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This combined Project Sign file, drawn from USAF records, documents the 1 October 1948 encounter over Fargo, North Dakota, in which Air National Guard pilot 2nd Lt. George F. Gorman chased a small round white light in his F-51 for 27 minutes. The file holds checklists, interrogation reports by Major Paul Kubala of the ATI Field Office at Wright-Patterson, tower witness statements, Geiger readings on the aircraft and press clippings. It concludes that Gorman's statements should be accepted as truth until proven wrong.
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# CONFIDENTIAL FIELD INVESTIGATION REPORT SUBJECT: Fargo, North Dakota Incident TO: MCIAQ Attn: Mr. Deyermond THRU: MCIAQ Mr. Loney MCIA Mr. Loedding 1. While conducting a Geiger counter check of an F-51 aircraft 23 October 1948, the undersigned had occasion to hold a brief discussion with 2nd Lt. George F. Gorman, North Dakota Air National Guard, the pilot involved in the incident now being investigated. 2. Lt. Gorman favorably impressed the undersigned as to sincerity, veracity, reliability and trustworthiness. This impression was gained during a discussion lasting about thirty minutes and is consistent with previous reliability reports. Exhaustive detailed questioning was not resorted to in view of the thoroughness of previous reports. 3. The subject reiterated the main points of his previous testimony and was able to add four definite convictions gained as a result of his encounter with an unidentified flying object. (See Exhibit "A" appended hereto). The gist of this discussion is essentially as follows: a. The object first detected the approach of the intercepting aircraft about 500 yards distant. b. Maneuvering or the object was indicative of intelligent control. c. The object seemed bound by the laws of inertia. d. The object's flying characteristics far exceeded that of the F-51 airplane. 4. Discussion - Comments a. The pilot of the F-51 craft first decided to intercept the object while at 4,000 ft. (due SSW of the field), and the object was at about 1,000 ft. altitude and moving at about 250 MPH (also SSW of the field). See chart of flight paths appended hereto as exhibit "B". Paths of these initial maneuvers were horizontal in aspect and should be viewed as though one is looking down. At point "b", the subject clearly saw the object but was unable to state any exact distance as to proximity, as it began rapid acceleration, turning from a due west heading to a due south heading. German pulled into a tight 360 deg. turn to the left CONFIDENTIAL EXHIBIT X
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