>6)62 STANDARD FORM NO. 64 U NIT E D SI OV E RNM E N T O Director, FBI DAT E : Septem ber 4, 1947 ^^L from : SU BJE CT : SA C. San Francisco REPO RTS O P-FLYIN G DISCS A IRM A IL SPECIA L DELIV ERY Enclosed is a copy of a letter dated A ugust 25, 1947, with attachm ent fron Lt. Col. DO N A LD L. SPRIN GER of A —2, Ham ilton Field, California. Even though Col. SPRIN GER feels that M r. JO HN SO N m ay have read som e of his claim s in a newspaper, Col. SPRIN GER believes that M r. F. M X JO HN SO N should be interviewed in this m atter. In accordance with Bureau Bulletin N o. 42, dated July 30, 1947, Portland is requested to exhaustively interview M r. F. M . JO HN SO N , 106 N .W . First A ve., Portland, O regon, regarding his alleged sighting of a ’’flying disc” on June 24, 1947* Copies of the result of this interview should be furnished the San Francisco Field O ffice for distribution to the 6th A rm y Intelligence. cc Portland (Ebels. 4) - A M SD DW K:M R Ebels. 2 62-2938 NND 90986 NHDE NT IAt ^ HE ADQ U ART E RS FOU RT H AIR FORCE Office of the Assistant Chief of Staffs A-2 Intelligence Hamilton Field, California 4AFDA 25 August 1947 SU BJE CT : Flying Disc T O: Special Agent in Charge, FBI, U # S# Department of Justice Federal Office Building, Room 42 2 , San Francisco, Calif# !• T he attached true copy of a letter from M r. F. M # Johnson was received by this officer 22 August 1947# 2# Your attention is invited to the similarity between Arnold’s early report and this gentleman’s report. A possibility exists that M r# Johnson might have read some of this in the newspapers when Arnold was publicised re this matter# 3# T hia headquarters does not intend to investigate this incident It is requested that a result of any interview you may make be furnished this jheadquarters# 1 Inol: (dup)l L tr fr F#M # Johnson (T rue Cy) DONAL D L . SPRINGE R L t. Colonel, GSC AC of S, A-2 • E R AUG 2 7 W SA N ao TED H CONFIDE NT IAL PORT L AW , ORE GON, August 2 0th 1947 L t. Col. Donald L . Springer, Assistant Staff Sir. Saw in the port land paper a short time ago in regards to an article in regards to the so called flying disc having any basis of fact. I can say am a prospector and was in the ift Adams district on June 24th the day KjnnetArnold of Boise Idaho claims he saw a formation of flying disc. And 1 saw the same flying objects at about the same time. Having a telescope with ne at the time i can asure you they are real and noting like them I over saw before they did not pass verry high over where I was standing at the the time, plobly 1000 ft. thoy were Round about 30 foot in dimater tapering sharply to a point in the head end in an oval shape• with a bright top surface• I did not hear any noiso as you would fro: a plane. But there was an object in the tail end looked like a big hand of a block shifting from side to side like a big magenets T here spoed as far as i know seemed to be greater than anything I ever saw. L est veiw I got of the objects they were standing on edge Banking in a Cloud# Yours Respectfully /s/ F# M . Johnson 106 No# W est 1st Ave Portland. Oregon CONFIDE NT IAL STANDARD FORM NO. 64 dum U NIT E D S GOV E RNM E NT ^JFROM : SU BJE CT : Director, FBI A tten: A ssistant Director D. M . LA DD SA C, San Francisco REPO RTS O F FLYIN G DISCS date: Septem ber 4, 1937 A IRM A IL Enclosed for your inform ation are copies of two letters from Lt» Col. DO N A LD L. SPRIN GER of A -2, Ham ilton Field, California dated A ugust 27, 1947, with attachm ents reporting the sighting of "flying discs" on Guam , and result of A -2 investigation at Tacom a and Kelso, W ashington. DW K:M R 62-2938 COPIE S DE ST ROYE D 27 0 NOV 18 1^64 E NCL OSU RE AT T ACHE D 36 SEP 2 4 1947 U GV IV L . < HE ADQ U ART E RS FOU RT H AIR FORCE Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff, A-2 Intelligence Hamilton Field, California 4AFDA 533.5/1208-1 SU BJE CT ! Re Flying Disc. 27 August 1947 T Oi Special Agent in Charge, FBI, U . S. department of Justice, Federal Office Building, Room 422, San Francisco, California, i V 1. Following is extract from the W eekly Intelligence Summary, Air T ransport Command, W ashington 25, D. C., dated 2 0 August 1947, Copy No# 12 0, Article I, pg li "FL YING OBJE CT S IN CU AHt U nidentified flying objects have been observed by three American enlisted men of the 147th Air­ ways and Air Communications Service Squadron at Harmon Field, Guan. T he men report that at 1040 hours on 14 August 1947 the two objects, which they describe as small, orescent shaped and traveling at a speed twice that of a fighter plane, passed over them on a sig-sag course in a westerly direction at an approxi­ mate altitude of twelve hundred feet. T he objects disappeared into clouds and a few seconds later a similar object possibly one of those previously observed, emerged from the clouds and proceeded west# No further details have been reported." 2 . For your information^ KJ IT /^D IT T HE ADQ U ART E RS FOU RT H AIR FORCE Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff, A-2 Intelligence Hamilton Field, California 4A FDA 27 August 1947 333.5/1208-1 SU BJE CT : Investigation of Flying Disc. T O: Special Agent in Charge, FBI, U . S. Department of Justice, Federal Office Building, Room 422, San Francisco, California. Attached summary forwarded for your information# 1 Inol: Summary of Information. DONAL D L . SPRINGE R L t. Colonel, GSC AC of S, A-2 ti\m /^ au jf hv^riG/.u. d. o .si 1 u AUG 30 1947 CONFIDE NT IAL HE ADQ U ART E RS FOU RT H AIR FORCE Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff, A-2 Intelligence Hamilton Field, California 4AFDA 27 August 1947 333 •5/1208-1 SU BJE CT i Investigation of Flying Disc# T Oi Special Agent in Charge, FBI, U . S* Department of Justioe, Seattle, W ashington^ Attached summary forwarded for your information# 1 Incl: Summary of Information DONAL D L # SPRINGE R L t# Colonel, GSC AC of S, A-2 SEP ’ - W [ •» urfbV o * ’ CONFIDE NT IAL ♦ CONFIDE NT IAL ^ CO PY A IB RESCU E SERV ICE DET A CHM EN T 8 (C2d A A F 83) ’’.oChord Field, Tacom a, ashlngton 4 A ugust 1947 SU BJECT i Final M inion Report TO t Com ending O f fleer A ir Rescue Service ’M oul 11 Field, Florida 1. iiJW oyU N lL^ s, 32EL* a. A t 0400 PSI, 1 A ugust 47, A RM Y FLIGHT SERV ICE notified thio detachm ent that a plane had been seen to crash and bum thirteen (13) alien eouth of KEL3O , W ashington (46M (W , 1KZ*W W ). 3. A CT IO N T A KES a* 1 A ug 47* A t 04(80 M T , A F3 received inform ation from M r* 0* C* Clark, local sheriff of KELSO , W ash*, that the scene of the crash was fifteen (IS) to twenty (80) m iles east of KELSO in the vicinity of CO BLE CREEK. T he KELSO Chief of Police caw an aircraft fly low over the town, then crash and burn to the east. The tim e was about 023b PST* A check of aircraft known to be in the vicinity revealed that 9-26 ^1316 had departed M CCHO RD FIELD at 0212 PST for HA M ILTO N FIELD, California. T he weather was reported as CM , A full noon wade visibility exceptionally good. T he pilot's none was GA FT . *• 8. DA V IDSO N ) the plane carried three (S) additional parsons. The Base O perations O fficer and Base PIO wore notified. T hio detachm ent began organising a ground party of base personnel to supplem ent that being form ed by the KELSO Chief of Pol Loe. A t 3600 PST inform ation was received from KELSO by A PS that ground fog in the valleys at the scene of the crash was preventing a ground party from locating the plane. Since no com m unication had been received from fl-25 #1816, it was assured that it was the plane reported as crashed. A RS C-47 was pre-flighted to transport the A m y ground party to K8L30 but a check of the field conditions there doom ed it advisable to use a sm aller aircraft. O f the two "-45s available, one belonging to A FS was unserviced after a night flight# the other, belong­ ing to A A CS, was readied even though a responsible officer of that organ­ isation was not present to authorise the flight. Fog at KELSO prevented take-off until 0700 PST. The ground party, led by CA PT . W » L* LITT RELL and GA PT * T . H* FO RSBERG, consisted of six wen including a nodical technician and a photographer* A t 0600 PST, the KiLSO Chief of Police notified A FS that a passenger of ths crashed airplane was in his office and had confirm ed , — j: £• ^-. 2' ? »CLe- ufa -GONFFDBNT IAir ONFIPE NT IAL Subjootj "Inal -iasion Report' 4 A ugust 1947 The belief that the crash was that of ths unreported 3-25* The Passenger, Sgt. B. L. TA FF, of FT. LA XTO N , 3BA T TLE, was uninjured, but reported that the ere* chief, T/sgt. W . u. M A THEW S, was at a fans house near the scene of the eraeh and was injured. 3gt. T A FF then led an am bulance to -gt. M A THEW S who was subsequently taken to a local hospital. A t 0010 PST an attem pt was m ade to telephone Sq. 3 at HA M ILTO N FIELD but no answer was received) however, it was known that HA M ILTO N A FS was aware of the Incident and would notify Sq. 8. A t 0700 PST Capt. LITT RELL departed in a 048 for KELSO * A t 0746 PST Sq B wae contacted by phone and given a flash report. A t 09GB PST CA PT LIT TRELL phoned and inform ed that he had placed CA PT A IN FO ;f 13HJG in charge of A rm y personnel proceeding to the coeue of the orach. N o aerial search was necessary as civilians in the area knew the exact location of the crash and had reported finding one (1) body in the wreckage. CA PT. LITT RELL prepared to fly Sgt*a TA FF and M A THEW S to M CCHO RD FIELD for nodical attention, arriving at 0945 PST. The survivors stated that they believed neither the pilot nor co-pilot has parachuted from the plane. T he sense of the incident was at this tine determ ined to be a fire in the left engine. CA PT LITT RELL was inform ed by Sgt. TA FF that he believed classified docum ents had been aboard the plane) CA PT FO RSBERG was instructed to take necessary precautions. A n am bulance net the plane at M CCHO RD FKLD carrying the two survivors and took them to ths hospital. Interrogation revealed that the left engine had caught fire In the power section and flam es and sm oko had spread to the flight deck alm ost inm ed- iately. The crew chief, U TRSHB, assisted TA FF in attaching his sheet pack and TA FF abandoned the plane at an estim ated altitude of 10,000 ft (thia fact la doubted but Is not considered necessarily relevant). M A THEW S helped the pilot and co-pilot attach their ohest packs (all per­ sonnel had been wearing the harness) and as he left the plane was aware that the co-pilot was preparing to follow. T he pilot had started to leave and, to the boat recollection of M A TEJS, was partially standing and holding ths control wheel with his loft hand. M A THEN 'S statem ents indicate that proper em ergency procedures had been perform ed but that the flam es had en­ veloped the entire left side alm ost im m ediately. T A FF stated that, because of the full m oon and good visibility, he saw ttA T HEM .leave the plane and was able to follow the plane to the ground and that he saw no one else ball out. T he ship was enveloped in flam es and was beginning to fell apart before hitting the ground whore it exploded and burned about one (1) m ile from whore he, T A FF, landed. He lit in a tree, and not knowing how to release his parachute of the quick-detachable kind, cut him self loose frou the harness with his pocket knife. He kicked end struggled and eventually jum ped to the ground, receiving a jolt on im pact but was unable to guess how far he had fallen. He than followed a oow path for an estim ated two (2) m iles to a fans house, arriving after 4A THER8. M eanwhile, as M A T HERS cleared the plane he turned and saw the plane strike the ground, explode and burn. Just before or just at the tins of im pact ho saw an object afire thrown clear of the plane but did not know whether It was a person or part of the plane. M A T HEW S also lit In a tree, and after freeing him self from his harness, fell to the ground where he injured his back. Hs lost consciousness and on recovering wont to the burning plane, about fifty CO^T FIDE N iIAb iW fW fiAfcl subjectc Final Pinion Ropy* ' 4 A ugust 1947 (W ) yards away. Flares were going off and ho thought best to leave the scene* Ke heard a stream nearby and followed it uptil he oam e to a house and aroused the occupants. Soon TA FF arrived at the sam e house and, being un­ injured, was driven into town. Then he led an am bulance to effect transporta tion of M A T HKW S to a hospital. iieanwhilo, civilians reached the acene of the crash whore they found one body. A t 0930 PST , a m essage from Sq 3 inform ed that top secret m aterial wee in the navigators kit and to request Com m anding O fficer M CCHO RD FIELD to expedite all available inform ation to Cot»ndlng O fficer HA M ILTO N FIELD. M eanwhile, CA P! F0RS3ER0 and four (4) enlisted m en departed KELSO at 0830 P3T for econo of the crash. T hey were transported by the . . wir.;; stub wns r»ltud but ure rear two thirds Indicated that it had rippod loose from the Inboard section of the wing. T he wing leading edge was undam aged. The navigation and landing lights were unbroken. The aileron was undam aged but the flap section was crushed, Leading to the belief that the wing struck the tail section. From these Indications it Is believed the wing ripped from the airplane just after M A TCTT3 abandoned the plane. T he resulting spin thus prevented the rem aining crow m em bers from bailing out although the co-pilot m ay have been in the hatch. A few civilians were In the area when GA FT FO RSBERG arrived and he took precautions to prevent them from disturbing the wreckage. A t 1157 PST CA P! LIT TRELL flew CA PT BICK, M . C., to KELSO . A n am bulance dispatched from M CCHO RD FIELD, m et them at KELSO , and was led to the soene of the crash by the STA TE PO LICE. Ths bodies were recovered end trans­ ported In the am bulance to M CCHO RD FIELD. CA PT LITT RELL returned to M CCHO Rb FIELD whore cam ping equipm ent was prepared to be dropped to the around party. CA PT LITT RELL.m ade a successful drop at dusk by sighting on a signal fire. The ground party set up cam p at the wreckage scene to act as guard and to investigate further the following day. They were relieved of responsibility of ell recovered docum ents by a CIC agent who had arrived about 1800 PST . b. 2 A ug 47. T he ground party rem ained at the soene of the crash pending official securing of the Incident. N o aerial activity. o. 3 A ug 47* M 0C9O RJD FIELD O perations O fficer departed at 1000 PST to investigate the accident and to relieve CA PT FO aSSKRG, who returned at 1600 PST. Incident closed* eONFIBW HAt COPT Subject! Filial Bisaion Report 4 August 1847 S. ST AT IST ICAL 3W W OT a. OROT E D ACT IV IT Y (1) Total nan hours by A RS Personnel in field 72 (2) T otal san hours by other A rm y Personnel (estim ate) SO O (3) Total nan hours by civilian personnel (eat) 160 (4) Ko* of nilos driven by A rm y V ehicles 500 3. AE RIAL ACT IV IT Y (1) T otal No* of sortiea flown 3 (2 ) T otal hours flown by Amy aircraft • a. L OCAL PU aCRASRS (1) Non* 6* C0ifl«2 «T S a* Cooperation received from *11 civilian agencies concerned we complete and excellent* 7. RKCOM M BE DAT IONS a* Hone* ROBE RT H. M A30KHKIM E K Captain, A ir Corps Com m andin'; O ff!oar 1 Inoli 1-rhotoRraphe eeNFfBW HAfc wvnm ttt O ffice of the A ssistant Chief of Staff, A -2 la& sU lxsM e. Ham ilton Field, California T itle Investigation of Flying M M Investigation m ade at ..?*o®^...*^..?*1^.*-.^® •hl®£t®?L_ File N o. J^S.I^ Controlling office A if.J^fFh*®.$P®®A *hl#—M jtqhajL__Fisld Date A * .^’lA ®*’ Period covered___ Cas e clas s ification Status of cas e____ 31 July through 7 A ^ust 1947 incident landing REA SO N FO R IN V ESTIGA T IO N : Investigation initiated at the request of A ir Defense O oaaand, reference Itr Hq A CC, dtd 7 Jul 47, file D333*6ID, aubjt Investigation, of Hying Disc* SYSO PSISi O n 31 A lly 47, Itr* A rnold, A viation Editor of the Idaho utily Statesm an, tele­ phoned Lt* drown requesting; ho return to T acom a because A rnold believed ho had sons very vital inform ation on the flying disc* Lt* Irown and Capt* Davidson interviewed a Sr. Fred L* Crism an and a M r* -arold A * Dahl, along with Capt* Sm ith of the U nited M r Lines, and M r* A rnold, at the W in­ throp .‘total in faeona, W ashington, on the night of 31 July 1947* T he surrnary of their interrogation and findings was related to M ajor a nd er. Publie Inform ation O fficer, U oChord Field, by U r* A rnold and Capt* Sm ith* U ajor Zander retold the results of the Investigation to thio officer from his notes* U r* Dahl and M r* Crism an were not available for interview while this of floor vas In that area, although every effort was node to contact them * Rtfthsr investigation of thio particular incident was left with U r* ihrady, evident A gent, FBI, Tacom a, W ashington* It was apparent from newspaper slippings, telephone calls to thio officer, and conversations with F& jor zander, that a U nited Proas correspondent, of the Tacom a T im es, was instrum ental in keeping this ease alive* This offleer and ajor Bandar* although quoted m any tim es in the press, did not discuss this m atter with the prose during the period of this report* T he anonym ous m ystery sailor in T acoana could possibly bo U r* Crism an, Dis tribution Copies A A P 2 A DC 1 0-2 6th A m y 1 FBI, Seattle 1 FBI, San Francisco 1 ----W ’_mM ...............“T — W . D** P. M . O . Form N o. 110 1 April 1944 (This form supersedes W. D^ O. C . S- Form No. 19, which will not be need upon receipt of thia revision) CO N FIDEyTIA L A pproved: AUG 30 1947 SAN FRAh' hoin&TTu ~^ C l-RI Report C ONFIDENTIAL DET A ILS# 1. Purine the afternoon of SI A lly 47, Hr* A rnold, A viation Editor of tho Idaho ^ily State eaan, telephoned Lt ^row, CIC Jub-LetaohBent Consatnder at Lead- quarters fourth A ir Faroe, and stated la substance। T hat ho, A rnold, and Caph Sm ith had arrived In Pasoan to investigate tho purported flying disc explosion on a sur­ face ereft on 21 June 47. T his investigation was requested and financed by a ar# *e A . Falser of tho V enture Procs, 105 Studio *ldg«, 1718 U horm aa A venue, vens too, Illinois. BO O T’S XO fKt See fnelosur* 1 and Inolosure 2. T ho signature to Inclosure 2, M r. Java Johnson, la that ef the editor of the Idaho telly ^tatosnan. Sr. Johnson is a forswr A iry A ir Faroe officer end from all indications io a very patriotic A m erican# O n the receipt of Inclesure 2 at headquarters Fourth A ir Force, thia officer requested th* an raiieisoo FBI office to check th* Chicago FBI O ffice for 2* A . aim er and the V enture Yeas# The return answer, by telephone, was to the effect that the Chicago indices of tho FBI, the Chicago Police, and Credit bureau had no record cm a. A . Falser or the V esture Frees. 2. Lt drown and Capt tevidaoa arrived at M eChord Field during the afternoon of >1 July 47. They changed from their uniforas to civilian clothing in the aircraft and, on being queried by O perations as to why they desired transportation to Tacom a, they replied they were to sake a speech. LO O T’S KO tEt m s was in com pliance with par 4, Itr fr N | U K, File bB33.5W , 7 A il 47, eubjt Investigation of "lying Hec# A ccording to Hajar George Sander, Public iai'em ation O fficer, tedhord Field, T ho Xaoana U ses received an anonym ous telephone call that A rnold and Salth were present in the W inthrop Bstel for tho purpose of conducting an Investigation cm ths flying dies. The T acom a T ines sc sated and found this to bo true, wah to A rnold's end Zenith* surprise. Lt row and Sept Stevidsoa did Interview M r# arcld A , Dahl, M r# Fred L# Crism an, in a hotel ream in the W inthrop hotel, Tecora, W m Iu, In the precedes of M r. A rnold and Capt Sm ith# If notes wore taken of tola conversation, they were de­ stroyed in the aircraft accident# *r. A rnold stated to M ajor Tander that Lt Brown obtained from r# whl and hr. Crism an sam ples of an unidentified substance that wore identical to those appearing in Ineleeuros 2 to 7. The sam ples pictured in Inclosures 2 to 7 were taken by Hr. A rnold from the sem e bon that buhl and Crism an offered Lt# ’brown and from which he obtained his sam ples# t/Sgt i'atthews, Crow Chief on the wreaked aircraft, upon being interrogated by this officer, stated that he placed a heavy cardboard carton in the rear eosipartaent of the B*M that crashed, fie did not lock in the box nor hear any eoanante from Lt Brown er Capt tevideon as to its con­ tents# / 3. T he following sum m arises what was related by ^r# A rnold and Sept Sm ith to ajor tender as to the substance of the interrogation by Lt Srewn and Sept uavidsoni T hat on 21 Jun 47 Hr. tehl was proceeding south of M anry Island in M r* Crism an*s boat. Five flying discs cause down out of tho clouds and circled slowly around ths bey, dropping to an estim ated elevation ef 800 feet. T heas discs appeared round and C ONFIDENTIA L W .D..P.M .G. Form N o. 110 C I-R1 Report C ONFIDENTIAL flattened sim ilar to * deflated autom obile lonertube. T hey were judged by *ahl to be approxim ately 1Q Q feet across with a 35 foot opening in the eenter. T he outer edge of the object bad round porthole* and the inner ria® had square windows or portholes. The diM S wore silent and from hie viewpoint he could m s no wan* of propulsion* O ns of these dises appeared to falter and waver In th* air, another of these aforem enticned five dises dropped down close t* the dies that appeared to waver and bum ped it, dunplsg "tons* of ths stuff a* pictured in inelosure 3 to 7 on his boat, knocking off the handrail, horn, and generally destaging the boat to the extent of £800*00, and killing 0M l*s dog. A £> ^T’3 XQ tBt Shia officer, in the oo^m ny of M ajor Sender, boarded the aforwoen* Closed boat where it wee docked In the Tacos® harbor on 6 A ug 47. A hand rail was m issing, but th* area where th* hand rail was previously fastened had boon painted over with several coat* of paint and was erected by the weather* T h* M ok and roof of the satin was of a very thin construction and th* cabin further had glass on the front and sides* it is this officer* a opinion that if any of the object* presented by uahl as cam ple* of the m aterial dropped by M m flying dice had hit M l* boat, it would have certainly been necessary to replace the faredeck and the cabin rosf. T hese two areas were vary heavily coated with several ecat# of paint and had deep weather crack# that would take several season* to esquire. M r* Crism an, who owns the boat and operate* a shoreline water patrol for various business firm s, evidently visited the area at Jaury Island to shook HahV a story. M s is supposed to have stated that he found the notarial that he presented to Lt drown and Copt uavidson is a sand pit near where the incident was supposed to have occurred, hile he, Crisran, was at the seen* of the incident, a flying disc saw* out of th® clouds and behaved in a sim ilar m anner as th* ones previously described. A ®M Ft*S SO TSt T he witnessing on two occasions, la broad daylight, of an object so large and clearly visible within several wiles of the city of Tacom a certainly should have been seen and reported on by other than -ahi and Crism an. A cheek was sad* of the newspapers oa and after 21 Juno and no M ention could tee found of * m ysterious object appearing ever the Taeona harbor* ^r* Criaaan is supposed to have sent sam ples of the object# that h* picked up in the Saury Island sand pit to a friend of his at th* U niversity of Chicago for an analysis report* Hs la reported to have net received th* analysis report* M IN T’S W Et It 1* possible that th* >• 8, A * Palm er, ref ©rance Xaolosurs 1 and 2, sight have erase across this incident through the U niversity of Chicago. T he interrogation of M M 1 end Crisaan by Lt drown was com pleted about m idnight on 31 A tly/1 A ugust* Lt Brown and Gapt tovldson returned to M M hart field and prepared for a night flight to basaliron Field, The weather was clear with a bright m oon shining. They departed approxim ately 0209 hour* and crashed at a^roalM tsly 3230 hours on 1 A ugust m ?. (3** itwlosure 8)* 4. O n 6 A ugust 47, this officer, in th* cowpasy of M ajor sender, ^oCherd Field and r, ^rady, reaitent agent, T ocom b Federal bureau of T nveatigation, attem pted to CONFIDENTIAL .D..P.M .G. Form N o. 110 C I-R1 Report C ONFIDENTIAL contact either Hr. Dahl or M r« Cricnsua. without success. Copt unite and M r* A rnold departed the Isecnsa area cm 3 A ugust 47. therefore, thia officer did not have the O pportunity of ooetversing with them directly. A M *t*< M fKt A reword aback waa m ade by telephone toy «r. 3rady with th© Seattle field O ffice, FBI. for record# on r. Criem n and dr. M able The cheek on M r# Crieaan ru# negative. She Seattle FBI indices Indicated that a cbreld -ahi had been charged with two incident# of illegal wearing of the uniform and one with theft of national property. It oould not be determ ined at the tine whether Harold A . -ahi. the subject in question, and Gerold -ahi of the FBI indices, was an* and the sane. 6. ^'r. Cricm n had indicated to Copt Sm ith, -rsold, at al. that ho we# a forrsar fighter pilot and held cosasieeica a# Captain in the A ir Hesorve* A GZST’S 30T £» U n 6 A ugust 47. this officer ©beaked the record# of the 406th A ir 3B(Rf) and determ ined that Fred L. Crism an was registered with that O bserve U nit a# Captain. Serial lum ber O .7SBS61, with residence at 125 ioodland. Secana. «aehin^ten. Prim ary & 5 1064 and 1065. In 1842 ho was with the Crim inal Invest lotion U ivision, State of W ashington, ana previously had been an oil technician with the O nion Pacific Railway* Griesen entered the service in 1542 as an enlisted m an and served as such far seventeen iwaths. In 1943 he was ooaKsissiened on graduation fron flying school and served a total of twenty-nine non th a. A cheek of the tiaoana city directory was nado on arold A * ^W W N?R 9 CONFIDE NT ! A । 