Documents / Official release

Washington State ‘UFO’ Investigation, 1952-1960

Federal Bureau of Investigation · 1952 · 55 pages · text by OCR

This Federal Bureau of Investigation Seattle field office file (100-18945) gathers flying saucer material from 1952 to 1960. It holds newspaper clippings, citizen complaint forms and agent memoranda about sightings over Pasco, Kennewick, Seattle, Richland and the Hanford reservation, Spokane and other Washington locations. The file records 1952 agreements with military intelligence on passing reports to OSI and the Air Force. One Hanford sighting from 1953 was attributed to a meteorological balloon. The FBI itself carried out no investigations.

From the source:Release of 2026-06-12 Incident: July 1952-1960, Washington State, United States. This file details an investigation of various sightings of Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) in Washington state between July 1952 and August 1960. This file includes memoranda and correspondence between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Air Force regarding UFO sightings.

  • p. 1 …WITHOUT CONSULTING FOI/PA COORDINATOR 190-87 SEATTLE FILE NO. 100-18945 REVIEWED ON 4/84…
  • p. 2 …I never have seen the like of it before." SERIALIZED FILED JUL 30 1952 FBI - SEATTLE…
  • p. 3 …Basin News Pasco, Washington 100-19550 SEARCHED INDEXED SERIALIZED FILED JUL 3 1 1952 FBI • SEATTLE
  • p. 4 …He said recently she had been back to the Seattle area and had called the Commanding…
  • p. 8 …streaked away, was observed Sunday over South Seattle by several persons. Arthur Owley, 4430-49th Ave…
  • p. 10 …KATHLEEN CARTER, 4499 Union Bridge Lane, Seattle, an employee of the Signal Division, Seattle Port of…
  • p. 14 …WHERE SHOWN OTHERWISE 45 100-18945-43 SEARCHED INDEXED SERIALIZED FILED G·4 1953 FBI·SEATTLE
  • p. 15 # 1015 Second Avenue Seattle 4, Washington August 10, 1953 Colonel Spencer Raynor Commanding Officer 20th District…
  • p. 16 SAC, SEATTLE (100-19550) SA DOUGLAS J. KRAUTER UNUSUAL OBJECT IN AIR HOO, AEC 8/2…
  • p. 18 # 1015 Second Avenue Seattle 4, Washington August 5, 1953 Mr. Robert T. Jaske 1405 Haupt Avenue…
  • p. 19 …Name of Complainant 1207 SW 152nd St. Seattle Address of Complainant CH 6325 Telephone Number of…
  • p. 23 …100-18945-57 SEARCHED INDEXED SERIALIZED FILED JUN 1 21954 SEATTLE
  • p. 24 …Auerbach Special Agent in Charge Federal Bureau of Investigation 1015 Second Avenue Seattle 4, Washington Dear…
  • p. 25 …Auerbach Special Agent in Charge Federal Bureau of Investigation 1015 Second Avenue Seattle 4, Washington 10…
  • p. 27 …Auerbach Special Agent in Charge Federal Bureau of Investigation 1015 Second Avenue Seattle 4, Washington Dear…
  • p. 29 …WHERE SHOWN OTHERWISE 100-18945.56a x SEARCHED INDEXED SERIALIZED FILED JUN 9 1954 FBI - SEATTLE
  • p. 30 …SAC SEATTLE DATE: 6/22/54 FROM : SA J. FRANCIS SULLIVAN 100-18495 SUBJECT: UNIDENTIFIED FLYING…
  • p. 31 …Auerbach Special Agent in Charge Federal Bureau of Investigation 1015 Second Avenue Seattle, Washington Re: Unidentified…
  • p. 32 …All weather stations, as well as Seattle AMIS; Navy; Coast Guard; 5 ADDC at Vancouver, B…
  • p. 34 …Dawson resides at 8543-60 119th St, Seattle, Tel: MOHAWK-4069. Dawson recently visited his mother…
  • p. 35 …JUN 21 1954 FBI - SEATTLE Special Agent
  • p. 39 …SAC, SEATTLE (62- DATE: 6/1/56 FROM : SA CLEMENT W. PARKHURST SUBJECT: FLYING SAUGER SEEN…
  • p. 40 …The 2-OSI 1 - Seattle (100-18945) LAD/pjf (3) HEREIN IS UNCLAIMED WHERE SHOWN OTHERWISE…
  • p. 42 …SAC, SEATTLE DATE: 9-29-56 FROM : ROBERT E. PRINGLE SUBJECT: UNIDENTIFIED OBJECTS REPORTED NEAR CAPE…
  • p. 43 1015 Second Avenue Seattle, Washington October 17, 1956 Colonel Spencer W. Raynor, USAF District Commander 20th…
  • p. 45 # 1015 Second Avenue Seattle 4, Washington November 15, 1957 Colonel Spencer W. Raynor District Commander 20th…
  • p. 46 …100-18945-609 SEARCHED INDEXED SERIALIZED SCHEDULED JUN 28 1958 FRI • SEATTLE
  • p. 47 …100-18945-70 SEARCHED INDEXED SERIALIZED FILED JUN 28 1958 FRI • SEATTLE
  • p. 48 # 1015 Second Avenue Seattle 4, Washington October 31, 1958 Mr. Alvin A. Wilcox South 2816 Monroe…
  • p. 49 …SAC, SEATTLE (62-0) DATE: 12/3/58 FROM : SA JAMES F. FLYNN SUBJECT: FLYING SAUCERS…
  • p. 50 …SAC, Seattle (62-0) DATE: 4/20/59 FROM : SA John E. Connor SUBJECT: Unidentified Flying…
  • p. 51 …SAC, SEATTLE DATE: July 17,1959 FROM : SA JAMES H. SANDUSKY SUBJECT: INFO RE STRANGE FLYING…
  • p. 52 …SAC, SEATTLE (105-0) DATE: 10/10/59 FROM : SA VERNON P. COYNE SUBJECT: "FLYING DISC…
  • p. 53 # 1015 Second Avenue Seattle 4, Washington October 16, 1959 Col. Paul A. Hurst, USAF District Commander…
  • p. 54 …out in open congressional hearing," Hillenkoetter said. SEATTLE TIMES FEB 28 1960 PAGE 6 COL 5…
  • p. 55 …SAC, SEATTLE DATE: 8/18/60 FROM : SA MERTON R. ANDERSON SUBJECT: UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECT Sighted…
# 1015 Second Avenue Seattle 4, Washington October 16, 1959

