieutenant
General STRAfDtEYER . It conoerna the inveatigation ot flying d.iacs by
Air
Foroe personnel.

You~ attention is particularly called to Paragr~~h 2, whioh indicates that
certain r•ports ~onoerntni the imeat1gation or flying disos by Air Force Intelligence
~\ll be r•por~•d
to ~he FBI office concerned. Your attention ia further called to
2
-B,
•hich
Paragra.~h
FBI Off'ice oonce---.d iud1oatea
11 -that "imeatigationa will be coordinated with < the
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COIJUl:a d
I.naamuch as the,. recent inatruotiona of the Headquartere, Air Defense
t a.uied
~- n in
• l!H.ahell
Air Foroe
Bureau Bull
t 4 - N0 b..ae,
57 New York: • are contrary
· to the illltnictions conia indicated that 11 • .u
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, Series 1947. dated Ootober 1, 1947, in which~~
referred t 0 th
•
~uture report, OOIU:lected with flying diaoa should 'ti.
Eureau ~
• Air Poree and no im-eatigative action taken by Bureau agent,, t.he
offices ' 1~•q1Jeated to advlae thia oftioe, as well•• other iaterested &ireau
t
the handling 0 !,he bor there has been a challf'e in Bureau policy with r•tere'QCe to
i s atUl in effect.'' a-ia"-tera or whether P.~reau Bulletin No. 57 dated October l, 1941
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Encloaure ( in duplicate)

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Headquarter•
Air Defense CoDnand
Mitchel Air Force Base, New York
4 February 1948
D 333.5 (CIB)

SUBJECTs

Invutigation and Reporting of "Flying Disc" Incident•

T01

Comnanding Generals, First, Seoond, Fourth, Tenth, Eleventh, and Fourteenth
Air Foroes, Air Defense Command
ATTNs AC of S, A•2

1. The numbered air forces of this command are responsible for the prompt
investigation and reporting of inoidenta relating to "flying disos'' which occur
within their respeotive areas. Numbered air force A•2s, after evaluating disc
incidents, will detennine the extent of investigation. Futile expenditure of military
funds and manpower must be avoided.
2. "Flying discs" will be investigated as provided for in Counter Intelli•
genoe Incident Cases, taking cognizance of the USAF Operating Intelligence Echelon
structure. Where it ia evident that witnesses, who were together at the time of
incident but who are widely separated at the time of investigation would corroborate
each other's story, only one witness need be interrogated. If there is a reasonable
indication that a reported incident ia a hoax or the fabrication of a publioity
seeking individual, no further investigative etfort will be expended. However, a
report of such eiroumstances will be auanitted to the FBI offioe concerned.
a. CIC personnel attached to the numbered air forces of this command
may be utilized to prosecute the investigation of subject inoidents.

b. Investigations will be coordinated with the FBI Office concerned
in accordance with instructions contained in letter, thi• headquarters, D 333.3 EX,
subjeot, "Cooperation of FBI with AAF on Investigation of •Flying Diao' Incidents,"
3 September 1947.
3. Report• will be narrative in style and will cov$r only those faota
pertinent to the subject. Where aouroe credibility cannot be eatabliahed, or when
an incident lacks foundation, the report will merely atate aame. Two types of report
will be subnitted on all inoidenta .
a. Spot ~•ports (fragmentary reports) will be subnitted on all incidents
and will be followed by a Letter Report.

b. Letter Reports will be subnitted to report the completed inTeatigation
of all "flying diso" incident••
4. Reports will be aul:mitted in duplicate promptly, usually be regular
mail. However, Spot reports on incidents of substantial character, 1. e., thoae in
which the patent credibility of the witness is beyond challenge and whoa )eohnical

fto,~1' ◄

I

'
baokg

,..,,_tible with his observations of an ooourreme obviously not atmo- .

spherio- G ~eft\al phenomena, may be transmitted by TWX. Reporta will be submitted
directly to J.••4~rters, USAF, ATTN: Directorate of Intelligence, Air Intelligence
Requiremed•'f'B$ol\. One 1.nformational copy of each report submitted will be forwarded to this command, ATTN, AC of S, Intelligence. Reports will be claesified at

least CONFIDENTIAL.

BY CCMMAND OF LIEUTENANT GENERAL STRATENEYERs

RICHARD W. GEUSS
Captain, USAF
Aotg Asst Adj Gen

.,.

-.
SAC, San Francisco

0

til ector, FBI "]

February 20, 1948

•

J

1ttn1W 1 LYING DISCS

,,'-\ \ G SECURITY MATTER - X

~

Reference is made to your letter in the captioned matter dated
February 12, 1948.
You are adVised that Bureau Bulletin No. 57 dated October 1,
1947, still applies with respect to flying discs. The Bureau is conducting
no investigations concerning flying discs. We will, however, give the Air
Forces any information which comes to our attention and will receive any
information which the Air Forces volunteer.
•
The Headquarters of the Air Forces 1n Washington are being contacted
by the Bureau in order to insure that there is no misunders~ing as to the
. Bureau's position in this matter.
r-..,
RGF:rb

I

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H00l:l 11VI ·03Al33.3b

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STANDARD FORM NO. e4

Office Me~ .andum • UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
TO

FROM
SUBJECT:

Mr. Ladd

DATB :

3/1/48

IC',

Tolson

:-: ~ie~ Tamn= = =

V. P. Ke

: : g~!;r~- - -

: : lfi~g-oIB_ _ _
: : ~~:- - : : ~.:'.="·=====
::: ~~~:.::,,~·-:,,,-;..-::.==
Mr . PeM1 Eon

j FLYING DISCS
SECURITY MATTER - X

J

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IC'. Neas

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Reference
is made to a memorandum to you f'rom Mr . J. P. Coyne
•
•
L s
in the above- captioned matter dat~~
February
19,
1948.
The
memorandum
1
indicated that the ~an Franc:h.sco Field Di vision had re·c eived a letter from
the headquarters of the Air Defense Command, Mitchel Air Force Base, New York,
dated February 4, 1948, entitl ed, urnvestigation and Reporting of ' Flying Disc '
I ncidents . " This communication indicated that investigations should be
coordinated with the FBI.
The Agent in Charge of the San Francisco Field Division inquired as
to a change in policy r egarding the investigation of flying discs. A letter
was forwarded to San Francisco advising them that there had been no change in
the Bureau's policy. This matter has been discussed by Special Agent S. W.
·Reynolds of the Liaison Section with Lieutenant Colonel C. P. Martin of the
Intelligence Division of the Air Force. Colonel Martin advised Mr . Reynolds
that apparently the Air Defense Command at Mitchel Field was not aware of the
fact that the Bureau was no longer conducting investigations regarding flying
discs. He stated that he would take the necessary action and straighten out
the Air Defense Command as to the present policy regarding incidents of
flying discs . .
JtECO'RD~ I ~
- o·_:)

/ : p -J.\•~

_ll-i,

29 MAR 9 I

5./

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STANDARl:>l'ORMN0.64

Office Memorandum • •oNI T En sTATEs GovERNMENT
TO
FROM
SUBJECT;

Mr. D. M.

D ATE:

J. P. Co

~ FLUNG DI S

,

i~,y~

SECURITY MATTER - X
1

The attached ·1H.r flom ,the San Francisco Field Division
dated February 12, 1948, raises the question as to whether there has
been a change in policy concerning the investigation of flying discs.
RECOMMENDATION:,

It is reco!!lTJ).ended that the information contained in the attached
letter be discussed by the Ll.aison Section with the Air Forces.
ACTION:

A letter is attached to San Francisco advising them that there
has been no change in Bureau policy.

RGF:rb

...

FEB ZQ I 38 P~ '~8
ilE CE P~Et: - t. A!Ii:

F BI

··' 5. 0Ef'1 OF J l ; S '!'!C f.

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S'YVLES BRIOGES. N. H., CHAl"MAN

CHAN GtJRN£Y, C. OAK.,

•
KENNETH MCKE:L

C. WAYLANO,OROOK\, ILL,

CARL HAYDEN, ARlZ,

£NH.