0 CONFIDE NT IAL urn ANDARD 'JW? NO. 64 U NIT E D SIa TO FROM SU BJE CT : Director M E TA J. FRA GM EN T S SECU RITY M A T TER SA C, Boston GOV E RNM E NT DAT E 7-2 9-47 O BSERV ED A T W EST RIN DGE, N EW HA M PSHIRE, JU LY 7, 1947 Reference is m ade to Boston teletype to the Bureau dated July 18, 1947, Dean John M , Bunker, the original inform ant, has advised that a speotographic exam ination has been com pleted of the m etal particles referred to. T hey were determ ined to be of ordinary cast iron which had been subjected to a vary high degree of heat. T he heat caused scales to be form ed on the oast iron which were originally thought to be of som e m etallic alloy. T he scientist exam ining the particles concluded that if they had com e through the air from any great altitude in as sm all pieces as they were found then m ost of the heat would have been taken from them by the tim e they reached the ground and fires would not have resulted. It is noted they landed approxim ately 700 feet from a railroad track and inquiries were conducted by M IT to determ ine whether or not the particles could have been originally a port of a liner in a sm oke stack or som e other part of the steam engine. T hese inquiries resulted in positive inform ation that the particles did not com e from a train or locom otive. M easurem ents of the four pieces exam ined revealed that they had m ost likely been originally all part of one hollow cylinder, eight inches in diam eter and three sixteenths of an inch in thickness. It was felt that one piece falling from a great height would have still retained a good part of its heat and probably would have sm ashed when it hit the ground, A scientist, whom ^ean Bunker did not identify by nam e, recalled that oast iron cylinders of sim ilar m easurem ents had been used in N ew M exico on research work on a guided m issile project, however, this unidentified scientist did not so conclude to the exclusion of all other possibilities, JCONF INFT JIt is interesting to note that the exam ination at M IT was actually conducted bjr (b)(7)(D) who furnished the Boston O ffice with an inform al report sim ilar in all m ajor details to that supplied by Bean Bunker above, The m en at M IT are gathering through friends all additional pieces of the original cylii available. T hese will be turned over to the ^oston O ffice, N o furthers exam ination is being conducted by M IT and no effort is being m ade t reconstruct the original cylinder. 4A N DM D U nless advised to the contrary by A ugust 15, 1947 the Boston O ffice will COPIE S 2 70 DE ST ROYE D NOV 18 1^4 destroy these specim ens, In the interim they will Bureau on specific Bureau instructions. be transm itted to the It is noted that the original Boston teletype reflected that this inquiry was being treated as "seoret” m atter at M IT. (b)(7)(D) has advised that the com paratively sm all num ber of research scientists at M IT during the sum m er are all cognizant of the incident and the results of the research. However, no publicity has been given and it is not anticipated that any will result. The bureau’s interest is not known to the scientists at M IT. ^here has been no speculation that a guided m issile originating in a foreign land landed in N ew Ham pshire. A s indicated above, unless the Bureau requests specifically further investigati action, this case is being closed in the Boston O ffice. BSG:md 100-2 0698 FBI Bl 8-15-47 RE CT OR, FBI FL YING DISCS. INFORM E D L OCAL U RGE NT ON INST ANT DAT E A. C< "U RIE PM5-45 M r. E . XT amm.. . L add M r. Nichols M r. Rosen M r. E gan M r. Gumea M r. Harbo M r. M ohr V GW T olson....... M r. T racy.. OF NE W SPAPE R T HAT COM M U NIT Y T HAT M r. C^egg... T W IN FAL L S, IDAH AT ONE PM ON W E DN L AST , AU GU ST T HIRT E E N, HE AND T W O SONS BIL L IE , AGE T E N, KE IT H, 1M NK AGE E IGHT , SAW AN OBJE CT NINE M IL E S NORT HW E ST OF T W IN FAL L S, RE ­ SE M BL ING FL YING DISC. U RIE ST AT E D T HIS OBJE CT W AS PROCE E DING FXXX DOW N SAL M ON RIV E R AT T E RRIFIC SPE E D E ST IM AT E D BY HIM AT ONE T HOU SAND M IL E S PE R HOU R. U RIE AND SONS DE SCRIBE D OBJE CT T O NE W SPAPE RS AS T W E NT Y FE E T L ONG, T E N FE E T W IDE AND T E N FE E T T HICK, L IGHT SKY BL U E IN COL OR AND AL SO OBSE RV E D FL AM E S E M ANAT ING FROM SIDE S OF OBJE CT . AT T IM E U RIE AND SONS SAW OBJE CT T HE Y AL L HE ARD L OU D SW ISH W HE N OBJE CT DISAPPE ARE D FRIM SIGHT . CU RRE NT E FFORT S BE ING M ADE T O INT E R­ PROM PT L Y AND FU L L Y INFORM E D OF AL L PE RT INE NT DE V E L OPM E NT S E ND PL S ACK AND HOL D BANIST E R B, DAT E D JU L Y T HIRT Y NINE T E E N FORT Y SE V E N. BU RE AU W IL L V IE W U RIE AND SONS PU RSU ANT T O BU RE AU BU L L E T IN FORT Y T W O, SU B DIV ISION -4 1945 7-48 PM OK FBI W A BW DECEIVED T aE"Y?E U Mh Au g 15 7 so P M ’fl they picked up some strange rock formations from a gravel pit on M auri Island, W ashington. T hey sent a cigar box of these formations to one Ray Palmer, editor of the V enture magazine in E vanston, Illinois and also editor of the Fantasy magazine in Chicago, Illinois. Accoi'ding to them they requested Palmer to make only a chemical analysis of the rock formations. Balmer then wrote asking for additional samples stating he had been unable to analyze the material. Dahl and Chrisman remarked that a few days after the flying disc stories appeared during the latter part of Junez Palmer contacted them by telephone saying he would pay for an exclusive story if the materials they had sent him were fragments of a flying disc. Dahl said he wrote Palmer a letter in which he represented the material as being a part of a flying disc, and both Dahl and Chrisman admitted that this statement was entirely false. Dahl and Chrisman then received a call from one Kenneth Arnold of Boise, Idaho who requested them to meet him at the W inthrop Hotel in T acoma on July 31, 19U 7. According to them Arnold called in army intelligence officers from Hamilton Field, California and one Captain E mil H. Smith of U nited Airlines of Seattle, W ashington to attend this meeting. Dahl and Chrisman maintained they told the intelligence officers Captain Davidson, L ieutenant Brown, Kenneth Arnold and E mil H. Smith exactly how they got the rock formations and that they had no connection with any flying discs. Dahl and Chrisman stated that they then furnished some of the rock formation to the intelligence officers as samples. Captain Davidson and L ieutenant Brown left T acoma, W ashington in a B-2 5 to return to Hamilton Field, California about 2:30 A.M . August 1, 19h7, and were killed when their plane crashed at Kelso, W ashington, after the left engine burned out an exhaust stack which in turn caught the left wing on fire which caused it to break off. T he crew chief and each officer parachuted to safety. E rnie V ogel, an Associated Press wireman at T acoma advised that two or three days after the flying disc story started he contacted Dahl to check the story ^ closu re 4COPIE S DE ST ROYE D 2 70 NOV 18 1964 that the Seattle Post—Intelligencer had received from the Fire Chief at Harbor, W ashington, to the effect that Dahl had some flying disc fragments. At this time Dahl admitted to V ogel that the entire story was false. Relative to Arnold, Dahl and Chrisman stated that he was paid by Ray Palmer of the Fantasy magazine and possibly the Boise Statesman:' to come to T acoma and obtain a story from them regarding the flying disc fragments. On July 31 and August 1, a total of five anonymous calls were received by a T acoma T imes reporter and the U nited Press W ireman at T acoma giving information regarding the meeting at the W inthrop Hotel over the disc fragments and stating that the B—2 ^ had been shot down or sabotaged which killed Captain Davidson and L ieutenant Brown, inferring that this was done because the intelligence officers were carrying disc fragments in their plane. Dahl and Chrisman stated that these calls could only have come from themselves, Arnold or Smith, who, they stated, had a friend on the Chicago T imes and was possibly selling the story to the Chicago T imes through this friend. Dahl and Chrisman denied making these calls. Smith, upon interview, stated that reporter L antz of the T acoma T ines and M orello of the U nited Press office in T acoma had informed him that Arnold had several anonymous calls and from the accuracy of the information transmitted Smith believes they were made by either Dahl or Chrisman. - 2 - jfede& l bureau of Inurstigati M nitrh States Departm ent of 3usttre 407 U . S. Court House Seattle 4, W ashington August 18, 1947 DIRE CT OR, FBI RE : FU T /T DISCS SIGHT E D BY FRE D CRISM AN and HAROL D A. DAHL , T ACOX, W ASHINGT ON SM - X Dear Sir: T he following, in veperal, are the facts regarding the flying disc story that started by FE Sy^JL SM AN and HAROL D ArnIKHL which subsequently resulted in news stories by thexfacoma T imes, the^Boise Statesman and thg>Chicago T imes that a B-25 carrying Army Intelligence officers was shot down or sabotaged over Kelso, W ashington on August 1, 1947 ing some flying disc fragments. because it was carry- T he original story, as related by FRE D \DAHL , was to the effect that DAHL , while patrolling in his G xsland, W ashington, sighted six flying discs, one of which K earth and disintegrated, showering his boat with fragments CRISM AN and HAROL D boat near M aury fluttered to the which caused some damage to the boat and killed his dog. HAROID DAHL wrote a letter to RAY A. PAIM E R ofX^ff-Davis Company which publishes fantastic adventure magazines in Chicago, sermqig him fragments of the flying disk and relating the above story. RAJxfAL M E R requestedxT rans-Radio News in Chicago to verify the story as related by HAROL D DAHL and FRE D CRISM AN(telegraphed RAY PAL M E R confirming DAHL 's story. RAY PAL M E R then engaged jQ ^’E T Hy^RNOID, Boise, Idaho, who was the first to report sighting the flying disc and whom RAY PAIM E R had previously made a contract for a story regarding the flying disc, to come to T acoma and check the story Sis related by FRE D CRISM AN and HAROL D DAHL . -----" " also reported seeing flying disc fragments, and Army Intelligence to attend DAHL in his room 502 , W inthrop Hotel, T acom KE NNE T H ARNOL D came to T acoma, W ashington July 30, 1947 and arranged for a meeting the following day, July 31, with FRE D CRISM AN and HAROID W ashington. KE NNE JH ARNOL D also SM IT H, U nited Airlines Pilot whocalled to attend the meeting Captain E M I had E D NOV 18 W U 4 COI 27€ PE CORDE L & INDE XE D August 19, 1947 this meeting. KE NNE T H ARNOL D, Captain E M IL J. SM IT H, FRE D CRISM AN, HAROL D DAHL , Captain DAV IDSON and L ieutenant BROW N of Army A-2 Intelligence from Hamilton Field, California, all met in ARNOL D1s room at various times during the afternoon and evening of July 31, 1947 and discussed the flying disc story as related by CRISM AN and DAHL . T he Army Intelligence Officers, Captain DAV IDSON and L ieutenant BROW N, left about 2 :00 A. M . the morning of August 1, 1947 to return to Hamilton Field, California for Air Force Day in a B-2 5 and were carrying some of the reported disc fragments. T he left engine on the B-25 burned an exhaust stack which in turn caught the left wing afire, the wing subsequently breaking off and tearing off the tail. T he B-25 crashed, killing Captain DAV IDSON and L ieutenant BROW N. However, the Crew Chief and a hitch-hiker parachuted to safety. Intelligence Officers at M cChord Field, W ashington advised there was no indication of any sabotage. T he plane crashed at Kelso, W ashington approximately 2:50 A. M , August 1, 1947. Five anonymous calls were received by a reporter, T acoma T imes, and the U nited Press W ireman, T acoma, between 11:30 A. M ., July 31, 1947 and 5:30 P. M ., August 2 , 1947. T he first call was to a T acoma T imes reporter approximately 11:30 A. M ., July 31, in which the caller stated that there was a meeting taking place at that time in room 502 of the W inthrop Hotel concerning the disc fragments found on M aury Island. T he second call was received between 11:00 A. H. and 12:00 noon, August 1, 1947 by the T acoma T imes reporter in whidh the caller advised that at that moment a big meeting was taking place in ARNOW ’s room number 502 , 'W inthrop Hotel; that the B-25 which crashed was carrying disc fragments and that M cChord Field officials had stated it was shot down or sabotaged. T he third call was received Friday, August 1, 1947 at 5:30 P. M . by the U nited Press W ireman, T acoma, in which the caller stated that the B-2 5 whidh crashed at Kelso, W ashington was carrying flying disc fragments and that the dead officers were Captain DAV IDSON and L ieutenant BROW N, A-2 Intelligence Officers at Hamilton Field, California. T his call was prior to the release of the dead officers’ names by Army authorities and the caller indicated that when the names were released, it would verify the information he was furnishing was correct. T he fourth phone call was received at approximately 6:45 P. M ., Friday, August 1 by the U nited Press W ireman in v/hich call the caller stated the B-25 was definite-shot down and that if he contacted Army Intelligence officers, they would not deny it. T he fifth phone call was received by the U nited Press W ireman, T acoma, at 5:30 P. M . August 2 , 1947 at which time the caller stated the B-25 was shot down from the air with a 20 m.m. cannon; that the M arine plane found recently oh M t. Rainier had also been shot down and that Captain SM IT H would be taken to W right Field T uesday morning. W hen the Army authorities released the names of the dead Intelligence officers which verified the information as given by the anonymous caller, the T acoma T imes printed this story on August 2 , 1947 and carried several articles thereafter inferring that the B-2 5 had been shot down or sabotaged because of the fact that it was carrying disc fragments. DAHL and CRISM AN have admitted that the material which they sent to RAY PAU CE R had no connection with any flying discs and have given a signed statement to that effect which are being - 2 - August 19, 1947 forwarded herein. DAHL and CRISM AN deny, however, that they actually started the flying disc story and their actual part in the story. U nited Airlines pilot, E M IL J. SM IT H, states that DAHL and CRISM AN on July 31, 1947, both related their original flying disc fragment story. Information gathered would indicate that the anonymous phone calls were possibly made by FRE D CRISM AN in order to build up the flying disc story to the point where they could make a profitable sale of the story to RAY PAL M IE R, Chicago, Illinois. No facts have been developed which would definitely prove that CRISM AN made these calls. However, from all facts and information gathered, it appears he is probably the most likely to have made the anonymous calls. T he detailed interviews of the persons contac­ ted in regard to this flying disc story are being set out below. T he following investigation was conducted by Special Agent DAV ID A. M acCU L L OCH at T acoma, W ashington on August 6, 7, 1947: E RNI^ZbGE L , Associated Press “ireman, T acoma, W ashington, advised that in the early part of June, 1947 he v/as requested by the Seattle Pact intelligencer to check on a story which he was informed had been obtained from the Fire Chief at Harper, W ashington. T he story v/as supposed to have originated with FRE D CRISM AN. M r. V OGE L stated that the story was to the effect that DAHL , while patrolling in his boat near M aury Island, saw five or six flying discs, one of which fluttered toward the ground and finally disintegrated. Fragments of the disc were reported to have showered down on the boat of HAROL D DAHL , causing some damage and killing his dog. M r. V OGE L stated that he went to the home of HAROL D DAHL on 3903 North Gove, T acoma, W ashington to check with him on this flying disc story. He stated that as best he could recall, this was just a few days after the first flying disc stories had appeared in the paper and was on a Sunday evening. He believed it was the early part of June. He stated that DAHL took him in the kitchen and proceeded to talk about this flying disc story in low muffled tones. He stated that DAHL acted rather suspicious and that shortly his wife came into the kitchen and was in a considerable rage, telling DAHL to admit that the entire story was a plain fantasy which he had dreamed up. He stated that after his wife told DAHL to admit the entire story was false, that DAHL then admitted that there was nothing whatever to the story and it was an entire hoax. V OGE L stated that in view of the enraged condition of DAHL’s wife, he immediately left and reported to the\Seattle Post Intelligencer that the entire story was a hoax and that they should not print it in any way, He further stated that he advised the Seattle Post Intelligencer that DAHL was a mental case and that nothing which he had reported should be carried as far as a news story. M r. V OGE L stated that since that time he had received repeated requests from the Boise Statesman requesting information as to the flying disc stories reportedly originating with FRE D CRISM AN and HAROL D DAHL . V OGE L stated that he had never, in his experience, had such pressure brought upon him to release a news story and that he repeatedly advised the Boise Statesman that the story of seeing the flying discs by DAHL and CRISM AN was a complete fabri- - 3 - August 19, 1947 cation and should be in no way, carried as a news story and refused to furnish any information regarding these reports. He further stated that he advised the Boise Statesman shortly before, or at the time KE N’ZE T H ARNOW left Boise to come to T acoma to check on the flying disc stories with DAHL and CRISM AN, that ARNOW should not come as the entire story was a hoax. T he following information was obtained from PAU J^ANT Z, 4513 South 7th, T acoma, W ashington, Proctor 8416, a rpporter for the T acoma T imes: It was the T acoma T imes paper which first issued a story on August 2 and subsequent stories intimating that the B-25 which crashed at Kelso, W ashington on the early morning of August 1, had been sabotaged or shot down because of the fact that it carried flying disc fragments. L A1T Z stated that on T hursday, July 31, at approximately 11:30 A. 1.1. he received an anonymous phone call in which the caller stated that KE NNE T H ARNOW and Army Intelligence officers were meeting in room 502 of the W inthrop Hotel to check on the flying disc story from which fragments were obtained on M aury Island. L ANT Z stated he turned around to speak to his editor and when he picked up^the phone again the line was dead. He stated that the caller asked for BU B^M cM U RT IE , a reporter on the T acoma T imes who was out at the time of the call. He stated that BU RT M cM U RT IE called ARNOW at room 502 in the '.'inthrop Hotel and was advised by ARNOL D that he could furnish no information as he was there on a Government mission. L ANT Z stated that on Friday, August 1, between 11:00 A. M . and noon, he received another phone call for BU RT M cHU RT IE in which the anonymous caller stated that he might have some information for him. L ANT Z asked the caller if he was not the same party that had called the previous date and he said yes. T he caller then related that at that moment there was a big meeting in progress in ARNOW 's room, 502 , in the W inthrop Hotelj that the B-25 which crashed that morning in Kelso was carrying flying disc fragments from California and that M cChord Field officials had stated the plane was sabotaged or shot down. T he caller then hung up after making some statement to the effect that he was a switchboard operator. L ANT Z stated that he went to the ..'inthrop Hotel on Friday about noon and found that there was no male operator on duty. He stated he then went to room 502 and ARNOW answered the door and that Captain BIIL J. SM IT H, U nited Airlines pilot, was on the phone. L ANT Z stated that he heard NIT H make a statement to the effect that the information must be very strictly confidential. He stated that there were one or two others in the room besides SM IT H and ARNOW , but that he could not identify them. He stated that ARNOW told him he could ma^e no statement and that he had attempted to check the story with various people on M aury Island with negative results. He stated that about 3:30 P. "., Friday, he wrote a story regarding the mysterious informant and called ARNOW at his hotel room, stating that he had written this,* story and that ARNOW had better check it. He stated that he talked to T E p^M ORRE E L O, the U nited Press W ireman, T acoma, who advised that the story sounded fantastic. L ANT Z stated that about 5:30 P. M ., Friday, August 1, an anonymous caller called T E D 'iORRE L W , the - 4 - August 19, 1947 U nited Press W ireman, stating that Captain DAV IDSON and L ieutenant BRCW N were the Intelligence officers that were killed in the crash of the B-2 5 and that civilians and the sheriff had been kept away from the wreckage with the Army guarding it. He stated the anonymous caller then said that the names had not been released yet by the Army and that this would verify his statements. PAU L L ANT Z stated that the following morning, Saturday, August 2 , the Army verified that the officers killed were Captain DAV IDSON and L ieutenant BROW N and two days later verified that they were Army Intelligence officers. L ANT Z stated that the anonymous caller again later contacted T E D M ORRE L L O, calling him by that name, and at this time stated he did not call the T acoma News T ribune or the Associated Press and denied calling PAU L L ANT Z or BU RT M cM U RT IE . In this call the anonymous caller stated that, "Don’t think I’m doing this for you." He then asked if the story had been put on the wire and when M ORRE L L O said yes, the caller stated, "W e want this to get back to New Jersey." T he caller further stated that the B-25 was shot down by a 20 m.m. cannon and that the marine plane which was recently found wrecked on the side of M t. Rainier, having been missing for several months, had also been shot down. T he caller stated to M ORRE L L O that he should get in touch with a flyer named M ORGAN with U nited Airlines who, he stated, was with Captain SM IT H when they were shot at over M ontana. T he caller then stated, "I'll see you T uesday. I'm going to San Francisco." L ANCE stated that he had checked with Captain SU L SM IT H of U nited Airlines who denied knowing any pilot by the name of M ORGAN; denied ever having flown over M ontana. L ANT Z stated that M ORRE L L O received another anonymous call in which the caller stated that SM IT H would be sent to ’"right Field on T uesday and that Saturday one of the men who found fragments of the flying disc was to be flown to Alaska. L ANT Z stated that in view of the fact that the information as to the Intelligence officers on the B-25 had been as furnished by the anonymous caller, had subsequently been verified by the Army, the story was released that the B-25 was carrying disc fragments returning to Hamilton Field, California and furnishing the inference that the plane had been sabotaged or shot down. L ANT Z stated that about 8:00 