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This memorandum for record comes from the Deputy Director for Operations of the National Military Command Center (NMCC), a US Army brigadier general. It records NORAD phone reports of lights, jet engine sounds and height-finder radar returns at Malmstrom AFB and nearby SAC sites in Montana, including over Lewistown. Two F-106 interceptors were scrambled but could not intercept the objects, which reportedly turned their lights off while the fighters were present. NORAD ruled out Northern Lights and carried the incident as a fade remaining unknown.
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MEMORANDUM FOR RECORD Subject: Unidentified Sightings 1. 0308 EST FONECON from NORAD Command Director: at 0253 EST Malmstrom AFB Montana received seven radar cuts on the height-finder radar at altitudes between 9,500' and 15,500'. Simultaneously, ground witnesses observed lights in the sky and the sounds of jet engines similar to jet fighters. Cross-tell with FAA revealed no jet aircraft within 100NM of the sightings. Radar tracked the objects over Lewistown, Montana at a speed of seven (7) knots. Two F-106 intercepters from the 24th NORAD Region were scrambled at 0254 EST and became airborne at 0257 EST. At the time of the initial voice report personnel at Malmstrom AFB and SAC sites K1, K3, L3 and L6 were reporting lights in the sky accompanied by jet engine noise. ## 2. 0344 EST FONECON, same source: Objects could not be intercepted. Fighters had to maintain a minimum of 127000' because of mountainous terrain. Sightings had turned west, increased speed to 150 knots. Two tracks were apparent on height-finder radars 10-12 NM apart. SAC site K3 reported sightings between 300' and 1,000' while site L-4 reported sightings 5NM NW of their position. Sightings disappeared from radar at position 4650N/10920W at a tracked speed of three (3) knots. 0405 EST: Malmstrom receiving intermittent tracks on both search and height-finder radars. SAC site C-1, 10NM SE of Stanford, Montana, reported visual sightings of unknown objects. 3. At 0440 EST, NMCC initiated contact with the NORAD Command Director who reported the following: 0420 EST: Personnel at 4 SAC sites reported observing intercepting F-106's arrive in area; sighted objects turned off their lights upon arrival of interceptors, and back on upon their departure.
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