~~:iHM.;,~~..:. ~.:!·.

~~~~::.~~l:=~~D.

KENNCTH S. WHERRY, NEBR.

PAT MCCARRAN, NEV.

GUY CORDON, DREG,

JOHN H, OVERTON, LA.

HOMER FE"'3USON, MICH_.1

RICHARD B, RUSSELL. GA,

LEVERETT SALTONSTALL, MASS, JO.PH C, O'MAl-tONEY, WYO.
MILTON R, YOUNG, H .. OAK,
TMEOOCUUi FRANCIS GREEN, R. I,
WILLIAM P. KNOWLANO, CALIP',
HEN.RY C. DWORSHAK, IDAHO

. .

COMM ITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

EVERAR.D H • .SMITH, CLERK
CECIL H. TOLBERT, ASST, CL.Due

March 22, 1948

Honorable J. Edgar Hoover, Director
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Department of Justice
Washington 25, D. c.
Dear Mr. Hoover:
Attached you will find letter which may or
may not be of interest to your office.

However, I

felt it should be passed on to you for whatever the
infortn,3tion is worth.
Kindly return my constituent' s letter
although if you wish you make a copy of it.

If

Cordially yours,

KSW:emn-3

l 'M.01~

Enc.
KEOOH,DED
&

INDEXED

I~ "4:-8-fl//-, •
31 MAR 27 1948

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Benkelman, Nebraska
Ma re h 14, 1948
Mr. Kenneth Wherry
United States Senate
Washington , D. c.
Dear Ur . Wherry:
On March 13 at 2:30, M. S.T. o'clock in
the afternoon I witnessed a strange si ght in the
sky traveling at a very high rate of speed at a
very high altitude.
I was first attracted to this sight by
a noise of motor or whatever i t was. It sound_
to me like that of a train r~mbling in the distance
of from 10 t~ 12 miles on a still day.
At first glance it looked like it might
be a vapor trail left by a high flying plane. But
the white streak that was in the sky never changed
its shape or did it change in the di recti on of travel.
It traveled much faster than any plane I
have seen traveling in sky high enough to leave vapor
trai 1.
As near as I can describe this sight was
that it might appear to be a stream lined train
traveling at a very high altitude at very high rate
of speed.

This rocket or whatever it might have been
was high enough to disappear from sight while it
was yet very far above the hori2on.
I am not writing this so that it might
seem to be another disc, fan or whatever you might
call them . I just saw this and it has been on my
mind ans I thought if there was anything that I
could be of help to solve this thin g I would write
this to you and you can forward this to the proper
Dept. if it is necessary. Thanking you kindly
Yours Truly
/s/ Kenneth ~Frasier
&JCLOSURE
P.S.
This object was traveling from east to west . It
looked 1i ke i t might have trave led over Denver,

. ·"'

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C • •
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p
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KENNETH L. FRAZIER

•

Colo. or a little to the south .
I live almost due east about 180 mi. by
air and I looked to the south a l ittle to be able to
get sight of object .
This object was also witnessed by my son
was with me at the time .

who

I saw the smoke cloud left by so called
meteor which exp loded ouer at Norton_Kans. This
object was not~ br ight ball of fire like it was .
The siluer streak in the sky traveled as
if it were a long connected ~t reak. This did n~t
resemble a line of smoke left by a train trave l tng
along it moued altogether as a unit . If it is not
against any regulation and if possible would like to
have answer to this object .
C

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-.

l!arch 241 1948

Honorable K•nneth..__B.
United S:tates Senat•
Waahtngton, D. c.
JJy dear S11na-Oor:

Tour letter o/ l!arch 221 29481
wtth encZoeurs# has Men recstved. Stnoe
ths eubJ•ct aattsr menttoned tn your oonstttuent's lettsr ts not within the scope
o/ authortty o/ thta Bursau1 I have taken
the ltberty o.f .forwarding a copy o;t hta
latter and yours to . tM ~ecrstary o/ the
Amy, llattona1 D6/,nae Butldtng# ashlngton 1 D. c . # /or hta tn/ormat1on. Your
thought/ulness tn brtngtng ~hje to my
attentton ta tndesd apprectat•d• I aR
•noloatng a copy o/ my letter to JJr .
Frasier whtch I thought you mtght like
to have /or your /tles# together wtth hta
lettflr.

Utth ezpreaatons o/ my h1gheat
esteea and beat regards,

..,,

.

Since rely yours 1
-• Eagar

,,~

o~ve,::'.\.i1>
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Enclo sJ_e
Incomi; from Frasier and cop~, of our letter to him.
VWP:jec
....
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COMr.UlNICATIO 'S SES'tiO~
MAILED

3

* MAR 2iJ 1948 f,;.. ,
fittliA&. BllltEAU OF IN~ESTHiATIOlt
, 8. DEPARTMENT Of JUSTICE

1
~~

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I
Jiarch 341 1948

RECORDED

L,,, ... 3gy ~lt3
Ur. Kennsth L. Fraeter

Benk•lman 1 Nebraaka

Your letter dated llarch l41 l948,
to tho Honorable Kenneth s. Wherry, Un ited
State• Senator, has been re/erred to me /or
attentton. Stnc• thtt mattar you i:zeni1oned
ta not wtthtn the scope oj authorttu of thta
Bureau, I have taken the ltberty o/ jurntahtng a oopy of your communicatton to the
Secratary o/ ~he Armu, National Ds/enas
Eutldtng 1 Uashtngton, D. a., and in tha
event you haue anu addittona2 tn/or:n.atton,
j t is auggeated you aay destre to communtcats
wtth h,n.
B'incer•211 11ours1
i .. Ba&ar Hoover
..Tohn Edgar Hoouer
Dtrector

CC:

Senator Wherry - ~

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Name of to111n per Postal Gutde

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COMM

*

CATIONS SECTION

:3
ftiAR 2r, 1948 P.M.
AILED

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STYLES BRIDGES, N, H,, CHAU\
CHAN GURt-&Y, S. OAK,
KENNETH MC
C. WAYLAND BROOK&, ILL.
CARL HAYDDI
CLYDE M, RE£0, KANS.
ELMER THOM.
JCifSE:PH H. BAL~ MINN.
MILLARD E, T
HOMER F'ERGUSON, MICH.
RICHARD 8. Rl
KENNETH $. WHF.RRY, NEBR.
PAT MCCARRAt., NltV.
GUY CORDON, OREG.
JOHN H, OVERTON, LA.
LEV£R£TT SALTONSTALL, MASS, JOSEPH C, O' MAHONEY, WYO,
MILTON R. YOUNG, N. OAK.
THEODORE FRANClS GRE£N, R. I.
WILLIAM F. KNOWLAND, CALIF,
HENRY C, DWORSHA.t<, ID.AHO
EVERARD H. SMITH, CLERK
CECIL H. TOLBERT, ASST. CL.ERK

•
COMM ITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

April 1, 1948

The Honorable J . Edgar Hoover
Federal Bureau of Investigation
United Stat es Department of Justice
\'~ashington 25, D. C.
Dear Mr. Hoover:
'tJ:tank you very much for forwarding
Mr . Kenneth L~
asier , letter to the proper

authorities. Your cooperation in this instance
was aeeply anpreciated.

---::...-----

•

llnihb 8tate.s ilepartment of 1.fmitice

Post Office Box 1850
Atlanta 1. Georgia
August 10, 1948

AIRMAIL SPECIAL D!J'.,IV]J.RY

Director, J'l3I
Rill

'

MRS. MADBLINE G ~ E R ~ ;
INFOBMA.TlOB! CONC:&RNING

f-.L I;11 Co }) 1 ~ c....)

Dear Sir:

Transmitted herewith for the ltureau 1 s information are
copies of a letter, together with enclosure, froa the aboTe
captioned individual.. I:aaa1111.1ch aa there is n.o record in this
office concerning captioned person, no reply has been made to
instant letter. with the tho~t the Bureau may desire to acknowle~e instant coll!llWlication or communicate further concerning
the matter with the Dallaa Office.
For the information ot the Bureau and the Dallas and
San Antonio Officea, the clippiDgs referred to are transmitted
herewith to the l3ureau, Dallas and San Antonio Office•, it being
noted that Wichita ll'alla i t covered by Dallas and !'ort Sam Houston is covered by the San Antonio Office.
Very truly yours,

K

"
J

Enclosures - 5

(Enc--3) AMSD
J ENCL ~ cc-Da.llae
cc-San Antonio (Enc-3) AMSD

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HE~DQUARTERS

AIR MATERIEL COMMAND
IN REPLY ADDRESS 10TH
COMMUNICATION AND EN•
VELOPE TO COMMANDING

GENERAL,

•

100M

Authority:
NND90986

MCIAXD-3/FWA/aw

Wright-Patterson AF Base
,,.
l«IIJIJ(ll9 ••••••;,.-.,

A IR

MATIERIEl
A TT S N T I O N

COMMAND,
FOLLOWING OFFICE SYMBOL:

9 September 1948

MCUX0..3

Director

Federal Dlresu of Investigation
Department of Justice
Washington. D. C.
FBI Laborator,y

A!l'l!N:

&IBJ'RCT:

Projeet "SIGN"

Gentlemen:
Accompanying this letter is a small sample of soil. This
eoilr ~s taken from a depression reputed to have been caused
by a'-.Bflying S81l.cer11 described as being approximately two feet
in diameterand. one foot thick which. supposedly settled gently
to the ground, rebounded to a height of abou.t twenty feet and
then contimed. on its journey. Al.though. the declivity was immediately covered by a large washtub a heavy rain fP.1bsequently filled ~
the depression about one/third full of water before any sample of
dirt could be taken.

In an effort to approach this incident objectively to deteI"'mine every possible clue, it bas been deemed advisable to have
this soil sample analyzed and tested. Upon inquiry, your ~ n
representative stated that the FBI Laboratoey would accomplish
the required. tests.
Dt.O.
/
.,
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£CO~
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,,,
/ '
It is the desf re of this Head.~1.arte»s-48--&seep-t,ein, in par 1cu.lar, if there are traces of unusual Reme~ or &.loys adhering
to the surface of the particles, o~lf 91V :reJSnb!MaJ i ty in structure
exista aho~ that the soil ms s u ~ ; • ~ intense beat, ll"-"""
or radio-active subst?.DCes. etc. Unfor •
y, in this regard,
no one thought to forward a. sample
~unding the depression 80 no comparison of soils can be made at this time. ~ d
the subsequent test show qthing unusual some arrangement could be
made to procure some ,of the surrounding soil 80 that a comparative
analysis could be ma.de. The aceomp~ing sample bas not been tested by any other agency, nor will it be.

~ } 'J!v~
{J.t_p,,,v q f' ·~
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COPIES DESTPC''{;fl
27 0 NOV 1 81964

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9 Sept 1948

Project "SIGN"
Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation

I n the event the tests show nothing warranting further investige,.tion you~ dispose of the sample. The report should be addressed
to this Command marked for the attention of MCI.AX0-3. This Division
will appreciate your cooperation in this matter.

Very truly yours,

,~~W~
fi f ~ a~;fF

Incl

W. R.

•GEE!MAN

Colon

USAF

Chief, Technical Intelligence
Division
Intelligence Department

2

REPORT
of the

/_ \==f}2J t l }=7\

~ 1..A.BORA.TORT 2-s,__

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
WASHINGTON D. C.
OOt.obc- ?, 1948

To:

Ca::m.Ttdi~ Oeaeral

Air U..t«riel Como.lid
Wright-Patterson AF Bue
~ , Obio
At.tentiont 1JClllO.i.3

There tollcinl "1M Npc,.n ot the WI Labcrator., «i tho ~ t . i o n
~

Re: ot e'f"idenoe r-eceiTed .trc:im YOU' otf'iee on s~~
~

---· ·-

\ ) John Edgor Hoover, Director

YOUR FILE NO.
FBI FILE NO.
LAB. NO.

Exot'Nj. . . .e~

Elracl.naUon of Soil
Re fere n,e:

-146
RECORDED - ~ ~
PC-231J.2CO
S pecim• ns:

Addreu•
IAtter dated Septm'ber 9, 1948

lt1craeoopia ,, (M.rogrepbto-Geol.ogi.c)

...
L-.40

•

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGA. N
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

........OORDED

Laboratory Work Sheet

9/22/48

kag

Be:

File#
Lab. II

Project "SIGN"
Examination of Soil.

Examination requested by:

Result of Examination:

~l, Sample of soil.

PC-23142 CO

v

Commanding General, Air Materiel Command, Wright- Patterson
ll:f AF Base, Dayton, Ohio
Attention: ~CIAX0-3

Date of reference communication: letter 9/9
Examination requested:

9j3£ 62- 83894-146

9/17
Evid . 9/14 Reg.1171535

Date received:

Micro (Petrographic- Geologic)

Examination by:

JEVOJJS

e

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~ERALBUREAU OF INVESTIG
_.,.LTED S'l"ATES DEPABTMENT OF :i

Laboratory Work Sheet
RE'-0-:"ttJ'F.D

9/22/4$
Kai

Be:

File II

Pro.,.ct "5 G 11
Enid.nat.ion ot Soil.

Examination requested by:

Lab. Ii

PC•2Jli.a CO

Comand111 General, Air Materiel Coca:,.and, flri.cnWatt.eracn

ID Ar Dan , Dayton, cJno

Date of reference communication: letter 919
Examination requested:

till 62-33894-146

Oll.I0-3
Date received: 9/l?
~Yid . 9/ 14 Reg.1171,)S
At.tent,t en,

icro (Pet.ro .r apbic-0.oloslc)

Result of Examination:

Examination by: JGftlS

Specimens submitted for examination

Ql, SUlple ot ao1l.

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October :1.9. 1948

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Xour 1.ett. r d!l't 4d UclObcr 15. 1948. bna be
cived end J db veut to tbsnk you for the patriOUc
cot1v s tiJltch proi.,pt~ ycu to t.lritce aYa1loble 70V

r

~ ~ t s conce~ tho cubJect YoU tte:it1one4.
Sincerely vours,

ftOERAL BUREAU OF IHVt:SllGATIOII
U S. OEPARTr.lEIIT OF JUSIICE

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ice of Contents from
BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
.•ottINGTON, D. C .

'

Date~-----------October '7, 1948
Consigned to·

• ""Co-nwn-.._,d:tlln......,'!W'"""'tl""e"""t1eral

A:tr Materiel Cormland
WrigJit-fatteraon M tmse
n,.yton. Ohio List of

tJiJFe~tins lfCIAXO-.)

f:co:':MM::':U~N~IC~AT".'""10-NS--SE_C_TI_ONMA( Leo

ro,..23142 CO

1

* OCT '!18 1940 P.M.

Mr. Barbo, '1641
Mr. Conrad, 7142 t
__
Mr. Downing, 6228 B _
Mr. Sizoo, '1601
Mr. Baughman, '11 1
~

'L I-/

f'El>£RAL Bcaou Of IN\'[8Tf6ATIOH

U, 8. OEl'ARTIIEHT Of JUSTICE

RIDISTERrotAIL

79
, _ 7 c; 9' "I
.(?-_ v ;./ ~~~

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o/itj,../r
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A~••__;.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS: Mai ~ J-1om, place date of shipment and registry number; Shipping Room , show
1
ate of shipmrp't awjt,i t.~a.l tf~invoi ce; then return it to person whose name is checked in column at
ight. After this ''Ji?H~ect"name has been initialled, invoice should be placed in adminis trative fil e.

.. ,,

•

moAl IURCAU OF tNVtSTtQATION
U. S. OEPMTMOCT Of JUSTICE

COMMUNICATIONS SECTION

I\
ANGELES

12- 28 - 48
·bo

URGENT

AND SACS HOUSTON, CINCINNATI

Mr. fllollr

I

1,lr. p,-,,

A ENTION I NSPECTOR HOWARD FLETCHER

FLY

Mr Q ,.,

G ~ , LONN IE EDWARD"-NOACK COMPLAINT .

OEC . TWENTY EIGHT .

MR .

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RE HOUSTON TELE~Yii,

R. C. PERSONS, VASCO .l!bemc ELECTRIC MMTIJVlfAcfll/NG

COMPANY, LA, PRESENTLY I N ARIZONA, EXACT WHEREABOUTS UNKNOWN TO HIS
OFFICE, EXPECTED TO CALL MORNING OF DEC . TWENTY NINE .

MR . NATHAN

SMITH, SMITH MANUFACTURING COMPANY, SOUTH PASADENA, CALIF . ADVISED HE

-

. AND PERSONS PURCHASED AIRPORT IN MOJAVE DESERT NEAR HELENDALE,
CALIF . STATED THAT IN EARLY PART OF DEC. EXACT DATE UNKNO_#i', PERSONS
ADVISED HIM H~ HAD FOUND A FLYING DISK ON THEIR AIRPORT .

MR . AND MRS .

SMITH, PERSONS, AND LONNIE~OACK PROCEEDED TO AIRPORT WHERE THEY
LOCATED DISK, TOOK PICTURES OF IT AND REMOVED . . PORTIONS
OF DISK, NOACK RETAINING SOME PARTS AND SMITH KiEPING
SOME PORTIONS WHICH ARE STILL IN HIS POSSESSION . SMITH ADvISED
THAT DAY AFTER LOCATINGfrHE DISK AN EMPLOYEE CBSERVED PARTS RETAINED
BY SMITH, AND STATED HE BELIEVED THE OB~ECT HAD BEEN MANUFACTURED
BY OLSEN AND RICE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, TOY MANUFACTURERS LA .

SMITH

STATED HE THEN CONTACTED OLSEN AND RICE WHO STATED THEY WERE FINANCING CLAUDE LERO~OLFERT LA IN DEVELOPING A KITE FOR •1 tlllf SALE
ON OPEN hARKET AS A TOY .

SMITH STATED HE HAD PREVIOUSLY GIVEN

OLSEN AND RICE PERSMISSION TO USE HIS PRIVATE AIRPORT AT ANY TIME .

OLSEN AND RICE TOLD SMITH THEY HAD TAi~ XPERIMENTAL KITES TO SMITHS/
END PAGE ONE

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PAGE TWO
AIRPORT AND UPON DETERMING KITES NOT PRACTICAL HAD ABANDONED THE PROJECT.
SMITH STATED HE HAD TAKEN SIXTEEN MM PICTURES WHICH ARE PRESENTLY BEING
DEVELOPED .

STATED WOULD MAKE PICTURES AND PARTS FROM OBJECT AVAILABLE

TO THIS OFFICE .

SMITH DESCRIBED OBJECT AS APPROXIMATELY SIX FEET IN DIA­

METER, CONSISTING OF DISK MOUNTED ON AXEL WITH BEARINGS, WINGS
ON EITHER SIDE, TAIL SURFACE SUPPORTED ON BOOMS, CUP MOUNTED
ON EACH WING TIP RESEMBLING ROCKET POWER CONTAINERS .

SMITH STATED DID

NOT OBSERVE ANY CHEMICAL OR OTHER MATTERIAL IN CONTAINERS WHICH COULD BE
USED AS SELF PROPELLING FORCE .

MR . HENRY T. RICE OF OLSEN AND RICE MAN­

UFACTURING COMPANY ADVISED CLAUDE LEROY WOLFERT FINANCED BY THEIR COMPANY
IN DEVELOPING TOY KITE, THAT WOLFERT HAD PROACHED IDEA OF MAKING LARGE
MODEL TO BE USED AS TOW TARGET FOR AIRPLANES BUT RICE DECIDED
THAT HE MAKE . ONLY KITE SUITABLE FOR SALE AS TOYS .

JIU

Ill(

HOWEVER,

WOLFERT MADE LARGE MODEL APPROXIMATELY SIX FEET IN DIAMETER, WEIGHING
FIFTY POUNDS, WHICH TOGETHER WITH OTHER MODEL HAD BEEN FLOWN IN DC THREE
OWNED BY OLSEN AND RICE TO PRIVATE AIRPORT OF ..MU:llllli PERSONS AND
SMITH .

RICE COULD NOT RECALL EXACT DATE, BUT_, STATED MWllf IT

WAS IN EARLY PART OF DEC .

RICE STATED DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED IN

FLIGHT OF KITE, AND THAT IN VIEW OF SIZE OF LARGE MODEL IT WAS NECESSARY
TO TOW IT BEHIND PLANE TO OBSERVE FLIGHT .

STATED MODEL CRASHED AND OLSEN

AND RICE ABANDONED EXPERIMENT LEAVING AIRPORT WITH WOLFERT REMAINING BEHIND TO CONDUCT FURTHER EXPERIMENTS .

RICE STATED DID NOT KNOW THAT WOL­

FERT HAD LEFT THE LARGE MODEL AT THIS AIRPORT UNTIL ADVISED BY SMITH
END PAGE TWO

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PAGE THREE
THAT THEY HAD FOUND THE OBJECT .

CONTACT WILL BE MADE WITH SMITH, RICE,

AND WOLFERT, TO SECURE PHOTOGRAPHS AND SAMPLES .
HOOD
END

A IN ORDER
PLS

A 7- 45 PM OK FBI WASH DC WJR
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BUREAU WILL BE ADVISED.

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Office M emor! ndum • uNtrno sTATEs GovERNMENT
December 28, 1948
'¼..ITO , MR. D. M. LA: _& ~
DATE ,

FROM

:

H. B. F I . E T C ~

Jlf

SUBJBCT: O FLYING DISCS

IC'". Tolson_ _

llr. ~legg

wr. Glavin_

_

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Yr. Rosen_ _

Mr. Tr&CY_ _

:::
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..=---=---_Mr. Harl>o_ _
Mr. ll<>hr.~......--­

J..0':bo

wr. Pennlngtori_
Mr. QU!llll tam_

Tele . R o o • llr. Nease_ _
At
a .m. today, SAC Willis, Houston, called in and stated
WISS llolJIIJO_ _
Go.nc!y_ _
that Full~ackwell, a busin?ss man~ Housto~, Texas, had furnished
certain pictures taken by a friend of his, Lo~ack of the Humboldt
Oil Company, Houston, Texas, and had related that Noack had been flying
with a friend in a private plane from California to Houston and that at a
point about 30 miles east of Lone Pine, California, some object lying on the
ground made a very strong reflection and they made a check to determine what
would cause this bright reflection. They finally landed the plane and found
an object which could be described as being 8 1 in diameter with wings about
4' long. The object is about 1 1 in thickness and in the center there appears
to be some type of gyroscope. The wings apparently are fitted with some type
of jet propulsion. An examination was made by Noack and his friend and they
could find no identi.f.'ying marks and took photographs of the object they
observed.
WleO

SAC Willis stated he had informed Lieutenant Robert Fleming of the
ill', Ellington Field, and Captain Bush, the Army representative in Houston,

of this object and that Noack would be interviewed that morning in the Houston
Office with Lieutenant Fleming being present. Lieutenant Fleming wanted the
statements of Noack taken down by a stenographer and he will furnish the
stenographer for that purpose.

I instructed SAC Willis to funti.sh complete details of this matter
by idr mail special delivery, including a copy of the photograph. I further
instructed that he furnish the same details to the proper field office because
unquestionably the Bureau would want to run this thing out.
After talking with you, I phoned SAC Willis back and told him to
insure the presence of a Bureau Agent at the time this object was examined by
the Army Air Forces and that he should make proper arrangements with the office
in California to see that an Agent was present. I also told him to adVise me
/I _
of the developments.
f~
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U. S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

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DEC ~

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Mr. Tolson. ..... .
1\lr Cle;'

12-28-48

.

ENTION

------­

, ·-·-· ··--• r

1- 12 PM CST

£rRECTOR , SACS CINCINNATI AND LOS ANGELES
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TELETYPE
FB_y1IOUSTON

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URGENT

IN.SPECTOR HOWARD FLETCHER

s-<vrNGl?rsK.

LONNIE EDWA~

OACK, COMPLAINANT .

COMPLAINANT

RESIDING TWO NINE TWO ONE CHICAGO STREET, HOUSTON, CONTACTED THI
OFFICE DECEMBER TWENTY SEVENTH ON CAPTIONED MATTER AND IN SIGNED
STATEMENT TODAY SUBMITTED THE FOLLOWING.

\

NOACK , EMPLOYED#AS A

MACHINIST BY HUMBLE OIL COMPANY, HOUSTON, LEFT HOUSTON BY COMMERCIAL
AIRLINE DECEMBER FIFTH LAST ON BUSINESS FOR HOLLYWOOD , CALIF .

ON

MONDAY, DECEMBER SIXTH, CONTACTED R. C. PERSON , FOUR ONE ONE SIX AVALON
BLVD . , LA., AN ACQUAINTANCE, WHO REMARKED OF HAVING SEEN ON THAT DATE,
SOME DISTANCE FROM HOLLYWOOD IN A DESERT AREA , WHAT APPEARED TO BE A
FLYING DISK.

PERSON OPERATES VASCO ELECTRICAL MANUFACTURING CO . , LA.,

ADAMS FIVE TWO EIGHT ONE .

ON DECEMBER SEVENTH , NOACK , PERSOM, AND

MR. AND MRS . NATHAN SMITH, ONE NAUGHT FIVE SOUTH PASADENA AVE ., SOUTH
PASADENA, CALIF . , DEPARTED BY PRIVATELY OWNED AUTOMOB I LE IN SEARCH OF
DISK .

SAME LOCATED APPROXIMATELY ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY MILES NORTHEAST

OF PASADENA AND ABOUT TWENTY MILES NORTHEAST OF LONE P~, CALIF .
PERSON , SMITH, AND NOACK TOOK PHOTOGRAPHS OF D l t ~ ~ • MOV ~

SPEEDGRAPHIC CAMERAS .

NJ)t

fJC/lf_ ,.. 5'tJ

THE NOACK FILM WAS EIGHT~1Ik~METERS IN SIZE.J

AND CAMERA MADE BY REVERE .

~

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IM 4 1949

DISK LOC.ATED DESERT~ EA NEAR NINE HUNDRE
~

ACRES OF LAND OWNED BY PERSON AS PRIVATE AIRFIELD .

•

NOACK HAD HIS FIL

:<.'

DEVELOPED BY EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY AT UNKNOWN ADDRESS LOS PALMAS ST . ,LA .

END PAGE ONE

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PAGE TWO
THESE FILMS RECEIVED NOACK, HOUSTON, BY MAIL DECEMBER TWENTY THIRD
LAST .

f!!::

SHOWS DISK TO BE APPROXIMATELY SEVEN FEET IN DIAMETER

AND APPROXIMATELY TWO FEET THICK IN MIDDLE WITH FEATHER EDGE ON RIM .
ABUTTING SAUCER IN MIDDLE AND ON BOTH SIDES ARE FOUR FOOT WINGS
RESEMBLING CONVENTIONAL AIRPLANE TYPE .

NO MARKINGS, NO RADIO, AND

APPEARED TO HAVE LANDED AT GREAT SPEED .

DISK IN COMPARATIVELY GOOD

CONDITION .

THE ENDS OF BOTH WINGS HAD ATTACHED A SMALL ALUMINUM

CYLINDER APPARENTLY FOR JET PROPULSION .

ONE OF THESE CYLINDERS OBTAINED

BY NOACK AS SOUVENIR AND CURRENTLY IN POSSESION OF r_::: OH~cg FILM

SIMILARLY MAINTAINED .

SA ROBERT FLEMING 1 OSI REPRESENTATIVE , .E,l.LINGTON

FlELD~ TEXAS, NOTIFIED DECEMBER TWENT¥ SEV.E.N.IH .

NOACK FILM EXHIBITED

THIS OFFICE INSTANT DATE AND SHOWS DISK IN ALL POS ITI ONS AND ARE
AUTHENTIC .

MR . FLEMING, OSI , ON DECEMBER TWENTY EIGHTH NOTIFIED

DISTRICT COMMANDER , FIFTH OSI DISTRICT, WRIGHT FIELD , DAYTON , OHIO .

-

SAC R. B. HOOD , LA., NOTIFIED TELEPHONICALLY OF ABOVE INFORMATION
WITH REQUEST THAT HE MAINTAIN CONTACT WITH R. C. PERSON IN ORDER THAT

-----

BUREAU AGENTS MAY ASSIST OR ACCOMPANY OSI REPRESENTATIVES IN ACTUALLY
OBSERVING AND RETR I EV I NG FLYING DISK .
-

INSTRUCTIONS .

..

THIS ACTION TAKEN PER BUREAU

NO FACILITIES AVAILABLE HOUSTON FOR REPRODUC I NG MOVIE

FILM OF NOACK, HOWEVER, STILL SHOTS CAN BE DEVELOPED BY COMPETENT

END PAGE TWO

RECEIVEO-l. /l nfl

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PAGE THREE
COMMERC I AL REPRESENTATI VES .

ACTI ON TO BE TAKEN BY OS I, DAYTON, OHIO ,

NOT KNOWN AT TH I S MOMENT AND I T I S POSS I BLE THEY MAY DESIRE FILM
FOR REPRODUCTION THEIR FACILI TIES THERE .

I F BUREAU DES I RES LA OFFICE

TO OBTAI N FROM PERSON AND SM I TH THE IR FI LM AND NEGAT IVES , THIS MIGHT
BE CONS I DERED .

PICTURES TAKEN BY PERSON WI TH FOUR BY FI VE SPEEDGRAPH IC

CAMERA AND THZSE PI CTURES SHOULD BE READ I LY AVAILABLE .

NOACK FI LM

AND PART OF JET PROPULS I ON WI NG TIP BE I NG MA I NTAI NED HOUSTON AWA I TI NG
SUGGESTED DI SPOS I TI ON AND HANDL I NG BY EI THER BUREAU OR OS I .

CI NC I NNAT I

OFFI CE BEI NG MADE COGN I ZANT TO COVER POSS IBILITY THAT BUREAU MAY
DI RECT LI AI SON WITH OSL, DAYTON .

AMSD LETTER FOLLOWS TO BUREAU AND

INTERESTED OFFI CES ENCLOS I NG SIGNED STATEMENT OF NOACK .

WILLIS

END A I N O PLS
WA

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RECEIVED TELETYPE UNIT

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f .8.1. DEPT. OF JUSTICE

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~otPAATMEMT OF )USTICE
;:MUMICATlOMS $ECTIOII

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-~ ~

Mr. ToJaon. . ......
............
Mr, Gtartu ......... .
Mr. Ce

Mr. Ladd....... . ...

Mr. Nichol,......... .
Mr. Rosou ......••••

ER

Mr. 'I'rAOJ,' • •• . ...•••• •

lib-, E llD .••.••.• ••••

.I

Mr. PenuiDJton .....
Mr. Qiunn Tiurun •••

lfr, Neue. .. . ... .. . . ,

ff/;

~H 10 FROM LOS ANGELES

/DIRECTOR

9-07 PM

29

ROUTINE

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/

FLYING DISK, LONNIE EDWAR✓NOACK ,

COMPLAINANT . !3/J-~~j,.<,(

TELETYPES FROM HOUSTON AND LA TWENTYEI GHTH INSTANT ,

~ (

1!F7W

THREE PARTS OF SUBJECT DESCRIBED BY r:,cK SECURED FROM NATHAN
;&ITH, LA AND EXHIBITED TO HENRY 0

rcE, OHLSON AND RICE

MANUFACTURING COMPANY , THREE THREE FOUR ZERO
LA .

EMERY STREETi,~

,

RICE POSITIVELY IDENTIFIED THESE PARTS AS COMI NG FROM A\.

MODEL TOW TARGET CONSTRUCTED BY CLAUDE L. WOLFORD, FIVE FOUR
FIVE FOUR CHESLEY AVE . , LA.

ONE PART BEING STAMPED WOLFORD

& WW PLASTICS MOLDING CO. j LA.

TOW TARGET WAS TESTED BY

RICE AND WOLFORD USING RI CE, s AIRPLANE OVER NATHAN SMITH,s
AIRFIELD NEAR HELENDALE , CALIF.

THE TEST WAS A FAILURE, THE

TARGET CRASHED AND WAS ABANDONED AT THE AIRFIELD.

NO FURTHER

INVESTIGATION BEING CONDUCTED AND THE THREE ITEMS SECURED FROM

I"\

SMITH WILL BE RETURNED TO HIM UNLESS BUREAU ADVISES TO

...W

CONTRARY ,

ff:IJ,.-----'

REPORT WI LL BE SUB!.ITTED ,

J§_,9I~ -/,. ~

HOOD
RECORDED. 42 I t.d.=: ',(
IN
D. 4"
F"
CINCINNATI !_,_AND HOUSTON AJ)V •
1.. •
JAN 3 1949
~~
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ACK PLSI~~
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F.8.1. DEPT. OF JUSTICE

•

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~

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TO

MR. D. M.

FROM

H. B. FIETC~

SUBJ ECT:

•

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..

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lJN lTED STATES GOVERNMENT
December 28, 1948

/J •

::: ~t! :·-­

(1'FLYING DISCS

: : ~~1n_

_

11r. N1cnols_

_

IC". Rosen_ _
.IC'. Traer_ _

:::=·=·..===
llr- tte.rbo_ _

Reference is made to the teletype of December 28, 1948,
from the Houston Office.

llr. llOllr__

Mr. Peph{ngw.Q_
llr. Quinn Tua_

Tele. Roo■_ _

Mr. se.aae_ _

MU• Kolmiio_ _

1uee

At J:JO p .m., I called SAC Hood of the Los Angeles Office
and i~cted that he attempt to locate Mr. Person and Mr. and Mrs .
Nat~th, secure photographs and film in their possession and also
secure from them the location of the described flying disc. I als o
instructed that Mr. Hood send out sufficient Agents to find the disc~
/
and guard it until it could be properly handled by the appropriate Government -'<...._/_
authority. I also telephoned the Houston Office and told them to send
in the photographs or film in their possession, t ogether with the part which
had been recovered from the machine by the Informant Noack.
At 5 :00 p .m., SAC Hood called back and stated that all work on
this matter should be innnediately discontinued . They had managed to
reach Mr. Nathan Smith and he stated that he knew al l about this matter;
that it was not a f lying disc, but an object which had been identified
as a tow Idte, 'Which has a disc center and wings. This Idte is actually
made in Los Ange les by the Olson and Rice Manufacturing Company. A call
was made to Olson and Rice, who admitted making a kite along the lines
described by Mr. Smith and they explained that they had tried to fly it
and it had failed and they had abandoned it .

Mr. Hood stated he did not have full details at the time of his
call, but he did have this report from the Agents. Therefore, I instructed
that he call Mr. Willis of the Houston Office immediately in order that the
film and the part available to the Houston ·Office will not be forwarded
for Laboratory examination.

HBF:esb

RECORDED - 42
INDEXED - 42

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Bt;ECT!

~ "FLlING SAUO~" OESl!RVED O'Vm
OAK RIDGE AREA

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There are beine submitted herm.th two photographs of ropu
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saucers"which were seen at Oak Ridee, Tennessee, sometime during J u l , y ' f e(' . •
All of the 1.nf'ormation contained in this letter was received from Mt-. a;
RNmMAlf, Chief Investigator, Security Division, Atanio En«rS7 Ccmnias
•••• a
Colonel c. D. GASSm1 Resident Jlnsineer, Air Material Carnrnarn1_., United States
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1 _who ie tho principal army "technioian at the Nuclear ~ ..far__tb.e Propulsion of Aircraft Research Center at Oak Ridee_, Tennessee.
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Mr. RATHMAN advised that the attached photogr:e.phs were taken by w. R.
/ PRl!SLEY in July of 1947. He stated that interview with PRE3LEY revealed that he
had been snappine photographs of bis f'amil.y in front of hie residence at 218
Il11no1s Avenue, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, late in the e.f'ternoon, when he l.ooked
into the sky and obs erved the vapor trail as emibited by the photograph numbered
"l." PRESLEY stated that he took a snap of this trail, was winding the film to
the next number, when he looked into the sky and" observed the ball of fire as
shown in photograph 2. Upon observine the unusual phenomena, he used his last
l film in tald.ng photograph #2. P.RllSLEY made these photographs available to re,iportere of the Knoxville News-Sentinel and a story concerning them was run 1n
that paper; however, as shown by the photostatic copy of the newspaper clippine,
whioh is also being submitted herewith to the Bureau, the print was very indistinot; the news story did not contain an:r .fa ctual information; and 1t was regarded
generally by the public at the time as a ' ,◊se ~L~le tt-ick.
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Later, it w.a learned by Mr. RA~llDL.• ....nd Colonel G.ASS:HE that PRllSLEY
had made several copies of this photograph and had distributed them 8lllOJl8 his
acquaintances at Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Upon Colonel GASSl!R 'e finding tba t the
pho"toei:apha had received some distribution, he requested Mr. RA'IBMAN as Head of
the Can:pllance and Investigations DiVision, to recover as many as possible of
the photographs, advise the persons in whose possession they were found to say
nothing to aeyone concernins them, and to retm-n the said photographs to him
f'or traDSmission to the United States Air Foroe Yii'teD..fgence 'Servica. Mr. RAmMAN
advises tnat7fe- sucoee'a.ed in rounding up twenty-four copies of these photographs,
and that, ac~ordins to the statements of P.RFSLEY, no more copies were made or
distributed. RATHMAN further stated that GASSm had appeared extremely concerned
over the matter and seemed to be quite emphatic that the mtter should be given
no more publloity than was absolutely necessary. RA'lEMAN also advised that he
studied the negatives from which the reproductions were mde, and th y appee.red
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to be authentic in that trick photography should have been apparent, ut from the ~

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negatives certainly did not appear to be the case. It was Mr. RATEMAN'e
observation that had the negative been "doped" with some s ort o'f' chemical, it
would have removed the emulsion from the 'f'ace o'f' the ril.m in such a way that
the ne~tive would have been thin at the point which is supposedly a ball of
fire, v'hereas, in fact, both the vapor trail and the corona of fire are dark
on the'negative, indicati118 that it was an actual exposure. It was the opinion
of Mr•. RATHMAN that the photographs were, withn.ut doubt, authentic.
In accordance with Bureau instructions, no active investigation of
this ma.tter was made, but it was deemed advisable to interview Colonel GASSER
prior to submitting the photographs to the Bureau.
Colonel GASSER~ redicp.ted his remarks concerning the "flyi118 saucers"
or "mystery missiles" b; fstat~ that he lmew nothi118 of an official nature
concerning them, other than the 'f'act that they were believed by air force
intelligence officials to be man-made missiles, rather than some natural
phenomena. It was his :rurther belief that a great deal of inf'ormation had been
compiled concerning these missiles by air force intelligence, and that research
on the matter was being extensively done at Wright Field, Dayton, Ohio . He also
expressed. the opinion that information at the disposal of the United States Army
Air Force Intelligence had, in all probability, been made available to the
Bureau at Washington, D. C.
(Eolonel GASSER then. continued with hie own ideas as to what might be
the nature of these discs, which ideas he had formulated through review of
those known facts and theoretical conjectures of himself and other scientists
concerning the nature of flying discs and method.a o'f' propulsion for such type
of aerial mechanism. According to him, flying discs have long been a theoretical
possibility and, in fact, a possibility which would ind.i cate one of the beet
- means by which to break through the barriers of the supersonic area. Scientists
have, for many yeaxs, been attempting to develop this type of aircraft. Some
experimentation has been done even in the United States, but insofar as is
known in the United States at the present time, there have never been any
practical developments. As a second '!'actor of consideration, Colonel GASSER
stated that insofar as is known to U.S . scientists at this time, there is no
known chemical fuel which would make possible tremendous range of flight such
as is ascribed to the reported "flyi118 saucers. " There is only one possible
fuel which could be utilized. which is in accord with present theory, and that
is the utilization of atomic energy;\ As further evidence of this possible means
of propulsion, Colonel GASSER calledattention to the vapor trail and gaseous
corona described as a ball of fire, which he states might give some evidence
to the fact that a radio-active field is present. He explained that th~ corona,
or exhaust, has what appears to be layers of intensity which are circular rather
than elongated and have no tendency to trail at the extremities, as would be
the case if a normal type of exhaust from a oombustion engine was being utilized
in the propulsion of these aircraft. He continued that the vapor trail left by
the missile appears to be one single line of uni.form intensity which is extremely
slow in dissipating. It was pointed out by him that in the case of a normal
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vapor trail being left by an aircraft moving at extreme~ high speeds or extremely
high altitudes, the vapor trail usually will be from the wing tips and/or the
exhau~t of the engines, thus presenting several lines. But, in any event, even
~ouslj onJJ, one line were visible, it would be ~ther quick to dissipate. This
indif1ted to him that the vapor trail represents some atmospheric change along
t he :path or the missile, which voul.d not be the case were it any presently known
type of aircraft.
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;e:e continued that 1nf'armat on
shed b him should be
the. u;gp.oe ,gon:£'1 enia. in
t he was not !E_eald.~ off c a
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\ \ Datter of C~EGJ;t1gR. Re s¥atea that the mtter wasoeing g ven absolutely no
•aieeem!nation by t he air force or other JD.ilita:cy persOID1el, and that they had
not deemed it advisable to advise him of all information pertaining to the missile.
He continued, however, that in his conversation w1th representatives at Wright
Field and in re&d.ing reports returned to this country by f'ore1gn agents, he had
gathered together certain information which might be of assistance in determining
whether or not these so-called missiles were authen:tf.o, usable and of claxJser to
the United Statee. First, he pointed out that knowledge o£ such a possible
aircraft is not by aey meaDS new, it having been known as early as four years
ago that same type of flying disc was be1ns experimented with by the Russians.
In addition thereto, he stated that more recent reports have been received
from representatives of the Central Intell.igence Agency in Southern Europe and
Southern Asia to the effect that the Russians were experimenting with some type
of radical aircraft or guided missile which could be dispatched for great distances out over the sea, mde to turn in flight and return to the base from which
it was launched. Thie fact was extremely worthy of notice as experiments in
this country have so far only developed to the point where we are concerned with
deliverine a missile to the required point of impact, and no consideration has
been given to imparting to that missile the ability to return. Seconcll.y, he
stated that it is a known fact that the Russians are attempting to develop
some type of nuclear energy, that they received a wealth of information concerning nuclear energy at the time of their occupation in Ge.rmany, and that they too
have at their dispoeal the limited supply of the necessary fissionable materials.
He stated that insofar as aey opinion as j;o hether or not they have the ability
and scientific lmowledge to create such • u
- o elled missile is etrictl.J'
a matter o£ conjecture, and that he wou
esitate o
nite statement.
He pointed out, however, that the Russians have acme very capable scientists in
the field of atomic energy and that, in addition thereto, they took into their
custoc:'cy sane of the most advanced and capable scientists of the Ge:r,mn Nation.
Re also etated that a peculiar fact concerning the missiles exists
from reports he has received which is worthy of notice, and that is that from
all appearances, they usually approach the United States from a northerly direction and have been reported as returning in a norther.cy direction. None have
ever been lmown to crash, coll.ide or disintegrate over American soil, but it
woul.d appear that they come to the United States, cruise around, and go back
over the North Pole. He states that insofar as is known to him, there has never

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been any piece of one recovered from any source whatever in order that ~tical
study of its nature could be nade. Insofar as was known to him, the o~ actual
1fA~er1f,l which would be of~ value in determining its nature ere telephoto
:f.ho!!phs which are now in the possession of engineers at Wright Field, Dayton,
Ohi
How detailed and how clear these photographs are, he was unable to state.
Hes ted that one report has been reoeived concerning a collision o:f these
missiles with another type of aircraft. This report, according to him, took
place a ehort time prior to the report of numerous discs overr the United States,
and the report 8l1Bllated from Czeohoslovalda. This report was th.at a Czechoslovakian transport had collided with some unidentified missile while in mid-air
over the ocean, and that said missile and said transport bad been complete~
disintegrated vith.out recovery of parts or eurvivors tram eith.er. It was the
belief of Colonel GASSER that this undescribed missile was perhaps the same tY'Pe
of thing as the f~ng saucer~ Another :factor of' notice, accord.ins to Colonel
GASSm, and as is portrayed by the photographs, it would appear that the missiles
oan be maintained at a certain altitude above the contour of the ground. This
could be done by, means of acme t1"P9 of radio altimeter or radio control. Naturally, the path of the missile is not in emct parallel to the contour, as its
purported great speed would create considerable lag in its flight. Another
factor which is wor~ of note, according to Colonel GASSER, is that it is
normally reported as beins seen at tremendouelJ' hish altitudes and al.ways traveling in a straight line. He stated that he himself observed, on one occasion, a
single vapor trail coming fran sane type of aircraft at unbelievabl.7 high altitudes,
vhioh vapor trail extended tran horizon to horizon in a perfectly straight line.
He observed the vapor trail while it was in the process of :formation and states
that it vae ccmplete~ unlike ~ vapor trail he had ever observed before 1n all
of his experienoe vi th the air foroe. It was his judgment that whatever creat ed
the vapor trail vas traveliDS at an unbelievably tremendous speed. This, together
with reports that when close to the ground,the missile travels at speeds which
make possible visual observation of its actions, would refl.ect that there is
sane ability to control the speed of these missiles as well as the altitude.
( colonel GASSER concl.uded that this matter, whil.e still purely a matter
of gueeevork, is nevertheless a source of great concern to the military establ.ish:ment of this country. Great efforts have been expended by the service to determine
Just what the nature of these missil.es might be and, upon so determinins, deci d.e
whether or not an adequate defense can be establ.ished. He also stated that it
has given impetus to the research being done by the air farce in their own program of nuclear mert53 for the propulsion of aircraft to devel.op guided missil.es )
He also advised that insofar as was known to him, there was absolutely no connection betwem these missiles and the fact that they vere observed close to
Oak Ridge, Tennessee. He stated that this vas perhaps, and probably, a mtter
of coincidence and they were seen in this area merely as they vere seen in fortysix of the forty-eight states of the United States during the Month of July when
s o ~ reports were being received.
Thie inforr.ration is being submitted to the Bureau for whatever val.ue it
may be, and no further action 1n the nntter is beina contemplated by this office,
unless advised to the contrary.
CCM:bk

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~ .Office Memorandum •

12/28/48

D ATE :

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UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT

~ ~rector, FBI

To
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YING PISCt;:
LONNIE EDWo/OACK, Complainant
Attention:

Assistant Director D. M. Ladd

Remytel 12/28/48 in the above captioned matter.
F9,P-"'the BU7eau's information, on 12/27/48 Mr. FULLER
"1:fLACKWELL, an attorney with offices 410 Kress BuiLding,
Houston, Texas, telepho~ically contacted the~oton
Office to advise that he had a friend, LONNI
OACK,
who had some information on an object which ight be
a flying disc. Mr . BLACKWELL stated he was calling in
response to Mr. NOACK's suggestion and as a means of
determining what authorities would have an interest
in this matter . He said Mr . NOACK was a machinist
employed by the Humble 011 and Refining Company, Houston.

Mr . BLACKWELL, in calling, advised that the disc, or

object , was approximately eight feet i n diameter, had a
tail and wings, and apparently was equipped for jet
propulsion. He stated NOACK had observed this.object
at a desert location near Las Vegas, Nevada; further,
that Mr. NOACK had taken some movie film of the disc and
that this film was currently in his possession.
Immediately upon receipt of the above information,
Mr. Robert B. Fleming, Special Agent, o.s.r., Ellington
Field, Texas, was notified as was true of Captain Harold
Bush, MID representative, also Houston. As a result of
these referrals, arrangements were effected with Mr.
NO~ to bring his film to the Houston Office for a showi
~~ P.M., 12/27/48.
This was done with Messrs . Bush,
~~~leming, Noack, and Special Agent Graham W. Kitchel and
~~Cj\,)~C).,, the writer observing.
Arrangements were then made for
~
~ - Mr. NOACK to again a~pear at the Houston Office on the
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\\ morning of 12/28/48 in order that his information might be
&:duced to writing. Mr . NOACK in making his initial
w>pearance at the office surrendered his movie film which
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~ consisted of one 50 foot roll of 8 nim mov1e •f11m. Approximately
~)(_,~ <<J-fifteen feet of this roll relates e~ciusively to the pictures
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~~~ of the flying disc .