P. M . on Sunday, August 3, he contacted Captain E M IL SM IT H at his home, 3027 W est L aurelhurst Drive, Seattle at which time SM IT H stated he had not given any story out to the Post Intelligencer at Seattle; stated that he had gotten a telegram to call a number in Boise and when he called and found out it was the Boise Statesman, he had hung up. He stated that the Boise Statesman then contacted him, at which time he admitted he had seen the disc fragments, but that he did not take any of them. T his time SM IT H informed L ANT Z that he had been with M ajor GE ORGE SANDE RS, Public Relations Officer from M eChord Field, all afternoon until about 3:45 P. M . SM IT H informed L ANT Z that he had told the Army authorities every­ thing that he and ARNOW knew about the flying disc fragments story from the time that KE NNE T H ARNOW left Boise, Idaho and he had left Seattle, ’W ashington. T his time SM IT H admitted that there were some of the supposed disc fragments in ARNOW 's room at the W inthrop Hotel and that CRISM AN and DAHL had been in the room T hursday afternoon. On M onday PAU L L ANT Z stated that he called HAROID DAHL who advised that if this were not used in the paper, he and FRE D - 5 - August 19, 1947 CRISM AN would see him after lunch. L ANT Z stated that about noon DAHL and CRISM AN contacted him at which time DAHL stated that he and his son had been exploring a gravel pit on M aury Island and found some strange rock formations. He stated they picked up some of these samples and that FRE D CRISM AN later saw them and they went back over to M aury island at which time additional samples were obtained and that CRISM AN sent these to a friend of his at the U niversity of Chicago to have analyzed. T hey stated that they received a report and that apparently this friend had asked a newpaperman to find out where the rock formations were obtained. CRISM AN and DAHL told L ANT Z that sometime after the first flying disc story had appeared, they received a tele­ gram from T rans-Ocean Press from Chicago wanting infomation on the flying disc fragments. FRE D CRISM AN stated that they had at no time indicated the rock formations were a part of a flying disc and that Captain E ^J,#8M fT H and KE NNE T H ARNOL D were not interested in the rock formations and they denied giving them to SM IT H and ARNOL D. T E D M ORRE L L O, a U nited Press W ireman, T acoma, '/W ashington furnished substantially the same information that was obtained from PAU L L ANT Z, the T acoma T imes reporter, regarding the anonymous phone calls which he had received. He stated further that the first call he received was on Friday, August 1, at around 5:30 P. M . At this time the caller stated that the B-2 5 which crashed at Kelso, ’W ashington was carrying disc fragments and that the two officers killed were Captain DAV IDSON and L ieutenant BROW N, officers with Army A-2 Intelligence at Hamilton Field and that the fragments were top secret material. He stated the caller indicated that when the Army released the names of the dead officers it would verify that the information he was furnishing was correct. M ORRE L L O stated that the second call he received at approximately 6:45 P- M . Friday, August 1 at which time the caller stated that the B-25 was definitely shot down and that if he contacted Army Intelligence A-2 , the man in charge would not deny it. M ORRE L L O stated he thought the man said to con­ tact Colonel GU YS, but it was found out it was Colonel GRE GG who was in charge of Army Intelligence A-2. T he caller further stated that the Sheriff’s Office had been kept away from the crash and that no civilians had been allowed near the plane. M ORRE L L O stated the third call he received at 5:30 P. M ., August 2, and that this time the caller stated that one of the men who had been conferring with Captain SM IT H and KE NNE T H ARNOL D was taken to Alaska that day. T he caller further stated that the B-2 5 was shot down from the air with a 20 m.m. cannon; that the M arine plane found recently on M t. Rainier had also been shot down; that Captain SM IT H would be taken to ’.‘’right Field T uesday morning and that a U nited Airlines pilot by the name of M ORGAN flew with Captain SM IT H when they were shot at over M ontana. T he caller stated he was leaving for San Francisco and would be back T uesday. PAU L L ANT Z and T E D M ORRE L L O both stated that they had made very little effort to question the anonymous caller to obtain his identity as they felt it was useless and that if they started questioning him he would August 19, 1947 refuse to furnish any further information. On August 5, 1947 Special Agent DAV ID A. M acCU L L OCH was contacted in the resident agency office, T acoma, W ashington by : aE D CRISM AN* At this time CRISM AN asked if the Seattle Office was investigation the crash of the B-2 5 and he was informed that no investigation was being conducted by the Seattle Office. CRISM AN at this time related in a rambling story that he had picked up some strange rock formations which he had forv.’arded to a friend of his in the U niversity of Chicago to have analyzed and that later, in some manner unknown to him, these rock formations had been reported as being frag­ ments of a flying disc* On August 7, 1947 FRE D CRISM AN and HAROL D DAHL were inter­ viewed at the T acoma resident agency office. Both DAHL and CRISM AN at first denied any knowledge of how the rock formations which they had picked up to have alalyzed became connected with the flying disc stories. Both denied making any statement to anyone that these rock formations were portions of a disc fragment. It was apparent from the start of the interview that DAHL and CRISM AN were not telling their complete and true connection with the flying disc story. T hey refused to give any definite information as to what they said or had done which caused them to become involved in a flying disc story, but gave evasive answers and repeatedly stated that they had nothing to do with it and were at a loss to understand how they became connected with the flying disc story. After considerable questioning, they stated that in the early part of June^they sent to RAJ PAL M E R of th^ Ziff-Davis Publishing Company which published th^ Fantasy magazine in Chicago and the V enture magazine in E vanston, Illinois, some rock formations' which they had found on M aury Island. T hey stated they sent these formations, asking PAL M E R to have them analyzed. T hey stated that later PAL M E R wrote and asked for more samples, advising he had failed to analyze the samples. CRIS IAN and DAHL stated they have never sent any additional samples and that the next they heard regarding the rock formations which they had sent PAL M E R was when he called HAROL D DAHL and asked if the rock formations could have come from a flying disc. DAHL stated he made some remark that they possibly could have come from a flying disc and that he immediately sat down and wrote a letter to PAL M E R, which was in the latter part of June in which he stated the material could have been portions of a flying disc. DAHL claimed that he thought he told PAL M E R over the phone something about being in his boat when he obtained these rock formations, but stated he could not recall what he had written to PAL M E R and claimed that he passed the whole thing off as a joke. CRISM AN and DAHL were questioned at length in an attempt to obtain specific information as to exactly what each one had done with regard to the rock forma­ tions. However, each stated that the only thing they had done was tell RAY PAL M E R the formations could have come from a flying disc in view of the fact it appeared "that’s what he wanted them to say". No definite information could be obtained from either DAHL or CRISM AN as to what each specifically had done to start the flying disc story. T he signed statement which was obtained from CRISM AN and August 19, 1947 DAHL and in which they admitted the rock formations had no connection with any flying discs is being forwarded to the Bureau herewith. T he statement contains no information of value and therefore is not being set forth herein. Regarding the meeting which was held in the W inthrop Hotel on T hursday, July 31, CRISM AN and DAHL stated that they both met KE NNE T H ARNOL D there about 1:00 P. M . T hey stated that they all left ARNOL D'S room about 3:00 P. M . and that ORISON took ARNOL D to Berry’s Airport at T acoma and ARNOL D flew his plane to Seattle where he picked up Captain E L U L SM IT H. CRIS- HAN stated that he picked up ARNOL D and SM IT H at Berry's Airport about 5:00 P. M . and that HAROL D DAHL came to ARNOL D'S room about 7:00 P. M . CRISM AN stated that he and SM IT H left about 8:30 P. M . when he drove SM IT H to Seattle to get his car and that DAHL went home at this time. CRISM AN stated they returned about 11:30 P. M . at which time the Army Intelligence officers were in ARNOL D'S room and that CRISM AN left about midnight. He stated that he returned to ARNOL D'S room Friday afternoon for approximately one-half hour from 2:30 to 3:00 P. M ., at which time ARNOL D and SM IT H were still there and neither seemed to be able to recall if DAHL was in ARNOL D'S room on Friday, August 1. T he best that could be obtained from CRISM AN and DAHL as to what took place in ARNOL D'S room was to the effect that most of the talk was about flying, that no one seemed very interested in the rock formations and that they had no connection as far as they knew with any flying disc. CRISM AN Stated that KE NNE T H ARNOL D wanted to obtain pictures of the place where the rock formations were obtained and that the Army Intelligence officers did not appear to be interested in any manner whatever. HAROL D DAHL operates the Commercial L umber Company at 235 M illwater Avenue, T acoma, W ashington and FRE D CRISM AN has recently been __ -^ working with him buying timber. T hey have also been associated with theAHarbor Patrol Association at T acoma, W ashington which furnishes patrol and police"pro- tection to parts of the harbor area which are not patrolled by T acoma police or Sheriff's officers. FRE D CRISM AN resides at 125 '-'oodland, T acoma, W ashington, Army serial number 0-753-951. During the war he was a pilot and it is believed presently holds a Reserve Officer's commission as a Captain. Regarding the B-25 which crashed, killing Captain DAV IDSON and L ieutenant BROW N of the 4th Aire Forces, Captain ROBE RT G. BJORNING, A-2 Officer, M e Chord Field, advised that this investigation of the crash reflected an exhaust stack had burned out on the left engine which in turn caught the left wing afire and that when the left wing broke off, it also broke off the tail. T he plane at the time of the crash was carrying Captain DAV IDSON, L ieutenant BROW N, the hitch-hiker and a man as Crew Chief to take care of the airplane. T he Crew Chief and the hitch-hiker parachuted to safety, but Captain DAV IDSON and L ieutenant BROW N were killed. He stated that their investigation reflected no indication of any sabotage whatever. A check of the records of the W inthrop Hotel at T acoma, W ashington revealed that KE NNE T H ARNOL D, giving his address as Route #1, M ount- view Drive, Boise, Idaho rented room 502 from July 30 at 7:43 P. M . until - 7 - August 19, 1947 August 3. A record of tlj/phone calls made from room 502 during this period was made by M iss SAR& L ^L a1IGBE RG. T his record reveals that KE NNE T H ARNOL D on July 31 called PAU SfiR at AN-5200, E vanston, Illinois, collect. On the same date called L ieutenant BROW N at 5800 Hamilton Field, California, collect. ARNOL D also called 0109-J in Boise, Idaho on July 31. On August 1 ARNOL D called L ON-4936, Portland; PAL M E R at Dearborn 52 00, Chicago; and SM IT H called RODDY at Dearborn 2 32 3 at Chicago. Both Chicago calls were collect. T he remainder of the calls appear to be personal calls and are not being set out. A record of the phone calls made are being retained as an exhibit in the Seattle Office. T he following information was obtained by Special Agent PIE RRE H. L E V E C in interview on August 12 , 1947 with Captain E M IL J. SM IT H, 3027 W est L aurehurst Drive, U nited Airlines pilot: It should be noted that Captain SM IT H has previously received publicity for having supposedly seen flying discs or similar objects on July 4, last while on a routine U nited Air­ lines flight out of Boise, Idaho in company with his co-pilot RA L PHT St E V E NS, concerning this incident. Captain SM IT H states that they took off from Boise, Idaho at 8:12 P. M . and headed Northwest at 300 degrees and while still climbing at 8,000 feet, co-pilot ST E V E NS called his attention to some objects in the sky ahead of them about ten degrees left which neither one could identify. SM IT H states that he called a CAA radio operator at Ontario, Oregon and reques­ ted him to step outside his radio shack and see if he could see any of these objects overhead. T he CAA radio operator replied in the negative. Captain SM IT H states that he first met KE NNE T H ARNOL D on July 5 in the offices of the Seattle Post Intelligencer where both were being interviewed concerning their sighting of flying discs. SM IT H states that he next met ARNOL D about three weeks ago in Boise, Idaho at which time he, SM IT H, was on another flight through Boise, Idaho and had a ten minute lay-over there. On this occasion ARNQ Jf) was in company of Captain W IL L IAM L ^DAV IDSON and L ieutenant FRANK M ^BR^V I'J, Army Intelligence officers, and a reporter JOHNSON of the Boise Statesman. SM IT H’S next contact with ARNOL D was on T hursday, July 31, last when he received a telephone call from ARNOL D calling from T acoma in the early afternoon at which time he asked SM IT H to come over to T acoma and join him as he was investigating a flying disc story for "someone back E ast" and some fragments were involved v/hich SM IT H might be interested in seeing. After some discussion SM IT H agreed to join ARNOL D in T acoma and ARNOL D told SM IT H he would fly over and pick him up at Boeing Airport at 4:00 P. M . SM IT H met ARNOL D at Boeing Field at about 4:00 P. M . and they flew to Berry's Airport at T acoma, W ashington where they were met by FRE D CRISM AN. T he three of them proceeded in CRISM AN'S car to the W inthrop Hotel where ARNOL D was occupying room 502 . ARNOL D ordered something to eat and during this time either ARNOL D or CRISM AN called a HAROL D DAHL and invited him up to the room. By this time SM IT H states he had learned from ARNOL D that CRISM AN and DAHL were the parti­ cipants in the latest flying disc story and SM IT H states that he had no previous acquaintance with either of these men before meeting them in T acoma on this date. W hile in the Hotel Room ARNOL D showed SM IT H a letter which he had received from RAYM OND PAL M E R of the V enture Press of Chicago requesting that ARNOL D investigate - 8 - August 19, 1947 the CRISM AN-DAHL story in T acoma. ARNOL D informed SL 'IT H at this time that after receiving this letter he had called PAL M E R by telephone in Chicago as a result of which call PAL M E R had forwarded him $200.00 expense money for covering the story. Shortly thereafter, at about 7:30 P. M . HAROL D DAHL arrived at the Hotel room and the discussion began among the four men present as to what DAHL and CRISM AN had seen on M aury Island. DAHL professed reluc­ tance to tell the story, claiming that several unfortunate incidents had occurred subsequent to his seeing the flying discs and he believed the entire incident had brought him bad luck. In this connection he stated that four or five days subsequent to his sighting the flying discs, a man called at his home and had a conversation with him the course of which DAHL was warned to forget all about everything he had seen on or near M aury Island. In addition to that, DAHL stated that his sixteen year old son had run away from home following the incident and had been picked up by the police somewhere in M ontana. After some further discussion DAHL finally agreed to tell his story of the flying disc incident in front of SM IT H after eliciting a promise from SM IT H that he would not discuss the matter for at least two weeks. It should be noted that DAHL had previously told his story to ARNOL D and CRISM AN. At this point DAHL related the incident which has already been described and which he alleged had taken place on or about June 23 or 24. W hile relating the incident DAHL mentioned that he had taken pictures of the flying disc vhich he had seen but that the printed films were marred with white spots, ’..'hen DAHL had concluded his story, CRISM AN related that he had gone the following day to M aury Island to verify what DAHL had told him concerning the fragments and had at this time picked up several fragments and taken them with him. At this time CRISM AN related that he also saw one of the flying discs hovering over the Island but that it had disappeared into a cloud. W hen DAHL and CRISM AN had finished telling their story ARNOL D told the group that he had earlier in that evening called Captain DAV IDSON and L ieutenant BROW N, Army Intelligence officers and that they were on their way to the Hotel room. At this point DAHL protested that he did not wish to tell his story before anyone else and he was advised by SM IT H that if such was the case why didn't he just leave and not be there when they arrived. CRISM AN, DAHL and SM IT H then left the room and went downstairs. DAHL departed alone. CRISM AN drove SM IT H back to Boeing Field near Seattle where SM IT H desired to pick up his own personal car, which he did. T hey then returned to the Hotel where they found Captain DAV IDSON and L ieutenant BRO.RI in room 502 with KE NNE T H ARNOL D. ARNOL D met them at the door and seemed excited, explaining to SM IT H that Captain DAV IDSON had just drawn a reproduction of a freak disc which had supposedly been seen by a woman in Arizona and that this drawing was an exact reproduction of the flying disc which he, ARNOL D, had seen several weeks before, nearing M t. Rainier. SM IT H states that shortly after this CRISM AN seemed very anxious to tell his and DAHL 's story to the Army offi­ cers. Before this was done, however, SM IT H’ had a discussion with L ieutenant BROW N, informing him that they had promised DAHL not to release the story for two weeks and that if CRISM AN were allowed to tell the story at this time, BROV IN and DAV IDSON must agree not to release the story for one month. Following this agreement, CRISM AN related DAHL 's and his story of the flying discs over M aury - 9 - August 19, 1947 Island to BRCT N and. DAV IDSON. Following this recitation. L ieutenant BROW N, in answer to a query from T OT H, said that he and Captain DAV IDSON were of the opinion that there might be some truth in the current flying disc stories, but that their immediate superiors (presumably A-2 at Hamilton Field) did not agree with them. BROW N and DAV IDSON then held a brief discussion as to whether they should return that same night to Hamilton Field and they decided that they would, All five of the men then went down to the lobby where BRGU detached himself from the group and entered a phone booth to call for a car from M cChord Field. SL OT H also left the group and met BROW N outside the phone booth where they held a short discussion relative to the credibility of CRIS­ M AN and DAHL 's story. BROW N indicated to SOT H that he should attemt to find out if the story was on the level and that BROL IN would call him the following day regarding this matter. T he group then proceeded to the front of the Hotel at which time CRISL AN brought his car to the front of the Hotel and took from his trunk a box of the alleged flying disc fragments picked up on M aury Island. He offered them to BROW N and DAV IDSON and when the Army car arrived from M cChord Field the box of fragments was placed in the car with the officers. CRISM AN departed alone and ARNOL D and SL OT H went in search of something to eat and later returned to the Hotel for the night. On Friday morning, August 1, 1947, ARNOID received a call from CRISM AN informing him that a B-2 5 had crashed during the night and it was believed to be the same plane which BROW N and DAV IDSON were flying. Following this call CRISM AN and DAHL came to the Hotel room and from the room CRISM AN again called M cChord Field in an attempt to get information about the crash. SM IT H took the phone from CRISM AN and spoke to a Colonel GRE GG, identifying himself and asking if the B-25 which crashed was the only one which had taken off from M cChord Field the previous night. GRE GG told him that it was. Follow­ ing this call ARNOL D called RAYM OND PAL M E R in Chicago and informed him of the previous night’s conversations and the fact that DAV IDSON and BROW N were believed to have been killed. PAL M E R told ARNOID to discontinue his investigation of the .incident and that he, PAL M E R, was no longer interested. SM IT H then took the phone from ARNOL D and asked PAL M E R if he could shed any light on the situation. SL OT H was unable to say what PAU E R's reply to CRISM AN w^s. Fol­ lowing these telephone discussions SM IT H says that he called M AU RICE J^GDDY whom he identifies as a personal friend of his and an aviation editor of"the Chicago T imes. SM IT H states that he had previously made an agreement with RODDY in Chicago that should he ever run across any flying disc stories which showed promise of news value, that he would contact RODDY and this call was a result of that agreement. Shortly afterward, Colonel GRE GG called him from M cChord Field stating that Hamilton Field had requested that ARNOL D, SM IT H, CRISM AN and DAHL submit their addresses to Hamilton Field for convenience of any Army investigation of the incident which may be forthcoming. After this call the four men went to a restaurant for lunch. During the course of this meal SM IT H excused himself from the table and attempted to call SAC BOBBIT T of the Port­ land Field Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation with whom he claims acquain­ tance. BOBBIT T , however, vias unavailable and SOT H was unable to complete the - 10 - . August 19, 1947 call. After returning to the Hotel room, a T acoma T imes reporter called attempting to gain information, but they did not give him any. L ater, a M r. M ORRE L L O of the U nited Press called and SM IT H spoke to him on the telephone but refused to give out any information. SM IT H further relates that while the four men were in the room at this time, an envelope was shoved under the door and that he retrieved it from the floor. SM IT H states that the appearance of this envelope seemed to startle CRISM AN considerably and that in fact, CRISM AN turned white as a sheet until SM IT H read the note unsigned which was a commu­ nication to the Hotel advising that a strike of Hotel employees was eminent and that guests should not expect room and telephone service much longer. Shortly after this incident DAHL and CRISM AN left the Hotel room after promising to take ARNOL D and SM IT H to M aury Island the following morning, (Saturday). ARNOL D and SM IT H then went out for dinner and on their return, SM IT H found a note in the box requesting him to call a certain telephone number. He did this from the Hotel room and was answered by L ANT Z, T acoma T imes reporter who requested SM IT H to go out and call him from a pay station. SM IT H complained and was. informed by L ANT Z that two anonymous telephone calls had been received by him that a discussion regarding flying discs had been taking place in room 502 at the W inthrop Hotel which involved Army Intelligence officers. From the information which L ANT Z had received, SM IT H was convinced that the anonymous caller must have been present at the discussion also, as L ANT Z was seemingly in possession of pertinent remarks which had been made in the room. SM IT H states that he did not give L ANT Z any further information and that in conclu­ sion of the call, he returned to the Hotel room and he and ARNOL D retired for the night. On Saturday morning, August 2, 1947 SM IT H redeived a tele­ phone call from M AU RICE RODDY in Chicago, but was unable to give him any further information. SM IT H advised him, however, that he would call him back at 2 :30 that afternoon. DAHL then called from a coffee shop nearby and ARNOL D and SM IT H joined DAHL , CRISM AN and an unknown man in the Coffee Shop for breakfast. T he unknown person was discussing some lumber business with DAHL and left after breakfast. On leaving