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This combined file holds US Air Force Air Materiel Command intelligence records for Project SIGN on the 1 October 1948 Fargo, North Dakota incident. A cover memo to the Chief of Staff reports that investigators questioned witnesses on 3 October and found that an F-51 pilot had chased a small round white light for 27 minutes, and that the light outmaneuvered his aircraft. Major Paul Kubala's interrogation reports cover pilot Lt. George F. Gorman and tower controllers L.D. Jensen and Manuel E. Johnson. The memo rules out balloons, other aircraft and Canadian jets and rates the report A-2.
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Interrogation Report No. 3, dated 4 Oct 45 (Goat'd) UNCLASSIFIED Lt. Gorman then called in again and stated that he was going to follow the other aircraft. Mr. Jensen then stepped to the south window of the tower and at that moment saw the object, approximately 1000 feet from the tower in a northwestern direction, passing very fast over the field. Mr. Jensen happened to have, at this particular moment, a pair of binoculars in his hand, and he watched the object as it passed over the field. He was, however, unable to distinguish any shape or form other than what appeared to be the tail light of a very fast moving craft. Mr. Jensen did not see the maneuvers carried on by the object nor the P-51 of Lt. Gorman. He saw the object only once, and then only as it passed in a straight line over the field. Mr. Jensen states that approximately 10 minutes prior to Lt. Gorman's call, the Weather Station at Fargo had released a lighted weather balloon; however, the balloon was at all times in sight by Mr. Sanderson of the Weather Station, the balloon flying slowly in a westerly direction at an altitude of about 500 feet. Mr. Jensen further states that the voice of Lt. Gorman became, at times, very garbled and he had to repeatedly ask him to speak clearer. He thinks, however, that during the diving and climbing maneuvers of the R-51, Lt. Gorman's throat microphone had probably slipped. Mr. Jensen heard no sound from the object, noticed no odor, and saw no exhaust streaks in the air. PAUL YIBALA Major. UAW Chief, ATI Field Office.
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