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Director
Re: Flying Disc
HO 12/28/48

While observing the object, Mr. NOACK noted an aluminum
cyJ1nder which had become detached from one of the wing
tips and he brought this back with him as a souvenir. This
cylinder conceivably could act as a rudder, a rocket
housing, or fuel tank attachment. Mr. NOACK initialled
the cylinder and surrendered it also.
There are attached hereto for the Bureau two copies of a
signed statement taken from Mr. NOACK dated Houston, Texas,
12/28/48. Two copies of the statement are attached for
the Los Angeles Office, and one informational copy is being
designated for the Cincinnati Division. The original is
being retained in the Houston file. One copy of the statement
is attached to the copy of this letter for the FBI Laboratory.
During the interview with Mr. NOACK, Mrs. ROSE C. ROTSEL, a
stenographer for O.S.I., Ellington Field, recorded the
statement for O.S.I . use .
Initial information obtained concerning this flying disc
was furnished telephonically to Inspector Howard Fletcher
at the Bureau, 9 A.M., 12/28/48. Mr . Fletcher requested
the Bureau be given a summary of the information by teletype,
with interested offices being similarly notified, and that
the signed statement of NOACK be submitted AMSD. He further
instructed that he did not want the Bureau "side tracked" in
the handling of this matter, but that FBI representatives
should assume an active interest in the investigation
throughout, cooperating, of course, with O.S.I. representatives.

Mr . Fleming's headquarters are the District Commander, 5th
o.s. r . District, Wright Field, Dayton, Ohio. On the morning
of 12/28/48 Mr. Fleming sent a telegram to his District
Commander giving a general summary of the original complaint.
Mr. Fleming was unable to advise how the 5th o.s.r. District
would handle their inquiry in this matter. He stated this
could either be handled by Wright Field dispatching a special
plane to California or by having their District Commander, 18D,
O. S.I . , San Bernardino, California handle it. He stated
1n any event it would be necessary for O.S.I. representatives
to first confer with Mr . R. C. PERSON, named in this statement,
as being the individual who initially discovered the flying
disc and would lmow also its present whereabouts.

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Director
Re: Fl7ing Disc
HO 12/28/48

Mr. PERSON, as indicated, maintains a business at 4116
Avalon Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, telephone
Adams 5281.
To insure the Bureau's participation in this matter,
SAC R.B. Hood, of the Los Angeles Office, was contacted
telephonically at approximately 11:30 A.M. (CST)
12/28/48 with the suggestion he maintain contact with
Mr. PERSON.
Also in keeping with Bureau instructions, the roll of
film received from Mr. NOACK, together with the aluminum
portion of the fuselage, is being forwarded separately to
the Bureau, attention FBI Laboratory.

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AIR MAIL SPECIAL DELIVERY
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Cincinnati (Encl.) AMSD

FBI, Laboratory (Encl.)
Package

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Houoton, Texas

Dec • ?.8, 1948

,I, LOiffiIE EDWARD )WACK, residing 2921 Cl'.1cago

Street, Houeton 17, TexaE, make the following statement to
Special Agent Robert D. Plemine and Chr1etopher R. Dradley,
reDreeentatlvcc of the Of.t'1ce ot E-pecia'l Investigat ton,
Ellington OSI Detachment, Ellington Field, Texoa, and
Special J\gents Orahain . &itohel ana Galen N. I1llia who
I know to be Special !agents of the Pederal Bureau or
InYest1pt1on.
On Monday afternoon December 6,

1948, at about

6 P.N., Mr. a.c. PERSON, Mr. YfATHAlf SJII'l'H,. )Ir. C.A. TOCK,

Mr. R01SER'J.' BROUSSARD and another man, n&Jl8 not recalled,
and I had dinner at the Old Virginia Inn, Loa Angeles,
California. After dinner we went back to Mr.. Ssnitn•a
electrical manutactur1ng company which he own.a and operates
1l1 Loa Angeles, CA11torn1a. Mr. PERSON told us about aeeing
a tlytng diac and we made an appointment to leave early
the next mom!~ by car• with our oueraa, to go to the
location or the d11c. Mr. PERSON waa detained at some
private air f.ield so we did not leave until about 2 P.M.
ml. December 7. 1948. We arrived at the acene ot the
tlyin.g diso and ~ook pictures of the d1ac which vaa still
171.ng around. Mr. SIIIITB took about 10 1'eet of 16 mm tilm
and Mr. PERSOX took five or six ahota wlth a Speed Graphic
Camera. He noticed that the t1r•t three shots were taken
when the adapter on his lens was closed too much and I
don•t icnow 1r they turned out all :right.
Jllr. SMIT!I
•uggested I hold the t1ying diac up and rotate it around
and he would teke llY' p1ctu

•1th 1ror came~.

Atti!r

taking the picture•, we patched the fence o~ Mr. PERSOK '•
property where people had been cutting the wire to get to
a road. f left and then d~ove baok and had dinner at
Eaton •a Inn and they took me back home to Hollywood,
ca11tom1a.
I would like to recite that I loft Houston, Texan
11:30 A.M. on Sunday; December 5. 1948, tor Cal~fornia by
plane and tlew to Hollywood, California on o commercial
plane on buoinese matters. On arriving 1n Hollywood, I mot
Mr. PERSON in Holly,rood on Monday, December 6, 1948,. and
at that time he told :me about the tlylng disc he had located.
'He stated he bad gone to Laa Vegaa by h1a personal plane
and saw the disc from the a1~ on hie way back.

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On December 7, 1948 •• went out J.n Mr. tfA'l'HAlf
SNITH'• car and ploked up h1a wife and left hia hoae in
South Pasadena about 11 A. M. We drove out to an airport
where hia plane was about rorty a1lea trom Pasadena DN
he was having the plane repaired.

He wanted to be aure

the plane was on a truck betore we left for the destination
where the di•c •••. Iri aaking thia trip, we proceeded
out by a race track and ~•••done ot the Kaiser ateel
works and the Virginia Dare Wine Orchard. I would say
we went directly north or northeast tr,om Pasadena,
ca11rom.1a. We droTe through a town called Matonia

(phonetic) and tollowed a roaa through •o•e mountaina and
through. a ••11 de1ert. I would eatiute the di•tance trom
Pasadena to where the d1ac ••• tound to be about 150 mllea.
The terrain 1n wh1oh the diac waa tound could be described
•• tlat,deaert. and de■ olate.

t would like to •~lain that Jlr. PERSON haa
private ~pert,- (an airport which he purcba••d rrom the
govemaent) right by the location or the d1ac. Mr. PER.SOR
thought the di•c might have been launched tro11 hie ail'J)ort.
but whether that ••• it or not - •• don• t know. Nr. PERSON
1a1d he usually tlew at an altitude or about 8,000 te•t
and, or course, he tlew lower 1n ao• apaced. He did not
mention hia altitude at the t1M he tlrat eaw the diac .
'lbe disc waa located preot1ca117 Juat outa1de his pros:,erty
and •• were going north, •o it would be eaat or hia property.
He has about 900 acres.
When •• arr1ved at Mr. ,PERSON' • propert7, •• aaw
the d1ac, or .flying wing, and it n■ on th• ground 1n a
aeJll1-vert1cal poe1t1on, approxiJnately a 45 de~• arigle,
With the le:t"t wing babedltd in the gr9und. In loold.J:tg at
the ground, it appeared that the obJect had hit the earth with
cona1derable force and had slid 300 to 400 feet. It wa•
dent•d but was generally intact. I th1illc the picture, I took
with a Revere 8 - camera quite well ahow th• tom, shape
and size or the "wing." I am 5 ' 7" tall and 1n atand1ng next
to the object when it was in an upright poaition, 1t wae
alightl7 higher than my height. I would ••7 it waa rollgbly
seven feet in diameter, b•f ore crashing.

On each e1de or the obJect there were w1rma
approxillately t~ur feet b7 twent7 inches and three 1nohes thick
with an axle that protruded through the dlac and 1.J\to the wing■•
It waa aounted on ball bear1nge which the diac rotated on.

2

1be disc .1iielf wae approx1111ately two reet thick
in the center, tapering to a reather edge at tll• rim. On
the outalde or the disc, near the rill, there were tunnel
shaped cupa bradded on and these were apace4 all around
on both aides, each cup ti-.C approxiMtel,- twenty tnehea

apart.

The openings of these cups were to the rear. The

d1ac 1teelr was natural al'UD'linum with no paint on it except
ot the type or aluminum which waa 24 S.T. and 1t bore th1a
stamp. 'l'he ·wings were painted a yellow.green cuaoutlage
color.
The wing has a leading edge similar to that ot
an airplane and tapera to the rear to a teather edge. ll'he
wing••• ribbed throughout with altiJDinum r1ba ror substantial
atrength. Each wing had a s1.m1lar rocket cartridge on each
tip tutened by two bolts. I bad one ot the winga in my
po■ aeea1on and have turned it over to the proper authorities.
'l'he cartridge on the one I had waa apparently knocked orr
1n the craeh.

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There were two strut bars attached approxi•tel7
twenty 1nchea h-011 the disc leading to the rear with an
elevator. Alao, the two struts protruded toward ·the front
with something attached, a weight or aome tow a)'Btem, which
waa during the oraeh anchored into the ground and bent
and we could not exactly determine how 1t waa weighted or
controlled. I would say the elevator wu approximately
twenty-two inches long and about 5/8 inch thick with a alight
taper to the rear and probably ten 1nchea wide. 'nle at"'•
extending trom the trailing edge or th• wing to the •levator
were •d• ot 5/8 inch steel tubing. The di■ c, in being
lifted,
would J~dge to weigh rro~ 80 to 100 pounds.
With respect to the picture• taken, I took
approximately 15 reet ot colored 8 mm film.
.
Tbe diec was built where they had the proper
equipment to do ttie neceeaaey work because the7 had to have
a epot welder and bu1ldµig equipment to male• the d1t'ferent

angles. I ll1ght add that I ua an in■ tru■ent Ulcer tor the
BUlllble 011 and Ret1n1ng. ColllJ)any and haYe a generally good
knowledg• of machine and metal work. There was nothing on
the object to 1nd1oate ita origin, whether .American or foreign
•ke. It would appear, however, from the alum1nwa,worlalianah1p,
etc . that it probably waa American 11&.de.

-3-

Arter we r1ntshed taking our pictures and d1scuaet.ng
the object among ourselves, Mr. PER.SOK expreaaed an 1ntent1on
or obtaining a truck and hauling the object to his ehop. I
cannot say at th1• tiJJle whether he did th1a or not or where
the object uy be at this particular ·date. Ve r1n1ehed
'
our observation and picture taking at approx1.Jllatel7 5i30
or 6 P.M. on December 7.
In reaponae to Mr. Fleming'• inquiry, there waa np">
radio equipment noted on the obJect 1n any: tashion or rorm.

We returned to Pasadena, California, that evening
arriving 1n Hollywood about 9 or 9,30 P.JII. I took some more
pictures that night along BollJW00d Boule•ard on the unt1n1ahed
roll or t1lm and then wetn over the Chinese 'l'heatre an4 took
a picture or the a1anature or George "Hart and r1ntahed the 1"011.
I bought another roll or tilm, and took them to the Eastman Xodak
Company the following JIOnday which would be December 13, 1948.
A• I Noall, thia la•tman shop waa ,on Loa Palmaa Street 1n
Loa Angeles, Cal1tomia. !hey 1nfo1"1114td me they- would deYelop
the tilm and that it would be ready on Thur1da,t.. I lett
Cal1torn1a on Wednesday so they uiled the t11a to me at IQ'
buaineaa addreaa, Bumble 011 Building, Rooa 159, Houston, Texas.
I received th••• tilma on Deoeaber 23, 1948.
After J.AY return from California I mentioned to several
and •oetii.l acQuaintancea that I bad aecn t>.1•
object, a. dise or saucer or whatever 7ou Jil.1.ght call it, and
tolcl the• that I had taken pictures and would be glad to ahow
them when the picture• arriYed. Aa atatedi I Nce1Yed the
111m on December 23 and at 1:30 P.N. on the same date I •bowed
the t1lm ~n the projection room at 11\mble 011 to the tol1ow1ng1
D.W. BLAIR; J. HA.'l'TAWAY; d.A. PETERS0JIJ JAMES 8. OLIVI!R;
VILLIAN JtIED, JR.; A.E. MBLETON; WAYRE CRAVPOJU>s D.A. BATTLE
~ rq bua.ineaa

and two other snen whose names I do not recall.

All or theae

men work 1n the tnatrwnent ahop with• at HUllble 011 Is Refining
Company. I also showed the fil.JI to ay lbrother-1n-law# E. JtULAK,
or Pasaaena, Texa■, at home on the tollowlng night.

On: Chriatmaa Day I met •o• friends and one ot the
girle wu with a young bo7 who waa intereated 1n photography.
l do not know tiia naJM but he work• at Southern Pacitic. I told
him I had aome pictures or the fly~ d1•c but I did not show him
the pictures but explained the di■ c. I think thia boy 18 the
peNon who had hie friend at the 11ewepaper contact me.

I got ho• about 10,30 A.N. and PltllUC REED,
o~ the C1t7 Deak at the •11ouaton P0at" called• and wanted
to know about the d1ac. I told him I oould not g1Te hi■
any 1nt"ol'll&t1on on it. Be begged• tor the atory, but I
told him iI would let hill lmow and that I had trienda I
had to contact betore I could give hill any 1nfol"lllll.t1on.

! then got 1n touch •1th MP. Blackwood, '1/fT
la-,er, the tollow1ng ■orninl and aaked hia 1r he kn&n7one in the PBI. He stated all th• PSI per1onnel he Jmew
were no longer station.cl here. I then contacted the J'BI
and turned the material over to them.
Althougt\ I can't deaor1be where thia obJect 1a
located, I believe I could go back to it and I am aure
Mr. PEJtSOlf and and Nr. SNITH could go back to it.
Nr. MA'fflAK SNITH'• buaineaa addreaa ls Nathan
Sll1th Electrical Coapany., 105 South Pasadena Avenue, South
Paaadena, Cal1fom1a. Mr. R. c, PDS0K 1a pre■ ident or
the Vaaoo m.eotr1cal llllnutaoturing Co111P&ft7, -116 ATalon
Boulen.rd, Lo• qelea, Cal1torn1a.
Por record p~o•••• 1n takiria the picture• above
reteJ:'Nd to., I did ao uatng exJ)o1ure or 16 !'ram.a per aecond
at a d i . a ~ openiq or t6.3. I ua•d••-Xodak l'.odachrome
t1lm.
All'e"r,0·N The above atate-nt., -de YOlunta-.117 abd ~or 1.he
1 a,111,t• of proper author1t1••, 1• •d• to -;;.y b••t knowledge

and bel1e1'.

fiepreaentatives OSI, liiiriiton Pleld., Texas

PBI, Houaton. Texae

-5-

ENCLOSURE TO THE BUREAU
RE:

FLYING DISC;
LONNIE EDWARD NOACK, Complainant

•

•
r-Ac, Houston

Janu&l"T 25, 1949

Director, FBI

Reterenc. is made to Los Angeles teletype dated 12/29/IJl cid to

Houst.oa t.elet.ype dated 12/28/t.S, 61cd the subsequent trans;i.1ttal or an
8ma\ movie film taken by Ur. LOttiIE NOACK, along With aewral parts or
the aupposed flying diao to tle l nborato~y for examination.
Sineo prior to rooeipt of tte above 1 t.eJU b7 the labora tor, the
inforir.ation •a:t cbtoined which identitied the supposed t:cy:lng disc as a

tow tare;et and later a to7 kite, no examinat.ion was conduct.eel here.
Accord1ngl7, these 1t4ima are be1ni returned to 700. via reg;l.atered

.:as a3694
cc,

•

SAO, Lo• An&elea

H!conoF/\

60

4-U ..

• INDfXFD
~j

•

60 Zl r 31 19'

EX-59

•

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~~ (\il1r-: i\

e~-Xl
~·)u.snr· 10 .i.cr30 -~

8

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.1
d0!Vij08~' 1 1NlN;,

oP, l·lV ss 6 l 83

I

•

"

, Office Memml rldUm • uNtTED sTf r:s GovERNMENT
.,

TO

: The Director

FROM

:

SUBJECT:

f{fu

DATE:

January 241 1949
\tr. Tolson~
11.-. Clegs,_ _

D. M. Ladd

tJFLYING DISCS

K'

:::o
~ avl
llr. 111
!Ir. Ro

s

__

:.: Egan,.::-.:::==
I thought you might be interested in the following information
:: ~~~
concerning "Flying D1,:,c..s" which has ~en fl.l,rnished to the Bureau on a
::: ~::;; 1,=confidential basis by Colonel- C ~Gasser, Re~id~- Erlgin~er, Air
Material Comnand, U. S.Arrey, who is the pr incipal anny technician at the ~::
Nuclear Ehem::!csr:::t1'iErPropulsion of Aircraft ~E1ai:ch Cent.er. ~-Oak..Ridge,- - - Tennes see.

:~•==~
=~

.
Colonel Gasser stated that he knew nothing of an C2flliial._ nature__£f>,Ecerning
''Flfi~g Discs" other than ~he fact that they are believed by Air ,toz:E!, ,El~lljgence
officials to be man-made m.issil~s, }"at.Jler_than so~ natural phenomena. It was his
further bel ief that a great deal of information has been C.Q!!miled concern~ng these
missiles by air force intelligence.., and that r.!_search on the matter was being
extensively done at Wright Field, Dayton, Ohio .
Colonel Gasser then continued with his own ideas as to what .might be
the nature of these discs which ideas he had formulated through review of those
known facts and theoretical conjectures of himself and other scientists concen1ing
the nature of flying discs and .oethods of propulsion for such type of aerial
mechanisn. According to him, flying discs have long been a theoretical possibility,
and, in fact, a possibility- wmcb wou!_d _indicate one of the best means by which to
break through the barriers of the supersonic area. He stated that sc;.ientistLhave,
tor- many years, been attempting to develop this type of aircraft. Some e~rimentation has been done_ even in the U~ited Sta~es, bit i nsofar as is .lmown in the
United States at the present time, there have never been any practical developments .
As a second- factor or consideration, Colonel Gasser stated that _insofar as is known
to U. S. scien_!;ists at this time, there is no known chemical fuel v.hich_would .make
possible tremendous range of flight aich as is ascribed to the reported 11flying
discs." According to Gasser, there is onlY ooe possible fuel;_ which could be
uti:(°ized _which is in.. ac~ord with present theory, and that is the utilization of
atomic energy.
He stated that tru,s subject matter was being given absolutely no disseminc1:tion
by the ~JQT-<;e .9r .Qt.her .milit..acy_ personnel and tha.!:,_J,.!!_ey had not deen:ed it
adyisable to advise_ him of all information pertainigg to t h i ~ e .missile. He
/
continued, however, that in his conversation wit_~entatU,es at Wr~_E~ld
_,/
and in reading r~_p,orts returned _to this country by foreign agents, he had gathered
together certain information which might be of assistance in determining whether or
n~these so- call8i .missiles were authentic, usable and of aanger to the United States .