Col. Paul A. Hurst, USAF District Commander, OSI 20th District Headquarters McChord Air Force Base Washington

RE: "FLYING SAUCER" REPORT

Dear Sir:

For your information, Mrs. Neil Gotschall, 7525 28th S.W., Seattle, telephone number West 7-6896, telephonically advised that between 4:00 A.M. and 4:45 A.M. on October 10, 1959, she had observed a very bright light toward the East from her residence. Mrs. Gotschall said that this light, which appeared to be about the size of a dime, had a tremendous brilliance. The light reportedly was moving vertically in and out of sight, but did not seem to move horizontally.

Mrs. Gotschall said that she awakened her husband, who is an administrator at the Boeing Airplane Company working on the Bomarc project, and asked him to observe this weird light. She said that her husband had also observed it for a period of time and had no explanation as to what it might be.

Mrs. Gotschall said that both she and her husband had been complete skeptics on the "business of flying saucers" but that after observing this phenomenon they are now ready to"join the club." She said that she even put on a coat and went out into the yard to observe the light more clearly. She said the light kept appearing and disappearing, but that she noticed that after two airplanes had crossed the sky between her and the light, the light disappeared.

No inquiry is being conducted into this matter by the FBI and the above is being provided for whatever value it may be to you.

Very truly yours,

2 - Addressee

1 - Seattle (100-18945)

CHD:msd

him

J. E. MILNES Special Agent in Charge

ALL INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS UNCLASSIFIED EXCEPT WHERE SHOWN OTHERWISE

100-18945=76

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About this file

Official release, from the pursue collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is under it. The text was read from the page images by an OCR model; expect the odd misread word. 55 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.