the coffee shop, SM IT H asked DAHL about the negatives of the photographs which he claimed to have taken of the flying discs. DAHL said the negatives were in the glove compartment of his car, but a search of the instant glove compartment was fruitless. T he four then pro­ ceeded in CRISM AN's car to the dock where they were to embark for M aury Island. T he boat, however, could not be started and the trip was postponed until later in the day. '^hile at the dock, however, SM IT H asked to be shown the damage to the boat which had allegedly occurred when the fragments showered down on M aury Island. CRIS’L AN pointed out what may have been repairs to the windshield and lights on the boat, but SM IT H was not personally satisfied that these repairs were made as a result of any such incident. CRISM AN and DAHL then drove ARNOL D and SM IT H back to the Hotel at approximately 10:45 A. M . and CRISiAN told them he would call them later on and that they would go to M aury Island. On return­ ing to the Hotel, SM IT H called L ANT Z at the T acoma T imes as a result of which call he and ARNOL D met L ANT Z at the Coffee Shop across the street from the August 19, 1947 W inthrop Hotel, SM IT H stated that the purpose of this meeting was to try to find out something more about the anonymous phone calls which L ANT Z had told him about. He and ARNOL D still refused to give out any further information regarding the T hursday evening conference to L ANT Z and were informed by L ANT Z that the T acoma T imes was afraid of being scooped on the story and was going to print something on that day. SM IT H and ARNOL D then returned to the Hotel and shortly thereafter received a phone call from CRISM AN but the call was cut off by the switchboard operator since it was not an emergency call. SM IT H and ARNOID then returned to the Hotel lobby where they found a telegram from DAHL asking them to call him at either Broadway or Proctor 7733, SM IT H is not sure of the exchange. SM IT H called this number, but DAHL was not there. SM IT H states that he went then to the W estern U nion T elegraph Office and dispatched a collect telegram to M AU RICE RODDY at the Chicago T imes which contained a brief resume of the incidents which had occurred and which requested RODDY to wire SM IT H a telephone number where RODDY could be reached after 6:00 P. M . SM IT H states that he has never received an answer to that wire. Following this, SM IT H states that he and ARNOID that he and ARNOL D were sitting in the lobby of the Olympic Hotel when L ANT Z entered and gave them each a copy of the latest edition of the T acoma T imes which contained a story hinting at sabotage in the crash of the Army B-25 which killed Captain DAV IDSON and L ieutenant BROU N. S'T T H stated that he and ARNOL D continued to occupy seats in the Hotel lobby most of the afternoon inasmuch as they were unable to receive calls in the Hotel room due to the Hotel employees' strike. He relates that he received a call in the late afternoon from L ANT Z advising him to call L ANT Z that evening at 8:30 as L ANT Z had further information regarding the anonymous calls. SM IT H also received a telegram requesting that he call Boise 6000 which he did and found that it was JOHNSON^of the Boise Statesman. He refused to give JOHNSON any further information at this time. However, shortly thereafter, JOHNSON called from Boise and advised SM IT H that the Army had released a story through Brigadier General SHRAM revealing the confidential assignment which BROW N and DAV IDSON had been engaged on. In view of this release, JOHNSON requested SM IT H to answer one question for him which was, "..ere they carrying any alleged disc fragments on the plane?" and SM IT H answered, "Yes, they were." Following this SM IT H called L ANT Z as per his earlier request and was informed that M ORRE L L O of the U nited Press had received another anonymous phone call at which time "the voice" said that the Army B-25 carrying Captain DAV IDSON and L ieutenant BROU N had been shot down with 20 m.m. shells and that the M arine plane found on M t. Rainier had also been shot down with 2 0 m.m. shells. 'T he voice went on to state that SM IT H would be called back to W right Field on T uesday. W en M ORRE L L O asked why he was giving out this information the caller replied that it was not for the benefit of the newspapers, but that he was interested in seeing that the information got back to New Jersey. T he voice also informed M ORRE L L O at this time that one of the two persons who had been talking to ARNOL D and SM IT H had now left for Alaska. As a result of this latter bit of information SM IT H decided to find out if CRISM AN or DAHL had left town. He located DAHL at the Sunset T heatre and DAHL came to the Hotel and met SM IT H and ARNOL D. T hey were unable to locate CRISM AN by phone and DAHL left saying that he would try to find out where CRISM AN was and that he would call them tomorrow (Sunday) and that they would go out to M aury Island at that time. After DAHL left, - 12 - August 19, 1947 SM IT H and ARNOL D went to the T acoma T imes Office where a reporter met them and took them to M ORRE L L O in the U nited Press Office. T here they read the latest press releases and had a discussion with M ORRE L L O regarding the anony­ mous phone calls. In the course of this discussion M ORRE L L O mentioned the name of M ajor GE ORGE SANDE RS, Public Relations Officer at M cChord Field as being one of the officers interested in the investigation. Following this discussion with M ORRE L L O, at which time S'.IT H states they still refused to divulge any further information, SM IT H and ARNOL D returned to the Hotel for the night. On Sunday morning, August 3, 1947, DAHL appeared at the Hotel room and told them that he had received a letter from CRISM AN which said in effect, "T ake care of my business. I’ll be out of town for three or four days." DAHL had a letter with him but he did not show it to SM IT H or ARNOL D. T he three men then drove to DAHL’s secretary’s house in South T acoma and picked her up and the four of them then went to breakfast on the South T acoma highway. W hile the four of them then went to breakfast SM IT H excused himself and called M ajor SANDE RS at M cChord Field and arranged an appointment to meet him at the Hotel lobby at 11:00 A. M . T hey then took DAHL’s secretary to her home where DAHL picked up a typewriter and then drove SM IT H and ARNOL D back to the Hotel. T hey asked him if he was going to take them to M aury Island that day and he replied that he was not. He further stated that he was sick of the entire business and that if he was ever contacted by the Army or the authorities he was going to deny ever having seen anything and claim to be "the biggest liar that ever lived". Shortly after returning to the Hotel, SM IT H met M ajor SANDE RS in the lobby and they went in SM IT H’S car to a coffee shop in South T acoma where SM IT H proceeded to tell M ajor SANDE RS the entire story of the incidents which had occurred in T acoma regarding the CRISM AN and DAHL story since T hursday afternoon. Following this, SM IT H took M ajor SANDE RS back to the Hotel and intro­ duced him to ARNOL D and suggested to ARNOL D that he also tell M ajor SANDE RS the entire story of what had occurred. ARNOL D did so. M ajor SANDE RS after looking at the fragments which were still in the room suggested that they drive out to the -Smelter near T acoma as he believed the slag at the Smelter would bear a distinct resemblance to these fragments. T he three men then drove to the Smelter and the slag was noted to be definitely si ilar to the fragments which CRISM AN and DAHL had left in the Hotel room. T hey then returned to the Hotel room and M ajor SANDE RS left them. After packing their bags, SM IT H took ARNOL D to Berry’s Airport where his plane was parked and then SM IT H drove himself back to Seattle. About an hour after his arrival in Seattle, which was approximately 7:30 P. M ., L ANT Z of the T acoma T imes appeared at SM IT H'S home with the newspaper containing the Associated Press story which had originated in Boise, Idaho in the Boise Statesman and which was written by JOHNSON following SM IT H’S admission to him that fragments had been carried by L ieutenant BRCT N and Captain DAV IDSON on the fatal B-2 5 flight. SM IT H at this time continued to refuse to give any statements for the Press and told L ANT Z that he had placed - 13 - August 19, 1947 all of his information in the hands of the Army. SM IT H stated that a couple of days later he called M ajor SANDE RS at M cChord Field and asked him if there was any recent information concerning the incident. SM IT H states that M ajor SANDE RS informed him that CRISM AN had not yet been contacted, but that the Federal Bureau of Investigation was "setting a trap for him". S’IT H further advises that on Friday, August 8, 1947, he appeared before L awyer JOHN NOL AN at the County-City Building, Seattle and made a deposition of the facts relating to the incidents in T acoma from T hursday afternoon, July 31, last until Sunday morning. August 3, last. A copy of this deposition is now in possession of the writer and is being forwarded herewith to the Bureau. It should be noted that this deposition is in no way as complete as the statement taken by the writer above and any setting out of this deposition in this communication would be superfluous. Copies of this communication are being sent to the Butte, Portland, San Francisco and Chicago Offices for their information only. U nless advised by the Bureau to the contrary, instant investigation is considered closed by this office. For the information of the Bureau, Captain R. G. BJORNING, Intelligence Officer, M cChord Field, Ft. L ewis, .W ashington advised at the weekly O.N.I.-S.I.D.-F.B.I. Intelligence conference that the Public Relations Officer at M cChord Field had received a telephone call from an individual at Army Air Forces Headquarters at W ashington, D. C., during which call the Public Relations Officer was requested to obtain a signed statement from DAHL and CRISM AN which could be published and thus publicly close the matter. Captain BJORNING further related that he had no additional information in this matter and that he did not handle it. E NCL OSU RE S DAM ;PHL :M E K 100-18945 CC - Butte Portland San Francisco Chicago V ery truly yours, - 14 - 1 w August 8,1947 HAROL D A. DAHL and FRE D CRIL L AL make the following foluntary st tement to SA DAV ID «. HAD CL L L OCH of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. In the eaily part of June 1247 we picked up some strange rock formations fror a gravel pit on Naury Island, W ashington. He sent a box (cigar) of these fragments to RAY PAIlaE R of V enture M agazine at E vanston Illinois to have it analyzed. L ater PAL M E R wrote and asked for additional samples stating that he had failed to have them analyzed. Around the later part of June a few days after the first disc stories started PAL M E R contacted us by phone. He told us not to tell the news­ papers diout the fragments and he would pay for an exclusive story if the fragments could be from a flying disc. One of us told hi: the fragments could have been from a flying disc. Just after our phone conversation HAROL D DAHL wrote a letter to RAY PAIM E R setting out some notes etc. regarding the fragments and indicating they could have come from flying discs. T he next thing we heard was about the first of July when we got a T rans Ocean Press telegram from Chicago asking w± about these flying disc fragments. W e told them to gorget the entire matter. T he next we heard of these fragments was when we were called by KE NNE T H ARNOL D to meet with him in the W inthrop Hotel on July 31,1947 W e told him exactly how we had found the fragments and had forwarded them to PAL M E R to be analyzed. T he above is the entire and true story as regards our connection with /^/^-^^ ^p t^^^^ ^^^^ STATE OF WASHINGTON ) J. E. SMITH, being first duly sworn, on oath, deposes and says: This is a narrative statement as to what took place in Tacoma from Thursday, July 31 until Sunday, August 3. Thursday I received a telephone call from Tacoma from a Kenneth Arnold, The gist of this conversation was that he thought it would be a good idea for me to come to Tacoma and listen to the story of two men whose names were Fred Crismon and Harold Dahl, This Kenneth Arnold I had met two times previous — once on July 5 at the office of the P.I, in Seattle for a very brief time and the second time in Boise, Idaho when I was passing through on one of my trips. In this conversation with Arnold on the phone, I made the statement that it would be impossible for me to go over to Tacoma due to my going out to Salt Lake City the next morning. He said that he would fly over from Tacoma and pick me up at Boeing Field, I agreed to this proposition from Arnold, At 4 o’clock I met Arnold at the Boeing Field and we flew back and landed at Barry’s Airport, We were picked up at the airport by Fred Crismon, who drove the two of us into the Winthrop Hotel, We went up to Room 502 — Crismon, Arnold and myself. Fred Crismon put a telephone call into Harold Dahl and asked him would he come up to the room, A half hour later Harold Dahl made his appearance. At this time there were four men in the room — Crismon, Dahl, Arnold, and myself, Mr. Arnold asked Mr, Dahl to relate his story as to what took place on June 24* Mr, Dahl was very hesitant about telling the story to me, Arnold and Mr, Crismon were already aware of the statements that Dahl had made previous, Mr. Dahl made the statement to me that if any statements he would make relative to his story, if I would keep it confidential for two weeks, that he felt definitely that I toould want to forget the whole thing, I made the statement to Mr, Dahl that as far as I was concerned, I would keep any statements he made to me confidential for at least two weeks. Here is Dahl’s story: On June 24 (this date to be checked later) he was in a boat owned by Fred Crismon, who owns the Harbor Patrol in Tacoma. They — Mr. Dahl, a Mr. Knight, and Mr. Dahl’s son age 16, were cruising around Maury Island looking for logs that had broken away from booms. They were fairly close to shore of Maury Island when they saw four or five objects in the sky at an altitude of approximately 1500 feet. He said these objects were Page #2 100 feet in diameter, circular in shape, and it appeared that there was a hole in the center of each as he could see the sky through this hole. He also mentioned that on the inside of the circle or the hole, that portholes were visible. Their speed was negligible as they appeared to hover over a given spot. One of these objects appeared to be in trouble. Another object came over and appeared to make contact. After making this contact for approximately two minutes, it rose to its original position. At this time the obj ect that appeared to be in t rouble seemed to throw a lot of debris from one of the portholes. These objects then disappeared from view. Some of this debris that landed broke in the wheelhouse of the boat, the spotlight, and the klaxon. While this debris was falling, my boy and Mr. Knight got off the boat and hid under some logs. This debris that fell killed our dog and a sea gull. I asked Mr. Dahl what was done with the dog. He made the statement they threw the dog into the water. This story was told to Mr. Crismon, who the next day went out to this Island to check on this story. He verified the fact of the damage to the boat, also to the fact that there appeared to be quite a few pieces of either rock or metal on the shore. Mr. Crismon also stated that while he was over there investigating on Maury Island, ho also saw a disk. This disk was of the same shape and contour as the objects explained by Mr. Dahl. At this point Mr. Arnold clarified for me as to the reasons he was investigating this story. Mr. Arnold stated that he received a letter from a Mr. Raymond Palmer, supposedly editor of the Venture Press, Evanston, Illinois. The gist of this letter was that Mr. Palmer received a letter from Mr. Dahl and Mr. Crismon, also a package of these fragments that were found on Maury Island. Mr. Palmer also made the statement in the letter that the Chicago University failed to analyze these fragments and that would Mr. Arnold please investigate the story. Mr. Arnold was sent a Western Union check for $200.00 to take care of any expense that he might incur while making this investigation. , Mr. Arnold had made a telephone call to Hamilton Field to contact a Captain Davidson and a Lieutenant Brown, who were with A-2 Intelligence at Hamilton Field, asking them would they make a trip to Tacoma to also listen to this story of Dahl and Crismon. When Mr. Arnold acquainted me with the fact that he had made this phone call in front of Mr. Dahl, Mr. Dahl made the statement that he would not tell this story to anybody in Army Intelligence. I made the statement to Mr. Dahl that if he felt this way, that he should not be in the room when these two Intelligence officers arrived. Mr. Dahl thought this was an excellent idea. Page #3 Mr, Dahl, Mr. Crismon, and myself left the hotel room to go downstairs as Mr. Crismon wanted to get some metal that was in the back of his car that he had picked up on Maury Island, to bring back to the hotel room. Mr. Harold Dahl departed. At this time I made the statement to Mr. Crismon that I should like to pick up my car in Seattle. Mr. Crismon drove me to Boeing Field, Seattle. After leaving me at Boeing Field, he drove back to Tacoma and I drove my own car back to Tacoma. After I had put my car in the garage at Tacoma, I went up to the Winthrop Hotel and in the room at that time was Mr. Arnold, Mr. Crismon, and Captain Davidson from Anny Intelligence. Lieutenant Brown was downstairs getting sandwiches and coffee. When Lieut. Brown came back, the stories were again related and Lieut. Brown made a statement that all the facts of these stories would be held in strictest confidence until released by Mr. Dahl. After Mr. Crismon had told all the facts, relating not only his own story but that of Mr. Dahl, he asked for the opinion of both officers as to what they thought. Lieut. Brown made the statement that he would like to obtain some of these fragments to take back to Hamilton Field. At this time Capt. Davidson and Lieut. Brown were debating the thought as to whether to stay over night in Tacoma or leave for Hamilton Field immediately, as the B-25 they were flying was supposed to be at Hamilton Field the next day for the Air Show. The five of us then left the hotel room and went down to the hotel lobby where Mr. Brown made a telephone call to McChord Field asking them to send a driver to pick up Capt. Davidson and himself. Lieut. Brown came up to me and made the statement that he and Capt. Davidson were going back to Hamilton Field and that he would get in touch with me tomorrow and if after I had seen the fragments on Maury Island, if I thought in my own mind that this was authentic, they would immediately leave Hamilton Field and return. I was to hold this statement by Lieut. Brown in the strictest of confidence from the other group of three (Dahl, Crismon, and Arnold). We then went down to the street where Mr. Crismon drove his car up in front and took out a box of fragments and gave this box to Davidson and Brown. While waiting for the driver from McChord Field, Lieut. Brown and I discussed Pacific operations and things not per­ taining to this mission. Capt. Davidson and Lieut. Brown departed at approximately 12:45 A.M. Mr. Arnold and I went back to our hotel room after having a midnight snack. Page #4 Friday the 1st: At approximately 8 o’clock in the morning. Hr. Crismon called up our hotel room and acquainted us with the fact that the B-25 had crashed. Also that he had called McChord Field and from information he received also verified the fact that the two men in the ship were Capt. Davidson and Lieut. Brown, plus a flight engineer and a hitch-hiker. This left both Mr. Arnold and myself in a very bad state of concern. Approximate­ ly an hour later Mr. Crismon and Mr. Dahl made their appearance in the hotel room. I still wasn’t sure that this was the same B-25 that the two Intelligence officers had left in last night. Mr. Crismon then again called McChord Field and talked to a Colonel Gregg and the fact was verified again that the two pilots were Davidson and Brown. After an hour or so Mr. Crismon and Mr. Dahl left the hotel room with a plan in mind of the four of us meeting the next morning (Saturday) for breakfast and going out to Maury Island. That evening (Friday) there was a message for me to call this particular telephone number that was on the message. I called this number and was asked by the party to please call them from a paystation. This party was a Mr. Lantz, a reporter on the Tacoma Times. He told me, "I most certainly am doing myself out of a good story but I thought you ought to know that somebody has been calling this paper and giving us a blow-by-blow description of all that has taken place in your room since you arrived." To verify this, Mr. Lantz repeated back to me discussions that I felt had only been taking place in our room. Mr. Lantz also made the statement that there was a leak either from the switchboard operator or our room had been tapped. I asked Hr. Lantz why he was tipping us off with this information. He made the statement that he didn’t mind doing this if in return that any information that I may let out would be given to him. After this conversation with Mr. Lantz I went back to our room and told Ur. Arnold what took place on the telephone. Saturday morning: Mr. Arnold and I met Mr. Dahl and Fred Crismon for breakfast. We then drove out to the boat to go to the island. The boat was unserviceable at the time so we went back to the hotel. Mr. Crismon said that he would call later on in the day and let us know when the boat would be repaired. That was the last time I saw Mr. Crismon. Approximately 11 o’clock Saturday morning Mr. Crismon phoned me and made the statement it would be impossible for him to keep this appointment with me. We were cut off by the switchboard operator as this was classified as not an emergency call. The reason we were cut off was due to a stride in all the Tacoma hotels. Page #5 Mr. Lantz called up and said if I would call him at 8:30 that evening, he would have some additional information for me. I called Mr. Lantz at 8:30 that evening. He told me that this anonymous caller had again called a Mr. Marillo of the United Press and said that one of the parties that Mr. Arnold and I had come down to see was flown to Alaska. Also he made the state­ ment Mr. Smith would be called to bright Field Tuesday. This anonymous caller made the statement to Mr. Marillo that this B-25 was shot down. Mr. Marillo asked this person calling what his interest was. This anonymous caller made a statement - "Don’t think I am doing it for the newspapers. All I am interested in is seeing that this information gets back to New Jersey." After I finished the conversation with Mr. Lantz, I went over to the United Press and talked with Mr. Marillo and had him read back to me the conversations that he had had with this anonymous caller. But no opinions at this time were voiced either by me or Mr. Marillo. Sunday morning I called a Major Sander of S-2 McChord Field and asked him to meet me at the Winthrop Hotel at 11 o’clock. I met this Major Sander at 11 o’clock and we drove to a small coffee shop on the Tacoma Highway where this complete story was related to him by me. We then drove back to the Winthrop Hotel where Major Sander was introduced to Mr. Arnold by me and again listened to Mr. Arnold’s story. Mr. Arnold and I departed from the Winthrop Hotel Sunday afternoon at approximately 4:30. This is to certify that the foregoing statement was taken before me, a notary public; that prior to making said statement, the witness was first sworn to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth; that the statement was then reduced to writing and signed by me on the day of August, 1947* IN WITNESS THEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and official seal the day and year last above written. Notary Public in and for the State of Washington, residing at Seattle Affidavit of E M IL J. SM IT H Re: FL YING DISCS SIGHT E D BY FRE D CRIbM AN and HAROL D A. DAHL , T acoma, W ashington SM - X Signed statement of Fred L . Crisman and Harold A. Dahl Re: FL YING DISCS SIGHT E D BY FRE D CRISM AN and HAROL D A. DAHL T acoma, W ashington SU - X , STANDARD FORM NO. 64 i Office ‘ Memorandum U NIT E D ST AT E S GOV E RNM E NT 1 I^dd.................... M r. Nichols_____ ... TO Director, FBI - A IR M A IL from SA C, San Francisco —ASS “SU BJect^xT T ffiPO RTS O F FLYIN G DISCS DAT E : A ugust 26,1947 “ I M r. T racy________ _ I M r. E guu____ _...... I M r. Gur nea _._....... | M r. E arbo................ I M r. M ohr.............. of three There are being transm itted herewith to the Bureau photostatic copies reports received from Lieutenant Colonel DO N A LD-SPRIN GER, A -2, Fourth ^A ir Force, Ham ilton Field, California, involving reported sightings of fl discs* T he Los A ngeles O ffice is being furnished with a photostatic copy of the report of Lieutenant Colonel SPRIN GER dated A ugust 18, 1947 concerning the' investigation conducted at the M uroc Flight T est Base, M uroc, California* The Butte O ffice is being furnished with a photostatio copy of the report of Lieutenant Colonel SPRIN GER dated A ugust 20, 1947 which sets forth a letter received from M r, R, Jr"M A DDEN , Division Plant Engineer, Pacific T elephone and T elegraph Com pany, Helena, M ontana* T his office is m aintaining contact with Lieutenant Colonel SPRIN GER and will furnish the Bureau with a subsequent report from him concerning the ob­ servations of M r, RA Y A «ZffITZER, Sacram ento, California, who has reported certain observations which he believes m ay involve a flying disc at Placerville, California, on A ugust 14, 1947, HM KtEM B Enclosures - 3 cc Los A ngeles (with enclosure) Butte (with enclosure) ^co®”60 S SE P ' X- CI-R1 DECLASSIF IED A uthority: NND 90986 ^/ADQ U ART E RS FOU RT H AIR FORCE ^ Office of the Assistant Chief "of Stiff” A-2 Intelligence_ Hamilton Field, California T itle Investigation of Flying Disc. Inves tigation M A DE A T _^roc. ^ ...... C<^O lZiN G O FFICE M ^ C™^4ZE * File N o. ___________________________________ Period covered8 , a Cas e clas s ification .Ino^0n^ Date..._A L.A ?.^?^.A ®.1T .................. Status of cas e ................Pen^QK............................................................................................. RE ASON FOR INV E ST IGAT ION: Investigation initiated at request of Air Defense Command reference Itr Hq ADC, dtd 7 Jul 47, file D333.5 ID, subj: Investigation of Flying Diso. SYN O PSIS: On 8 July 1947, approximately 1000 hours, two incidents occurred in the vicinity of M uroc Flight T est Sase. No further investigation of these incidents is being considered by this headquarters Dis tribution AAF A DC 6th Army U. S. D- File 4AF AUG 2 1 1947 SAN FRANC IS-' • W . D^ P. M . G. Form N o. HO 1 April 1944 (TM e form Buporeedm V. D» O. C . S. Form No. 19. which will not be need open receipt of this reririoo) €e*™“"*TI" 0U lH' v. AFFIDAV IT ST AT E OF CAL IFORNIA ) COU NT Y OF KE RN ) T he following; is a statement giver, orally by Colonel Gilkey, Commanding Officer, "uroc Army Air Field, 'uroc, California, given to Captain Harry J. 31ack, Intelligence Officer, on 11 August 1S47. Colonel Gilkey, stated that the object he saw, he believed at the tine to be paper and of no significance or the objects not important enough to be reported. T here was nothing clearly enough seen by the Colonel to make any further reports justifiable. T his oral statement was given freely and voluntarily without any threats or promises under-duress. T his statement consists of one (1) pare, and is the truth to the best of my knowledge and belief. s/s harry d. black CAPT . HARRY D. CL ACK, ’.'AC pONFIDPM ^t a t AFFIDAV IT ST AT E OF CAL IFORNIA) COU NT Y OF KE RN) ' T he following is a statement given by M ajor Richard R. Shoop, Office of Chief of T ech. E ngineering Division, ’'uroc Army Air Field, M uroc, California, statement given on 11 July 1947. , _ At approximately noon on 8 July 1947, my attention was called to an object in the air by Colonel Gilkey. I observed between five (5) and eight (8) miles to the North what appeared to be a thin metallic object. It appeared to be metallic because the method in wnich it was flying caused the sun to reflect like an apparently aluminum colored surface. T he object moved from an intermediate altitude in an oscillating fashion, almost to the surface of the ground and then started climbing again. It climbed to a fairly high altitude and moved off slowly into the distance. T he object appeared to be the size of a pursuit airplane but did not have the shame of a °?nven5^nal plane* T ho tims that the object was in view was approximately eight minutes. T his same object was seen by my wife at the same time. T his statement has been given freely and voluntarily without any threats or promises under duress. T his statement consists of one (1) page, and is the truth to the best of my knowledge and belief. I have Initialed all corrections deemed necessary. s/s_j^ichflr^21^211222^^-l M AJOR, RICHARD k. SHOOP, AC W IT NE SS: s/s thomas a. mcmillan T HOU AS A. L flE L AN r’/^MI7TTM7KT'TT A T ST AT E OF CAL IFORNIA COU NT Y OF KE RN ) T hs following /L Nl JL JL ;ij.L N AFFIDAV IT is a statement given by T /Sgt. Joseph Kuvolo, 4144th. AAFBU , E uroc Army Air Field, V uroc, California/ statement given 1947, to 1st L t J. C. M cHenry, Billeting Officer.on 14 July T his is my own written statement of what I saw on July 8, 1947 I am L ieutenant NCO in charge of the Billeting Office, this Field, and First Joseph C. M cHenry, is Billeting Officer in Charge. About 09:45 he was returning from the Post E xchange when he called to me to come outside and asked me to look up to where he was pointing and to my surprise I saw two (2) flying objects which appeared to me like two (2 ) flying disc or saucer shaped silver colored objects, flying in a northwestern direction at speed approximately 350 and at an altitude of about 7500 or 8000 feet. I roar Ilka one of our planes and it could not have or 400 miles per hour could not hear a motor been a balloon. I am of good health and sound mind and this was no hallucination T his statement has been given freely and voluntarily without any threats or promises under duress. T his statement consists of one (1) page, and is the truth to the best of my knowledge and belief. I have initialed all corrections deemed necessary. s/s Joseph ruvolo S/SGT JOSE PH RU V OL O W IT NE SS: thomas a me miIlan T HORA3 A. V C M IL L AN ^nM PT DF.N AI AFFIDAV IT ST AT E OF CAL IFORNIA ) COU NT Y OF KE RN ) T he following is a statement given by 1st. L t. Joseph C M cHenry, Billeting Officer, M uroc Army Air Field, M uroc, California, statement given on 11 July 1947, to M r. T homas A. M cM illan, CIC S/a. this Station. T he following statement concerning the actual observance of what has been termed as a "flying Disc" or a "flying Saucer" is true and correct and it will be noted that the above mentioned observance was made by me per­ sonally while enjoying complete health in mind and body. On T uesday 8 July 1347, at approximately nine-thirty A.*'. (09:30) I was in conversation with personnel in the Post E xchange Office. M y part of this conversation was as follows: "Someone will have to show me one of these Disc before I will believe it." U pon leaving the Post E xchange, I -went directly to ny Office and be­ fore entering heard one of our local aircraft in the traffic pattern. L ooking up, as I always do I observed the aircraft, and looked slightly to the left, whereupon I observed two (2) silver objects of either a spherical or disc-like shape, moving about three hundred (300) miles an hour, or perhaps less, at approximately eight thousand (8000) feet, heading at about three hundred twenty degrees (320°) due north. W hen I first observed these objects I called S/Sgt. Gerald L . Nauman V ^gt. Joseph Ruvolo and "iss Jannette M arie Scotto who immediately came to where I was standing. I pointed in the direction of the objects and asked them the question "T ell me what you see up there." 'thereupon, all the three (3) with sundry comments stated, "T hey are flying Disc". T o further verify my observance I asked them to tell me in what direction the objects wore traveling, without indicating their direction myself, and again, all three (3) in a consistent nature stated that the objects were moving toward M ojave, California. I had time to look away several times and renew my vision of the objects to make sure that there were not any results of eye strain, or in any nature an optical illusion. T he objects in question wore not repeat, were not air­ craft, the objects could not have boon woather balloons released from this station, since they were traveling against .the prevailing wind, and since the speed at which they were traveling end the horizontal direction in which they were traveling, disqualified the fact that they were weather balloons. After the observance of these phenomenon and hoping that I might have time to enlist further witnesses, I immediately ran into the dispensary to get personnel who are -edical Officers to verify, for my own curiosity the actual observance of these objects, but by the time I reached the back porch of the dispensary, M rs. A. C. Naum, who is a registered nurse, and about seven other personnel were with me, the objects, had by that time dis­ appeared, duo to the speed with which they were traveling.' U pon further investigation, two (2 ) of us at the same time sighted another object of a silver spherical or disc-like nature at approximately eight thousand (8000) feet, traveling in circles over the North-end. I called the objects to the v 0nR?n V ' rS* Haum aod Pointedi* out to the other personnel'standing near by. All of us saw the object, with the exception of two (2 ) out of seven (7) personnel. All of us looked away from the object several times to make sure there was no eye strain or from permitting the object to become an optical illusion. From my actual observance the object circled in too tight a circle and too severe a plane to be any aircraft that I know of. It could not have been any type of bird because of the reflection that was created when the object reached certain altitudes. T he object could not have been a local weather balloon for it is very impossible that a weather balloon would stay at the same altitude as long and circle in such a consistent nature as did the above merit toned object# x ■ ^ f"niliar with th ® results of too constant vision of the sun or any bright object and am aware that optical illusions are possible and ? A W ish tO make this statement that the above mentioned observance was that of actual subject matter. T his statement has been given freely and voluntarily without any threats or promisow under duress. T his statement consists of two (2) pages, and is the truth to the bast of my knowledge and belief. I have initialed all corrections deemod necessary• s/3 Joseph c. me henry 1ST L T JOSE PH C. M C HE NRY AC W IT NE SS: s/s thomas a. me ml Ilan T HOM AS A. V IL L A?: r^KT IT T T ArPNT . T AT AFFIDAV IT ST AT E OF CAL IFORNIA COU NT Y OF KE RN ) T he following T est T he objectwas yellowish white in color and I would estimate thatitwas a sphere about 5 to 10 feet in diameter• I did not have time to chase itin a P-80. T his statement ws given freely W IT NE SS: or is a forward whirling about 2 00 to 225movement without '-PH, and heading losing altitude. It was traveling from west to east. thomas a. me mi11an T HOM AS A. M C PIL L AI s j. c. wise______ M AJOR J. C. W ISE , AC is a statement given by M ajor J. 0 Pilot, /uroc Amy Air Field, Huroc, California, statement given to 'r. T homas A. HcM illan, CIC Agent, T his station, on 13 August 1947. On 7 July 1547, at approximately 10:10, while running up the XP-84 on the ground I noticed everyone was looking up into the air. Off to the north about 10,000 to 12,000 feel altitude, was an object that I assumed at first to be a weather balloon, but after looking at it for a while I noticed that it was oscillating in . and voluntarily without any threats promises under duress. T his statement consists of one (1) p^ge, and the truth to the best of my knowledge and belief. AFFIDAV IT ST AT E OF CAL IFORNIA ) COU NT Y OP KE RN ) ' T he following is a statement given by Captain John Paul Strapp, iest’ V uroc Army Air Field, uroc, California, statement given to -.ir. T homas A. Chilian, CIC Agent, this Station, on 12 August 1947. At 11:50 hours, 8 July 1947, while the undersigned was sitting in an observation truck located in Area # 3, Rogers Dry L ake, for the purpose of observing a P-82 ejection seat experiment, the following unfamiliarity was observed. „ « T ie undersisned was gazing upward toward a formation of two (2) P-82 s and an A-2 6 aircraft flying at 20,000 feet, preparing to carry out a seat ejection experiment, when I observed a rounded object route aluminum in color, which at first resembled a parachute canopy. , first impression was that a premature ejection of the seat and * -T hiS b°dy W as e~ected ^t a determined height lower a ,00° '!' a,d was fallin6 «* three (3) times the rate observed for the parachute which was ejected thirty minutes later. As it fell xt aliEhtly n°rth of due west against the prevailing wind, to­ ward ount -ilson. T he speed, horizontal motion could not be determined but appeared slower than the maximum velocity 50-80 aircraft. As this object descended through a low enough level to oermit observation of its lateral silhouette, it presented a distinct ovular outline, with two (2 ) projections on the uppec surface which might have been thick fins or nobs. T hese crossed each other at intervals, suggest­ ing either rotation or oscillation of slow type. No smoke flames, propellar arks, engine noise, or other clasuable (?) or visible means of propulsion were noted. T he color was silvery, re- se bling aluminum painted fabric, and did not appear as dense as*a parachute canopy. -hen the object dropped to a level such that cones into line of vision of the mountain tops, it was lost to the vision of the observer. It is estimated that the object was in line of vision about SO seconds. J' the five (5) people sitting in the observation truck, four observed this object and made remarks about it. T hese people include: V r. L enz - Civilian, bright Field, Dayton, Ohio * (Other names not given) T he following is my own personal opinions about this object: 1. I think it was a man-made object, as evidenced distaintly bv the outline and functional appearance. 2 . It’s size was not Pur from 2 5 feet with a parachute canopy. 3. T he path followed by this object appeared as though it mi ht have been dropped from a great height. Seeing this was not a hallucination or other fancies of a sense* T his statement was given freely and voluntarily without any threats or promises under duress. T his statement consists of two (?) pages, and is the truth to the best of icy knowledge and belief. I heve initialed all corrections deemed necessary. s/s John naul straps________ CAPT AIN JOHN PAU L ST RAPP, AC W IT NE SS: s/s thorns a, me miIlan T HOM AS A. M C M IL L AN rV ^NT U T T ^pj'T ; { * [ AFFIDAV IT ST AT S OF CAL IFORNIA ) • COU NT Y OF KE RN ) T he folio..inr; is a statement given on 14 July 1947, by Jannette ar;- Scott, Secretary to 1st L t J. C. "cHenry, Billeting Officer, ’uroc Amy Air Field, M uroc, California. I am fully’aware of my Civil and Constitutional Rights, and under­ stand prior to making this statement. On T uesday morning 8 July 1947, at approximately 10:00, while typing some cards, and taking care of my routine work, L ieutenant M cHenry ' ’ called me, along with T /Sgt. Joseph Ruvolo and S/Sgt. Gerald -. Nauman, to the front of B.O.Q . "A" Bldg. Pointing up in a direction directly * above me he asked us to explain whet we saw. T here were two, silver colored disc like objects flying toward M ojave, California, one directly back of the other, at a speed of about 300 to 400 miles per hour, having an altitude of approximately 8000 feet. I listened carefully for a few’ minutes, and heard no drone, such as should be heard from any aircraft. I also cast my eyes to another direction and looking back to"the same spot, I was able to distinguish the same objects again. Having assured myself that there was no eye-strain, I was convinced these objects were not weather balloons due to the horizontal position in which they were {}^n^’ ^or c°ula they have been birds of any nature, due to the de­ finite reflection from the sun rays. I have been on this Base, considering an absence of six months, approximately eighteen months, and am familiar with all type aircraft. About three or four minutes, after these flying objects had nearly iisappeared, I -lanced around and sighted another flying object similar to the above mentioned objects, this flying object was'ailver colored and was in the shape of a disc. U nlike the first two this object was -lying in a ti Hit circle, neither losing nor gainin’- altitude, at' approximately eight thousand feet, therefore I was convinced it could not hav been a weather balloon, and because of the tight circle it could not have boon any type aircraft. T his statement was given freoly and voluntarily without threats or promises under duress. T his statement consists of one (1) page, and is the truth to the best of my knowledge and belief. I have initialed all corrections deemod necessary. I am of sound mind and body, and swear that this statement is true and correct. W IT NE SSE S: s/s thomas a. me milinn T HOM AS A. V C M IL IAN s/s gannette marie scott Jannotte M arie Scott AFFIDAV IT ST AT E OF CAL IFORNIA ) COU NT Y OF KE RN ) T he following is a statement given by S/Sgt. Gerald \ Nauman, 4144th AAFBU , M uroc Army Air Field, M uroc, California, statement given on 14 July 1947, to 1st L t. J. C. M cHenry, Billeting Officer. On the eight of July 1947 at ten o’clock (10:00) in the morning I observed personally two (2) flying disc, flying in a north west direction at an estimated altitude of seven or eight thousand feet, traveling at approximately three or four hundred miles per hour. Just a few minutes before this I was in the billeting Office and First L ieutenant Joseph C. M cHenry, called me and two (2) others out­ side. Be then asked us what we saw. I saw two (2) objects with my own eyes, and I am now and was then in perfect physical condition. I have 2 0-2 0 vision and I am positive these two (2) objects could not have been Aircraft, weather balloons or birds. Due to the altitude in which they were flying, they gave off a definite reflection from the rays of the sun­ In addition to these two (2) disc I saw another object a few minutes later at the same altitude doing certain maneuvers such as flying in a tight circle. T he two disc had already disappeared. T his object to my knowledge of aircraft could not have been an airplane because of the very tight maneuver it was undergoing. I have been Plying in and have been around all types of aircraft since 1943 and never in ny life have 1 seen anything such as this. If necessary I can and will swear to this statement. T his statement has been given freely and voluntarily without any threats or promises under duress. T his statement consists of one (1)* page, and is the truth to the best of my knowledge and belief. I have initialed all corrections deemed necessary. s/s t. c. robinson PFC T . 0. R03INS0N W IT NE SS: s/s thomas a. mo miIlan ‘ T HOM AS A. 70 M IL L AN rV^K TCTT^pK TnpT A ] \uV N I XX^i-^lN ± ±M-JL « U N IDEN T IFIED O BJECT 4A F-1208-I 20 A ugust 1947 M EM O RA N DU M FO R T HE O FFICER IN CHA RGEi “ 1. O n 20 A ugust 1947, this agent and Special A gent Hubbard interviewed M r. Ray A . Switser, Insurance A djustor, at his hom e, 3431 David flay, Sacram ento, California, and he stated In substancei O n the afternoon of 14 A ngus* 1947, he was driving his autom obile from Placer­ ville, California, on the Cedar Ravine Road. M r. Switier’s wife was in the front seat of the autom obile and M rs. Switser’s m other and the two Switser children were in the back seat of the oar. A t about 1600 hours they were at a point approxim ately five m iles southwest from Placerville when Switser saw a white sm oke trail out of the corner of his eye. In searching for a rocket ship (P80) he saw an object, four to six feet in length, ten to fourteen Inches wide, and of a m etal color, bright like highly polished chrom ium . In relation to the travel of the autom obile the object was first seen at 1030, and when the object reached a point at approxim ately 1200, It was engulfed in a puff of dark gray sm oko about ten feet in diam eter. T he object was traveling at a terrific rate of speed and seem ed to be in a very shallow dive. W hen the puff of sm oke appeared, the object disappeared com pletely and there were no particles seen to have fallen from the sm oke. The point where the object was on- gulfed in the sm oke was about eight hundred yards distant (in front of) Switser with no possibility of the object being hidden from view by vege­ tation or terrain. The object appeared rectangular in shape except for one very short period of tim e it appeared to have a top surface that was very slightly curved. M r. Switser turned to tell his wife about the object and found her with her m outh open in an effort to say som ething and with her hand In a pointing gesture toward where the object had dis­ appeared. The object was not very high In relation to the terrain and seem ed to be following the contour of a canyon. 2. In a separate interview M rs. Switser concurred in the inform ation obtained from M r. Switser with the following exceptional The sm oke trail and the puff that engulfed the object appeared dark gray in color and there was no change in the color. M rs. Switser estim ated the object to bo about five feet long and about a foot wide with the top surface being slightly curved. The object appeared to be som e larger in front than in the rear. A GEN T S N O TESi A t the tim e this object was seen, the sun was to the Switser's back, the sky was clear and the object gave off a very bright reflection. h*’ been connected with the field of insurance investigation for the last eighteen years and appears to be a m an not desirous of publicity. The other passengers of the car did not see the object. M r. Switser is in ^i^00?1 « T inR *° * P*noh ne#r P1*0’^111”..Calif.^and his new.address will bo Box 43, A ukum , Eldorado County, Calif. A rkaagem ents have been m ade to m eet M r. Switser at 1400. 26 A ug 47 at Raffoli*-*^, Placerville, Calif., tor the purpose of going back over Cedar Ravine Road tailA cfrtb N tfcoint I where the object disappeared. j P r Bryden E. M oon, Special A gent, 4A F CIC | o^m gnA ^Clf r • r,nM T?Tni7M T7 A '^'^ ~ ‘____________________< > XX X V XXXI. JU ______________ ____ HEA DQ U A RT ERS FO U RT H A IR FO RCE O ffice of the A ssistant Chief of Staff, A -2 Intelligence Ham ilton Field, California W DA 20 A ugust 1947 333.5/1206.1 SU BJECTi Flying Disc. T Oi Special Agent in Charge, FBI, U . 3. Dept, of Justice, Federal Office Building, Room 42 2 , San Francisco, Calif. 1. The attached letter m s received by this office from Hr. R. J. M adden, Division Plant Engineer, Pacific T elephone and Telegraph Com pany, on lb A ugust 1047. 2. to further investigation will be m ade of this reported Inci­ dent by this headquarters. 1 Inoli A s indicated. DIST RISU T IOHt AAF - 2 sys ADC - 1 " 6th Amy • 1 oy FBI - 1 cy LtOtHAl 8 I U. S OF AUG 2 1 1947 C^^T I7T n.r7K^ ^ONFT nFM T T a . ^O p 427 w. 3d A venue 3pok«ne, -Babington A ugust 8, 1947 m ilitary Intelligence Division, U .S.A . oChord Field, Raahington s«ntlearn Following the reading of an account of the visit of M r. Kenneth -rnold, -else, Idaho, as published in the Spokesm an Review under date of A ugust 7, 1947, the undersigned considered the enclosed account of an observation of a "flying saucer" would be of interest to you. Ihls account has not been given to any newspaper or other public* ation as yet. Yours truly, /•/ Be J. M adden B« J. M A DDKB, Division Plant ^ngr. The Pao. T el. * Tel. Co. U . Slice AUG 2 1 1947 r'/^M rrT nrrKT T T a i V ^W J n I xxyx-JN X xAL SAN FRANC ISO HOU i ED TQ V Report on a "Flying JauooF" A t or about U i4 pda., July 29, 1947, a sedan, driven by Stove iorrm na and carryinr, *• J. (Bob) M idden in the front seat and fcrl Lorrm ann in the roar eeat, was proceeding northwesterly alone the rom d^padin^frem Canyon Ferry to York, both in M ontana none 2ft al la a 1.3. of Jelena. hen at a point approxim ately 4 m ile V .V . of Canyon Ferry, (at shown on Forest Service Yap to be in the ■£? of n| of Joo. 10 T10V U W ) Karl. suddenly shouted "See itl Soo itl T here’s a flying aauoerl" Stevo im M d- lately slowed down and gradually brought the codan to a atop, he and Sob m eanwhile ecanning the sky in the direction pointed by Karl In an effort to 000 the "flying causer", but without sucooss. • A pproxim ately ten seconds elapsed between the tim e Karl reported cooing the "saucer", sowing over the horison at high speed free the southwest,(Karl first thought it a m eteor) and travelling northeasterly, and the bringing of the oar to a stop. A s the oar sane to a stop, Stove, Karl and Job, sim ultaneously, saw the followings Directly ahead, (I.