EHM:hhr

~

FEB 8 19 9~p /

•

'
I.

•

..

He pointed out that knC71'1ledge of such a ~ ssi.ble aircraft is not by aey_means
new and t hat i t was known as early as four years ago that some type of flying
discwas being experisnented...!'i.!.,h by the Rus§,i~s. In addition he said that mor!;
recent repo~ts .ha.v~ been...received from representatives of the Central Intell~nce
A ~ in Sout~ern Europe and Southern Asia to the effect that the Russians were
experimenting wjt]i some type of radical aircraft or guided miss ile which could be
dispatched for great distances out over the sea, made to turn in flight and ~ r n
to the ba se from which it v.as launcbed. He related that this information was
extremely worthy of notic9 as experiments in this country have so far onl.y developed
to the point where ~e a re concerned with delivering a mi..ssile to the required point
of impact, and no consideration has been given to impa rting to that aus sile the
abil ity to return. He also advised that it is a known f act t hat the Russ ians are
attempting to develop so~ t~e o!. nuclear energy., that. they .received a wealth..of
information concerning nuclear ~nerSLA,t tbe time of their occupation in Germany,
and that they have at their ..d.is~al a l.im:ited supply of fissionable materials.
He pointed out that the Rµssians have some vecy capable scientists in the field
of atoni: energy and that, in addition thereto, they took into their custody some
of the most advanced and capable scientists of the German Nat ion.
Colonel Gas ser stated that a P.eculiar fact conce!:._ning the~ ~iles
is found in reports he has received,that from all appearances the missiles
usually approach the United StatesJrom a northerly direction and have been reported
as~urn7:ng in- a northerly direct ion. He advised that nO{!e have ever been known
to crash c~llide or disintegrate over American soil, but it woula appear that they
come to the United St ates, cruise around, and go back over the North Pole. He
stated that :insofar as is known to him there has never been a,nz..£!._rt of a missile
of this type recovered from any s::>urce whatever in order that an analytical. study
of its nature could be made. He stated that on~ report hai been received concerning
a collision of these ~ e s ~ ith another type of aircraft. This report, ac::c::ardi og
to him, emanated from Czechoslovakia and took place a short time prior to the ~Q.tt
of numerous cfiscs over the Uni,1:ed States. According to Colonel Gasser a, Czechoslovakian
transport h ad reportedly collided with some unidentified missile while in mid::air
over1£e"o'cean, ana that the mis§ile and transpor~re co)N?lete~ disinte.ua..ted
without recovery .o f parts or survivors fro~her •
. Colonel Gasser concluded that this matter, while still purely a mat\!:
of guesswork, is nevertheless a source of great concern to the military establl.shioont
o(_filils countr,: - He advised that great efforts have been expended by tl_le milJ.i.ary
service to determine the nature of these missiles and upor1so determining, decide
whether or not an adequate defense can'6e eslablished. He stated that it has given
impetus to the research being done by the air force in their own program of nuclear
energy for the propulsion of aircraft to develop guided missiles.
ACTION:
None.

'!be above is for your :information.

-2-

•

Authority:
NND 90986

DEPAB'nlENT OF THE ABMY

STA.FF J.iESS.A.GE CENTER
INCO~INO CLASSIFIED ~LESSAGE
CONFI DEllTIAL

PAllA.PHRASE NOT REQ,UilillD

PRIORITY
From:

CO Kirtland AY.B New Mexico

To:

Chief of Staff US.A.F attn Dir of Special Invectigatione
Officer of the Inspector General

Nr:

OSI-l-90

3 I

31 January 1949

Reference previous reports. subject: unknown, aerial
phenomena, file number 24..8. Sighting of identical object
reported at 2255Z 30 Jan 49 by aprx 30 people. Estimate at
least 100 total sightings. AEC 1 AFSWP • 4th Army. local
conwanders perturbed by implications of phenomena. Sighting
reported from El Paao, Alburquerque, Alamogordo. Roswell.
Socorro, and other locations. All appear to be same object at
different points in trajectory. Un.less instructed to contrary
this office will make all out investigation with view to
location of impact point if any. Request reply.
~-

4,, "'v /

~

ACTION:

INFO:

AF

RECORDED • lG

ID. PO

(l.i IN 321

(,a Feb 49)

t'k \G

-

~

-F

?f

o

13 fEB '110. ·1JJ,W

t i -1fli
DTG: 312l.45Z

RC 5/1

FEB 2819

, (2 - !

d#./B
COPY

~

Room 5744 _31...,_..,,..
__3_ _ _ _ _ __ 1949

TO:

V

Director

_ _Mr. Clegg

_Mr. Glavin
_Mr. Harbo
_ _ Mr . Ladd
_Mr. Nichols Mr. Tracy ....•••••._
---Mr. Rosen
Mr. Egan ••••••• •-···
Mr. Guroea . . ........
_ _Mr. Tracy
__Mr . Fletcher Mr. Harbo ...........
Mr. Mohr ·······-···
-Mr. Mohr
Mr. Peonlogton . . ...
_ _ Mr. Carlson
l\fr. Qulo.n Tamm....
_ _ Mr. Nease
t.!.r. Nease...................
_Miss Gandy
Mis~ Gandy._ _
__Personnel Fil s ect1 on
--Records Secti --- ----·- -----------_Mrs. Skillman
See Me

Send File

For Appr opr iate Action
Not e and Return

~ ~

Clyde Tolson

1
..

.,"\,,,.!(",_ • •

c1JG ~

,.-1

r

••

. '11

Office M emorandum • UN ITED S11iLL:.u -o-OVERNMENT
Director, FBI

DATE :

February 18, 1949

SAC, Knoxville

0
"FLYING SAUCEBS" Ol3SERVED OVER OAK RIDGE AREA
INTERNAL SECURITY - X

Reference is made to Knoxville letter to the Director dated January 10~
1949, entitled as above.

I

There is being :forwarded for the Bureau's information a cop~ of
a letter :from Colonel C. D. GASSER, USAF, AMC Engineering Field
Officer, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, to Mr. G. J. RATHMAN, Security
Division, U. s. Atomic Energy Commission, Oak Ridge. This letter
is self explanatory and reveals that the photographs forwarded
with referenced letter are the result of accident or purposeful
hoax and are not actually photographs of a "f l :.:1t:1 saucer" .

Colonel GASSER personally advisec1: that whi l e the ·photographs
are not real, his statements m£ '1<' conc'3r.1i.ng the ext otence of
:f'l.y1ng saucers and the opinions '}Y.p:rtc l ~ad by h1L1 nevertheless
stand as previously stated.

jjc
' CCMcS:
65-11

~~.._ \

\ ENCLOSURE ATTAOHBID
"\

~

-

Enclosure

~ ' I

J:~,\ t
7FEB 251949

~ i¥

~-:=-==j

•

Ct

••

•
--

.,

C
0

WJRE<JL8/cro/.1k
NEPA Project, P. o. Box E
Oak Ridge, Tennessee
10Febru.8.171949
p

y

M:r. G. J. Rathman

Chief', Investigation Section
Security Division
u. S. Atomic Energy Caamission
P. O. Box E
Oak Ridge, Temeesee
Dear Mr. Rathman
Thie is in response to your letter dated 16 December 1948,
subject "Photographs", with inolosures, addressed to Major
D. J. Grant at this site, oonoerning photographs taken during
the month of July 1947 by Mr. William Presley ot 218 Illinois
Avenue, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, of an unidentified object that
appeared to be f'lying c:JVer Oak Ridge.
Since receipt by Major Grant of the abc:JVe material, this ofi'ice
has taken steps to secure an evaluation of same by the Air Force
of':f'ice of the Chief, Technical Intelligence Division, Intelligence Department, Air Materiel Cammand, at Wright-Patterson Air
Force Base, Dayton, Ohio. As a result, the following information bas been revealed:
"When the negative, containing the sphere, is examined
by strong incident light, it is noted that the emulsion
is raised at that point above the normal level of the
remaining emulsion. This indicates that either a drop
of' warm.water or a drop of' developer struck the film at
this point and rolled down this negative and the succeeding negative.
"To further substantiate this, it will be noted that when
the two (2) negatives are placed side by side with the
eaaes of the film aligned, the so-called "trail" is continuous, that is the two sections :match, indicating the
drop rolled on f'ral1 one negative to the next.
"Sill :further proot is shown on the fogged edge of the
negative containing only the trail. This is proven by
the fact that the trail extends beyond the normal format

C
0

p

y

C
0

p
y

Ltr. to Mr. G. J. Rathman, Chief, Investigation Section, u. s.
AEC, dated 10 February 1949, Re Photographs
of the negative. In other words, there is a trail of
that section of the negative which was not exposed in
the camera. Thie effect shows up in one negative and
not in the other because the negative in question is
fogged; therefore, this irregularity was developed.
"Sti 11 f'Urther proof of these defects lies in t.he number
of unevenly developed sections of the negative."
In view of the above, it is reoam:nended that this entire matter
be declassif'ied and that Mr. Presley be advised of the nature o£
the images, if and when the negatives are returned to h1m by your
office.
For your information, this ottioe is taking the liberty of :turnish1ng a copy o£ this ~ommnieation to Mr. c. c. Mcswain, Special
Agent, F.BI, because of official interest eTidenced by his office
1n the matter.
Your cooperation 1n furnishing photographs and negatives, together
With information contained in your letter o£ 16 December 1948 to
Major Grant, is sincerely appreciated.
Vecy truly yours,

C. D. GASSER
Colonel, US.AF
Am EngineerinsField Officer

3 Incle.
2 Negatives
l Photostat
cc - Mr. C. C. McSwain

C
0

p
y

L-26

oice of Contents from

BUREAU OF INVESTIGATIO
SHINGTON, D. C.
Date l/';.'J/

Case References

49

i,'1YING DIS CS
LONHIE ED ·;ARD NOACK , Complain ant

Consigned to :SAC' HOUSTOr

List of Contents
,

COMMuNICAl ION

~CTION mm Movie :--·1m,

MAILED 16

*

FEB 8- 1949 P.M.

REGISTERED UAIL

- --

par ts of s uppose d flying disc .

Mr. Harbo, 7641
Mr. Conrad, 7142
Mr . Downing, 6228 IB _ _
Mr . Sizoo, 7601
Mr . Baughman, 7121

i<'

1

RD£RAl BUlliAU OF IN\lf.STIGATION
u. s. OEPAIITM&NT Of JUSTICE

I
3
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS: Mai 1 Room, place d ate o f shi pment and rei ~ [ n~m~ e r ; Shipping Room, show
date of shipment and ·JJ.iti 1 this invoice; then return it to persou whose name is checked in column at
right. Arter this checked name has been initialled, invoice should be plac e d in adm,1 nistrative file .

,--

-/

/

-

_.,-U<DARD PORM NO. 64

•

•

·Office Memorandum • UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
TO

pIRECTOR, FBI

FROM

:SllC, .S,Ji ANTONIO

Janu~r y 31, 1949

DATE:

SUBJECTlROTECTION OF VIT.i'..L IH3T•.LLiSIONS

BURE..'.U FILE # 65- 58300

~

~ ij77
~1.t recent ~feekly Intelli.::;ence Conferenceri of G-2, OIU, OSI~ cmd F . ~ . I.,
Jr,-_ii,!;

~

in the Fourth :,rmy .\rec. , Oi'ficers of C- 2, Fou::::-th ,\rmy hc:.ve dir.:cu::ised the
JJ.::.tter o,t 11Unidentified :.ircrc.ft 11 o r 11Unidentificd Aeric.l Phonomeno.11 othe!'\1ise
:_::nown a~ 11p13,?o _piscs 11 , ~'Flyinf; S~.u~ rsrt., ~ c.i:,ct "D~l~s of Fil·e 11 : .'JJ'?:s. _!'~~t-~~~
_i_s__c_o_n_s_3:qe_::::~a_. _o:p__s_e_c_~_~t_ _oy )A.@1:¼~0:C_e__0_1_f_i_e:e:1:s. _0_1~ _b_o_t_l!_ _t_~e. h.r:.-: : _.:-.p._c_ _th~
Lir Forces.
It is ; .ell !:no;-m tlu-.t t~1ere hc:ve been during the p2.st tno ~'c.:-.1·s r e)orts from
tho vo.rious p~rts of the country of the sit;hting of unicient.ificd 2.ericl
objects which ht1ve been cc.llc,d in nc,-is::n-.pGl' po.rl.:.nce 11flying discs" and
1tfly.i.ng sc.ucers 11 • The fil•st such sightings T:crc re:)ortcd from .SwedGn, ~nd
it wo.s thought thc:.t the obj ects, the nf'ture of nllich v12s unknonn, r.1ight hr.vo
orit,inded in :.cussic..

In Julr 1948 rn unidentified aircrr.ft r1c.s 11 seen11 by an Zc.stGrn :.irlines
Pilot c.nd Co-Pilot £1.nd onG or rnore p2:;scngcrs of the E2.stE:..rn ,.irlincs Plane
over Eontgomery, ~·,1.:-.bama.. This c.ircr2..ft uc.s rG.JOrtcd to be of c.n unconvcntionel t:;rpG without uin~s 0.nd resenbled gcnc;;;:c.lly n 11 rockct. ship 11 of the
tJr1)c depicted in comic stri~s . It •:;~i: ri:;::iorted to he.VG had nindons; to
hr:vE. been 1.:-. rgcr th,.n the :3r.stern :.irlines pl2ne, r...nd to hc..vc bc;en tr.:-..veling
c.t c.n cstim.:-.ted speGd of 2700 nilc;s .:n hour . It ...'.:)P~['.red out of r. thunder~
hec.d ahce.d of the :;:,.stern :~irlincs plcnc rnd iJ:unedic.tcl!· disc.:)per.rGd in c.nothc~
cloud no.rrowly missing ~- collision n ith the 3t.stcrn ;·, irlines :)l2nc . No
~
0 l
sound or c.ir di:,turb.:-.nce ,:cs noted in connection 11ith this .:-.pp-.:c.rrnce.
Durins the ,_)~. st t,,o months va.rious sightings of unc~c.;1.:-.incd phcnomcnn hc.ve
bcc;n :rc}ortod in thG vicinit;;: of the :. . E. C. Inst..".llc..tion .:-.t Los .~1.:-mos,
Ikn Loxico, uh-::rc these p:1enom.:rn:. no,, c._>pcCT to ··b e concentr.:-.t<c.d. During
Dece.mbe:r 19L:S • n tho 5th, 6th, 7th , 8th, 11th, 13, ll~th, 20th end 28th
sightings of uncxpkined :)henomcnc. 1'1erc ;,1c.dc ncr.r Los :,lc'.'.Il\os by Spccitl
.". 6 cmts of the Office of Specitl Investi.6 :::tion; ,.irline Pilots; Eilit2.ry
:Cilots , Los I.le.mos 3ecurity Ins.)Gctors, c.nd )rivl'.tc citizens . On
Jrnu"-ry 6, 1949, nnothcr si:ulc.r objGct ~~['..S sir:,hted in the St'.lns:: r.1~c2. .
Dr . LINCOLl! L.. P..z, c. lfotcorologist • f some note, h.:-.s bcc;n gcnerc.ll;r in
chc.rg6 of the • bservc.tions ncr.r Los ..1.:-Jnos, r.tt€lil)ting to l Gr.rn chr.rr.ctGr istics of the unex:_)lr.ined ?h<::nor.,cnr. .
U:,:> to this tiiae little concrete inform::.tion h.:-s becm obk.incd .

a,, JZ,J :md

~ ~ s :.- 100- 7545
J
cc : El Pc.so -( 2 J"
Dc.llc..s (2) "
Houston (2)

RECORDED - 13~6_.£;:__ _
Little Rock (2)
O!:L:.hor.\e. City ( 2)

F

B I
43 MAR 16 1949__

~

•
DI RECTOR, FBI

l /31/49

Th-::rc h2.ve been d<'-:' t ime sightings 1',tich .:-sc tent~.tivel~' considei.'Cd to possibl y
rescr.1ble the cxh:cust of s ome type of jct .)r opell0d objec t . :Tight- t i me:, si ehtings
h<'.VC tc.ken the f or m of lights usuc.lly described D.S brillic.nt grCE.n, s Li.il:i.r
to r. t;rGen t r clfic signc.l or br een neon light . Some repor t s indicc.ted thr.t the
li[,ht begc.n c.nd ended ;1i th c. red or ormgc f lc:sh . Other rqort ::: h.:-.ve giv en t he
color l'.S red , Tihi te , blu- \:l1itG, and yelloni sh L;r Gen . Tr.:-iling l:1• 6hts soi,10t:L:es observGd l".r c nc.i d to be re.ct .. The s:,ec trum c.n.:.lirnis of one l i i;ht in.di c.:-.tcs
thc.t i t i.12.~r be ;:_ copper c o,,)ound of the type l:no1:n to be uned in rocket
CX;_Jeri,:ients c.nd T1hich co .~)lctely disintegr c.tes U)On cx)losi on, lc:-vine n•
de'.n·i s . I t is noted tl1::c :10 de'ur in h-::-.s ever been Lnmm to be l oc:.tcd c.nyi,hero
resul t ing f rom the une:x;_)lcined )henomcno. .
Recent observ.:-.tions hc-.ve :1..1dic.:-.tcd th2.t the unidE.ntified ::,l1enorJcn2. tr.::vel D.t
.:-. r.:.te of spGed c.st.L-:i..:s.ted 2.t .:. ninii,rnr.1 of throe uilGs .)€1' second encl c. nnximum
of t1'1E.lve i.1iles per second, or c. m~c:-.n cnlculr.ted speed of scvGn ~d on0-hc.lf
:.1ilE-s a sccond, or 27 , 000 r.1iles en hour . Thei r rc.)ortGd course indi c c.tcs th.:.t
they trt.vel on Qil Ee.st - ~·:est linG ·.iith _}robt.bilit~, th:.t thc~r C..)pl'oc.ch f r om
the Northern ~u.:.dr c.nt , ".'lhich 1:oLu.d be the l e.st str.t_;e of the L,l'cat cii"cle route
if thG:' ori.::;in2.ted in Rui:;si ~ . :.11en observed they s;..e:.1 to be in lcvc;l flii:;ht
.:.t ;:. l:.ci6 ht of six to ten 11iles l".nd tbus trc:.v elin[, on ~-- t .n,sont to the ear th I s
surfr.c c . The:' occ.:- siontll:- di:) .:-.t the. end of the ;,c.th r,nd on t•;o occ.:- sions
:::. definite vGrticc.l ch2n.'.;e in _)t.th ,:.:-.8 indic.::.ted. These l)honor.1cnc. hcve not
been l:nmm to hc· vE- been si.:;htGd, hm:cv er, c..t c..ny intGrmc.dit.tc po:i.nt bet1;ecn
::-mssi,. l"nd Los ;,ltJ,1os, 1Jut only ::·.t the c.nd of the flisht tour.rd the ;:.pp.-.rent
rrtc..rget11, n2.1:1ely, Loi:; ..le.mos .
In every c c.sG but onG the si12.pc of thc objc.c ts hes been r epo1·ted c.s r ound
ii1 2. point of light T1itll 2. definite <'-l'Gt. to the Ji[)1t I s source;. One l~c,?ort
gi ves .:-. d::.c.moncl she.pc: .:-.nother indicc.tc,; th-.:- t trc.iling lit;hts ,.rG elon._,c.ted.
T!1c sizE. i s uau:-.11:r co, !_).:-.red to one- fourth thG cl.i.'.'.;.1ctc;r of the full :noon, .:-nd
t:1oy ;1;-ve t.lso been coi.1pc.rcd in sizG to 2. br.s:~ctbr.ll 11i th tre.ili11.:.; li0hts thG
size of 2. 02.scb , .11.
On no occ~.sion h:--.s sounc: been i".ssocii"'.ted dircc tl:· ·.1ith the phonor,1on2., but
une:x:_)l .:.ined sounds }12.ve been :.'e)orted f r oi'a Los :.1-:-Jnos . On t·.io occ -.sions
rei-:>ol"ts t.::-.vc. bGen rccGived of th<:: si.:,hting of multiple uni ts .
Some nine sci entifi c re2.sons c.rG s t::tcd to GY..ist l:hi ch indic.:-.ted th.:'.t tho
:phcmomenc:. obs erved .::.r G not due to rnet Gori tes . ThG onl:- concl usi on s rGc.chcd
t hus fr.r r.re th2.t the:· .:-.re either hi therte. unobse1'vod n:-.tut'c.l phGnorncn::-. or
thc.t they r.re n12.n m::.dc, . ;io scientific ex)crii.wnts c.r c i~nm:n to exist in this
country l1hich could give ri:e to such phenomen.:-..

- 2 -

•

.,.

•

•

DIP..ZCTOR, FBI

1/31/49

:;r:·s . L'illELL;.E G~;yHNE ::sr..cH:J:T· E's the subj Gct of c. letter fror.1 the :,tlmtc?. office
to the :Surec.u d.:::ted ,·,u[_;ust 10 , 1948, entitled, 11LiDELL.iS a· YllNE E&CHiJ~T;
Il-1FORE.~:i'ION CONC:S}UHi ;G. "
.She hr.s 1nritt6n Ilk"l1Y l etters to Jiilit2.ry ;,uthoriti0s concerning her t heories
r e.:;c.rding .~tomic Energy. s :!c, h. ·'-· t,cn,..,rdly been considered unrelic.bl G and
) OSsibly ;:wntally unbal c>ncod. She, hm·:cvcr , has submittod to Uilitc1ry
2.uthoritics t he only theory thus f;:,.1• '.mo~·m that hr.s r..n? credi bi lit? r..t c.11,
m:.ncly, tht.t the. li 6hts .:.re ..12nifcstc.tions of cosnic r.:.ys v!hich c:.rc directed
to•,;ard c. specific }Oint . She further theoriz€s thE.t such r.:.ys r.1.r.y intGrfe.rc
'.iith the i gnition of 1:1otors c.nd mc.;r ,2.cco unt for v o.rious uncx}lc.incd air ere.shes.
Tho wove is subr.u.tted for the confidcmtir.l info:rm.etion of the Bu:ce..:,u 211d
offices to ::rhich co) ies of t::i s letter e re dir ec ted so th.::-.t thGs e offices Dt.y
cv.3.ulc.:tc ~y such re.Jorts t he:' r.':t::;/ ht.Ve reccivod o:;..~ r.1t.:· receive 1n t he future. .
I '.:. is not0d tl10.t the Fourti1· ;_rr,1y hc.1., the res:1onsibilit;r of ~,:cotc;ctinr, vitc.l
inst2;llr.tions r.t Los ..1:-.mo.s, Ne,: L::xico, s.,ndic. n_..se , Nc:i i.:cxico , o.nd

c-.--~

H,:>Dc. , Texas . ;'..ny infor;.1c).tion dovGlopcd ::,l1ould be CX[>Cditiousl:- trc.nsrilitted to
G-2 , Fourth ;.:::;-y .
r-:-, ~-.,, further noted that G- 2 2.nd O. S . I. a.re .::.cti voly on.:_;E.[;C.d in inve.stig,:;_ting
t his iiu:.tter . No ii"1v6stis:.tion is :icint conducted 'Jy this office.

- 3 -

- ffAN?"R"-~ ~ - 64

-.,

,

,,

\;

•

.,

~ Office Memorandum • UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT

fV¼ ·:o ,
FROM

SUBJ ECT:

~

11r. Ladd

DATE:

March 14, 1949

Mr. Fletche:r:~

:::m:n__

FLYING DISCS

wr. Rosen_ _
..... Tracy_ _

llr. Glavln
Mr, !..ad~:~-_-_-_..... Nlchola_ _

Mr. Egan:,,.,,....--

::=~
: :'. r.:1ngton_
Mr. Quinn Te.a_

PURPOSE

Tele. Rooa_ _

Mr. Nease_ _

The approval of the Executives Conference is requested for the
attached SAC letter furnishing to the field the type of infonnation
desired by the Intelligence Division of the Air Force in connection with
the captioned matter.

Illes llolltlis_ _
Illes O&:ncly_ _

,.

BACKGROUND
You will recall that by Bureau Bulletin #57, Series 1947, dated
October 1, 1947, the field was advised that effective as of that date the
Bureau had discontinued its investigative activities in connection with
flying discs . The field was advised that all future reports concerni ng
this matter received in the field should be referred to the Air Forces .
Colonel c. D. Gasser, Resident Engineer, Air Materiel Command,
Nuclear Energy for the Propulsion of Aircraft Research, Oak Ridge ,
Tennessee, has recently and confidentially advised the Bureau that
flying discs are believed by the Air Force to be man-made missiles
rather than some natural phenomenon and that as much as four years ago
it was learned that some type of flying discs were being experimented
upon by the Russians . It was further detennined f r om Colonel Gasser that
most all of the flying discs seen by persons in the United States approached
this country from a northerly direction ana returned in the same direction,
indicating the strong possibility that they are coming from Russia.

