Project Blue Book file, part 2

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

SUBJECT: (C) Evaluation of Lakenheath Reports (Cont)

6. Meteors, however, as pointed out by Capt Gregory, can lead to radar returns because of the ionization of the gases in their trail. Accordingly, it would be extremely important to know whether the Bentwaters and Lakenheath radars have ever in the past observed meteors on their scopes and, if so, how such returns differ from the blips reported here.

7. Dr. Whipple and the writer discussed the Lakenheath incident at length and Dr. Whipple pointed out immediately the statement that "radars reported these facts to occur at later hours than the ground observers". This statement needs clarification inasmuch as it contradicts other portions of the report which indicate that at least at certain times visual and radar sightings were simultaneously.

8. Dr. Whipple stated that as far as the report at hand is concerned, no obvious physical solution is suggested. He deplored the inadequacy of the typical UFO report as a scientific document. He further stated that the nature of such reports is not likely to change and urged that if the Air Force was serious in its attempts to resolve this problem, both scientifically and in the public mind, that the Air Force do more than continue its passive investigational attitudes. He suggested that, as in any scientific procedure, facts are the raw material from which one must work and that in general the investigator in any particular case must assume an active roll in the obtaining of scientific data. In short, Dr. Whipple asked the writer whether the Air Force had ever considered or was now considering the possibility of initiating, for a limited time, an actual sky patrol by photographic and visual means or precisely those areas from which the maximum UFO reports originate. The writer responded that this had indeed been suggested in the past but that because of considerations of expenses and of possible public misinterpretation, it was abandoned.

9. Dr. Whipple urged that a more modest proposal of the same general type be considered at this time. For instance, an area from which numerous reports have come in might be patrolled by a dozen or so "fish eye" cameras, operating automatically, which would give a total record of all bright moving objects at night within a given area or sector. A simple timing device would suffice to yield the angular rate of objects motion so that fire balls (bright meteors) could be distinguished from airplanes and from other astronomical objects.

10. The present writer submits that it might be of considerable, potential use to the Air Force to be able to state, at some future time, that a careful patrol of an area "rich in UFO reports" had been patrolled and nothing of a mysterious character photographed. This would be especially true if, during the time of patrol, UFO reports from untrained observers continued to come in from that area.

11. The Lakenheath report could constitute a source of embarrassment to the Air Force, and should the facts, as so far reported, get into the public domain, it is not necessary to point out what excellent use the several dozen