*) 2 to 3 m iles distant and approxim ately 3000 ft. above the ground, a bright dice hovering and fluttering In the air. Descend­ ing and rising through a vertical distance of fifty or a hundred foot for a period of about five ceooods then, while at the top of an accent, the "dice" suddenly swooped to the N ortheast at trem endous spaed and disappeared into the clear air within a distance of 200 ft. T hat la to say it did not pass beyond an obstruction to further visibility but "m elted into thin air" as if because ef trem endous speed. T his disc was, from ths viewpoint of the observers, apparently 3 ft. in diam eter, drooler and of no great thickness - approxim ately 3 or 4 Inches. The sky sm s blue with scattered sm all clouds, the sun was shining brightly and the dec gleam ed and shim m ered in the bright sunlirht as if covered with highly polished nickel. A fter the "disc" disappeared from view, the codan and Its occupants proceeded northwesterly along the road, but oould disoern no evidence of the presence of the "dice” along or adjacent to that thorofare. It la to bo rem em bered that the dim ensions as stated above wore as they appeared to the observers som e 1 or 3 m iles from the "disc" and the true dim ensions m ust bo considerably greeter. /s/ I. J. M adden, A . J. M A DDU i, Division Plant Eagr. The Pae. Tol. & Tol. Co. rWKTT?TTM 7NT i 1 A J Jt^kyiN A A A >A Jlt XXX-XX> STAT jQARD FORM NO. 64 Office Memorandum U NIT E D ST AT E S GOV E RNM E NT = DIRE CT ORT O : SAC, San Francisco SU BJE CT : RE PORT S o/fL YI. G DISCS DAT E : 9-15-47 Reference is made to my letter dated August 26, 1947. E nclosed is a copy of a letter dated September 9, 1947 from L t. Colonel DONAL D L . SPRINGE R, of A2, with a memorandum prepared by BRYDE N E . M OON, 4th Air Force CIC on August 2 0, 1947 and August 26, 1947. T he memorandum contains information regarding observations of RAY A. SW IT ZE R of Sacramento, California. Also enclosed is a letter dated September 10, 1947 from Colonel SPRINGE R with attac ment dated September 9, 1947 • For the information of the Bureau, KE NNE T H ARNOL D of Boise, Idaho, who has been repeatedly interviewed in this matter by A2, has expressed his intention to A2 of selling for publication his detailed account of his investigation of flying discs. EO N FiD EN ilAL HE ADQ U ART E RS FOU RT H AIR FORCE Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff, A-2 Intelligence Hamilton Field, California 4AFDA 333.5/12O8-I 9 September 1947 SU BJE CT : Investigation of Flying L ise. T O: Special Agent in Charge, FBI, U . S. Department of Justice, Room 42 2 , Federal Office iuildir. \ oa: r^ncisco, lalifcmia. Attached ’ZOIC for your information 1 Indi M OIC, M oon, dtd 20 Aug 47 L t. CoIonol Deputy AC < ^V71N1 lUl^lN 1 IM L nU FT DrU . T A 1 1050 hours 18 A ugust 1947 T elephone roesage received from r# A l Reck, City Editor, O akland Tribunes r# Ray A # Switter, 3431 -‘avid • ay, Sacram ento 2, Calif, and insurance executive with the firm of ’o uirc and al Lis, of Saora onto, reported the following incidents A t 4#P# • on A ugust 14, while driving on Cedar levins Hoad, 4 to 5 m iles southeast of Placerville, Calif, he, accom panied by hie wife, observed a "vapor* trail m oving fron north to south# Closer observation revealed a piece of “shiny m etal" at froa bO O to luO O feet altitude m oving at a "high rate of speed"# T he object appeared to bo m ore " rocket-#’wiped* than disc* shaped# It appeared to be approxim ately 5 feet in length and was "tilted in a cord •circle"# The object struck the ground with a "puff of black ar«okeH about 100 feet below the top of a hill which was approxim ately 750 feet ahead of the autom obile driven by the observer# A n intervening canyon revolted investi­ gation of the location where the object was observed to have landed# The observer la able to identify the location where the object was observed to land# (•Sr# Switeer is a university of California graduate, and is personally known by am bers of the O akland Tribune staff# He is a brother-in-law of Col# 'fay of the arine Hospital of Southern California) ’iTiniTM ; i A I U NIDE NT IFIE D OBJE CT 4AF-1208-I 2 0 August 1947 M E M ORANDU M FOR T HE OFFICE R IM CHARGE : 1. On 2 0 August 1947, thia agent and Special Agent Hubbard interviewed U r# Ray A. Switzer, Insurance Adjustor, at his home, 3431 David W ay, Sacramento, California, and he stated in substance: On the afternoon of 14 August 1947, he was driving hie automobile from Placer­ ville, California, on the Cedar ravine Road. M r# Switzer’s wife was in the front seat of the automobile and M rs# Switzer’s mother and the two Switzer cr ildren wore in the back seat of the car. At about 1600 hours they were tit a point approximately five miles southwest from Placerville when Switzer saw a white smoke trail out of the corner of his eye# In searching for a rocket shin (P80) ho saw an object, four to six feet in length, ten to fourteen inches wide, end of a metal color, bright like highly polished chromium# In relation to the travel of the automobile tht object was first seen at 1030, and when the object reached a point at approximately 1200, it was engulfed in a puff pf dark gray smoke about ten feet in diameter. T he object was traveling at a terrific rate of speed and seemed to be in a very shallow dive# W hen the ouff of smoke appeared, the object disappeared completely and there were no particles seen to have fallen from the smoke. T he point where the object was en- rulfed in th© smoke was about eight hundred yards distant (in front of) Switzer with no possibility of the object being hidden from view by vege­ tation or terrain. T he object appeared rectangular in shape except for one very short period of time it appeared to have a top surface that was very slightly curved. U r. Switzer turned to tell his wife about the object and found her with her mouth open in an effort to say something and with her hand in a pointing gesture toward where the object had dis­ appeared# T he object was not very high in relation to the terrain and seemed to be following the contour of a canyon. 2 # In a separate interview /rs. Switzer concurred in the information obtained from M r. Switzer with the following exceptions: T he smoke trail and the puff that engulfed the object appeared dark gray in color and there was no change in the color. rs# Switzer estimated the object to be about five feet long and about a foot wide with the top surface being slightly curved. Ihe object appeared to be some larger in front than in the rear. AGE NT ’S NOT E S: At the time this object was seen, the sun was to the Switzer’s back, the sky was clear and the object gave off a very bright reflection. r# Switzer has been connected with the field of insurance investigation for the last eighteen years and appears to be a man not desirous of publicity. T he other oassongers of the car did not see the object. !r# Switzer is in the process of moving to a ranch near Placerville, Calif,, and his new address will be Box 43, Aukun, E ldorado bounty, Calif. Arrangements have been made to meet r. Switzer at 1400, 2 6 Aug 47 at Raffels hotel, Placerville, Calif., for the purpose of going back over Cedar Ravine Road to locate the point where the object disappeared# Bryden ^# 'foon, Special A^ent, 4AF CIC U NIDE NT IFIE D OBJE CT 4AF-12 J8-I . A < . 7’S h< xE 3: Forester Young will communicate with the AC of S, A-2 , Headquarters Fourth Air Force, Hamilton Field, California, if any information regarding wreckage of an aircraft is located in the area in question# Young was not informed of the mission and was led to believe that the mission was an effort to locate possible eircraft wreckage in the area. U NIDE NT IFIE D OBJE CT 4AF-12 O8-I 3. On 26 August 47, s/A Hubbard and this agent contacted 'r. Ray Switzer, Insurance Adjustor at the ^ffele Hotel, Placerville, California. After traveling Cedar Ravine road to a point nine miles southeast of Placerville, known as duck’s Bar, Switzer decided that the place from where he had observed the object on 14 Aug 47 was nearer to Pl cervillc. After a thorough check of the road, Switzer believed the spot where,be had observed the object to be on the ridge just north of W ebber Creak where the road breaks over the summit. T his point la two miles from the Raffels Hotel, "laoerville, California, on the Cedar Ravine Road. As the road approaches the summit it curves to the left which would provide an observer from an automobile a sweeping view through 40° of the canyon and the horizon on the outh side of W ebber Creek. T his point of observa­ tion lies 38* 42* 45" North latitude and 120° 47’ 15" best L ongitude. T he elevation at this point is 2 ,000 feet above sea level, ‘he horizon from this point in the south is formed by a series of mountain peaks which lie generally through 33° 39’ 45" and which are on the south side of Squaw hollow Creek, a distance of four miles, end rangin' in elevation from 2,300 feet to 2 ,500 feet above sea level. Switzer was not definite as to what part of the field of view he had seen the object and indicated that it could have been as far as the horizon. Any object, or particles of an object, that Switzer saw, if on the ground on the field of view, would be in a six square mile eree of wooded, mountainous terrain which is full of canyons end ravines. AGE NT ’S NOT E S: T his agent believes that Switzer could have seen an aluminum surfaced conventional type aircraft which, due to the distance at which he observed it, distinguishing features were not seen because of the bright reflection and the short period of observation. T he aircraft would «ve been coming from the left as Switzer turned to the left, thereby Ivir.r the effect of a much greater speed than the object was really traveling. T his agent has no explanation as to the snoke trail observed by Switzer. If roconnaisauce is desired of the area to r.oe if anything can be located on the ground, this agent suggests that a small type aircraft similar to an M , bo used in low level flight between the hours of 1100 to 1300. Switzer was very cooper­ ative and expended much of his own time in an effort to be of as much service as possible. Switeer will communicate with the AC of S, A-2, Headquarters Fourth Air Force, Hamilton Field, California, in the event of any report of aircraft wreckage in the area* 4. On 26 Aug 47, a cheek with Ranger Dixon, State Forest Service, Camino, California, and George 3. Young, Forester, Federal Forest Service, Placerville, California, provided the following information! * .* re has been no forest fires or reported aircraft crashes in the area in question within the last month* Bryden E * M oon, Special Agent, 4AF CIC Co nfidential HE ADQ U ART E RS FOU RT H AIR FORCE Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff, A-2 intelligence Hamilton Field, California . I 4AFDA 10 September 1947 " 333.5/1208-1 SU BJE CT : Investigation of Flying Disc. T O: Special Agent in Charge, FBI, U . S. department of Justice, Room 422, Federal Office Building, 3m Francisco, California. Attached M OIC for your information. 1 Incl: FOR T HE AC OF S, A-2: HOIC, Hubbard, dtd 9 Sep 47. S, ADeputy AC DONAL D L L t. Colonel m M PTnRM T T A I K_>^> 1^1 ll-> X-/A N X XZ~X± - . c U F-1208-I Incident 9 3»pt«*«r 191*7 M 5M DRA TO U M FO R lilS CFFICSl IN CHA RGE I r. Tard L. Stewart, 121*2 Silvia Street, Berkeley, California, was interviewed 8 depte-t-er 191*7 at his place of em ploy’ent, the Hearst V ining Bull!Inc, U niversity of California, concerning flying objects he reported to have seen on 29 July 191*7 while with Captain N illiam H. Ryherd of the U lSth A A F W (RT). M r. Stewart stated in substance that he was a 1st Lt in the Reserve and that on the 2?th of July 191*7 shortly after 12 noon he and Captain Ryherd had Just landed fro-, a routine training flight when Captain Ryherd sailed M r, Stewart's attention to an unidentified flying object that was following a P-flO aircraft at a terrific rate of speed. Jr. Stewart estt-ated the P->0 to be flying at approxim ately 250 m iles per hour on a prelim inary approach to landing at Ham ilton Field, In Jr, Stewart's estl-nation the object he saw following tho P-80 m aintained a speed of three to four tim es that of the aircraft. A ao-ent later a second object appeared and flew a course described as som ething sim ilar to a fighter aircraft’s m aneuvers when aeceepanydn£ heavier ships, or a left to rl~ht m ovem ent, over the object first sighted. Jr. Stewart stated that this m aneuvering continued until the objects were o t of sight. Ho estim ated the tim e to be a -roxl-nately IS sec rds, the course approxim ately 120 donees. 'r. Stewart could not estim ate the else of the objects nor actual altitude, thou^t he did not believe them to be beyond six thousand feet, ir, Stewart described the objects as being silky ihite in color, and unlike any conventional type aircraft he had ever seen. ..hen questioned whetner he was flailiar with the N avy "Flapjack”, M r. Stewart stated that he was, and that he was certain tho objects he reported seeing were not of thia retort. A GiM 'S N TESi M r. Stewart is a form er officer of the U .S. A A F and a B-29 pilot of considerable experience. N r. Stewart does not convey tho im ­ pression of being tho Kind of person who would "im agine" that he was seeing objects, nor has he any apparent desire for publicity. r. Stewart is in charge of m achine shops at tho U niversity of California, Berkeley, California LESLIS S. SU BA T O , S/A , CIC A DC l*A F 7-54 PM OK FBI W A BW FE I BU T T E 8-15-47 5-50 PM . Rowen BRan . . E arbo M ehr RE CT OR, FBI FL YING DISCS U RGE NT ON INST ANT DAT E AXXXX DAT E , AL W .*__HAW KINS, COM M ISSIONE R AND E X SHE RIFF, T W IN FAL L S, IDAHO COU H BROW N, IDAHO ST AT E W ARE HOU SE INSPE CT OR, SAM E COM M U NIT Y, ADV ISE D T HAT ON W E DNE SDAY M ORNING, AU GU ST T HIRT E E N L AST , AT APPROXIM AT E L Y NINE T HIRT Y AM W HIL E FISHING IN RIV E R APPROXIM AT E L Y FORT Y M IL E S SOU T HW E ST OF T W IN FAL L S, IDAHO, IN ISOL AT E D COU NT RY, T HE Y SAW T W O OBJE CT S FL YING T HROU GH AIR AT GRE AT HE IGHT , W HICH APPRXXXX APPE ARE D T O BE DISCS, AND AT SAM E T IM E HE ARD ROAR SIM IL AR T O NOISE CRE AT E D RAPIDL Y FE E T IN BY M OT OR T RU CK. INFORM ANT S ADV ISE D OBJE CT S M OV ING V E RY AND W M M K T HAT T HE Y E ACH APPE ARE D T O BE APPROXIM AT E L Y SIX DIAM E T E R. OBJE CT S Q U ICKL Y DISAPPE ARE D FROM SIGHT AND HAV E NOT BE E N SE E N SINCE NO FU RT HE R AV AIL ABL E PU RSU ANT T O JU L Y T HIRT Y FU RT HE R INV E ST IGAT ION B^l OF AL L PE RT INE NT BANIST E E ND HOL D PL S DE V DE SC T HE SE OBJE CT S PRE SE NT L Y CONDU CT E D BY T HIS DIV ISION NINE T E E N FORT Y BU RE AU BU L L E T IN V E N. T Y T W O. SU B DIV ISION B, DAT E D BU RE AU W IL L BE PROM PT L Y INFORM E D IK SE P 2 4 1947 11:. *« »»*” .^eD^1’'’^■c&^3 c if0' n“ 11 W: Wk* - wC IL. : wm ■ : xmxwxxX r-srs-W3* STANDARD FORM NO. 64 FROM s 15 SE P t/u r U NIT E D Sil* GOV E RNM E NT T O E CT : Force DIRE CT OR, FBI SAC, SAN FRANCISCO RE PORT S OF FL YING DISCS DAT E : August AT T E NT ION: ASSIST ANT DIRE CT OR D. M . L ADD On August 2 7, 1947, L t. Colonel DONAL D SPRINGE R, A-2 , Fourth Air Hamilton Field, California, advised that the Area Intelligence Require- ments Division Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff, A-2 Headquarters, re­ quested that one W IL L IA1M IH0ADS of Phoenix, Arizona, be completely inter­ viewed in connection with a report that he had seen on July 7, 1947, what he believed were flying discs. RHOADS is supposed to have taken several pic­ tures of the discs with a 62 0 Box Camera A previous report of this reported sighting of flying discs was forwarded the Bureau on August 8, 1947. Colonel SPRINGE R has advised that GE ORGE F. FU GAT E , Jr., an intelligence agent of A-2 stationed at L ong B ach, California, would arrive in Phoenix, Arizona, on or about September 2,“1947, and would be instructed to contact the Phoenix Field Division Office. In accordance with Bureau Bulletin No. 42 , Series 1947, it is felt that an agent from the Phoenix Field Division should interview W IL L IAM RHOADS at 4333 North 14th Street, Phoenix, if RHOADS has not already been interviewed. Colonel SPRINGE R indicated that M r. JU GAT E should, if possible, sit in on this interview. photographic enclosed for A copy of the report from A-2 dated August 4, 1947, along with three prints of the pictures allegedly taken by M r. RHOADS, is being the Phoenix Field Division W R/jo 62 -2 938 2 cc Phoenix (E ncl.) (AM SD) AIRM AIL SPE CIAL DE L IV E RY INDE XV P RECElvr P?S 2 58 PM’ ETERNAL SECURP STANDARD FORM NO. 64 65-477 e dllM • U NIT E D GOV E RNM E NT Director, FBI SAC, Butte D FL YING DISCS SIGHT E D BY FRE T ^HRISM AN AND HAROL D >>s^AHL , T ACOM A, W ASHINGT ON SE CU RIT Y M AT T E R - X Re Seattle teIs August 7, 1947, and August 12 , 1947, in the above captioned matter. KE NNE T f^^NOL D, Route 1, 'ountain V iew Drive, Boise, Idaho, was inter­ viewed at the Boise Resident Agency, Boise, Idaho, by SA JOSE PH E . JE T T E on -^August 19, 1947. M r. ARNOL D advised that he received a letter from RAYM OND A. PAL M E R, E ditor, V enture Press, E vanston, Illinois, dated June 2 6, 1947, in which M r. PAL M E R advised that he was interested in publishing an article in his magazine concerning the flying discs seen by M r. ARNOL D near M ount Rainier on June 2 4, 1947 which letter is being enclosed to the Bureau. M r. ARNOL D stated that he did not give much thought to PAL M E R’S letter until PAL M E R wrote him again and informed him that FRE D 'HRISM AN and HAROL D A. AHL of T acoma, W ashington, had sent him fragments of a flying disc and that he would like him (ARNOL D) to go to T acoma, W ashington, and contact CHRISM AN and DAHL to find out if there was any truth in their story about the disc fragments. He stated that he did not answer PAL M E R’S letter, but inquired of several friends for their opinion in the matter, and that they all told him if PAL M E R desired to pay his expenses to go to T acoma, W ashington, and look into this matter, that they did not see where he had anything to lose. He informed that he gave a talk at the Boise Ad Club on July 2 5, 1947, •yT ACHE D .about the flying discs he had seen, and also of the request contained in PAL M E R’S ^letter to go to T acoma to investigate additional information regarding the find- i ARNOL D advised that following his talk, he was approached by a person who said he knew both CHRISM AN and DAHL and that they were very reliable individuals. He stated that after thinking it over, he called PAL M E R by telephone and at which time he informed PAL M E R that he would contact CHRISM AN and DAHL and investigate the matter regarding the disc fragments, if PAL M E R would send him $2 00.00 expense money. He also advised that he received $2 00.00 expense money from PAL M E R via W estern U nion the next morning. He informed that he left for T acoma, W ashington, via his personal plane on July 30, 1947 Pendleton, Oregon, he told his story to E T ^tE ACH, CAA Insp. Oregon, who advised him to go ahead with his investigation U pon arriving at jector from Portland, He stated that he landed at Barry’s Airport room at the W inthrop Hotel. He informed that he then । make arrangements to talk to him regarding the. cW ^c in DAHL insisted on coming to the hotel room imme'lively. icoma JK'd o'Q Hlinedja I 34^6? i^l& ptyone to ts. He advised that a* arriving at M r. AP’ OL D’s hotel room, DAHL stated that he wanted had been happening to him, and advised to forget abov± the discs as too many things M r. ARyOLr^wP rW aV n home and forget about the discs. M r. ARNOL D stated that he informed DAHL that he wanted to COPIE S DE ST ROYE D 270 NOV 18 1964 ^wr^w^^ all WIRMAL S«UMT* P'PT HP JUSTi 3RECEIVED P?7 133PM' INTERNAL SECURE ♦ rpr pr ■», -. August 27, 1947Director, FB^ Re: Flying Discs - T acoma, W n. of the information available regarding the disc fragments and that he understood that DAHL had told the press about the disc fragments, stating there was nothing to the story and that it was a phoney. DAHL immediately replied that his story was not false or phoney, but that what he had seen and what had happened to him was so unusual and fantastic that he wanted to forget about the disc fragments. DAHL then agreed to tell M r. ARNOL D the following story, providing his name and the Harbor Patrols would be left out: DAHL stated that his dog had been killed and his boy hurt and that the wheel mount on his harbor patrol boat had been struck by disc fragments, and that about twenty ton of this material had fallen on the beach at M auri Island, and into the bay, and that a day after this incident, a man about forty years of age had contacted him and told him, "I know what you sew at M auri Island and I’m telling you in a nice way to forget about it and keep your mouth shut." DAHL stated that he had obtained a large number of the fragments and had taken them home, but that FBE r-jyfCKlM , his superior officer, had told him to send the fragments to RAYM ONi) PAL M E R at Chicago; that PAL M E R would analyze the specimens free of charge. DAHL continued stating that on the afternoon of June 2 1, 1947, he was on patrol with his boy, dog, and two seamen near a cove on the east side of M auri Island. He stated that he looked up through the windshield of the boat and at a height of about 1,000 feet, he saw six round circular grey objects that looked like large inner tubes slightly squashed. T hese objects appeared to be about 100 feet across and in the center was a hole about twenty-five feet. DAHL said he assumed they were some type of a balloon. T he object in the center was lower than the rest of the other objects, and the other objects were circling around it. T he object in the center seemed to be descending while the others followed. As the objects descended he saw port holes around the inside of the object and what appeared to be windows. He stated that the object in the center descended to about 500 feet, and that suddenly one of the circling objects came down and touched the object in the center and remained in this position for a few minutes, while the other objects continued to circle above. T he object which had descended and touched the object in the center and which was lower, then rose and took its place with the other objects. All of the objects then started to rise and what appeared to be news­ papers came out of the center of the object in the middle of the circling object. T hen the sky seemed to rain lava, the lava coming from the object in the center and DAHL headed the boat for shore. He stated that the lava coming from the object in the center appeared to be a white metal, and as it fell into the water, clouds of steam rose from the water. He stated that some of the lava landed on the beach. He also stated that his dog was killed and also a sea gull in addition to his boy being hurt by the falling lava. M r. ARNOL D continued stating that DAHL had said that he had taken pictures of the object and that if M r. ARNOL D wanted them, he could have the negatives. DAHL took M r. ARNOL D to the home of his secretary that evening and showed him some of the disc fragments he had picked up, which were smooth on one side and rou^h on the other, according to M r. ARNOL D. -2- August 2 7, 1947Director, FBI Re: Flying Discs - T acoma, W n. M r. AP. OL D stated he received a telephone call from the press upon returning to his hotel room, and that the press wanted to know about the flying disc fragments, and he told them that he was not talking until he had proved it. He stated he did not know how the press ever knew he was in T acoma or had seen DAHL . M r. ARNOL D informed that at 9:30 A.M . the next morning, July 31, 1947, DAHL and CHRISM AN appeared at his hotel room and DAHL again asked him to go home and forget about the discs, that his story was not false, but that he had had enough trouble. DAHL said that his boy had been missed one morning and had been found at L ust, M ontana, waiting on tables in a cafe; that he did not know how he had got there and that too many things