I

The Department of the Air Force has furnished to the Bureau a
' sufficient number of copies of a memorandum dated ~b!'l,)aty 15, 1919 captioned
"Unconventional Aircraft" which can be furnished to our field offices .
STATUS

RECORDED - 76

1~_...l[ .-5 tf z~ F

I

At the present time this Bureau is conduct3"1'1ARo2fii.,J:MVt:,igation of
infonnation r eceived in the field relating to the caption-l~Mtter. ef }·..,vl
RECOMMENDATION

,_

~-r.,.,

- d

rt is reccmmended that the attached SAC letter and enclosure be
forwarded to the field to advise them of the type of questions to be asked
of persons who voluntarily submit information relative to 11 flying discs. 11
Although no active investigation will be conducted by the Bureau, it is
believed that the captioned matter is of sufficient importance t o the
internal security-of the country that our field offices should secure as
much information as possible from compai.nants in order to assist the

Depart'm~t , of 1'l• ~ Ai
EHM :E'HW

Attachment

Hf I{ \)

Fer ce.

✓,

~-

iJ

.. .

~

•.:,,

!:l:,

"-....,

~
ll1

t.:;:

--l:;.

c-:,

ll~

~
V,

....~·,_ !:!! 3:
C. ') !:: ::,g
:n '7 ,......,
~

~

....
;g ·- ,...., <-.o
0\

~

t.c,

I

~

•...:.

(0

....

0::,

:IJ/J.~/i, :J I

J.CJ :/t} '

II

I8J
f,, Hd cs v r YcJV
U:J/\13J3tJ

,...-ANDARI> •ORM NO, 64

•

•

•~ i:e Memorandum • UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
TO

DIRECTOR, FBI

F ROM

SAC, SAN ANTONIO

SU:BJ ECT:

PTIOTECTION OF VITJ,.L INSTALLATIONS
BUREAU FILE 65-58300

DATE: March

II

22 , 1949

c..)

Re San Antonio letter t o the Director dated January 31, 1949, which outlined
discus sion had at recent nec!:ly Intelligence Conferences of G-2 , ONI , OSI and
FBI in the Fourth :.my Area concerning 11Unidentifi ed Aircraft" or 11 Unidentified
Areial Phenomena" • therwise kno\'m as 11 flying di scs 11 , 11 Flying saucers" and 11 balls
of fire". It is repeated that this matter is considered secret by Intelligence
Officers of both the Anny and the Air Force.
G-2 , 4th Anny, has non advised that the above matter is now termed 11 Unconventional Aircraft" and inves tigations concerning such matters have been given
the name 11Project Grudge" .

G-2, 4th Anny, advised on Febr uary 16, 1949, a conference was held at Los
,'i.].amos, Nen Mexico, to consider the t,o-called 11 Green fire ball phenomena"
11hich began about December 5, 1948. I t was brought out this question has been
classified. " secret" and that investigation is now the primary responsibility
of the U.S •. Air Force, Air Eateriel Comm.and, T- 2 .
Dr. LilTCOLM Lf~ PAZ of the University of New Mexico , discussed one siting which
he himself had made which was termed the "Starvation peak incident 11 and described the following characteristics which indicated that the phenomenon
could not be classified as a normal meteorite fall .

l.
2.

There was an initial bright light (no period of intensity increase)
and constant intensity during the duration of the phenomenon.
I
Yellm1 green color about 5200 Angstroms .

3 . Essentially horizontal path.

4. Trajectory trav ersed at constant angular velocity.
5. Duration about tY:o seconds .
£,. No accompanying noise .

RECOUII •ti
JEJ:md

2 cc : El Pas• (100- 4562)
2 cc: Dallas
11
11
Houston
11

11

11

11

Little Rock
Oklahoma City

- l. -

~E3rz:/
..,

-

! I
1!.-- /Jpr. t/- 17'-1?

I

lnQ

'

•

..

March 22, 1949

DIRECTOR, FBI

It ,,as br ought out that sinc e Dec ember 5, 1948 t;.hor e he.ve been more t han
ten incidents analagous to the 11 gr een fireball" above described and some
t,•enty other s Y1i th ruiner devic.tions from the above . It is tlso pointed out
the.t the only s itings 1·1hioh he.d occ urred see.med to hav e been confined to the
Los ~lrunos , Las Vegas,. ru1d ~·iest Texas triapgle ,
G-2 also c.dvised thct as of Novomber 1 , 1948, in.t'ornw,tion had bc.en r ec eiv ed
f r om higher lfilitary authorities tm-.t tho Air Forc e hnd advised that such
sitings occur periodic al~ and that anot her per iod of siti ngs was then
imminent . Further, on Fcbru~.ry 14, 1949, higher 1Iilitary authorities ndvised
that it was believed that ult.iJ11ately it would be found that the phenomena
in question have a natural explanation ..
It is further noted thot c?.bout 7: 30 p .,m. , 1!.'..rch 6, 19h9, what was at first
thought to be a flar e was seen approximately onc- h<llf mile north of Killeen
Base in the area of the Vital Instnllc.tion c.t Camp Hood , Toms, and a second
flcro ;ms noticed £!.t 1 : 45 a . m. , J!arch 7, 1949, D..)pr oxinu:.tcly throe miles f rom
Ki llGcn Bo.sc . It hc.s since bocn concluded thc.t t hG flc.res seen near Killeen
r.re prob.::.bly simile.r t o the phenomena p r aviously noted in the Los AL."lllos,
Sc.ndia Base Area although these ~re the first sitings of such phenomena near
Cemp Hood.
There apperu-s to be reason to believe th.:i.t the ~hove- mentioned phenomena may
be connectGd 11ith secret expt;;rimcmts being conducted by some U.s. Government
...gency as it is believed thc.t the Unitod Stc.tos is fD.rther c.dvanccd in gui ded
missile. developmGnt thnn any foreign poner.
Although the pr im.c.".cy responsibility for investig~ting such matters is now
,a.th the U. S . A. F . Air Iratcricl Canrnund, G-2 , 4th Army i s.still inter ested
in being advised of any further sitings of such phenomena Hhich might be
observod .

- 2 -

,,

..

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

/

/

FonnNo. 1.
THIS CASE ORIGINATED AT

REPORT MADE AT

HOUSTON

FILE NO.

DATE WHEN r,tAD.lit

LOS ANGELES

3/30/49

PERIOD F OR
WHICH MADE

12/28 .29; 1/7,$

REPORT MADE BY

. . Wh.T!.iA? ~ROVINSE

DPZ

CHARACTER OF CASE

..t'LYING DISC~
1011~"IE EDWA..W1
CK, com9lainant;
Houston, Texas, ecember 27, 1948

TITLE

105-445

INTERNAL SECURITY M

SY N OPSIS OF FACTS:

Object described by complainant as possible flying disc
determined to be a model tow target or kite which had
been ab3ndoned after unsuccessful tests . Portions of
target positively identif'ied by HENRY T. RICE, L.A.
manufacturer and erstwhile financial backer as being
part of the model target or kite.
RUC
REFEREhCE :

Teletype f r om Houston to Director dated 12/28/!8.
Teletype from Los Angeles to Lirector dated 12/2u/48.
Teletype f r om Los Angel es to Virector dated 12/29/48.

DETAILS:
This investigation is predicated upon the receipt of referenced
teletype from the Houston Office advising that LONNIE EIJ?ARD NOACK had located
an object in the desert near Helendale, California, r esembling a flying disc.
This object , described as a flying disc, had been l ocated by NOACK, R. C.
PERSON and :t.r. and l rs . NATHAN SMITH of Soutli Pasadena, Califori1ia, approximately one hundred and fifty miles northeast of Pasadena or about twenty
'7
miles from Lone Pine, CaliJ.'ornia.
Special Agent ElJi!ARD OLSEN detemined that R. C. PERSON, Vasco
tanufacturing Company, was traveling in Arizona and not available for interview.
APPROVED AN
FO"WARDED:

P£CIA.LAGENT
IH C H.AftG-K

DO NOT WRITE IN THESE" SPA CES

I

1-

--=-,~~~~~~--=-11BOAOm-9

- -- - - ~
'
COPIES OF" TH IS REPORT

Dureau

2 - Houston

b u l:_'8

~ 11•€! I

1 - IFO #2, Fort 1:acArth~~

2 - Los Angel es
COPJ ,,S D-r;-

27 v

1

9

3

J

·.tlt1rrw.i .d
..-----lffl:lt,tfh-:,y--

,,.

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
f'ormNo.1
THIS CASE ORIGINATED AT

REPORT MADE AT

1.

FILE NO.

U•.'i'ON
DATE WHEN MAD£

PERIOD FOR
W HICH MADIE

REPORT MADE BY

l, J. ~TUELES
TITI..S

CHARACTER OF CASE

.iLYii'.G !DISCS;
LONlrrE EU:ARD NOliCK, com,plai nant;

Houston, Texas, December 27, 19L8
SYNOPSIS OF FACTS:

Object described by complainant o.s possiblo flying disc

detel'Jlmed to be a n:.o<iel. tow target or kite lihich had
been abandoned after unsuccessful. tests. .Portions o.f
target positivel y identified by HENRY T. RICE, L•.••

roanu:.racturer. and erstwhile finru1.cie.l backer as bi..ing
-part or the ruodel tareet or ldte.
RUC

r ~mm::
Teletype from Uouston to ~iroctor dated l r/20/48.

TeletYPQ from :Los Angeles to Director dat~d 12/28/48.
Teletype from Los Angeles to Director dated 12/29/48.
DETAitss

This inveatigation is predicated upon the receipt o£ referenced
lielctype from the Houston Office advisine that LO:rtNm EJJ ARD NOACK had located
an object in the desert near ~elendale, California, resmcbling a flying disc .
This object, described as a flying disc.:, had been located by t10ACK, R. c.
ffiRSOU a.,d la°• and l!rs. NATHAN S'&!I'1'li of South Pasadena., California., approxi.ma.tel.y one hunared and fifty :miles northeast of Pasadena or about twenty

miles ~om tone Pine, California.

Special Agent JW, ARD OLSElf detet'1llined that R. C. PERSOU, Vasco

,anufacturing Company, nas traveling in Arizona and not available £or interview.
APPROVED ANO
FO!tWAROEO:

SPCCIAL AG£NT
IH CHARM

00 NOT WRITE IN THE9E SPACES

COPIES OF THIS REPORT

$

lJ.1Nau

2 - 11ouston
l - IFO #2, Fort MacArthur
2 - Los Angeles

/i

-

-..

,

•

.•

L. A. 105-b45
1 r . N. SMITH, S1.'ITH MANUFACTURING COMPANY, 105 Pasadena Avenue,
South Pasadena, California, who was with NOACK at the time the object was
discovered, advised Special Agent EDiiARD OLSEN on December 28, 19L8, that
he was present at the time the object was located on his, SLITH 1 s, landing
field near Helendale, California. S! ITH advised that they had taken some
pieces off the object and that subsequently, upon returning to Los Angeles,
he had learned that the object was actually a model kite or tow target which
~UT
1 AND RICE l!ANL'F.lCTURING COMPANY of Los Angeles.
had been built by th~/'~Sm
Mr. S1ITH stated that he had talked to both OHLSON and RICE and that they
had admitted to him having experimented with the object over his, S1iITH' s,
airfield. J.:r . S}..ITH made available three of the parts of the target Tihich
he had secured while at the airfield.

The information furnis~ed by Mr . SY.ITH w;st mified by Special
Agent EJJW'ARD OLSEN in an interview with llr. HENRY . . CE, OHLSot' AND RICE
l:A!'lJ'F.i'.CTUlING COMPANY, 3340 Emery Street, Los Angeles. The parts made
available by ~ r . SI:ITH were exhibited to l r. RICE, and he advised that
the model tow target or kite had been taken to the airfield for flight
tests by himself and CIAUDE LER~LFORD, 5454 Chesley Avenue, Los
Angeles 43, California. Lr. P..ICE -s~ed that iOLFORD is the inventor
of the object and OHLSON A?lD RICE had originally agreed to finance him
to develop the tow target or Kite as a toy. l[r . RICE explained that
they were primarily interested in developing the contra?tion as a toy
kite to be sold in a much smal ler model; hmvever, the inventor, against
t1eir -wishes, had developed a much larger model which he had hoped to
sell as a tow target to be used behind airplanes . A~ . RICE stated that
since he had gone that far they felt that they should give the project
a test and ther eupon they took it out to the desert as a precautionary
measure . ?r. RICE stated that the flight test was a failure; the model
crashed soon after it was airborne and was thereafter abandoned on tte
field.
In the absence of her husband, l rs . CLAUDZ LEROY '":OLFORD,

SL.51.i Chesley Avenue, was interviewed and eY.hibited the three parts

of the kite made available by l.'.r, SMITH . She readily identified the
three items as part of a kite her husband had built for the 2ICE
!iANUFACTlJliirG COt..PANY. She advised that she also accompanied her
husband to the desert at the time the tests were made, She explained
that the kite had crashed and that the manuficturing company did not
want to put any more cash in it so it was abandoned on the desert.
The ttree parts of the kite were returned to ~!ATHA.fl: SUITH on
January 7, 1949 , The Sub-District Office, I . G. (USAF), 1206 Santee
Street, Terminal Annex, Los Angeles, California, was aaprised of the
information contaimd herein inurediately upon its receipt .
REFERRED UPON CO!PLETION TO l'HE OFFICE OF ORIGIN
2.

/

r

'/

4 nit•ll !Haks i!l,purtm,nt of !l. ."'i>ER~O '

~.eh.era! iBur.eau nf lnu.estigatinn
Dila.alJl~gt.nn ZS, ii. Qr.

Series

IN REPLY, PLEASE REFER TO
FIL E No . - - - - -

Marc~

MEMO FOR MR. HOOVER
TOLSON
CLEGG
CONNELLEY
GLAVIN
HARBO

CALLAHAN
CALLAN
CARLSON
CARTWRIGHT

HINCE
JONES, M.A.
KEAY
LAUGHLIN

CONRAD
DOWNING

LEONARD

LADD

EDWARDS, H. L.

NICHOLS

EGAN
FEENEY
FLETCHER, H. B.
GURNEA

McCABE, E. J.
McCABE, N. H.
McGUIRE

ROSEN
TRACY
BAUMGARDNER
BOSWELL

DECLAS/~tf-BY

Olt

_,L

K;

S{Jf{~rr/~
7

LONG

McINTIRE
MOBLEY
MOHR

NANNA

NAUGHTEN
NEASE
PARSONS
PENNINGTON
RENNEBERGER
ROGERS

SIZOO
TAMM, Q.
WAIKART
WALL

WHITSON

FLYING DISCS

Your attention is directed to Bureau Bulletin #57, Series 1947, dated
October 1, 1947, relating to the discontinuance of investigation by this Bureau in
matters concerning flying discs .
For your confidential information, a reliable and confidential source
has advised the Bureau that flying discs are believed to be man-made miss i les rather
than natural phenomenon. It has also been determined that for approximately the
past four years the USSR has been engaged in experimentation on an unknown type
of flying disc.

7 -The Department of the Air Force has furnished to the Bureau the attached
memorandum clas sified "restricted" dated February 15, 1949, entitled "Unconventional
Aircraft , " This memorandum is being fUrnished to you in order that all agents
assigned to your office can be informed of the type of inf ormation desired by the
Air Force in t his matter.
As set forth in Bureau Bulletin #57, referred to above, no investigation
should be conducted by your office relative to flying discs , however , the attached
memorandum should be referred to in securing data from persons who desire to
voluntari ly furnish i n formati on to your office relating to flying discs,
Very truly yours,
John Edgar Hoover
Director

, /. "1 Encl osure

s.::_: Cf ll - /

NOT RECORDlt) =111

150 APP. 4 1949

- . ........_

----

FBI SALT LAKE CITY

u

4 - 5- 49

UR GE NT

~!OR
('.) FLYING DISCS .

INFORMATION RECEIVED AT LOGAN, UTAH ELEVEN AM TODAY
r

THAT AT NINE AM A GUARD AT THE AR~Y GENERAL SUPPLY DEPOT, OGDEM, UTAH,
OBSERVED WHAT APPEARED TO BE AN EXPLOSION IN THE AIR ACCOMPANIED BY
A FLASH OF LIGHT FOLLOWED BY THE FALLING OF SILVER COLORED OBJEC1 .
THIS WAS SEEN AT HIGH ALTITUDE WEST OF OGDEN NEAR THE TOWN OF TAYLOR,
UTAH .

ABOUT THE SAME TIME LT . RON HATFIELD OF LOGAN, UTAH PD SAH TWO

PUFFS OF SMOKE HIGH IN THE AIR WEST OF LOGAN FOLLOWED BY FALLING OF
SILVER COLORED OBJECT.

ALSO AT ABOUT SAME TI ME UTAH HI GHl:JAY PATROLMAN

L. N. JEPPSON AT MANTUA, UTAH, SAW A SILVER COLORED OBJECT HIGH UP
APPROACHING THE MOUNTAINS AT SARDINE CANYON BETWEEN LOGAN AND BRIGPAM
CI TY, UTAH AND AS OBJECT NEARED THE MOUNTAIN IT APPEARED ~
FLASH OF FIRE .

EXPLODE IN A

SEVERAL RESIDENTS AT TRENTON, UTAH, WH rtf IS WEST OF

LOGAN, HAVE REPORTED TO SO, LOGAN, SEEING \JHAT APPEA-

~

TO BE TI10 AERIAL

EXPLOSIONS FOLLOWED BY FALLING OBJECT WEST OF TRENTON AT ABOUT NINE
TWENTY AM

TODAY .

ABOVE INFOR~•ATION IMMEDIATELY FURNISHED TO OSI,

HI LL FIELD, UTAH . . ANY FURHIER PERTINENT DEVELOPt1ENTS WI LL BE FURNISHED
BUREAU FOR INFORMATION .

OSI PILL FIELD HAS .JUST NOW ADVISED ABOVE

-- - -

PHEr•40MENA PROBAELY CAUSED BY Tt:O B TI<1ENTYIH NES FROM t:ENDOVER FIELD
W~CJ:- ARE PRACTICE - BOMBING IN THE DESERT WEST OF

LOG~N FRO¼ EK {i_rn/.LY / ~
-

HIGH ALTITUDES WHICH WOU~D CAUSE VAPOR TRAILS .
WILL ADVISE THIS OFFICE OF RESULTS .

ACK AND ~~

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NECESSARY ACTION

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May 4, 1949

RECORDED - 34

TO:

Legal Attache
Mexico City, D. F.

FROlJ:

Director, FBI

SUBJECT:

FLYING DISCS

Reference is made to your letter dated April 5, 1949 captioned as above
in wh;i.ch you request a copy of the Air Force memorandum mentioned in SAC Letter
#38, Series 1949 dated March 25, 1949.

In response thereto there is enclosed herewith the pamphlet captioned,
UUnconventional Aircraft•• issued by the Department of the Air Force under date of
11r. ~1aofebruary- l~) 1949 to which refer~nce was made in the above-mentioned SAC Letter.
:::fil:T~
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sure
li1:1t,
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llr. Rosen
llr. '!'racy

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llr. H a r b o - llr. llobr,--=-=-_Mr. Pennl,=-

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llr, Nease
lllU Gandy

CC - Fo;reign Service ~s~ (detached)

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•

OFFICE OF TI-IE LEGAL ATTACHE
EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
MEXICO CITY

Date:

April 5, 1949

To :

Director, FBI

From :

John H. Speakes , Legal Attache

Subject : O FLYING DISCS

Reference is made to SAC Letter 1~38 , Series 194-9,
dated I.Iarch 25 , 1949, advisinr, that a copy of a memorand1.un
from the Department of the Air Force , dated February 15,
1949, and entitled " Unconventional Aircraft ," as furnished
to the Bureau , was being for,,1arded to this office in order
that all agents assigned to the !Iexico City Office might be
informed of the type of infornation desired by the Air Force
in this matter .
This is to advise that the above- mentioned enclosure
was not received by this office and it is respectfully requested
that a copy of this memorandum be forwarded to Uexico City .

JUS:ml

.;.

RECE.IVt.0
.\TOHIC ENERGY
LIAISON SECTION

~PR 19

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9 14 AM ,~~
F. B. I.

U.S. OE.PT. OF JUSTICE

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b~D...RD FORM NO. 64

•

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(1),

,.Ojfice Memorandum • UNITED .STATES GOVERNMENT
TO

/

FROM ~
SUBJECT:

DIRECTOR, FBI

DATE:

4-22-49

C, LITTIE ROOK
UNKNOm{1 §.J.IBJECTS;
/ll W
ADE H-KllARRISON -

v · FLYING DISCS

INFORMANT

- FoR"? SMITH, ARKANSAS (4-16-49)

WADE H. HARRISON, residence address Route 1, Box 29.3,
Fort Smith, Arkansas,. is employed as a Special Delivery messenger by
the Fort Smith Post Office Department.
HARRISON stated that at 5:25 p.m., Saturday, April 16, 1949,
while delivering special delivery mail in Fort Smith, he stopped his
automobile at a signal light located at the intersection of North
Eleventh street and Grand Avenue. He glanced up at th? stop light and
observed a brilliant object moving in a southeastern direction. He
presumed tb! object was approximately 2 miles high. He got out of his
automobile and pointed up With the suggestion that other automobile
drivers, stopped for, the signal light, could see the object. He does
not know who an:, of the other people are or what they saw. He was
obliged to move on after the light changed ' and the drivers began honking
their horns. He watched th3 object until it was obscured by the line
of trees in that section. He estimated he watched it travel some
.3 or 4 miles before he lost sight of it. He stated the weather was
clear, visibility was good, and there were no clouds near the object.
The object made no noise perceptible to HARRISON. However, he commented
that be was stopped at an intersection where the traf fie was heavy and
there was considerable noise. He first thought possibly he bad seen
scne type of a r eflector on an airplane, but c ould not locate or hear
a plane anywhere.
✓
HARRISON drove to the 1400 Block of North "C" Street, where
he observed an Army officer, wearing the insignia of a niajor or lieutenant
colonel, standing back of the of ficer's automobile. He stopped and
asked the officer if he had observed the f'l.y:Lng object. The officer,
name unknown to the informant, answered negat i vely and then remarked,
11 1 am glad other people are also reporting seeing flying objects."
The of ficer then r elated t hat the day previous, Friday, April 15, 1949,
while the officer was traveling oat of Oklahana City t oward Fort Smith,
his wife observed a flying object in the sk;y very similar to that
described by HARRISON. The officer stated h e saw the object too, but
furnished no more information.

DOS:crc
98-0

Enc.
AMSD
CO:PIES DESTROYED'·

270

NOV 18, 1964-

RfCORDfQ - 119

~-118
\NDEXEO
MA1 3 194~

•

•

-... -·

•

•

LET TO DIRECTOR
FLYING DISCS

4-22-49

HARRISON de scribed the object as appearing some 3 or 4
inches in diameter from the distance he saw it. It was very bright
and reflected a light in a manner similar to a mirror. He reported the
incident to tM local press at Fort Smith and inquired if anyone had
made a similar report. He received a negative reply. In this connection,
please find attached an article from the front page of the Southwest-Times
Record newspaper published at Fort Smith, Arkansas, Sunday, April 17,
1949.
The interview with HARRISON developed he is 52 years of age.
He has had considerable college training and attended the seminar:, at
Westminister, Maryland 2½ years. He stated that his eyesight is very
good for a man of his age am that he has worn r eading glasses only
for the past few years. He was positive he had observed the object
as related above. He was unable of course to state just what the object
was or furnish any additional information concerning it. No information
was available at Fort Smith indicating the object bad fallen in that
section or that it was observed by others. The Little Rock Office iS
making no further inquiries concerning the subject matter.
)/

The offices of OSI and MID have been notified of the informa-

~ tion set out above,

-2-

•

..

SOUTH\\'"EST - TIMES RBCORD

Ft_. Smith, Arkansas
April 17, 1949

I

• Local Man Reports Seeing Whai \
He Believes Was "Flying Disc"
Wa~
rr1son, Fort Smith post office employe, reported Saturday~ obse,ved what he believed was a "flying disc."
Harrison saw what he believed was a "flyini:( disc" as he was
driving east on Grand avenue at Eleventh street. He said the object
was small and was moving southeastward at a rapid rate of s;Z;peed.
He said the object resembled a tiny mirror.
•1
• There were no other reports of "flying disc&'' in the area
1urday~

I
ENCLOSURE

OFFICE. OF 'OtRECTOR
'

•

Mr. Tobon /
Mr. Clegg

F®ERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATIOM

UNITE0 STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

April 20 , 1949

~r. G l a v i 7

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~~::~--Mr. Gurne a _ __
Mr. Barbo_ __
Mr . Jones_ _ __
Mr. Mohr_ _ __
Mr . Pennincton:.._
Tele. Room_
Mr. Nea ■ e _ __
Miu Holmes_

The attached was sent to the
Di r ecto r by 1.Yalte r 1Vi nchell .

Attachment
mt

11;l'JdJ;b!I n,~g
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RECORDED - 128
Dato1

ay 2 1 1949

To:

Director or Special Investigations (I. O.)

