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FBI file 62-HQ-83894, section 5

Department of War · 209 pages · text by GLM-OCR

This section of FBI file 62-HQ-83894 collects Bureau correspondence on flying disks from 1949 and 1950. Most of it concerns a letter to Walter Winchell, passed on by Ernest Cuneo, from Peter Camerlon Jones, who said he saw a top-shaped silver object in the mountains near Los Angeles in August 1947. Los Angeles agents could not find Jones, and Hoover suggested the letter might be a prank. The file also holds a Navy intelligence report on 6 or 7 discs seen over southern Oregon on 27 May 1949, plus letters from members of the public about Chicago and Toronto.

  • p. 42 …Director Office of Special Investigations The Inspector General Department of the Air Force The Pentagon Washington…
  • p. 86 …cc - Director of Special Investigations The Inspector General Department of the Air Force The Pentagon Washington…
  • p. 105 …Director Office of Special Investigations The Inspector General Department of the Air Force The Pentagon Washington…
  • p. 109 …communication to the Secretary of the Air Force, National Defense Building, The Pentagon, Washington 25, D…
  • p. 117 April 11, 1950 Secretary of the Air Force National Defense Building The Pentagon Washington 25, D…
  • p. 145 …communicate with the Secretary of the Air Force, National Defense Building, The Pentagon, Washington 25, D…
  • p. 163 …information to the Secretary of the Air Force, National Defense Building, The Pentagon, Washington 25, D…
  • p. 186 …directly with the Secretary of the Air Force, National Defense Building, The Pentagon, Washington 25, D…

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DIC/17CD No. 4-50

Subj: Unidentified Phonomena

2. A summary of the information contained in enclosure (1) through (8) follows:

a. At 220240W January LT Smith, USN, patrol plane commander of P2V3 No. A of Patrol Squadron One reported an unidentified radar contact 20 miles north of the Naval Air Station, Kodiak, Alaska. Then this contact was first made, LT Smith was flying the Kodiak Security Patrol. At 0240H, 6 minutes later a radar contact was made on an object 10 miles southeast of NAS Kodiak. Lt. Smith checked with the control tower to determine known traffic in the area, and was informed that there was none. During this period the radar operator, GASKEY ALC, USN reported intermittent radar interference of a type he had never before experienced. (See enclosure (3)). Contact was lost at this time, but intermittent interference continued.

b. At some time between 0200 and 0300N, MORGAN PLC, USN was standing watch on board the USS TILLMOCK (ATA 192), which was anchored in the vicinity of buoy 19 in the main ship channel. Morgan reported sighting a "very fast moving red glow light, which appeared to be of exhaust nature, seemed to come from the southeast, moved clockwise in a large circle in the direction of, and around Kodiak and returned out in a generally southeast direction." Morgan called Carver CKL, USN, also on watch, to observe this object, and they both witnessed the return flight. The object was in sight for an estimated 30 seconds. No color or sound was detected, and the object was described to have the appearance of a ball of fire about one foot in diameter.

c. At 220440K, conducting routine Kodiak security patrol, Lt Smith reported a visual sighting of an unidentified airborne object at a radar range of 5 miles, on the starboard bow. This object showed indications of great speed on the radar scope. (The trailing edge of the blip gave a tail like indication.) At this time Lt Smith called the attention of all crew members to the object. An estimated ten seconds later, the object was directly overhead, indicating a speed of about 1800 YPH. Smith climbed to intercept, and attempted to circle to keep the object in sight. He was unable to do this, as the object was too highly maneuverable. Subsequently the object appeared to be opening the range, and Smith attempted to close the range. The object was observed to open out somewhat, then to turn to the left and come up on Smith's quarter. Smith considered this to be a highly threatening gesture, and turned out all lights in the aircraft. Four minutes later the object disappeared from view in a southeasterly direction.

d. At 230435N, the day following Lt Smith's sighting, Lt Gauser and Lt Burco of Patrol Squadron One were conducting the Kodiak Security Patrol, and sighted an unidentified object. At the time of the sighting the aircraft in which these officers were embarked was approximately 62 miles south of NAS Kodiak. The object appeared to be on an ascending westerly course, and was in sight for ten minutes. During this period the object was observed by Lieutenants Gauser and Barco, and PAULSON, AD1, plane captain. At no time was radar contact made on the object. Lt Gauser was unable to close the object at 170 knots.

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