were happening. M r. ARNOL D stated that when DAHL and CHRISM AN came to his hotel room, they had an armful of fragments, and that CHRISM had then informed about how he had seen an object resembling those seen by DAHL . CHRISM AN stated he had taken the patrol boat on July 23, 1947, and had gone to M auri Island and had found the beach littered with leva. CHRISM AN stated he had looked up and had seen a balloon-like object with port holes and windows, which had disappeared into a large cloud. ARNOL D stated that he asked DAHL again to see the pictures of the objects; that DAHL had again agreed to show them to him. M r. ARNOL D informed that he had then asked DAHL and CHRISM AN if it would be all right for him to call a friend, Captain SM IT H, who had also seen some flying discs and let him spe the fragments and hear M r. DAHL’s story. DAHL dissented, however, CHRISM AN readily agreed. He also stated that he had placed a call to L ieutenant BROW ard Captain DAV IDSON, Army intelligence officers at Hamilton Field, and had asked them to come to his hotel, as they had previously instructed him to report to them any­ thing of an unusual nature or of interest regarding the flying discs. He stated he flew to Seattle and got Captain SM IT H, and that L ieutenant BRCW N and Captain DAV IDSON had come to his room about 4:00 P.M . :^. AR'OL D advised that he had asked L ieutenant BROW N just what he had found out regarding the discs, and L ieutenant BROW N had confidentially informed him that they had obtained a picture of a disc, which appeared to be authentic, which picture was taken by a man in Phoenix, Arizona. T he picture, according to L ieutenant BROW N, was of a circular object with a hole in the center, and of another object that looked like a flying wing. He stated that when L ieutenant BROW N told him this that he immediately thought of the object seen by DAHL . He stated that after hearing DAHL’s story, L ieutenant SPOT ' and Captain DAV IDSON’S attitude had changed immediately, and that they appeared disinterested. It was then suggested that they all go to M auri Island and look for the disc fragments. L ieutenant BROW N and Captain DAV IDSON stated that they had to return to Hamilton Field immediately. M r. ARNOL D stated that L ieutenant BROW and Captain DAV IDSON were very careful to gather up all of the fragments which had been brought to the room by DAHL and CHRISM AN. -3- r Director, FBI Re: Flying Discs - T acoma, W n. August 27, 1947 He stated that the next morning he received a call from CHRISM AN, who told him that L ieutenant BROV IN and Captain DAV IDSON had been killed in a B-2 5 crash. He stated he does not know how CHRISM AN knew who had been in the plane before anyone else. He also stated that during the above conference numerous telephone calls were received from the press, wanting to know about the conference. He stated that someone kept tipping the press off as to what ■was going on and what was being said daily verbatim. He informed that PAU L L AND and M ORE L L O, U nited Press men at T acoma, appeared to know all that took place during the conference, and even knew of the crash of the B-2 5 and those aboard, before the Army released this information. M r. ARNOL D informed that when he received news of the crash, that he and Captain SM IT H fully expected to be contacted by Army Intelligence, as they were the last people with L ieutenant BROW ’ ad Captain DAV IDSON, however, they were never contacted. He further stated that he and Captain SM IT H went down to the U nited Press to see what the survivors of the crash had informed about the crash and that M ORE L L O had told them that the mysterious informant who had been calling had told him that the B-25 had not crashed, but had been s hot down, also that M ORE L L O’S Army informant had said that an observer at Kelso, W ashington, had seen the plane throw out a landing flare after the two survivors had jumped from the plane, and that the plane had gone into a steep dive and dove into a hillside, and further that one engine had been on fire, but that the fire apparatus, protecting the engine, had failed to function. M r. ARNOL D stated that DAHL then came to see him and Captain SM IT H and told them to go home and forget about the discs, that such things as the B-25 crash had been happening to him all along. M r. ARNOL D stated that he then called M r. PAL M E R at Chicago and told him that the deal was off and that if he wanted his #2 00.00 back, he could have it; that two men had been killed and he was getting frightened of the whole thing. He stated that PAL M E R informed him that it was all ri -ht with him to keep the $2 00.00, however, he would send him an additional check for the trouble he had put to. M r. ARNOL D advised that previous to this telephone call, Captain SM IT H had called his friend, .M ORRIS RODDY, of the Chicago T imes and had told him that he did not have any faith in Army intelligence and for RODDY to conduct an investigation on PAL M E R and get to the bottom of this disc fantasy. M r. ARNOL D also advised that previous to the two above telephone calls, he had asked the press to investigate PAL M E R, as Army Intelligence had informed him th* they could not find PAL M E R and knew nothing concerning him, and appeared not to be interested in PAL M E R, who seemed to know more about the flying discs than anyone else. r. ARNOL D stated that he personally thinks that PAL M E R’S business is a blind for something else and that DAHL and CHRISM AN will do anything that PAL M E R asks him to and will not talk unless PAL M E R tells him to. M r. ARNOL D stated that he still wanted to get to the bottom of the disc fragment story so he and Captain SM IT H had decided to go to M auri Island on Sunday, August 3, -4- August 2 7, 1947Director, FBI Re: Flying Discs - T acoma, “n. 1947, however, when CHRISM AN was approached in this regard, and they had gone to the boat house where CHRISM AN keot his boat, CHRISM AN could not seem to make the boat run, and after making some excuses that he had to return to his office, had stated that he would return in about an hour, and by thet time his mechanic should have the boat repaired and they could all proceed to M auri Island. M r. ARNOL D informed that CHRISM AN never returned, end thet they were unable to locate CHRISM AN at any of the telephone numbers he had given them. T hey located DAHL in a movie, according to ARNOL D, and that DAHL , after making some efforts to locate CHRISM AT , had informed them that CHRISM AN had left town for a few days. He further informed that about this time the press contacted them and told them an informant had called and told them that CHRISM AN was on his way to Alaska in an Army plane. M r. ARNOL D advised that Captain SM IT H had informed him that he had made an appointment with M ajor SANDE RS at M cCord Field and intended to tell M ajor SANDE RS the complete story. During the afternoon, Captain SM IT H and M ajor SANDE RS came to the hotel room, according to ARNOL D, and some of the fragments that DAHL had brought to M r. ARNOL D'S room, following the conference, were shown to M ajor SANDE RS. U pon viewing the fragments, M ajor SANDE RS, accord­ ing to M r. ARNOL D, stated that they were nothing but slag from the copper mill, however, before M ajor SANDE RS left, he gathered up every fragment in the room, according to tr. AR OL D, and took them with him. Nr. ARNOL D stated that he then left for Boise, Idaho. M r. ARNOL D produced a letter dated August 5, 1947, from PAL M E R in which PAL AV E R attempts to encourage M r. ARNOL D to continue his investigation into the flying discs. T his letter is also being enclosed to the Bureau, --r. ARNOL D also gave SA JE T T E a copy of the article sent to 'r. PAL AV E R and to the Commanding General, “right Field, ^ayton, Ohio, regarding his sighting of the nine discs near M ount Rainier on June 2 4, 1947. T his article is also being enclosed to the Bureau. M r. iRNOL D advised that he is vitally interested in this matter and knows that there must be something to the flying discsstory He stated that he will do everything in his power to help the Bureau in this matter. He also advised that he has no connection whatsoever with the Boise Statesman. He stated that the Boise Statesman has never paid him for any information he has given them. He informed that he sincerely believes that the Boise Statesman is attempting, as he is, to get to the bottom of the flying discs story. M r. ARNOL D stated that he has told the above story to Army Intelligence and M ajor SANDE RS and to no one else, with the exception of SA JE T T E . DAV E JOHNSON, Boise Statesman, Boise, Idaho, advised that the Boise Statesman has never paid M r. ARNOL D for any news item he has given them, and has never approached him in this manner• He stated that the Boise Statesman is not attempting to push the flying discs story, but merely attempting to -5- August 2 7, 1947Director, FBI Res Flying Discs - T acoma, W r. get to the bottom of the flying discs story as they sincerely believe there is someone who knows the story of the discs and that they actually exist, and that the Army, when approached for information, merely state that they know nothing concerning them. JOHNSON also informed that L ieutenant BROW N and Captain DAV IDSON had contacted him on July 2 0, 1947, at Boise, Aiaho, regard­ ing the discs and that is how he met them. U nless advised th the contrary, no additional investigation is being conducted in this matter, and it is being considered as Referred U pon Completion to the Seattle Office. JE JsFPM c E ncs. (RE GIST E RE D) AIR M IL SPE CIAL DE L IV E RY co - Seattle FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION UNITED STATES Department of Ju stice OFFIC IAL BUSINESS F 0 P OX 309 3lffit. MONT A! A E nos, to Bureau Re; Flying Discs Butte file 65-477 EN TU R E PR ESS 305 STUDIO BUILDING 1718 SHERM AN AVENUE EVANSTON, ILLINOIS IES AU G 5 04 430 PM 1947 M r. Kenneth Arnold Box 387 Boise, Idaho AifZ mi A/ August 5, 1947 V EN T U RE PRESS 305 STUDIO BUILDING 1718 SHERM AN AVENUE EVANSTON, ILLINOIS M r. Kenneth Arnold, Box 387, Boise, Idaho Dear M r. Arnold: It seems that M r. M aurice Roddy of the Chicago T inies got the story from M r. Smith, because he called me, told me he was running it. I knew only what you’d told me over the phone. Now, it seems the newspapers are pestering the very devil out of all you fellows, Crisman wired me for instiuctions, and I told him to say nothing th the newspapers, because he’ll look silly if the army explains thia as "meteors* or something like that. I don’t blame you for being alarmed, but I trust you’ve had no trouble in your flying since then. L et’s get that straight-- there’s no horrible plot infolved. It’s probably true that the two men killed were just aaoidents. It could be true that it was not an accident, but I don’t think there was any connection with the disks, or anything of that nature, nor is the material from M urray Island to blame. Certainly I don’t think you’d suffer from completing your report on your mission, and sending me your affidavit. Also, you’ll have some money coming for that, and no sense to tossing that out of the window. It is unfortunate that the thing seemed so big you had to call in army intelligence, but it ■will take them a long time to proceed to the point I’ve reached inthis disk mystery You see, you aren’t the first to see them. T hey've been known for nearly forty years, and I have ample proof of that. But your experience was the first real break toward a solution. I’d hate to have you drop the mat-er when all remaining to do is to file your report with me. Crisman is willing to contribute his share. I hope you will too. T his thing must not be hushed up and forgotten. It’s much too important to the people of America, if not the world. And no censorship of the matter is legal. You needn’t fear that angle. You certainly did a bang-up job of investigation, also you wrote one of the best articles about your June 24 experience I’ve ever seen. Piea.se do the same on this last business. You owe it to those two men Irho were killed. I’d also like to know what developed on those pictures you took of those "ducks", or whatever they were. In short, I’d like to have you continue to keep in contact •with me, and relay to me anything further you learn. In turn. I’ll give you the -whole story, which I’m just about ready to break (not in the newspapers). And if it was as dangerous as you seem to suspect, I’m afraid I’d have been a corpse long ago; But, and this is all you need remember, those disks are not red corpuscles in your eyetill, and they are not something we can forget about with an ostrich in the sand attitude, he've got to solve them, public hysteria or no. As for that hysteria, if laughing is hysteria, that’s all the hysteria I’ve noticed; By all means, I want to thank you for the work you’ve done. You know your business, and you handled it like a major. But I’m hoping you do the easy part now and get that report on paper. A check for your June 24 article is going out to you. Sincerely yours. R. A. Palmer V EN TU RE PRESS 305 STUDIO BUILDINS 1718 SHERM AN AVENUE EVANSTON, ILLINOIS June 2 6. 1?47 M r. Kenneth Arnold Boise, Idaho Dear M r. Arnold: I have just read an aooount in the Chicago T ribune concerning an aerial train composed of at least 9 units shaped like a pie-plate and silvery in color, traveling at 1200 m.p.h. near M ount Ranier, as witnessed by you while flying in the vicinity. T his is quite important to me, because I have in my possession numerous independent confirmations of what you saw, although none in as great detail as your account. I am interested in publishing an article in our magazine, written from a personal account by yourself, and accompanied by pix of yourself, plane, and rough sketches by yourself, of what you saw. If you care to do this for me, I am prepared to pay our usual rates of 2 ^ perword, plus $5.00 for each photograph you can provide, or for each sketch which can be used by our art staff to illustrate the article. Included in this material, we’d like a short biographical sketch of yourself as "author background" material. T he article would appear under your by-line. If you are not interested, I would at least appreciate a letter from you, confirming the newspaper story. V ery truly yours. Raymond A. Palmer E ditor, T he V enture Press In your reply, please use airmail. ' SOU S L IFE DAT A ON KE NIiSHi AXIiU L D < < .. r y • I was born Harsh 2 9, 1915 in fobaka, innosota. ‘^ father’s none was Staard E rb Arnold} ry mother’s maiden U M M was Bertha E , Barden. I was a resident of U inneeota until I was six years old when ny family moved to ,coboy, ontana, where they honesteaded. L y grandfatlior, Boland C. Arnold also homosteaded in xsobey, M ontana, and banana quit© prominent ' in political circles along with Burton K. heeler, the famous M ontana senator. I went to grade school and high school at dinot, forth Dakota. I entered scouting at twelve years of age and achieved ths rank of E agle scout before I was fourteen. U y for er scout attentive was II. H. Prescott, now a regional con lissioner for ths Boy -cents in L an .a City, Kansas. As a boy, I wa interested in athletics and was selected as on all-state end in 1932 and 1933 in the state of North Dakota. I entered the U . 3. Olympic trials in fancy diving in 1932j I was a fod Cross life Bering shea-J nor during the years of 1932, *33 and ’3U . I taught swi dng and diving it scout snaps and ths municipal pool in inot, forth Dakota. I went to the U niversity of innosota, where I swsa and did fancy diving under foils T horpe, and also played football under Bernie Bier an, but upon entering college I was unable to continue ry football career because of an injured knee. M y high school football coach wu- (Henn L « Jarrett, who is nov the head football coach of the U niversity of forth Dakota, I had little or no finances, and ay ambition in furthering ny education in college was through ny athletics. As a boy in M inot, forth Dakota, I did a good deal of dog sled racing, placing first with ry dog in 1930 in th© L ion’s Club Dog forty. In 1938 I wnt^SS^^rk/SD^ s^c., p^ L ittleton, Colorado, a manufacturer of aj^n^c ^re^^il tezrnppa^^ In 1939 I was nade district manager for the over a port of the western states, and in 19h0 Page 2 -aone life data on Kenneth Arnold I established :y own fire control supply known as ths Great ’estern fire Control lupgly. I have been working as ar independent fire control engineer since, and I handle, distribute, sell and install all types of automatic and wanoal fire fighting equipment in the rural areas over five western states, L y flying experience started as a boy in M oot, Ibrth Dakota, where I took wy first flying lesson froc >rl T . V ance, who was originally from 'Croat Falls, M ontana* Due to the high cost at that tine, I was unable to continue ny flying and did not fly of any great consequence until 19h3. I was given ny pilot certificate by Kd L each, a senior CAA inspector of Portland, Oregon, and for the last three years have owned ny own airplane covering ny entiro territory with sane and flying fro forty to one 'hun­ dred hours per month since. Due to the fact that I use an airplane entirely in ay ;vork, in January of this year I purchased a now Cailair airplane, which is an airplane designed for high altitude take-offs and short rcuji field usage. In the type of flying I do, it takes a great deal of practice and judgment to bo able to land in most any cow pasture and get out without injuring your airplane? the runways are vary U nited and the altitude is very high in some of the fields and places I have to go in ay work, T o date, I have landed in 82 3 cow pastures in M ountain meadow, and in over a tho sand hours a flat tire has b on ry greatest ishap. T he follow!.;.’ story of what I observed over the Casado fountains. as impossible a it nay soon, is positively true. I novor asked nor wanted any notoriety for just accidently being in the right spot at the ri^t time to observe what I did* I reported conothing that I know any pilot would have reported. I don’t think that in any rty HF observation was due to any sensitivity of oye eight or judgment than what is considered normal for ary pilot. On June 2hth, T uesday, 19h7, I had finished qy work for the Central Air ^ervico at Chehalis, ashington, and at about two o’clock I ook off from Chehalis* W ashington, airport with the intention of going to Yakima, W ashington* lly trip was delayed for an hour to search for a large marl* transport that supposedly went down near or around the southwest aide of lit* Rainier in the state of ashington, (T his transport has been di - covered at the time of this writing—July 2 9, 19h7.) I flow directly toward M t* Rainier after reaching an altitude of about 9,500 feet, which is the approximate elevation of the high plateau from which ’& , Rainier rises, I had made one cnaaep of this hi^i plateau to the westward, searching all of the various ridges for this marine ship and flew to the wart down and near tb» ridge side of the canyon where A shford, ashington, is located* - U nable to see anything that looked like the lost ship, I cade a 360 degree turn to the right and above the little city of M ineral, start* ^^ ^gain toward L it, iainior. I climbed back up to an altitude of approach at dy 9,200 foot. T he air was so smooth that day that it was a real plea uro flying and, as moat pilots/dowten /^W i £||^ uK^nd/^ are flying at a ’iijior altitude, I tr£a< ed ou^E y air Jlone in tJ® direction of Zakina, ftp 2 ashisgton, which wus almost directly cast of qy position nd simply sat in y piano observing the a y and - ho terrain. T here was a HM » to the loft and to the rear of no approximately fifteen ■ U es distant, and I should judge, at lh,000 feet elevation. T he sky and air were as clear as crystal. I had not flown rare than two or three M utes on ny course when a bright flash reflected on cy airplane. It startled ne as I thought I was too close to sore other aircraft. I looked ovexy place in the s»y and couldn’t find where the reflection had co e from until I looked o W e lef t -nd the north of kt. .taildor where I observed a chair, of nine peculiar looking aircraft flying fro . north to south at approximately 9,500 feet elevation and ping, socmngly, in a definite direction of about 170 degrees north to south. T hey were approach! g lit. Haider very rapidly, and I merely assiried they were jet piano ;. Anyhow, I discovered that this was wlere the reflection had come from, as two or three of them, every few seconds would dip or change their course slightly, just enough for the sun to strike the at an angle that reflected brightly on ay plana. these Objects being qui ,e far away, I was unable for a few seconds to riake out their shape or their formation. V ery hortly they approached - M t. Rainier, and I observed their outline against the snow quite plainly. I thoujxt it was very peculiar that I couldn’t find their tails but a sumed they were some typo of jot plane. I was dfctesalned to clock their speed, as I had two definite points—-it. Rainier and M t. ida s— I could clock than by and the air was so clear that it was very easy to seo objects and deter, line their approx! ate shape and also at almost fifty niles. I reneE tber distinctly that ry sweep second hand on ry eight day clock, which is located on ry instrument panel, read one inuto to 3 P^. as the first objectxis^iir ^rx iat-fiM jeed^h® swthern edge of 1 't. Rainier. I wutche^V ^jQ se ottacta/ sit ‘-threat iM arost us I had never before observed airplanes flying so close to the mountain tops, flying directly south to southeast down the hog’s back of a mountain range. I wild estimate their elevation could have varied a thousand feet one W ay or another up or down, but they wore pretty : uch on the horizon to ne which would indicate they were near the sane elevation as I was. Stay flew like many ti os I have observed goose to fly in a rather diagonal chain—like lino as if they wore linked together. T hey sealed to hold a definite direction but rather swerved in and out of the high moun­ tain peaks. T heir speed at the tine did not i pro - ne particularly} be­ cause I knew that our army and air forces had pianos that went very fast. khat ke t bothering me as I watched then flip and flash in the sun right along their path was the fact that I couldn’t make cut any tail on then, and I an sure that any pilot wold justify rare than a second look at such a plane. I observed the ■ quite plainly, and I estimate ay distance fro then, uljich was almost at right angles, to bo between twenty co twenty-five miles. I knew they roust be very large to observe their shape at that distance, even on os clear a da^ as it was that T uesday. In fact, I com­ pared a sous fastener or cowling tool I had in qy pocket with then - hold­ ing it up on the and holding it up on the DC-h that I could observe at quite a distance to ay left - and t:>ay sacred smaller than ilia DG-U j bat I should judge tlieir span would have been as wide as the furthorest engines on each side of the fuselage of the DC-U . T he wore I observed these objects, the rare up et I beoane, as I os aeonstCHDOd and fa dliar with ost all objects filing whether I an close to the ground or at higher altitudes. I ob erred the chain of the e objects passing another high snow-covered ridge in between M t. Bainier and Sr. Adans, and as the first one was passing the south crest of this ridge tbo last object was entering the northern ere t of the ridge. As I was fly^T ^ii th^-dS^ectic—-^ tSK radicular ridge, I measured it and found it to t^^^oroxQ so^ly tpe lies bp I could afely assume that the chain of those urucor-like objects were at least five nilos long. I fits* b I could quite accurately deter Ine their pathway due to the fact that there were save al high peaks that wore a little this aide of then as well as higher peaks on the other side of their pathway. As the last unit of this formation parked the norttern-sM t high siaw-covered crost of lit. Adana* I looked at ry sweep second hand and it shoeed that they had travelled the distance in one minute and forty-two .seconds, liven at the tins© this tilling did not upset ne as I felt confi­ dent after I landed there 'would bo sc e ox lunation of what I saw. A number of newt, men and exports -uggosted that I night have been seeing reflections or even a irage. T his I know to be absolutely false, as I observed these objects not only through the glass of my airplane but turned uy airpiano sideways where I could open ny window