Department of tbs Air Force
The Pentagon
ashinat;on 25, D. C.

)
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From:

John F.dgar Hoover, Director, Federal Bureau or Investigation
ll'LIDlO DISCS

A reliable and contidential source bas recent';cy'

a.dvisod thia Bureau that during tho first part of April,
1949, t-. C. A. Atkins, 4312 Los Feliz, J b l ~ Z7,

California, had informed him that three employess or the

Dopirtmont of Bccrention in farkn in the city of Los Angeles,
Callfomia, had noticed objoots in the sky which appeared to
be !lying discs.
The above 1.ilfonmtion is bei.Jl8 .f'urnished to you for

whatever aotion you desire am no investigation is being conducted relative thereto by- this Bureau.

n i? {l
Mr. Tolson

:Z:: g~:~n-llr. I.Add,--_-_llr. Ntcnola
llr, lloaen - , Mr. T r a c y - ..,._ £gan._-_-_ -_

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llr. HarbO - Mr. IIOhr.;:::-=-- _
Mr. PeMlngWn_
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CALIF'ORNIA

DEPARTMENT OF

COMMl88I ONS:R8

RECREAT ION AND PARK
309 CITY HALL

MA~U R I E L U X FORD

LOS ANGELES 12

PRESIOE:NT

MRS, ROLLIN BROWN

MICHIGAN 15211

VICE•PRE510ENT

MRS. WILLIAM J. WI LSON
C. TO N Y P EREI RA
ROBERT L. BURNS

GEO. HJELTE
GENERAL MANAOER

G ILBERT L. SKUTT
SUPERINTENDENT OP ~ARK&

F'LETCHER BOWRO N .
J. J. HASSETT

MAYOR

S ECRETARY

Holly~.ood , Calif . April 10, 1949 .

Mr . \1·-.1 tar Vwinchell
New York City, N. Y.
My Dear Winchell .

(J
\H th reference to9-lying Disc ' :? ~r
other flying objects , thought you ½ould be interested
in the follo" i ng . It in a measure substantiates your
statements.

Friday of last week, three of our department employees were working in Griffith Park(the
nations largest pcfk) when one of them, De Jarnett by name
noticed an object sailing through the sky and took a
good look to try and distinguish it . from planes that
frequently fly over .
About the same time two of his cen
,,orking about a half mile av1¥y saw the object . They
checked with each other and arrived at the same conclusi0n. It ~as a Disc and they ran to a telephone to
report the incident . In the meantime DeJarnett started
to the location ~here his men ¼ere ~orking to check and
see if they had seen the object.
They had both seen it which proves
beyond a question of a doubt that something of the Disc
type v.-as in the air and i,,hen the third illan stated he
also saw it , I am satisfied you are very much right in
your statements and I am inclined to call a person a
liar that says(therREOORn(()°. f is•r ~ - <t.Jto/ ?
One of your fan

~ .J:

C. A l tkins .

43l~ Los .i:' eliz

INDEXE~ ~ ~ J *J}tf---"

•

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SAC - San Antonio

A pril Z6, 1949

Director - FBI

;'LYING DJS.KS
~~ . \~"INTERNA L SEC URITY - R
{/ .. $'..~ q¢ /(
.
Refere nce is made to your l e tter dated April 4, 19♦ 9, captioned
..P rotection of Vital Installations. •• You are instructed in the future to
teport information relating to £lying disks under the above caption.

-~

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fn regard to your request for information that would substantiAte or
discredit the statements made by Walter Winchell on bis broadc&ist of
A pril 3, 1949, your attention is directed to SAC Letter No. 38 dated March 2 5,
1949, captioned ..Flying Disks . ' '
For your strictly confidential information. the data contained in
SAC Letter No. 38 was obtained in confidence from a colonel in the United
States A ir Materiel Command, who obtained his inform ation from persons
actively engaged in the investigation of this subject.
No interview with Walter Winchell will be made by' the Bureau c oncerning the source of his statements referred to in y our referenced lette r.

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'Ojfiie Memorandum • UNITED STATES GOVERNMEN.T
Director, FBI

TO
FROM

~ SAC, San Antonio

V'

DATE :

April 4 1 1949

AIR MAIL

SP-~CIAL DELIVERY
SUBJECT:

a

PROTECTION OF VITAL INSTALLATIOOS
(Bureau file 65- 48300)

Reference is made to San Antonio letter to the Bureau dated March
22, 1949 which submitted information related by mil itary authorities concerning
unconventional aircraft .

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The Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff, G- 2, 4th Army, has advised
~ t -h at at 11 : 50 P. M. !larch 31, 1949 a lighted object about the size of a basketball,
l,:..; :s-t eddish white in col or, followed by a fire trail, was observed southwest of
~~.~Cl~ill een Base, adjacent to Camp Hood, Texas . The observation was made by 1st
:.:::: ,)
Lt . FREDERICK W. DAVIS, who was in charge of a platoon, Company C, 12th Armored
Sr
antry Battalion, wh ich is assigned as a part of an alert force (called force
~~
Abel) from Camp Hood, whose function is to protect the installation at Killeen

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When Lt. DAVIS attempted to advise his headquarters by telephone
immediately after the sighting, he heard static or electrical interference on
the telephone line which he stated might be possible radio interference• .

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Lt. DAVIS advised that the object was at an altitude estima.~e~~~~
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6, 000 ft . , was traveling paral lel to the ground and passed directly over him at
~ffi~ a rapid rate of speed . It was in view 10 to 15 seconds and suddenly disappeared
< ::X:: Q high in the sky without having descended . No sound or odor was detected.
The
night v,as clear and visibility good. The object passed almost directly over the
air strip at Killeen Base.
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G- 2 has advised that other lights of unknoVJn origin were observed on
W.a rch 6, 7, 8 and 17, 1949, by military personnel of the alert force stationed
a.ppro:x:imately 1000 yards east of the fences ,·,hich surround Killeen Base.

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different nature from the lights seen earlier in the month.
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It is noted that Mr . WALTEi)\."WilTCHELL, on his
April 3, 1949, stated that 11flying dis~ 11 seen in this
emanated from Russia .

evening broadcast,
ry defd.nitely

Ckl April 4, 1949, G- 2, 4th Army, contacted
to whether vre had any information that wruld substa
ments made by WALTER WilJCHELL.

,:i,ffice, inquiring as
or discredit the state-

JEJ:ED
100-7545

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Letter to Director
SA-100- 7545

April 4, 1949

In view of the interest and concern of 4th Arm:y military authorities
who have the duty of protecting the vital installations at Los Alamos, N. M. ,
Sandia Base, N. M. in the El Paso Division, and the Camp Hood area in the San
Antonio Division, it is suggested that the Bureau may desire to arrange to have
Mr. WINCHELL interviewed concerning the source of his information that "flying
discs" emanate from Russia.
It would be appreciated if the Bureau can supply any infonna.tion that
can be transmitted to military authorities which would clarify this matter.

- 2 -

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Ila:, 3, 1949

\~~ i r:Z-f3P9d

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vr. Care; T6av s
141 Clai~Dr~ve, Southeast
Atlanta, Georgia

EX-43 Dear l!r. Davis:
Your letter of April Z7, 1949, has been received,
and I want to thank you for sending cie the newspaper
clipping which you enclosed toget her nth your observations

concerning tho designs you aubmitted to the federal
governoont 1n 1942. Although I would like to be of service,
checks of the type you desire are not w1 thin the scope of
this Bureau•s activities. It was very thoughtful of you to
contact me in that regard.
Sincerely ~ura,

John Edgar Hoover

Director

WN:rlc

11r. Touon

Ill'. Clegg - ­

llr. Olavln

Ill', Ladd:--_-_-_

llr. Nichols_ _

::~:~~Mr.. Egan._ _

Mr. Gumea_ _

llr. Harbo_ _
llr. M o h r ~ ~
Mr.. PeDJ'llngtOll:_
11r. Quinn Tam_

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75 ROO M S

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OUR FOOD IS
UN EXCELLED

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~4ew Data, Ideas
About Flying
Saucers
And Death of Pilot
Who Chased One
a, l:nllff Prtt1

DAYTON, Ohio, April 27.-Tbe
only airman who ever got near a
nnnr saucer c1·ashed and died before he could describe It, the D&7•
ton Journal-Herald said today.
Tbe newspaper printed a lengtbydlapatch on the mysterious flyinc
dlaca, based, it , aid, on hitherto un-.
publlahed reports assembled at the
W rlr\lt-Patterson Air Force base.
Tbe AJr Force Investigation hu
proved that the flying saucers "are
not a joke." Neither "are they a
cauu for alarm to the population," the newspaper said.
The CIC>ftst any airman came to
the myatery discs was on Jan. 7,,
19'8, when one was sighted over/
Fort Knox, Ky., the dlspatch said.
F our fighter planes were sent aloft
to Intercept It, but only Capt.
Thomas F . Mantell wu able to get
close.
"I'm closing In to take a good/
look," the newepaper quoted him as
(
reporting by radio. "It looks metallic and of tremendous size. It's goIng up now as fast as I am. Th~t•s
360 miles an hour. I'm golnz up
after It. At 20,000 feet, It I'm no
closer, I'll abandon cha.se."
,
Mantell's plane crashed a few / 'l
- minute later and he was kllled.
The paper said 11. report now on - - ~- - -- - - - - - - -- -flle at Wright-Patterson Air Force on t he other hand It wu not lm-1are I
Base lists 240 domestic and 30 for- pos:-ible that they were. Later the consr
elgn accounts of flying discs as Air Force announced it was not form
having been investigated. Of these, mi:.klng any further comments on to a
30 per cent seem to have been the discs.
proa
weather balloon, and the like and The Dayton paper says the report not
~ 30 per cen t more are perhaps ex- on which ita story ls based said the
1• plal•ble conventlonally-Ieavln&' 40 "evaluation teams" stated:
far
per cen t maa plalned.
"We can't prove or dlsprove the
• The Air JI' o r c e recen Uy ■aid existence ot aoni,.• ot the remaining ?
'l there wu no evidence that the unJdentlfled objects as real aircraft a
Iv
'\ dlsca w •re ,aided missiles fired of unconventional design.
trom some other country, but that "The possibility that the s a u ~

---

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•
May 10 , 1949

RECORDED - 135
r!DEXED - 135

I I?

To :

Director of Special Investi gations , (I. O. )
. •apartment of the Air Force
The j>enta0 on
Washi ngton 25 , D. C.

From:

John Edgar Hoover - Director , Federal Bo.reau of Investigation

Subject:

INFORW TION CONClOOUNO FLYING SAUCERS
HR3. FRAi.~ARDNhla - INl:"t>ruwrr

Enclosed is a photostatic copy of a letter dated April 29. 1949,
received by this Bureau from Mra. Frank ~ardner concerning flying saucers.
The correspondent ho.s been advised tna.t a copy of her letter haa
been forwarded to the United States Air i orce.
This letter is beine, forwarded to you for any action you~
deem advisable.

>'Rl,:jmf

llr. Tolson
llr. Clegg - llr. Olavln

:: lti~~:=1-.;;.,:::-_-_
Ill'. Rosen - llr. T r a c y - -

,.,-. 1:gan_:::::==

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: : ~~:::;"""tng=to=nllr. Qu1an Tam
Tele. Room_·_
11r. Nease
U18t Oe.ndy

M
GOMMUNIC!fflONS SECTION

BY

SPECIAL,,-l.ll(SSENGER

*

MAY 11 1949

*

FE?IWL E~REAU OF fll.ii:STIGlTIOII
ll. S, llf.PAIIMHT Of JUSTICE

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.FEDERAL BUREAU OF IN.

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TIGATION

Room 5744 A ~ c c..._ _ _ _ _ 1949

TO:

✓.

I Mr. Tolson....•......

_ _Director
Mr. Cloirlf ............
- M r . Ladd
Mr. Glavin ...........
_ _ Mr. Clegg
Mr, I.ndd............
_ _Mr. Glavin
Mr. Nichols..........
_ _Mr. Harbo
Mr. Roaen ...........
_ _Mr. Nichols Mr. Trocy............
_ _Mr. Rosen
Mr. Cpn.........- ..
_Mr . Tracy
lr. Gnrnea .......-_ _Mr. Fletcher Mr.Barbo •......••••
Mr. Moh:r ········_ _Mr. Mohr
_ _Mr. Carlson Mr. Pemllnirtc,J,..._.
Mr. QalnnTamm....
_ _Mr. Nease
_ _Miss Gandy
____Fersonne l Fi ~t~tron____
- Records Sect Inn
•
-Mrs. Skillman

I
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See Me
Send File

For Appr opriate Action
Note and Return

Clyde Tolson

•

.

STANDARD FORM NC>. 64

....

Qjfice
Memorandum
• UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
·,, .
TO

: Director, FBI

DATE:

May 13, 1949

dJ :~c, Los Angeles
SUBr ; j ; ~YING DISK"

REPORT
C,!RF0RMATI0N COOCERNING
On May 5, 1949 Mr. MEL HODELL, a reporter for the Sun-Star
nswspaper, Merced, California, advised Special Agent MARLIN W. JOHNSON,
that his paper had been contacted by Lt. Col. STANLEY JACOBS, Intelligence
Officer, Castle Air Force Base, Merced, California, re.Lative to any
reports that the newspaper might have received concerning "fiying disks"
in the Merced vicinity.

Mr. HODELL stated a c.Lose friend of his, one WILLI.All H ~ ,
12-A Langdon Villa, Merced, tad advised him that he had obse~A=HO'l"
strange object, and as he is in the Air Cc,rps Reserve, he reported same
to the Intelligence Officer at Castle Field.
On the same date Mr. GEORGE BREMER, Detachment Commander, Office
of Special Investigations, Castle Air Force Base, Yerced, California, advised
SA MARLIN W. JOHNSON that he bad heard tt.t an individual bad reported
s eeing a '1flyi.ng disk" to the Intelligence Office at the Base but that
the Intelligence Officer had not furnished the information to him. Mr.
BREHER later on the same date contacted SA JOHNSON arxl exhibited a letter
written by STANIEY F . JACOBS, Lt. Col., USAF, Adjutant (Int elligence
Officer) to Commanding General, Air Material Command, Wright-Patterson
AFB, Wright Field, Ohio. This letter contained a statement given by
Mr. WILLIAM H. PARROTT 11'hioh read as follows, 11 I bad occasion to step
from my home, located approximately one mile west of the town of Merced,
on the night of April 4, 1949, at approximately 2220. My attention was
diverted to a clicking noise of considerable intensity. I stopped on the
sidewalk about 20 feet from the front steps am recognized the source of
this clicking to be in the sky in an area about 4U degrees from the sur face
of the earth in an easterly direction. The sky cend1.tion was 200<Xl thin
broken with 12 miles visibility and surface winds were reported as north
nine M.P.H. at Castle Air Force weather station. My home is a pproximately
seven miles south of Castle Air Force Base and in an area somewhat sheltered
from surface winds,and no appreciable surface wind was apparent at the
time the aural observation was made. After about ten seconds of lo oking
into the area described previously as being the source of this sound, an
obj ect was observed blanking out stars in describing a flight path in a
west or northwesterly direction. Only one object was apparent, its shape
can be described as only a solid mass. Its size can be estimated as four
or f ive feet in diameter in keeping with an estimated altitude of considerably less than 1000 (one tbeusand) feet. Color was shown by the
reflection of grow:xl lights on only two occasions, and appeared to be

RECORDED • 110

100-2442
M\fJ :JAW

AY

INDEXED - IlO

9

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COPIES DESTROYED
270 NOV 1 8 1,54

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1 ~A 17 1949

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LA 100-2442
dull eurfacted, light colored metal. The only ground lights of intensity were a row of street lights behind me one ha!f block which leads
me t o bel.i eve the under surface of this object to be curved in shape.
"This object ,men first sighted, ,raa moving vrtry slowly in a west
or northwesterly direction. I would estimate that I had it in my range
of vision for 35 seconds, after having heard it about ten seconds before
locating it. It passed on beyond the house and maneuvered through a n
arc of turn to the left of about ninety degrees. The clicking sound was
continuous throughout this turn, however, it became loudrtr as it returned
on its new heading of south or southwest. On its return t he clicking
sound became !ouder, but I was unab!e to see it at this time. The clicking stopped when it was at its greatest intensity and appeared to come
from a position directly over head. I was unable to see the object after
the sound stopped.

-

"This clicking sound , _retained t he same pitch and speed throughout the entire course obs erved, but intensity varied. There was not
whistle or roar, but only the clickir.ig noise which might be compared to
beaters of a home mixer· that were not properly meshed. No lights or
flame were observed during the entire course with exception of t he
previous described reflections twice. No exhaust trail was distinguishable.
11My dog was with me

and directed her attention in the general
direction of this object's f light throughout its course. She had been
romping wi th me on coming out of the house but without spoken worli
stopped and directed her attention on to the previously described area.
The cLicking sound might not have been unusual to the dog, but there is
a possibility of sounds on wave lengths discernable only to the dog,
being emitted."
It is to be noted that Mr. PARRCYI'T is a member of the Active
USAF Reserve with rank of Major. He attained rating of pilot in August
1941 and has approximately 2200 hours f!ying time. During his act ive
duty period in ffi/2 he stated that he had considerable night f lying
experience in connection with his military assignment. The Intelligence
Officer in the above mentioned letter made the following statement, 11An
attempt t o locate other vritnesses in the area or through the loca! newspaper proved unsuccessful".
Mr. BREMER advised that he is planning to cl.ear with his head-'
quarters office and will probably conduct an investigation.

The above is being furnished for the information of the Bureau.

-2-

•

STANDARD FORM NO. 64

•

-Office Memorandum • UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
/

'To

,

FROM

D ATE:

~-F~

5

May 26, 1949111

P, KEA~

Ill'. Tolson

-

Ill'. Glavi-n- lb", L&Od - Ill'. Ntchor.-11r. Rosen - Ill'. Tracy- Ill'. E:gan,_-_-_-_-_
Ill'. Gurnea

FLYING DISCS

SUBJECT:

~

111'. E. A . ~
Ill' . Clegg

BACKGROUND:

Ill'. Harbo - Ill'. IIOhr.;::---=---_

Walter Winchell forward~c the Director a Western Union
telegram he had received from Rober
pley which stated that he, Ripley,
had the only authentic Japanese f
ng saucer ever recovered in this
country. Mr. Winchell noted on the telegram, •To J. Edgar Hoover - True?•

Mr. PeMln,gton

Ill', Quinn Tam­

Tele. Room

-

Mr. Nease - ­

U1ss Hoi.mur-U!es Gan<!Y-===

DETAil.3:

This matter was discussed by Special Agent Reynolds with the Intelligence
Division of the Array, who advised that they had no information concerning any
Japanese flying saucer. ever having been recovered in the United states.
This matter was discussed rlth Colonel William E. Carpenter, <SI-USAF,
who advised on April 27, 1949 that he had interested himself in the flying saucers
and related subjects and that in so far as could be determined by him through his
sources in the Air Force, which are excellent, there is no authentic information
available concerning the phenomenon of the flying saucers. He advised he would check
with the authorities at Wright Field to determine if any information is available
coocerning the recovery of a Japanese flying saucer.

ll

Colonel Carpenter has now advised that there is no information available
in any arm of the Air Force to the effect that any flying saucers of any kind have
been recovered in the United States. Colonel Carpenter stated delq had been
encountered in determining this fact inasmuch as inquiries had been directed through
individuals known to him and t1-usted by him and not through the usual channels
from which he possibly would receive a stock answer.
The details of this case were not discussed by either Special Agen"teReynolds
or Sanders with the Army or Air Force and they are not aware of the telegram sent
by Mr. Ripley to Mr. Winchell.

RID:OMMENDATION:
The foregoing is for your information and any disposition being desirable•
•

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Cl.Ass OF SERVICE

, This --;:-:-full.1rc
1"clcgTam , r Cablegram unless its de,
ferred characteT is indicated by a suitable
aymbol above or pre,
ceding the address.

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UNI O r ~r

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I N THI S COUflTR Y. BE .... AO'St OP . YOUR I NT~fST 'IN THE PRESENT

DA-Y FLY I Nu D I S~S OF · THE RUSSIANS
WOULD L l l<E VERY TUCH TO
HAVE YOU JO I N r.~E ON THE BEL I EVE IT OR NOT TEL EV I S I Of! SHO'.'/
NEX T TU ESDA Y APR IL 19TH NBC NE TWORI~ 930 TO 10Pf. AND Ld VE

YOUR COt.~(.'EN TS ON FLY I NG D I SC AND YOUR EX..;LUS I VE 1<1!0\!LEDuE
.

OF TII I S Lt~TEST RUSS I Afl f.1ENACE. REGARDS EE~ I EVE I T OR NO
=R I PLEY=

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~"'foilPAN Y WILL APPRECIATE SUGGESl'IONS FROM ITS PATRONS CONCERNING ITS SERVICE

e,./".

RECE.\~t.O

RE.CEIVEO - FLETCHER
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t..cy 10, 1949

.Mr & • Frank{c.rdner
2310 w.
1 .onte , Celifornin

oJrt;r

Dear

ra . Gardner:

I wish to acknowledge your letter d:lted April 29, 3.9~.9 ,
exprou ..iy npprecio.tion for your thou.ght!ulneos in writing tone .

.nc. to

In Tiew of the contente ot you.r letter , l have taken the liberty
of sending n copy to the Uni ted Stutes Air orce .
In the future , it you have information which tl8Y be of interest
to this .Bureau, you lllDY find it more convenient to communicnte with .r. R. n.
Hood, Special Agent 1n Charge of our Loa Angeles Office, 900 Secu.rit7 Building,
Loa Angeles 13, California .
.lincerely ;youra ,

Jo.nn "Edgor noover
irector

I{?

C~ Los Angeles with cop e~' -Of incoming.
The corresponctent communicated with the Bureau on one previous occasion
enclosing a clipping from a Spanish lan&11age newspaper in T~xas. She was apparently dissatisfied with the oanner in which the Latin Americans were being treated
in Texas . A cordial letter of acknowledgement was sent to her. (100-33339)
FRW:jmf

ft

COMMUNICATIONS SECTION

*
q{
I

MAILED

1

f.,H\Y 10 1949

P.M.

I

,.,
OF~ICE OF DIRECTOR

•

~

Tol ■ on ~
✓ Mr.
Mr. Clegg_
__

Mr . Glavi ~ <
Ladd ✓
Nich
_
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.
Ronn_
__
April 25, 1949
Tra cy _ _ _
Egan _ _ __
Mr . Gurnea_ __
The attached was forward ed to
Mr. Barbo_ __
the Director by Walter 'W inchell . Mr. Jones
FEDjAAL BC,~9.U OF INVESTIGATION

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

The notation thereon reads:

-_
-__
Mr . Mohr_

"To J. Edgar Hoover.

Mr . Pennin1ton_
Tele. Room_

Tatt eP"

-

Mr. Neue_ __
Miu Holmea_

Mi II Gandy_ __

Attachment

mt

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()Jfici.MeJandum • UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
'I/ TO

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FROM

SUBJECT:

(

Mr. H. B. Fletcher,y

F.~.

KA.

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23,;;~~dOD
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M ff.gcbo

HRIE

llr. Rosen_ _
llr. Trac:r_ _
llr. Egan,_ _

MIS ELLANEOUS

11r. ournea_ _
)Ir. Harbo_ _

: : ~:::;I ton

On the afternoon of May 20, 1949, Miss Kaye lochrie, 4900 N.
Harding Avenue, Chicago 25, Illinois, was referred to my office from the

llr. Quiml
Tele. Rooa

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'..,,.:,.~-/
11188

Director's Office.

Miss Lochrie stated she was going to be in Washington for a
few da~s that she was staying at the .Ambassador Hotel. She stated
that Ro Palmer, Managing E:clitor of the,Je,ff Davis Publishing Ccmpany in
Chica
had some infonnation regardiog'--nying discs. Miss Lochrie said
that Palmer's theory was to the effect that when people died their souls
entered a space on this earth which is, of course, invisible to human
eyes. He said that in this soul world there are good arxi bad people am
that they have become involved in a war. According to Miss Lochrie, Palmer's
theory is that the flying discs which have been seen are the explosives being used in the warfare between the good am bad souls.
N,iss Lochrie stated that the real purpose of her visit to the
Bureau was to get her own name cleared. She said that the FBI has been conducting investigation regarding her arxi that she wanted to know the results
of the investigation. I asked her what kind of an investigation the FBI had
been making regarding her and she stated she was under suspicion of espionage
activities. I informed her that I could not furnish her l'd.th any information
which is contained in the Bureau's files inasmuch as our files have been
designated as confidential by the Attorney General.
Miss Lochrie accepted this explanation am stated regarding her
present activities that she had been in the Wacs as a private am bad received an honorable discharge in 1945. She said at the present time .she is
working as a model in Chi<;ago.
She impressed me as being somewhat mentally unbalanced..
A check of the files failed to reveal that we have comucted any

investigation relative to this individua;, - · -: ~

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Office Memorandum • UNITED sTATEs G OVERNMENT
TO

f \ \ROM
~

Director, FBI
:

SUBJECT:

DATE:

June 2, 1949

SAC , New Orleans

C FLYING DISCS

Re SAC Letter 38 , dated Jfarch 25, 1949 entitled as above .
The Bureau is advised that through the Office of Naval Intellie;ence ,
NeT1 Orleans, Louisiana, this office has been advised that within the past ten

days thr ee sightings of flying disc·s have been reported in the City of New Orleans . The infornation seems to be that the single discs Yrere i n str aight flight
and traveling i n a general direction of North , in late afternoon,about the size
of an observation plane , but the shape of a saucer. The Navy stated that two
witnesses have advised that the object was traveling end over end; that weather
conditions were good ; that sightings ,·rere made outdoors by persons who did not
wear glasses ; that the dates Yrere I.lay 18, 19 and 23, 1949. The Navy states
that it was possible these objects wer e weather balloons , but that these are
used from only one airport, released over an hour befor e the times of sighting
and would generally be out of sight in a few minutes.
The above is being furnished the Bureau for futu r e reference since
the Navy has informed that all three instances were investigated by the Army
Intelligence •

PW/mmd

•

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00-6

.

