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This 92-page Project Blue Book file, released through The Black Vault, covers the 7 January 1948 sighting at Godman Field, Fort Knox, Kentucky. It holds control tower witness reports, a record of the P-51 pursuit led by Captain Thomas Mantell, AMC requests for theodolite readings and weather data, and astronomical tables for Venus and the Moon. One analysis concludes the object was not Venus and calls the sighting unexplained. The file also includes a 1964 letter to the Simpson County coroner about Mantell's death.
“Spencer”2 pages
Read from the scan by GLM-OCR; expect the odd misread word.
At approx 1407, 7 Jan 48, Capt Carter was called by Lt Orner, AACS Detachment Commander, to come to Tower to witness an unidentified aerial object.
Object appeared round and white (whiter than the clouds that passed in front of it) and could be seen thru cirrus clouds.
After observing it thru field glasses for some 3-4 minutes, he called Col Hix's office. Col Hix, Lt Col Wood & Capt Duesler came to the tower shortly thereafter.
Capt Carter then suggested that a group of P-51 aircraft in the vicinity be contacted to pursue the object. T/Sgt Blackwell, Tower Operator, contacted the flight leader to take a look. Three planes proceeded on a heading of approx 230 $ ^{\circ} $ . One of the planes (Mantell's) spotted it at 1200 o'clock position. Another plane relayed "This ks 15,000 ft, let's level out" First speed as relayed by Mantall (180 MPH) Later, "object going up and forward as fast as I am" - or 360 MPH. Mantell then stated he was going to 20,000 ft and if no closer would abandon chase. Last radio contact heard by Capt Carter.
NOTE: Apparently, Mantell blacked out at 20,000 ft or proceeded on since the object apparently appeared closer (if such were the case) and then crashed thru lack of oxygen.
Does not seem to tally with report that the phenomena was "Venus or a comet" Document, cited by the archive. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is above. The text was read from the page images by GLM-OCR; expect the odd misread word. 93 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.