Blue Book radar pages 968-970

Read from the scan by GLM-OCR; expect the odd misread word.

at 23408 (19th) Controller Nugent called my attention to several targets observed on the VC-2 scope. Eight of them were counted and, although an occasional strong return was noted, most of the targets would be classified as fair to weak. After we had checked carefully on the movement (about 100 to 130 aph) and confirmed our findings with what the Tower saw on the ASR, I called HFS and reported it. This was about midnight EST. HFS later advised that the nearest military base was supposed to handle these matters and to call the BOF Intelligence Officer or AO. There was some confusion for awhile as to whether Angrews or Bolling was going to make the report, but it was finally determined that AD4 would handle.

I called Thorodyke and asked if they could see them and was advised they saw nothing. Our MEM Maintenance then checked the equipment very carefully and advised that it was functioning satisfactorily and confirmed it with a follow worker. (This lad tells me he has been working on this equipment for five years, so guess he knows what he is doing). The targets were noticed east and south of AIM so we asked the AIM tower to look and see if they saw anything, also asked AIM approach control to check scopes. AIM had a lad on the roof with glasses who spotted an object that looked to a orange in color and appeared to be just hovering in the vicinity of AIM. They saw other objects want on with varying descriptions. Most of this information was given to Thorodyke and AIM with the expectation that they would run an intercept.

The impression received from Thorndyke was to the effect that more information was needed to order an intercept. I told them our equipment was giving us good readings so we would be able to do any vectoring that might be necessary but they seemed to be leaving it all up to Smoke Ring. As time wore on, pilot reports were received - 1907 saw 7 of the objects between Washington and Pittsburg variously described as lights that moved very rapidly, up and down and horizontally as well as hovering in one position and 24/10 saw one time in with him from around Harrison and follow him to within 4 miles of touch-down. This was substantiated by Iwer and Center radar.

In my conversation with 12th, and the man, on duty, we reached the point where we wondered just how much of this might go on and for how long before something could be done about it. I contacted Smoke King finally about 300 ast. They were doing nothing about it as I asked if it was possible for something like this to happen, even though we gave them all this information, without anything being done about it. The man who was supposed to be in charge and to whom I had been talking, said he wanted no. Then another voice came in who identified himself as the Captain Officer and said that all the information was being forwarded to higher authority and would not discuss it any further. 'I insisted I wanted to know if it was being forwarded tonight and he said yes, but would not give my hint as a reason.' I was done about all these things flying around Washington. He tried to assure me that something was being done about it. 'I asked too now he was getting his information. He said they would get it from Thorndyke and Aik. We were then told by TM that they had no way of forwarding it to them. Smoke King then said that they were not really

2. AF480908