Mr . Tol1on /
Mr. Clegg
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATIOM
I
Mr. Glavi~n
Mr. Ladd
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Mr. N i ~ • Mr. Ro
Mr. Tracy
lfay 23, 1949
Mr. Egan
Mr.
Mr.
The attached was sent t'O the
Mr.
Di r ector by Wa l te r rfinchell .
Mr. Mohr
~
The handwritten notat i on there - Mr. Pennington_
on reads:
Tele. Room_ __
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Mr. Nease _ __
Miu Holme,_
Mi I I Gandy_ __

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San lllis Obispo , California
Tay 15 , 1949
'Talter Winchell
New Yorlt, New York

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Dear Si r :
our item.
Under attached cover you will find a ample
Should vou do no more than take ou ~LY]Ji ' SA.UCE!l out , carefully r ead the instructi ons , and fly it; I will have accomplished a portion of my e~ectations .
For the past few weeks I have list,..ned with mor e than an indifferent attitude , to y,ur various Sunday evening broadcasts
and col!llllents concerniPg Flyinp f aucers . From the start , much
as many another individual who has tried to get ahead by his
ovm initiative , I have v i sial ized what the right type of
publicity would do for my interests .
To state my actions in any other manner, would belittle your
intelliRence , and the werks of forethought and sincerity in
which this is submitted .

Your coJ11IDent this evening , concerning the Gyroscopic Theories,
snarkplu~~ed my actions .
Along ~ ith the phases of merchandising mentioned in the att ached articl es , I should like to mention that one troop of
Boy Scouts in Los Angeles are purchasing and Fnthusiastically include the~ fls a major portion of their recreation
program.
1

By th~se facts , it is apparent that our LYilJ ' SAUC~ is
worthy of every effort we are able to summons in makin~ it
';2.
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anot~1).merican pastime of Yo-Yo proportions .
/
b,'trt~
ti~cffelga.$ Trusting that we are justified of you r consideration f r om a
nevffi>rorthy standpo~

; ; : ; r ~ Yours, .

~1767 nM
k~
Conejo )r i ve
San Luis Obispo , Califoria

ftFr" r\.~~1) _ S8

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GY 51949

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GREAT FUN FOil THE WHOLE FAMILYI
FlYIN-SAUCER performs in an amazing way as you
develop your skill in flying it. A novel way lo
play catch. You will thi-nk of many games
to play. Adaptable lo almost any game.

HOW TO FLY
launch your FlYIN-SAUCER straight ahead
with a snap of your wrist making it spin as fast
as possible. DON'T THROW TOO HARD. .. . It's
the spinning that gives it lift. Begin by flying about

IO feet. When windy, throw across the wind. You
will quickly learn how to bank to the left or right.

FLIGHT INSTRUCTIONS
FLYIN' SAUCERS have flight characteristics very slml lar to a irplanes. The SAUCER IS launched
In identically the same manner as sa l llng your hat onto a hook--by spinning and forward motion.
In o rder to fly In a straight I ine, the SAUCER must leave the hand In a level position .
To
curve the SAUCER, It must leave the hand banked o r tilted in direction of desired curve--for
example: for left curve-the left side of the SAUCER must be tilted down.
FOR BEST RESULTS - The spinning of the SAUCER Is most Impo rtant and most difficult to master. Because th e spin creates a gyroscopic action which controls the attitude of the SAUCER
In flight , a smooth, fast spinning del Ive ry should be developed Do not hold the SAUCER too
t I g ht .
Anal yze your mistakes and make corrections by ti It Ing or banking SAUCER. The correction must
be appl led to t he SAUCER as It leaves the hand.

SAIL 'EM BACK AND FORTH • PLAY CATCH

l!r-­

:~-

Begin by flying you r saucer about 10 feet.
The distance you are able to fly it wl I I
quickly increase with pr actice .

MAKE 'EM TURN !
By releasing the SAUCER
In a tilted manner, you
can make It turn to the
left o r r ight.
Bank It
the way you want it to
t urn . It Is aavlsable to
learn to fly st raight befo re sta rti ng to
make
turns .

/

MAKE 'EM COME BACK !

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After learning t o
fly straight and mak e
turns, you' I! be able to
make yov r SAUCER return to you
by sal I Ing It Tnto the breeze
at a sharp angle. The harder a
wind blows , tne flatter an angle you can fly it to make it
return Spin SAUCER as much as
possible.

MAKE 'EM SKIP !
Right-hande r s launch SAUCER so that left si de strikes
hard surface. Right side fo r left-hande rs.
_ _.

-- - - - - ·- - - - - - \Ilk- -HARD S

THE GAME OF HECKLE
THE GAME OF HECKLE provides a means of utll lzlng the unique manner in which the FLYIN'
SAUCER canoe guided . Ru l es and regulations are provided, forming the basis for skll I and
competition
PLAYERS -

Four -

OBJECT -

To fly SAUCER around HECKLEOS into your partner's circ l e.

with two on each team.

ALL CIRCLES ARES FEET IN DIAM[TtA

CENTER s,Ac[ MAY VARY WITH MILITY,

Al I playe r s must rema in In their circ le unti I SAUCER Is airborne .
The game begins with the Fli er (Al attempting to sal I the SAUCER around the HECKLERS In
ci r cles I BJ and (CJ so that his partner in the Receiver's circle IOJ can catch it .
Flier IAJ must remain in his circle when serving the SAUCER.

the

HECKLER IBJ must remain in his circle at al I times whl le his te3m is defensive. He may attem?t to stop the flight of the SAUCER, or distract the Fl le r in any manner. Shoul d he step
or fat I ou t of his circle, his team forfeits I point and the offensive team retains serve.
HECKLER (CJ remains in his circle untl I SAUCER is airborne. He may then leave his circle to
heckl e the Receiver 10) in any manner so long as he doesn't inte r fere with ff ight of SAUCER
o r touch the Receiver, or step Into the Receive r' s cl rcfe. Hecklers forfeit 2 points
for
each infraction .
Receiver (0) attempts to catch the SAUCER In his circle . Should he do so, then his team receives 2 points . Should it be necessary for the Receiver to leave his circle to catch
the
SAUCER, then his team sco res but I point . Should he drop or miss the SAUCER, no points are
sco red, and the t eams change positions. (AJ changes with CB> and (CJ changes with (0).
CC> Is now the Fl ler, and (BJ the Receiver. HECKLER IOJ must remain in his circle, and the
HECKLER IAJ becomes the roving HECKLER.
Teams change positions when the Receiver fal Is to catc~ the SAUCER.
In the event that no Referee is avai Iable, disputes wi I I be settled by mutual agreement, or
the flip of a coin.
Fi rst team to score 25 points wins the game.

This is a PIPCO PRODUCT

KEEP '£M FLYI N'

San Luis Obispo, Cal if .

Flying Saucers Come from Southern California
Do YOU HAVE spots before your eyes? Do vari-colored
discs flutter and sail in the air in front of you? Do you
see flying saucers in the skies ?
If you do, don't call the doctor nor jump on the wagon.
And don't worry. Other persons are seeing flying saucers
too-seeing them fly through the air-an.:l seeing them
on the sales counters of the stores. You can even pick
them up and feel them, and, preferably, buy them to play
with.
It all started many years ago-long before the recent
flurry of flying saucers- when a little boy named Freddie
used to play with his mother's pie tins. If he threw them
with just the right twist of the wrist, they spun and turned
in fascinating curves.
Freddie grew up into a man called Fred Morrison, who
always remembered what fun he had had playing with the
pie tins. As a grown-up, he applied his knowledge of
aerodynamics to the problem of developing a disc which
could be thrown and tossed and its flight controlled by
the thrower.
He evolved a metal model that sailed through the air
in a most satisfactory manner. The curved disc was 9 in.
in diameter and a scant 2 in. deep, with radiating arcshapped fins and a heavy outside rim. A snap of the wrist
when throwing g ives a centrifugal motion to the disc
which in turn gives. guidance in flight. The radial fins
create a vacuum on top of the whirling disc, and stability
from beneath is provided by the heavy rim.
The metal model sailed through the air beautifullybut also, being metal, it sailed through windows and
hedges and other obstacles, somewhat after the manner of
a miniature cyclone. A material other than metal seemed
a wise idea if the disc-or flying saucer-were to become
a commercial product.
.
A lightweight, slightly flexible plastics looked like the
answer, and Morrison brought his metal model to Southern
California Plastic Co., Glendale, Calif., to see what might
be done in plastics. Stanley J. Gray and Edward L. Kennedy, president and secretary of the firm, took the metal
disc out on the lawn to "demonstrate" its possibilities
and were soon breathlessly convinced that a great deal
of fun could be had by young and old alike.
A plastics model of the disc was carved from a solid
block of material, and then a mold made in the shop of
Southern California. Engraving of the mold was done
by United Engravers, Los Angeles.
Then came the problem of the right material. A search
was made throughout the range of thermoplastic molding
compounds to find the proper material that combined
flexibility, impact strength, and stability while in motion.
(The discs achieve considerable speed--and strain- when
in flight.) Cellulose acetate provided the best combination
of properties to do the job. Acetate discs will not break
glass windows, nor shatter when falling from a great
height, nor scar the finish on automobiles, nor injure the
players.

An in• .,esting part of the story is that producing the
acetate "Flyin' Saucer" is only part of the story. It is a
product with a wide market (how many yo-yos were sold
in the US last ·ear, do you suppose?) ; but it must be
demonstrated to be sold. Everyone who sees a Flyin'
Saucei in action is enthusiastic. Anyone who sees one
lying on a sales counter is likely to p:iss by.
That presents a merchandising problem that has the
sales staff of Southern California Plastic hard at work,
thinking up ways and means for demonstrations, action
publicity, visual promotional stunts. With a record of
steady-selling staple consumer items now on the market,
Southern California has no intention of letting the Flyin'
Saucers sit on the sales counters. Carefully-controlled
distribution, related to on-the-spot demonstrations or promotional campaigns, has been the rule so far. National
markets will not be tackled until all the promotional kinks
have been unraveled.

That's a real Flyin' Saucer this young mon has just thrown into
th, air-molded of tough and lightweight cellulose acetate by
Sou lhern California Plastic Co., Glendale. Designed in occordance
with aerodynamic principles, the Flyin' Saucer spins through the air
with the greatest of ease. Note the radial fons on the disc in the
boy's left hand.

Reprinted from PACIFIC PLASTICS, August 1948

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'5-ky Devil-Ship' Scares Pilots;
Air Chief Wishes He Had One
Plane Makers
Dubious About
Alabama 'Thing'

EAL FLIERS DESCRIBE WINGLESS AIRCRAFT
Copilot J8hn Whitted and Capt. C. S. Chiles (righ t).

ATIANTA JOIJRNA.L
SUlIDAY • 7/25/48

By WILLIAM KEY
What was that Thint tbat
scared the daylights out of two
Atlanta Eastern Air Line pDoa
in the spooky hours Sa~
morning!
Is there some stratospheric Loch
Ness fire-breathin g monster on
the Milky Way run between Atlanta and New Orleans?
The :- lots. C:i;>t, C. S. Chiln.
of Atlanta, and Co-Pilot ,J. B.
Whitted. of Hapeville. would like
to know. The Army Strategic Air
Command would like to know. Bht
airplane manufacturers al•o are
curiou~. but slightly dubious.
Pilots Chiles and Whitted told
their thrillinJt story upon arriving at municipal airport here Saturday on the Houston-AUanta,
Boston run. Here i~ what they
say they saw, near Mont,tomery:
A gigantic plane without winits,
!black against the niJtht i;ky,
5treakin1t through the heaven5 at
5,000 feet altitude with a fiery
comet's tail 25 to 50 feet in
length. It had a 100-foot fuselaae
about four times the circumference of a B-29's, and two rows
of brilliantlv lighted 1Quare
windows. Creepiest ot all, it was
a veritable rJyjrs«J)utchman of
the Skies. Nt'ry a living soul was
, een aboard_!_ ~ ~ - - - - -

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Contltppp• JJ.r;bt
The pilots admitted they had
goose pimples riding pick-a-back
on goose pimples. What's more,
they said one of their 20 passengers-C. L. McK1:?h•ie. of Columbus, Ohio-was awake and ~aw
the same thing.
Reporters nailed Mr. McKelvie
at Kennett Square, Pa. How about
it, they asked him-had he seen
what the Atlanta pilots said he
saw?
Well, now, said Mr. McKelvienot exactly. He said he saw "no
form of ship" whatever. He saw a
"continuous light speed past" lwi
window.
"But,'' added Mr. McK., 1'I'm
not very well versed in aeronautics, and certainly I wasn't looking for any Buck Rogers space
ship."
Out at Santa Monica, Cal., the
famo111 Gen. George C. Kenney,
chief of the Strategic Air Command, was bearded In his den.
His eyes twinkled. No, he said,
cautiOU5ly, it wasn't one of his
planeL The Army as yet hun't
1ot anything like the Thing seen
over Montgomery.
Not Boelnc Plane
"I wish we did," the general
said wistfully. "i sure would have
liked to see that Thing."
So said William M. Allen, president of the Boeing Aircraft Co.,
up at Seattle. ~I'm pretty sure
it wasn't one of our planes," said
Mr. Allen, modestly.
Almost identical statements issued by the Army Air Forces at
Washington and the United States
Weather Bureau at Montgomery
tended to throw some light on
this fantasy. Both sources suggested that. the Atlanta pilots had
flown past an air radar weather
observation balloon. Those things,
they explained, are 10 feet in
diameter and have square, tinfoil
boxes fastened to them. 'the boxes
reflect light and "give strange
illusions" f!S they twist and turn.
Maxwell Field said they send 'em
up at six-hour intervals.
And Maxwell Fielijs at Mont1
gomery.
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ATLANTA JOURNAL
SUN&Y, 7/25/48

'Aying FloOr Lamp~
Again Sighted Here
B;v CHARLES P OU
she did see "a great ball of fire I
with a great long purple tail on
That "flying floor lamp" is at it."
That was about 9:40 p. m.
it again!
cantaloupe
"Bluish Streak of Light"
An . Illuminated
An attendant at the naval air
rolled over the city!
station thought he was watchi:i.'I
And a newspaperman saw "great a falling star, until it started
balls of fire!
climbing and banked away from
What's more, two Richmond Va., Atlanta. To him, it looked like a
i;choolteachers say they saw the "bluisdh streakb of ltihght."
"fl
rt· ,, k
An now a out e newspapersame . ame-spu mg 5 Y mon- man. John Batlle, city editor of the
st
st~r "".h1ch ~as spotted by Ea ern Augusta Chronicle, hung up the
Air Lines pilots near Montgomery. telephone after a dozen calls about
Like Red F loor Lamp
weird goings-on in the Augusta
"I i;aw Halley's comet-and it skies.
was nothing like what I saw last He looked 8':i+' 1:,o=A:11ifl 1/IJI
'night," declared Ml·s. W. R. Dell<.
He summoned his st11;Y,.ffl:.i
of 914 Hemphill a\'e., N. W.
'1'reat balls "' 'ire,._.~
Breathlessly, Mrs. Delk continued:
. "The front end of it looked like
a flying floor lamp-a fiery-red
floor lamp. Then it trailed of1 in
little square sections.
"Oh, Halley's comet was nothing
like that."
1
\ And Mrs. Delk was joined by al
least 15 other Atlantians who saw
a Thing which banked and rolled
and breathed fire over the city
Monday night between 8 p. m.
and 9:45 p. m.
In the downtown section, Mr.
and Mrs. Richard P. Sellers were
1minding their own business when
a "reddish-white ball of fire about
the size of a cantaloupe with a
tail on it" da~ed over buildings.
Mrs. A. C. ~•bY, or'Carey Park,
has never seen a purple cow but

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ATIANl'A JOURNAL , 7/27/48

'LIKE BIG F~O'?R LAMP FLYING ALONG'

~

Everybody's Seeing 'Things' I
Whizzing Through Night Sky
By CHARLES POU
. burst in mid-air.
of a floor lamp, and it was the
ls t hat Thing no more than a
5. A flash of cherry red fire. prettiest thing I ever saw. It came
wayward floor lamp?
6. A meteor.
and passed so quick-I guen it
Mrs. .Noah Atkinson, of Brook- . Mrs. Atltinson kept her Fly- mu.st have been 500 miles an hour
llaven, saw it. And what did that mg Floorlamp secret three weeks. or faster."
Thing look like?
B~t she knew she wasn't seeing And how about the two air"A great big floor lamp, all lit things when she saw the Thing. line pilots, C. S. Chiles and John
.
She.and her husband, who also B. Whitted, of Atlanta?
up. Oh, il was beautiful!''
And C. M. Bowles, an Expos1- saw 1t, kept mum. The story Well they took off today,
tion Mills painter who lives near really sou~ded a little silly unt_il armed' with a camera And t h
the Municipal airport, Sunday th~ two air line p1lots saw their hope to bring back a· 1
p·ct
e~
0
nicht saw a "huge, brilliantly Thmg gamboling and fire-breath- that Thing
ure
:U,hted object" streakjng over At- ing through air-line skies early
•
lanta skies at maybe 30,000 feet. Saturday morning.
Be
h
Th
Mr. Bowles thinks the Thing was After that, she decided hef tale
OC
rongs Cranl
straight from Moscow.
could be told:
At 'Silver Cylinder'
Two air line pilots :Cirst were
"My husb..,;l'.i 11uu I were sitatartled by the newest astronomi- ting on our front porch the night ASBURY PARK, N. J., J4ly 26.
cal "what-is-it" near Montgomery of J uly 5, and at a quarter to 9 (A")-Boa_rdwalk throngs_ at this
early Saturday. To them it was "a o'clock we saw this Thing. Our resort city craned their necks
wingless craft, spurting flame like f ront porch doesn't have a screen, Monday at a "s_ilver . cylinder"
a Buck Rogers rocket ship." Else- and we were sitting near the they reported flymg !ugh overwhcre, all over the country that edge where we could see good.
head.
Thing was variously identifi~d as: "I saw it first. It was not high They described it as "wll.y up
1. An aluminum covered bal- '!,IP-about _200 .feet, I guess, but in the air," and like a blimp "only
loon.
it looked hke 1t was right above blunt at both ends."
t he treetops. 'Looka there', I
Officials, recalling "flying sau2, A ball of fire.
Ai h R -..usually bright light.
yelle~ to my husband, and he cers," asked Fort Monmouth per4. A red and blue flame that saw it too.
onnel to see if they could identify
"It looked like the top part it.
•
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ATLANTA JOURNAL, 7/26/48

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1515 • 9th St.

Yichita Falls, Texas
Aug. 5, 1948
Publisher,
Atlanta Journal,
Atlanta, Georgia.
Dear Sirs

On Jul.7 25, 1948, I mailed a letter enclosing .35 cents i:u coin
and an airmail aelf•addreseed enTelop to your circu.lation department, asking
for tear sheet ■ of the Atlanta Journal oontaininc the stories on a "strange"
or 11JIIY'sterious" aircraft seen aear Monteo11e1"7, Alab&111a, July 24, 1948, by two
pilots, Cap't c. s. Chiles and John». Whitted, of the Eastern Air Lines.
These have not arr1Ted.

I _asked for two copies each of the stories.

Enclosed is an additional .35 cents, and another sta11ped self-addressed envelop.

Will you kindly aee that your circulation department com­

plies with this simple request?

I assure you that my interest in the above stories is prompted by
interest in the defense of our count1"7, and you are hereby given my fullest
pel'Dlission to turn this letter requ.esti~ the copies of the stories over to
the J'.BI, should you wish.
Thanking you Tery kindly, I am,
Sincerely,

/s/ Mra. Madeline Gwynne Merchant
cc/Agent-In-Chari•
7ederal !ureau of Inve■ tigation
Atlanta, Georgia

Mra. Madeline Gw,ynne Merchant

The incident was, I belie'Ye, an important one.

And though I haTe

already 111&de reports to MaJ. Sidney Newburger of Loe Alamos and to General
l!andy, I would appreciate the Mler nevapaper atoriee appearin~ in the
preH there.

Thanking 7ou kindly, I am,
Sincerely,
/•/Mrs.Madeline Gwynne Merchant

Mra. Madeline Gw7nn• Merchant

g.x
1515 - 9th St.
Wichita lalla, Texas
A~. 5, 1948
~nt-In-Oharge,
Federal 1'ureau. of InTestigation,
Atlanta, Georgia.
Dear Sirs
Enclosed is a carbon ot a letter requ.estin& tear sheeta of the unusual aircraft •een near Montgomery, Alabama, Jul7 24, 1948, storiea con•

cernin& which wen carried by AP and UP, ori~inati~ in Atlanta.
It 'IDlq h&Ye been overai«ht by someone in the cire11lation dep 1 t of
the Atlanta Journal, or it mq have been 1 alarm" that a woman vould_be re­

queatinc thi• tn,e ot information, even thoU€h it was published, and thereb7 open information.
ETen thou«h I cann~t identify Jqaelf to the Atlanta Journal publisher

or staff, I can to you.

I have worked independently on the problem of aerial

llieail••• of which I believe this was an example, with all rrr data ~ing di­

rectly to officials and member■ of the security o:f'tice of the Atomic Enera
Con., Los Alamos Atomic ProJect, Los Alamos, W.M. , and to hi«h members of
the War Department, including Gen. Thomas T. lland7• J'ourth U. s. Anq Coamander, 1t. Saa Xouston, Tex., head of this u. s. J.:nq district.

-, cannot and should ·Mt"'t;y•c~"';c
t_hat agaJn, let us not wJth the exceso
five zeal of the new convert be blind=
Y intolerant of those who d
t
=immediately have the courage ~t na~I
_ ~~!~:~ most recently acquired con-

£x-A fTny 'A ir F~~ce\fifiers
, lnv~,;t Novel, New Gamt
Flying Sauc•;•, Catch ,-----------==
Fancy ol Da) ,ona Beach I
Vi,itor, and Re,ident,
. By JACK TROY
f
Times- Union Staff Writer
DAY!ONA BEACH, Feb. 14-The
Ingenuity of two former Army Air
;:ore~ !lier:; from California ls
paymg of!" at this Florida Beach
resort where, nowadays the air 1s 1•
full of "flying saucers.';
When Major Warren Fransclonl :
and Lieut. Fred Morrison of San
Louis_ Obispo completed their war
experiences ln the China-Burma• I
Indl_a and the Italian theatres of op- l
~r~1on, they returned home anrl I
Jo ed forces in a novel industry.
Morrison had always been I I
trigued by the Idea. o! sailing
1
/pans on the beach, and so h
y • ·/
Franscioni put th~lr h - - .. ua tal- 1
en ts togethP~ ..aa came up with a 1
1
, plastic version with fins. They then
had Invented a new game, a novel
, way of playing catch with nylng ; •
l saucers. a gyroscopic airfoil aerodY·
manically correct. precisely engi•
neered and a pleasant way to take I
exercise.
1
Grid Coa.ch Uses It
The football coach at Hemet. :
Calif., High School was Intrigued
with the idea of using the saucers
to condltlna his pl<>)'«~., t ..o.,.'- q,.,,,,
'oala.nce and to reach out to ma,bcatches of the discs which. by e•-:--..
tai n methods of spinning, bo0111·
erang and also sail a.way from the ~
intended receiver. A player has to
,be on his toes to catch them, espe• I
clally if the wind ls blowing.
I<
It rnav be just coincidence, Ran- •
and Morrison said toda:V, but E
\ scion!
the Hemet coach last season tum.ed
out his first championship team. The
boys were on their toes.
~
Although they had their di&CS \
made in Glendale and had planned
, on extensive West Coast promotion,
snow flakes unexpectedly fell and
,~o they headed for Daytona Beach.
wMre, according to the tourists.
"summer spends the winter."
No snow flakes fall here; onr,::,
flying saucers. "-'hich a re so durable i
that t hey are not Injured by cars E
passing over them.
t
Morrison was shot down In hiS c
fifty-eighth mission In Italy but\1
escaped serious injury. The tv.·o J
ex-Army officers refer to them- I\
selves as the world's champion Fly- \'t
ing saucer pilots, and certainly
their novel lnventlor -conceived In t
Callfornlli, and promo•.ed ln Florida 1
-ha.& caught on with beach lovers. Jc
TheY were smart enough, of 1
course, to patent the Flying saucer ,
idea in order to capitalize on ready- .I
made publicity bor• of repeat ed ,r
Saucer sea res arour the country. \
·\ In throwlnit the 01d pie or calte s
tins there always was the danger
I or cutting one's hands. But with
· \the new plastic tin saucers, the 1
only danger ls getting bopped In I
the nose. And only the less agile !t
allow that to happen once In a le
while.
P romotion Main P roblem
Fransclonl and Morris feel that 1
coaches might find their salllng•
gadgets just as handy In training a \
squad as did the coach of Hemet.
And they are hopeful tM,t they
may, in time to come, expand their
w11res from coast to coast.
At the present time Daytona
Beach is the only resort that has
seen the saucers. The boys are
contemplating attending a few fairs
and getting their product before
,larger m41-sses of the public.
I "Promotion ls our only problem,"
!Morrison declared. "Production ls
no Item. All who've tried our in·
teresting little 1t~dget seem to have
fun sa lllng It. 11 nd they also find
that they are using muscles long
neglected."

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Office_ ·Memorandum •

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UNITED sTATEs GOVERNMENT

: DIRECTOR, FBI

floM ')>C

DATE:

RICHMOND

SUBJB<-f!,LY~ DISCS SIGIITED /J RADFORD,

VIRGINIA

HAY 12, 1949
Ther are enclosed 4;,:we,- clippings concerning what has
been described as a :lying disc sighted at Radford, Virginia on
l!ay 12, 1949. The Bureau may desire to refer this to the Department
of the Air Force . This office has no infor,nation other than that
appearing in the news items which appear to cover the best inforn:ation
avai lable. The matter was not reported directly to this office and,
therefore, no investigation or inquiries are being made and none of X'
the individuals who allegedly saw the thing have been interviewed. U
0

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ELB:GTC
Enclosures (2)

1~ -_J}lJ..1:- 11
11 MAY 25 1949
RICORDED · 78

EX-42

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}lay 25, ·1949

(3 f 7 f -/rjf

1Jrs. llcnry Beston
Chicno l/ •• ,rn
1.'obleb ro 1 11atnc

•

Dear 11r . Beoton:
Your lotter posttiarkcd Uay 16• 1049, has been
received and I Qa~t ~o trar.~ uou /or oond£ng ne tnforn~tt n
concorntnr. the ~attar you enttonad. I~ was tndeed uery
thouQht/u , of you to re ort 'tha·,., c!at~ to thio org~ni ::oti on .

Sincerely yours~

G l. R. -6
John Edgar Hoover
D'lroctor

NOTE: Co r respondent saw a small object in the sky near the
end of the day wh£ch took various shapes and thr ough glasses
appeared like a double bloom tratltng something below tt .
.
She beltves tt might be a flying dtsK . In vi ew of her nebulous
1,nfo rmatton and -as tt.wa~ ver y possibly a weather bajloo~ ,:no f~rth actt on 1,s deemed necessa ry.
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Advance

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5/13/A9

Th&se Aying Discs
Are at It Again,
Virginians Report
Zounds! Here we go again! Inlerplanetory space-ship? Visitor from
Mars? A new Russian rocket ship?
Airgoing submarine? Just take your
choice, your guess is every bit as
good as the next qne according to
reports from various sections of Virginia and Tennessee on last night's
strange phenomenon.
What it was, where it came from
and where it was going, no one
knows, but even Civil Aeronautics
Administration officials were puzzled
and had no answer.
Whatever the thing was, it resembled a long cigar, with a bright
red nose and trailing smoke. Re\ rorts coinciding with that descrip•
tion came from localities along an
almost direct line through Tennessee
and Virginia and seemed sufficient
to convince even the most skeptical
that what the callers said they had
seen was no figment of imagination.
The descriptions generally Jnoicated the object came over the
couthwest horizon and resembled a
ctreak of fire. There seemed to be
1ed lights or a powerful red glow in
the nose of the object. Far, back at
the tail there was fire and smoke.
The first report came from Roanoke about 8 o'clock when ,J. S.
Mays and W. F. Mullins. both of that
city, said they noticed the object.
"It looked like a streak of fire,"
said Mays, "and appeared to be going almost straight up and was
stepping on it."
Suddenly, he said, it appeared to
level off and head eastward, resembling "a snake wiggling on
water."
Other reports followed from
Kingsport, Tenn., Bristi Pulaski,
Chrt·tiansburg and poin s west of
Roa ke.
1
w liam C. Flanik, ch t aircraft
c-om unicator, CAA, '
Preston
Gle
airport, said none of the
Lyn burg tower men had sighted
any unusual objects in the sky.

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FBI - RIC'-'t'O!m

M?W 141949

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E'NCLOSURf

IN RJ!PLY, PLEASE R>!FER T O

FILE No. _ __ __

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B!eheral ihtr.eau of lttu.estigatum
11tniteb itates il.epartm.ettt of iJwrtitt

Did You See It? Well, What Was lt?
By WELLS CALD'WJ:LL
front. The object was trailed by Harvey Streets, gave this ver- to be traveling too slowly for
The strange object seen travel­ either vapor or smoke and faded sion: "At the first appearance it 1that. It appeared in the sou thing acro11 the heave_ns just after from view when it seemed to be looked like a comet. I recall west and traveled toward the
sundown last night has caused directly overhead-."
Halley·s comet and it resembled east. There was a kind of redwidespread speculation here in
Mrs. Alfred Tolley, of 1702 that. There was, at first, a dish looking smoke about it."
Radford as well as in other sec­ Seventh Street, west, reported bright spot ahead of the stream
Miss Dody Jones, of Harvey
tions of Southwestern V.irginia her 12-year-old son, Albert, was of fire, but the trail didn"t look Street, reported watching the
and Eastern Tennessee.
playing next door and noticed so bright ~hen the object reach- phenomenom with a group of
Exactly what the mysterious the object. She said her son had ed its zenith.
children in the neighborhood.
traveler was, no one here seems been studying comets in school
"It appeared to be moving slow- She said it looked like "what I
to know, and the number of con­ and called her attention to the Jy at first and later very fast, think a comet would look like."
flicting reports have only added phenomenon, thinking that it was which indicates that it was quite
"It was a red flare", she conto the confusion.
either a comet or a meteor.
a distance away when I first tinued, "which was light on the
This much seems to be cer"The strange looking object", saw it. The object seemed to front. It moved slowly from
tain: the object appeared over she said "was long and black follow a straight path, however the Southwest and traveled what
the Southwest horizion shortly with a light on the front end. It it v~ered a little once - in sort seemed to be straight up. It
before 8 p. m. and was moving seemed to follow the air route of ;l.n arc - and then straighted curved toward the east and the
eastward. Also, it was black, or from the directon of Pulaski, out agin. I heard no noise."
fire strealcs trailing it got longer
at least part of it was.
later turning and heading toward
Mrs. James D. Heinline. of 60 as they began to fade out."
A Radford man, Jiving in the Blacksburg. There was a light Jackson Street, Monroe Terrace,
L. B. Graybeal, of Christianseast end section, asked that his on the front end and great long said slie and her husband watch- burg, a former Air Force pilot,
name not be used, but give this streaks of fire. We saw it for e6 it with some neighbors.
estimated the altitude of the
version:
about 10 minutes."
"It looked like a long black object at 6.000 feet. He said
"I was working in the yard
Miss Joe Stewart, of the Rad­ cigar which was on fire", she there was a light from the object ,
when I glanced up and saw a ford College biology department, stated. "We heard a faint sound, as it passed over and a "roaring i
long black thing flying across said she saw the object and as­ which might have been a small sound."
the sky. It came from the direc­ sumed it was the exhaust from motor. At times it looked like
Other reports have been retion of Pulaski. It looked a an airplane. She added that she an airplane 'way, 'way off. J ceived from as far West as Kingsgreat deal like a rounded stick was ''in no way alarmed."
thought at first it might be· a port, Tenn., and as far East as 1
of wood which was burning in
Fred W. Hurt, of Fourth and comet or a meteor, but it seemed I Bedford.
1
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FBI - R!CHHO m
M.~Y 1 61949

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Remember Flying SaucersrWe/1
Looks Like Flying Seegars Now
Flying saucers are passe.
Now people in Bristol are see­ Pulaski radio reported two seen
ing "long, cigar- shaped obthere. One about 4 p. m., and
ject" flashing across the sky.
the other an hour later. He
But Bristolians were not the
only spectators ot the strange said that Pulaski also had a picraft yesterday evening.
lot's report of the "streak" travThe flaming object was re­ eling northeast at an altitude ot
ported sighted at Kingsport, about 30,000 feet.
Christiansburg and Roanoke
.Reports on the "flaming oband three at Pulaski.
were received at ChrisRex Rainey, 1805 State Street, ject"
tiansburg and Roanoke but airreported that he saw a "whitish, glistening m;iss, long and ports in those vicinities reported
no information on the strange
cylindrical like a big cigar," craft.
flying from east to west about
7:15 Yesterday. He said be
sighted the "cigar" flying very
rapidly over Virginia Heights
and got out his binoculars to
look at it.
An unidentified caller informed the Herald Courier last
night that she had sighted
something that "looked like
white smoke with a blue name
that traveled to the north and
e~" about the same time. "It
d' 't look like an airplane,"
s said, "only like white smoke.
I was just a streak and almost
o t of sight it was so high."
Another· local woman reported
that she had seen a "silver
streak that looked like it was
about 100 feet long" flash across
the sky shortly after seven
o'clock. She estimated the speed
at about 200 miles per hour.
ER /I ;..})
R, I S / i ) )- .
A traffic controlman at TriCities Airport, Who asked that
his name be withheld, said that
R 1S 1.> J..,
the strange craft had not been
seen at the airport although
they ha,d had inquires on the
"cigar-streak."
He said he had checked with
the Atlanta Air Route traffic
control center after receiving
inquiries but they reported no
knowledge of any jet aircraft in
this Yicinity,
He speculated that the streaks
may have been caused by a jetpropelled plane or planes. "The
objects were reported flying at
an altitude of 30,000 feet," he
said. ''If a jet plane were flying that high, it would be moving so fast the vapor trail would
be about all a person on the
ground could see."
The controlman said that the
FBI - R:C'-if O m

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FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
FormNo.1
THIS CASE ORIGINATED AT

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA

REPORT MADE AT

62- 2542 VFH

DATE WHEN MADE

PERIOD FOR
WHICH MADE

REPORT MADE BY

6-15-49

5- 20-49

JAMES L. KIRKLAND

PHILADEIPIITA, PA.

SCRANTON, PE!'r nSYLVANI A,
UNKN(J'(tN DATE
GEORGE--16:l\UTON, COMPLAINANT

mu. UNKNO/IN SUBJECT<fmE,

SYNOPSIS OF FACTS:

F I LE NO.

CHARACTER OF CASE

MISCELLANEOUS
INFORMATI ON CONCERNING

FREDERI~QUARDT submitted ash residue to
Fire Marshal ' s Office, Philadelphia, Pa.,
which made chemical analysis.
}l.ARQT'ARDT o-ropinion that fire_Aay have been caused by
military flare oiU'flying saucer11 •
- C -

DETAILS:

This investigation is p ~dicated upon a letter
received from the office of the Fire Marshal,
J,,f.::J ~,/~ u ti
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, dated May 19., 1949,
I
..,,,.) , advising that ashes had been received from one
F. )AA'ftQUARDT, purportedly from a fire which had continued to burn for twelve
hcurs. A chemical analysis of the ashes had been requested. The Fire Marshal's
Office noted that MARQUARDT had at one time worked for the Atomic Energy
Commission.

4 p1

Captain MICHAEL HANNAN, Fire Marshal's Office, advised that there
had been received through the mail on April 21, 1949, an ash._ sample with a request for analysis. In the letter of transmittal, MARQGARDTnad pointed out
that the fire had continued to burn twelve hours after water had first been
applied. The original letter of transmittal was examined and reflected that
an object had entered the roof of the building., caused an explosion, and threw
people out of bed.

/}
Captain HANNAN said he atte~ted to locate MARQUARDT at his
residence., 127 South 16th Street, but had bee~unsuccessful. He added ihat at
the time the building managev had commented that MARQUARDT had been employed by
the Atomic Energy Con:o:nission. }!ARQU.ARDr was then requested by letter to appear
at the Fire Marshal 's Office.
APPROVED AND
FORWARDED:

SPECIAL AGENT'
IN CHARGE

t

DO NOT WRITE IN THESE SPACES

1------ ~
-- - - -,~ - - - ' - ~ ~ ~ _ _ , _..J:...--.'-_R
COPIES OF THIS REPORT

,.....2
.... - Bureau
2 - Philadelphia

"

CORDED. 129

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PH 62-2542
Acting Chief GEORGE KINGTON advised that he had interviewed
MAR.cyJ.ARDT at the time he came to the office since Captain HANNAN was absent
at the time . He said that he then learned for the first time that the fire
in question had taken pl ace near Scranton, Pennsylvania, ~ @ Q£.QllI'rea_
about §j ;x;,.. J.'lQl!tho .Pte..viousl ~ • This caused the Marshal ' s Office to withdraw
from the caseori a question of jurisdiction and MARQUARDT was advised that
any further action on his part should be referred to the State Police
authorities.
At the same time, KilltTON furnished MARQUARDT with the results
of the analysis which had been ~ade of the ash submitted, and which analysis
had been made by Dr. EDWARD BURKE, City Chemist, Chemical Laboratory, Room
fr'/5 , City Hall. This report reflected that the ash contained Magnesium,
Alumirrum, Iron, and Calcium in the form of silicates , sulphur and carbonates .
FREDERIC iiJ\RQl!ARDT was interviewed at his place of business,
the H. A. KULJIAN COMPANY, Broad Street and Girard Avenue , Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania. At this ti~ he advised that he had received the sample of
ash from a friend, V"O(l)~FER, Lake Ariel, R. n., Wayne County, Pennsylvania, through the mail. He said that Lake Ariel is about one mil e south
of South Canaan , near Scranton, Pennsylvania. He stated that SHAEFFER ' s
house had burned about six months ago, that the fire had occurred at night
during a storm and that a large object had struck the roof and ignited the
house which had burned to the ground in less than an hour .
He said that he had not been present during the fire but that
these details had been furnished by letter fr001 SHAEFFER at the ti.me a sample
of the ash was forwarded for analysis. He said that he was of the personal
opinion that the ash might be a part of a military flare or a "flying saucer 11 •
He pointed out that he has been advised by associates in the
engineering field that one of the characteristics of some types of flares
is the fact that they burn for a considerable period. He stated that the
mass of the ash residue had remained ignited for a period of twelve hours .
He also stated that he did not think there had been an explosion but that a
loud noise had probably been caused by the vacuum created as the missile
or objects truck the roof. He added that there remains a quantity of the
ash , amounting to one bushel, at SHAEFFER 1 s premises at Lake Ariel.

- 2 -

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PH 62-2542

MARQUARDT adv· sed that he had been employed by the Atomic
Energy Commission at Oak Ridge until 1943. He was entirely rational. He
discounted the theory that a portion of a rooteor had struck the house on
the basis of the chemical analysis made by the City Chemical Laboratory.

MARQUARDT advised that at the suggestion of the City
authorities, he had written to SHAEFF'ffi and suggested that any further inquiries be directed to the State Police.
The file of the Philadelphia Office reflect that the records
of Immigration aJ)d Naturalization Service were negative to an inquiry concerning FREDERIC S4ARQUARDT, OEM (Bureau File ?7- 30'S7) . The files of this
office likewise reflect that M.ARQUARDT by letter received August 14, 194?,
requested of this office the identity of a powder or dust used to catch
thieves.
Inasmuch as there is no yiql.F'ti.9n indicated within the Bureau I s
jurisdiction, there is no further investigation being conducted in this
matter. However, the ash residue obtained from the Fil·e t.arshal ' s Office
is being forvrarded to the Bureau Laboratory for any interest or study the
Laboratory may desire to conduct relative to flares or in connection with
the possibility of the presence of "flying saucers" •

- CLa3ED -

- 3-

~ ,ALs. BUREAU or 1..

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ll.

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Mr. ToJs;,

CiEPARTMEln or JU:iTICE

COMMUNICATIONS SECTIOK

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FBI

,IAHA

7- 14-49

4- 55

UR GE NT

[ff-., LCTOR

Aff>U/ /
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PM CST

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FLYING DISCS, INFORMATION CONCERNING .

WHILE ON VACATION RC

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AT LAKE OF THE WOODS, NEAR KENORA, ONTARIO, CANAvA, SA CL:r=fE G.

-

MATTHEWS OBSERVED UNCONVENTIONAL AIRCRAFT RESEMBLING FLVI~
.....-. DISC •
HE HAS

FURNISHED FULL INFORMATION CONCERNING SAME TO U. S. ~R

FORCE INTELLIGENCE, FORT CROOK, NEBRASKA, AND SAME ~ILL NOT BE
REPORTED TO THE BUREAU UNLESS ADVISED TO THE CONTRARY.

END
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STANDARD FORM NO. 64

\_.

•

Office Memorandum • uNrTEn sTATEs GovERNMENT
,i>f"

TO

~ FROM
SUBJECT:

DIRECTOR, FBI

DATE:

July 21, 1949

SAC, NEW ORLEANS

YLnNG DISCS AND SAUCERS
MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATICN CONCERNING

For the Bureau's information, several citizens in the community of
Alexandria, Louisiana, have recently reportedly seen flying discs. The Alexandria, Louisiana daily paper has carried nUJD3rous articles concerning this.
At a recent meeting of the Young Mens Business Club in Alexandria,
a member suggested that since Alexandria, Louisiana is known as a convention city,
the club should try promoting a convention of flying saucer seers. This particular comment appeared in the Alexandria paper and was picked up by the JJ' lines.
Mr. A. M_y"D~GELO, a member of the Young Mens Business Club, advised
Special Agent WALTER E. )()EJU..E that since the JJ' release, they have received a
large number of requests regarding the convention of flying saucer seers from many
parts of the United States. Mr. DeANGELO wt.ates that the interest of the people
is evidenced by their inquiries about convention particulars, stating they are
flying saucer seers and want to attend such a convention.
This gentleman further advised that in view of the volume of inquiries
coming in, it appears that the YMBC will have to hire an employee to handle all
the correspondence. It might be noted that he advised a representative of the
Air Force from Barksdale Field, Louisiana, has inquired as to plans of a .flying
saucer convention, stating that they are interested in furnishing an observer if
such a convention were held.
This information is being furnished the Bureau, as it is possible such
an enterprise may cause people to falsify that they have seen flying discs or flying saucers. Such falsifications might be made so that they might attend such a
convention or become official delegates thereto.

WEM:gp
62-0

63JUL29 · ,

•

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SAC, Phoenix

Jwie 30, 1949

Director, FBI
ILLIAll WrBR:Pmoms
INFOi"WATIOU CONCERNING
FLRHG DISCS

Reiutlet Juno 8, 1949, captioned "Fltina Discs. "

It ia believed that the reference appearing 1n the tirat line ot yoar
referenced letter to the Blu-eaQ 1a incorrect. Complete detail.a concerning the
c:atter reterred to in 1our referenced COIJlllluni.cation appear 1.o a letter from
your ottice dated September 4, 'J.947, and not Septvmber 9, 1947.
Pursuant to ,10ur request, .rou are granted authority to tumt.ah the
attached blind tJ1m0randu.1J1, which was forwarded to the Bu.reau with 1our referenced
letter !or approval, to lb-. 1qnn c. Aldrich, OOI repreeentativo, Phoenix,

li.r1£ona.

Attacliment
EHM:EFF

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llr. Tolson

l::; 8½:~n-llr. Ladd.--_-_-_

llr. Nichols

llr. Rosen - ­

llr. T r a c y - -

.....
llgan._-.:::::::=
llr. OUrnin

::: :..~-==

11r. Pennington_
llr. Qulrm Tam_
Tele. Roo11_ _

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----·-- • -

COMMUNICATIONS SECTION
MAILED 15

* JUL 11949 P.M.
.Dtn~ il.

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JllS11C£

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STANDARD FORM NO. 64

•

•

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Office- Memorandum • uNrTEn sTATEs GovERN M ENT
TO

Mr. H.B. Fletcbe#

FROM

Lish Whitson

DATE:

June 30,

1949
TOJ.aon_ _
Ladd_ __

Cle..._a:_ _

SUBJECT:

WIWAM ALBERF:
/4 ODES

Glavin_ _

INFCRMATION C CERNING

NlcbOle_ _

aFLYING DISW

Roeen_ _
Tracy_ _
ll&rbo_ _

1/ollr_ __

Purpose

T9le, Rooa_

--·--

OoDc17_ _

Your approval is requested in order that the attached letter and
memorandum can be forwarded to the Phoenix Office, authorizing that office to
furnish the attached memorandum to Mr. Lynn C. Aldrich, OSI representative,
Phoenix, Arizona.
BackgroWld
In July 1947, William Albert Rhodes was jointly interviewed by Special
Agent J. Bailey Brower (Bureau Agent) and George Fugate, Jr., A-2 representative
from Hamilton Field, California. The purpose of the interview was to secure from
Yr. Rhodes information and photographs of a flying disc, which bad been sighted
and photographed by Rhodes.
The complete results of the interview and subsequent events are contained
in the attached memorandum submitted by the Phoenix Office.
Mr. Lynn C. Aldrich, OSI representative at Phoenix, Arizona, has requested
the Phoenix Office to furnish him complete facts relating to this interview, which
are to be subsequently forwarded to the OOI Office at San Francisco. According to
Aldrich, Mr. Fugate, referred to above, has been questioned concerning this matter
by his superiors and he has advised them .that his recollection is "hazy11 on the
matter. According to Aldrich, Yr. Rhodes has apparently now requested the Air
Force to return the photographs, which were previously obtained from him.
Recommendation
It is recommended that the Phoenix Office be advised that the memorandum
attached may be forwarded by them to Mr. Aldrich, OSI representative, Phoenix,
Arizona.
Attachments
EHlbEFF

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1 i!lureau of linorstigutinn.

3llnibh §fates il.e.partm.ent of Ilustire
Phoenix, Arizona

t

June 8, 1949
Director, FBI

0
RE: FLTING DISCS

Dear Sir:
Refer Phoenix letter to Bureau, dated September 9, 1947,
captioned, REPORTS OF FLYING DISCS, for the attention of Assistant
Director D. M. LADD, setting forth the result of an interview conducted by GIDRGE FUGATE, JR., then a representative of the Air Force
Intelligence, from Hamilton Field, California, and Special Agent
J. BAILEY BROWER with one WILLIAM ALBERT RHODES, 4333 N. 14th street,
Phoenix, Arizona, concerning his observation and photographing of an
object which was considered by the Air Force of significance from a
security standpoint.
On June 7, 1949, Mr. LYNN C. ALDRICH, OSI representative,
Phoenix, Arizona, called at this office, advising that he had been
rAquested by his superiors in San Francisco to obtain detailed infonnation concerning this interview since RHODES awar~tly.. hasw,_,..._._,.,_
/ requested the Air Force to return the Rhotographs. \ i;;dthii: P - ':).
FUGATE, when questioned by his superiors concerning the
matter, stated his recollection was "hazy" on the matter. OSI is
anxious to secure the substance of information in the Phoenix file
concerning this matter. Mr. ALDRICH was furnished the substance of
the interview, as set forth in letter of reference and he has now
requested that he be furnished with a blind memorandum setting forth
this information in detail in order that he may make U available to
the OSI at San Francisco.

es •

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THE DIRECTOR

FROM

D. M . LADD

SUBJECT:

m • UNITED S1

t
,-OVERNMENT
DATE:

p,-,

----

-July 20 ,

C)

You will recall that Mr . Ernest Cuneo advised
the Bureau of a letter which Walter Winchell had received
from an ind i vidual in Los Angeles indipaJing that he had
seen a flying saucer leave the ground within h i s view and in
which letter he theori2ed that this mi ght have been a land ing
from another planet.
The Los Angeles Office was re quested to locate and
interview the writer of this letter , Peter Camerlon Jones , 164
West 37th St r eet , Los Angeles 7 , California .
The Los Angeles Office has now advised that the
present owner and former manager at this address have no
knowl edge of any Peter Camerlo~nes and that other investigation
to locate Jones was unproductive . It would appear , th~,;,efore ,
that this may have been a prank.
;;,
You may desi r e to advise Mr. Cuneo that there is no
such person at the address given inasmuch as he indicated that
Mr . Winchell

;ntend ✓o do a

ol umn on this litte r.

DML : FA

RECORDED - 5

IHDEXEll • 5
20

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