and observe tham with. a completely unobstructed view. aven though two ruinates seems like a vary short time to 000 on the ground, in the air in two minute.; tine a pilot can observe a great naty things and anything within his sight of vision probably as any as fifty or sixty tines. I continued try search for the marine piano for another fifteen or twenty 'minutes and wldla searching for this -arine plane, what I had just observed kept going through ny mind. I became wore disturbed, so after taking a last look at T ieton He ervoir I beaded for J& Hm. I might add that ay co plate observation of those objects, which I could even follow by their flashes as they passed M t. Ada s, was urouni two and one-half or three minuter- — although, by the ti e they reached lit. Adams they were out of my range of vision as far as deter lining shape or form. Of course, when the sun reflected fro one or two or three of these units, they appeared to be completely round; but, I an raking a drawing to the host of I observed these wall as M t. Rainier. ability, which I an including, as to the 4hape covered ridjas us Page 5 ^hen these objects ware flying approximately straight and level, they ware Just a black thin line and Klien they flipped was the only tise I could get a Judgment as to thoir size* T hose objects wore holding an al oat constant elevation; they did not seen to be going up or to bo easing down, ouch as would be the case of rockets or artillery shells* I am convinced in ry own rind that thoy '•mere same type of airplane, ever thouji they did not conform with the nary aspects of the conventional type of pl . . . . -• Although theme objects have beer, reported by nary other observers throughout the U nited States, there have been six or even other accounts written by sone of these observers that I can truthfully «y must have observed the sane thing that I did; particularly, the descriptions of the three estern Air lines employees of Cedar City, U tah, the pilot fron Oklahoma City, ths loco motive engineer in Illinois, ur. John Corlett a U nited Press correspondent of Boise, Idaho, Dave Johnson, news editor at the Boise Daily Statesman, Captain uoith-Co-pllot Stevens-ond arty arrow of U nited Air lines, and Captain Charles F. Gabion and Jack Harvey of U nited Air L ines both of when only last night, July 28, 1987, wadi thoir observation on U nited Air Iino fight IC5 westbound out of Bo se* It is ry opinion that descriptions could not be very accurate taken from the ground unless these saucer-like disks wore at quite a great hat Jit and there is a possibility that all of the people who observed peculiar objects could have seen the sano thing I did; but, it wo ld avo beer very difficult fro: the ground to observe the o for ore than four or five seconds, and there is always the possibility of at ospheric ’.moisture and dust near the ground which could distort one’3 vision while air observers I would judge to be very accurate* I hove in ay possession letters fro all over the U nited Staten and E urope fro; pso^S^iho j^^xa tlratez^ ^obj^s have been observed over other portionsAqffcho m^n^yprlmcipally Jt^dan, Berauda, and Page 6 California# I would have given al wt oiytiling that day to have had a ovie car era with a telephoto lens and froa now on I 411 never be without one— but, to continue further with ry story. T wn I landed at Yakima, ashing­ ton, airport I described what I had seen to ny very good friend, Al Baxter ./ho i the General M anager of Central Aircraft Conpary* He listened . patiently and was very courteous but in a joking way didn’t belleye ^„ I did not accurately secure the dictince between these- too nooe- tains until I landed at Pendleton, Oregon that setae day whore I told a number of pilot friends of mino what I had observed and they did not scoff or laugh but suggested they -T ight bo guided dailies or southing new. In fact, several former Army ilots informed r» that they had boon briefed before going into co bat ovorae ?.s that they night see objects of similar shape and design as I described and assured me that I wasn’t dreaming or going crazy. I quote Jonny abbinson, a former Any Air Force pilot W ho is now operating dusting operations at Pendleton, Oregon T hat you observed, I aa oonv'nced, is so e type of jet or rocket propelled ship that is in the process of bing tested by our govenraent or even it could possibly bo by sa c foreign government" # & yhow, the news that I had observed U se o spread very rapidly and before the niJit was over I was receiving telephone culls from all parts of the wrldj and, to date I have not received one telephone call or one letter of scoffing or disbelief. Ilie only disbelief that I know of was what was printed in ths papers* I look at this whole ordeal as not something fumy as none people have wads it out to be. T o ne it is mighty serious and since I evidently at least M r Pete Andrews on the did observe does not exist. 3wan though John Doe on the street ooraar or no reason that it ted arHiwestigation by the Airy * $ 7 and the FBI as.to the authenticity of ry story or a cental and physical exnrd nation as to ray capabilities, I received no interest fro ; these too important protective forces of our country until two weeks after ny oboe vation. I will go so far as to assume that if our ^lllitaiy Intelligence was not aware of what I observed and reported to the U nited and Associated Press and over the radi o on two different occasions v/ich a- roiitly et .he ration Irv; ' , ivoy .; ; ' • 7. •rf?’' I could expect an visitors. I have received lota of requests from people who told we to sake & lot of wild guesses. I have ba ed what I have written here in this article on positive facts and as far as guessing what it was I observed, it is just as uch a mystery to oe as it is to the rest of the world. L V pilot*s license is 333h< 7. I fly a Callair airplane, wdeh is a three place single engine land ship that is designed and .anufactured at Afton, ~yo.ling a an extremely ’nigh porfor -ance, high altitude air­ plane that was made for mountain work. T he national certificat of ry piano is 33355. 4 . July 2 9, 19W AIR HAIL r» viywnd A* PolrM r E ditor, T he V entura Press 30$ studio building 1718 oherman Avenas E vanston, Illinois Door M r. Pallor: I aw enclosing the riatorial you requested toother with photographs, and also a sketch of :.y life history. Form 3811 Kev. 1-4-40 RETU RN RECEIP T Received from the Postmaster the Registered or Insured Article, the original number of which appears on the face of this Card. D ate of delivery ............., 19d^ U. S. GOVERNM ENT PRINTING OFFIC E 16—12 42 1 i i i REGISTERED ART ICL E N O . ____ INSU RED P ARCEL BOISE N O . IDA HO . Pols, FBI SE AT T L E 8-14-47 ^DIRE CT OR FBI M M IWM GtflW SEGTNH ROU T INE AUG 14 5-18 PM JCE ARM ST RONG. . M . A/'NICHOL S. FL YING DISCS_ INT E RNAL j. Clegg...... -ivin . M r. NfcboU j M r. Roaen ... | M r. T racy..... I M r. E gan...... I M r. Gurnva I M r. Il ar bo ... I M r. Pennington...... I M r. Q uinn T amm .. | M r. Ncase .;....... NE W SPAPE R SE AT T L E POST INT E L L IGE NCE R CARRIE D ART ICL E ON AU GU ST T W E L V E OF RE PORT OF FL YING DISCS SE E N BY ONE BRU CE ARM ST RONG OF BOE ING AIRCRAFT COM PANY, AND M . A. NICHOL S, ONE ONE T OO FIV E , SOU T H W E ST ONE HU NDRE D AND SE COND ST RE E T , SE AT T L E . INV E ST IGAT ION SIGHT ING BY ARM ST RONG RE V E AL S OBJE CT T O HAV E BE E N PIE CE OF 0F . W tttBU RNT PAPE R W HICH HAD BE E N SE E N BY CONT ROL T OW E R AT BOE ING FIE L D IN­ V E ST IGAT ION OS SIGHT ING BY M . A A W E AT HE R BAL L ON. L E T T E R T O FOL L OW NICHOL S INDICAT E S OBJE CT W AS //^ 9-19 PM OK FBI W ASH DC GAR 31 SEP RECEIVED T EL ETYP E U Hi Au g I >1 9 so P H'q? ' .IEP ' Oi JS IU U . 8. D EPARTM EN T O F JU STICE COM M ONIW T IOKS SHfW AUG 15 fYP E M r. T olson.............. M r. B. A. T amm---- M r. Clegg.......... M r. Slav tn.........-.. M r. L odd.............. M r. Nichols........ M r. Boson.............. M r. T racy ...........-r.. M r. E gan................. M r. Gurnee............ M r. Barbo .......... M r. M ohr_____ ’... ; fir. Pennington.... | M r. Q uinn T amm... M r. n£ST-1-48 PM8-15-47 SE CU RIT Y M AT T E R DASH T T . l EB' BOBBIT T iX^IRE CT OR FBI FL YING DISCS ONL Y A SHORT T IM E BE CAU SE OF I^S SE XE D. ’ X. A M R JOH T O BE A DISC BRIGHT IN COL OR W HICH HE W AS ABL E T O Q B PORT L AND FBI BUM Gundy RT L E T T AGAT E BE ACH, NE AR OCE AN L AKE , ORE GON HAS RE PORT E D T HAT T HE E V E OF AU GU ST SE V E N, AT E L E V E N T HIRT Y PM HE SIGHT E D W HAT HE BE L IE V E D 5Q PSE P301947 HOL D PL S 5-50 PM OK FBI W ASH DC L E RV IE W E D AUG 7 T E L E T YPE W ASHINGT ON 17 FROM PHIL ADE L PHIA rtutM At BuKLAU OF INVthl IGAHO.. U.S. DEPARTM FNr OF JUSTIC E C OM M UNIC ATIONS SEC TION 8-7-47 9-30 PM DST ^ I M r. ~ A- T anniC I M r. Clegs - - ? I M r. Glasin. / ^gJ^Xmc. L add M r. Nichols X/ I M r. Rosen M r. T racy M r. Bgan M r. Gnrnca M r. Kaiho M r. M ohr M r. Pennington. M r. Q uinn T amm M r. Neaeo M ias Guci' ^DIRE CT OR FBI U RGE NT ■'T rying object reported over phila. au gu st six, nineteen forty-seven SABOT AGE . T HE PHIL ADE L PHIA INQ U IRE R ON AU GU ST SE V E N, NINE T E E N FORT Y SE V E N CARRIE D IT E M CONCE RNING FL YING OBJE CT S OBSE RV E D OV E R E V E NING OF AU GU ST ST X7 FORT Y SE V E N. PE OPL E RE PORT E D AS OBSE RV ING SU CH INT E RV IE W E D BY PHIL A OFFICE , AND SU BST ANT IAL L Y FU RNISHE D FOL L OW ING INFORM AT ION. AT T E N FORT Y FIV E , AU GU ST SIX NINE T E E N FORT Y SE V E N, A BL U ISH W HIT E FL AM ING OBJE CT W AS OBSE RV E D AT A HE IGHT OF ONE T HW StOttSX' T HOU SAND FE E T OR M ORE OV E R PHIL ADE L PHIA PROCE E DING FROM A NORT HE AST E RL Y T O A SOU T HW E ST E RL Y DIRE CT ION. T HIS OBJE CT L E FT A T AXXX T RAIL OF SM OKE W HW ^L AST E D FOR ABOU T , T W O SE CONDS AND W HISSING OR BU ZZING S SIGHT OF SU CH OBJE CT . PE OPL E OBSE RV ING T HE SAM E ^® S^SIBL E AND RE L IABL E , AND INCL U DE A R FORM E R ARM Y AIR CORPS V lL OT . HE DOE S NOT BE L IE V E ABOV E M E NT IONE D OBJE CT PROPE L L E D PL ANE SINCE T HE ACCOM PANYING SOU ND W AS NOT AS L OU D AS T HAT M ADE BY JE T PROPE L L E D PL ANE S. HE E ST IM AT E D ABOV E OBJE CT T RAV E L E D AT A RAT E OF E ND PAGE ONE EX-41 A *2 5 10 56 IM ’’ INTERNAL SEC URE' F. B. I. " "°T . OF ui1" PAGE T W O ABOU T FOU R HU NDRE D T O FIV E HU NDRE D M IL E S PE R HOU R. INQ U IRIE S BE ING M ADE BY ARM Y AND NAV Y INT E L L IGE NCE FORCE S, PHIL A. ON T HE RE Q U E ST OF T HE PHIL A. OFFICE T O DE T E RM INE IF E IT HE R ARM Y OR NAV Y ARE DOING ANY E XPE RIM E NT AL W ORK ON NE W T YPE S OF PL ANE S IN V ICINIT Y OF PHIL A. T HE Y W IL L ADV ISE PHIL A. OFFICE IN NE XT SE V E RAL DAYS. L E T T E R OF DE T AIL S W IL L FOL L OW . BOARDM AN HOL D PL S ^aveoT E U wemuT tai 9 35(^1 ^^'Hu£* U.S. DEPT. OFJUSTk STANDARD FORM NO. 64 ^ffi^ ^^^^^V^dum • U NIT E D ST Ai^ .OV E RNM E NT 65-480 T O : ctor FBI DAT E : A ugust 20, 1947 FROM SU B. ,0 SA C Butte f: FLYIN G DISCS Refer teletype to the Bureau dated A ugust 15, 1947< Enclosed please find the newspaper account carried by the T win Falls Idaho "T iiaas N ews" on A ugust 15, together with a sheet of paper on which A * C, U RIE attem pted to sketch his im pressions of the instrum ent which he claim s to have seen. Concerning U RIE’s sketches, it m ay be noted that he believed the rolled outer edge which he attem pted to create in his drawing to have been about a foot through, U RIE likewise believed that the tubing or exhaust flam e which he and his sons claim to have seen was about a foot through and extended at least to the back end of the device. The flam e did not appear to taper off nor to widen out toward the back, BILLY and KEITH- U RIE stated that they could see a knot on the side of the device from which the flam es were shooting, and that they could see day­ light between the exhaust flam e and the side of the device, T he flam es did not leave any sm oke or odor. The U RIE boys thought that the "side view" sketch should show that the device was m ore sharply angled from bottom to top, while U RIE him self thought that it was m ore stream lined and curved, U RIE said that the instru­ m ent cam e to a pointed or rounded top. In his notations, U RIE m istakenly said that he had seen it on day, During interview, he stated that it actually had been on W ednesday, A ugust 13, 1947, when he and his sons saw the contrivance about1:00 P, M . U RIE explained that he had sent his boys to the river rope from his boat, W hen he thought they were overdue, he went to get sam e outside his tool shed to look for them , He noticed them about 300 feet away looking in the sky and he glanced up to see what he called the flying disc. He said he could only see it for a m om ent before it disappeared behind a hill which obscured his view, U RIE further stated that the contrivance was about seventy-five feet in the air, U RIE r is about four hundred fe' A ccording to his account the rim of the canyon the far side, if it could be COPIE S 270 asides in the depths of the Snake River Canyon, which et deep and twelve hundred feet across at that place, ;, the contrivance was about three hundred feet below he saw it against the steep walls of the canyon on its color as sky blue and stated that he doubted the sky. He likewise said that it was purely by did not spin like a top, □chance S^J^, BT 65-480 A s the m achine went by the U RIE place, the trees over which it alm ost directly passed (M orm an Poplars) did not just bend with the wind as if a plane had gone by, but, in U RIE’S words, "spun around on top as if they were in a vacuum ." dawn the ground* KEIT H U RIE, eight years of age, said he first saw the m achine coining canyon, heading from east to west and following the contours of the BILLY, age ten, saw it alm ost im m ediately* Both watched it fly out of sight behind a tree in a m atter of m om ents* T hey said they then ran to their Father and learned that he too had seen the m achine* U RIE seem ed com pletely sincere about the incident* He said his wife and daughter were in the house at the tim e and had not seen the m achine* He questioned his brother, who also lives in the canyon, but his brother had been eating at the tim e and had seen nothing* U RIE and his two boys m aintained that they had never before seen one of the discs. U RIE, when interviewed, ap­ peared to be a sober, m iddle-aged m an* JO HN "BRO SN A N , the"T im es N ews" reporter who originally furnished Special A gents with inform ation about the incident, likewise stated that U RIE appeared com pletely sincere about the m achine* N o further attem pt was m ade to locate L. W . HA W KIN S, inasm uch as J* H. BRO W N , who was with HA W KIN S at the tim e, was interviewed. BRO W N’S nam e was withheld fran the newspaper because HA W KIN S and BRO W N were fishing at Sal' m on dam while BRO W N was supposed to have been working in Twin Falls. BRO W N said sim ply that he and HA W KIN S could hear a roar* They looked up and could see two instrum ents flying at a great height, which BRO W N m entioned m ight have been between four thousand and six thousand feet* However, he said he had no idea how large the devices were and consequently, they m ay have been several m iles away* He said that he and HA W KIN S were satisfied they had seen som ething and they were very doubtful that they had seen two planes* PJGxFO ’S Enc* (2) - 2 - Heads U p, Folks! T he Discs Are Flying A T win fal l s, idah o , Friday, august 15,1947 T his is an artist’s conception of the flying disc that A . C. U rie saw sides, and could well be the inspiration for som ething new in wom en's flying saucer” creation. (Drawing by V ic Goertzen- 5 ^E W^BW M M »XWM M > hats, such as a staff engraving) ¥ ¥ sweeping through Snake river canyon ranch. It seem ed to be powered by jets ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ six m iles west of Blue Lakes em itting a fiery glow on both ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ 1501 T O H V i£vo SHO V IEW SOS Flying Saucer Reported Flashing Down Canyon At 1,000 M iles Per Hour; T wo Others Are Seen By JO HN BRO SN A N Just as M agic V alley and the nation were starting to let go of lampposts after reeling under a welter of flying saucer reports, two more T win Falls county men re­ vived speculation on the mystery with vivid descriptions of discs they saw. 4 From A. C. U rie, who operates the Auger Falls T rout farm six miles west of Blue L akes ranch in Ake river canyon, came perhaps . Be most detailed account of one of the fast-flying objects the nation has yet produced. T he flying saucer U rie saw was skimming along through Snake river canyon at a height of about 75 feet at 1 p. m. W ednesday. At 9:30 a. m. the same day, L . W . Hawk­ ins, T win Falls county commis­ sioner and former county sheriff from Filer, also saw two circular objects soaring along at a great height near Salmon dam 40 miles southwest of T win Falls. Here is U rie’s eye-witness de­ scription of the flying discs seen by him and his son, Keith, 8, and Billy, 10: “I obtained a close-up view of the flying saucer as it passed by the trout farm at 1 p. m. Aug. 13 going down Snake river canyon at a height of about 75 feet from the canyon floor. I would estimate the speed at about 1,000 miles per hour.” U rie explained that the incident occurred while the two boys were coming across the river from the north side in a boat. He had be­ come concerned about what was de­ laying them, and had walked down toward the river to see if they were all right. “I had a side view at a distance of about 300 feet and almost on a level with the thing,” U rie con­ tinued. "T wo of my boys, Keith and Billy, were below me and they also saw it at about a 45-degree angle. T hey both got a bottom and a side view, and we were all look­ ing at it from the south side of the (C ontinued on Page 8, C olumn 6) mM SM I T IM E S-NE W S, T W IN FAL L S, IDAHO T win Falls News in Brief g Four Parleys Set on Cassia T o V isit Here | M arriage License op Aurelia Stark, Portland, Ore., is Kenneth M iracle and E sta Jay arriving here soon to visit M r. and pearson, both of T win Falls, received M rs. Phil A. Snow. Ik..' . :i Ibopn lismits I beets. L made special pt with dety of । resist Births -I A daughter was born T hursday to M r. and M rs. Rudy W ageman, Filer, at the T win Falls county general hospital maternity home. a marriage license T hursday at the courthouse. con- B ' -< Hf-ne ■ hat al- ■ ";h Bars. ■ ' mea- Bant "-as Bal DDT ■ a good Hrs. Hert ■for two Be to at- I done at ■ "'gm . ■past two fdone con- i fields in irh as 2 5 fields. Return From College M r. and M rs. Robert V an E ngelen and Fred V an E ngelen have re­ turned from M oscow where they at­ tended the summer session of the U niversity of Idaho. Rector Returns T he Rev. E . L eslie Rolls, rector of the E piscopal Church of the Ascen­ sion, and M rs. Rolls returned T hursday from T acoma, W ash., where they spent their vacation. Return to Kansas City E. L . Hoffman and his son. BRE V M iss Povey V isits Kathleen Povey, former Spanish instructor at T win Falls high school, is visiting here this week. She now teaches Spanish in a high school at South Pasadena, Calif. E ugene, with L ucille Gahr, has re­ turned to Kansas City after visiting M r. and M rs. H. B. Hogue. M rs. Hogue is his mother. A uto Recovered Clifford J. Roth, 529 Fifth north, reported the theft automobile from near the hall to T win Falls police at O n Trip to East M rs. John Hawes and her nephew, Pat Boland, have gone to Boston and New York City on a two-week’s vacation to visit relatives. avenue of his L egion 5:42 p. V isiting Sister M rs. Robert Swanson, Denver, m. T hursday and 18 minutes later reported he had recovered the ve­ hicle. Colo., is visiting her sister, Kenneth Kail. M rs. Swanson forniT resident of Rupert. । bet Perm it Application for a permit to M rs. is a buildV isits Schuberts ; Appucauuii lor a permit, to ounu Agnes Schubert, M onterey Park, | a 12 by 2 0-foot private garage of ui S cl P School Pla (F rom P age One) Sublett; 14, Almo; 2 4, Hazel; Bridge, 30, Springdale; 31, V iew, 32 , M oulton. T he above districts would be corporated into one district wE b- would elect five trustees. T rusV e districts would be divided thus: District 1, all of Burley school dis­ trict west of Overland and the Bur# ley-Oakley highway; district 2 , all of Burley school district east of Overland and the Burley-Oakley highway; district 3, present districts of Declo, Albion, Springdale and V iew; district 4, Oakley, Basin, M oulton; and district 5, Heglar, M alta, E lba, Sublett, Almo, Bridge and all present unorganized terri­ tory. *1 a I^^BHpaW Hmage is done to the pods, he explained, as the insects burrow into a pod at night, eat into the seeds, drop to the ground the next day, and enter another pod the next night. He recommended use of five per cent DDT dust at the rate of 2 0 pounds per acre, and said the first application should be on now. Next speaker was W . D. Hay of the PM A federal-state seed labora­ tory at Sacramento, Calif. He dis­ cussed the movement of bean seed in interstate commerce, how the seed should be labeled, how to name different varieties, and the validity of name assignments. Carl Blackburn, of the Idaho Crop Improvement association, discussed the general organization of that group and spoke of its measures for seed certification. T he delegates then adjourned to Clear L akes resort for a fish fry. Calif., is visiting her brother and sister-in-law, M r. and M rs. M el Schubert, this month. M iss Schu­ bert, former art instructor at T win Falls high school, now teaches in California. frame couoL ructiou was filed Friday in the office of the city clerk by L ola M . V azquez, 350 E lm street, who estimated the cost at $400. Funeral Held for Infant at W endell W E NDE L L , Aug. 15 — Graveside service^ were held T hursday eve­ ning for M arian Kay E ms, W endell. T he infant daughter of M r. and M rs. Kenneth E ms died at birth T hursday morning. She is survived by her parents; a brother, Kenneth Ray, 22 months, and a sister, Janet L aRae, 5. Burial in the W endell cemetery was under the direction of the Frazier mor­ tuary. T he Hospital leds only were avail- A ttend Funeral Out-of-town persons who attend­ ed the Donald Spencer funeral in­ clude M rs. George Robbins, Ingle­ wood, Calif.; M r. and M rs. Clifton Adams, M r. and M rs. E rnie V idun, W ayne and Dorothy Adams, and M rs. Norma L ou V eneman, all Po­ catello; M rs. Sarah Adams, M rs. W ill Severe, M r. and M rs. L yman Adams, M r. and M rs. Orvil Adams, M r. and M rs. Howard Adams, M r. and M rs. E llsworth Adams, all Oak­ ley; M rs. Judson T olman. L ogan, U tah, and M rs. Alice M iller, Salt L ake City. W illiam M unger, 38, Passes Here W illiam H. M unger, 38, 305 L ocust street north, died at 11 a. m. Friday M oose to M eet M embers of the fellowship degree of the M oose lodge will meet at 12:30 p. m. Sunday at the M oose hall, officials announced Friday. Refreshments will be served by W omen of theM oose. Harry Piper, 71, Claimed by Death BU HL , Aug. 15—Harry Sylvester Piper, 71, Buhl plumber since 1926, died at 9:2 0 p. m. T hursday at the T win Falls county general hos­ pital from complications following an emergency operation. M r. Piper was born June 6, 1875, in E mporia, Kans., and came to Idaho in 1926. He is survived by his wife, M rs. Nettie Clussman Piper; three daughters, M rs. Harry Kinter, Buhl; M rs. James F. Perchal, T win Falls, Jenkins M ay T ry Run T ests Friday W E NDOV E R, U tah, Aug. 15 (/PJ— Ab Jenkins, holder of most of the world’s land speed records for dis­ tances of 50 miles or more, may be­ gin late tomorrow test runs in prep­ aration for his newest record as­ sault. Bud W infield of L os Angeles, de­ signer of the low-slung M obil spe­ cial that Jenkins will drive, pro­ nounced the car “ready to go.” T he runs will be made on an 11% mile circular track on the Bonne­ ville salt flats, 12 0 miles west of Salt L ake City. Jenkins, former San L ake City mayor, hoped to make his official runs early next week. FEDERA L BU REA U O F IN V EST IGA TIO N UNITED STATES DEPARTM ENT OF JUSTIC E v O FFICIA L BU SIN ESS . 4 encl o sure to bureau Butte File 65-480 ‘Saucer’ Seen Flying Down Snake Gorge (F rom P age One) river facing toward the north. T he boys saw it coming about half a mile up the canyon, and we all lost sight of it in less than a mile.” W hile the impression was still vivid in their minds, the three got together and made rough sketches of what they had seen. T hese, in turn, were the basis for the artist’s conception of the strange affair by V ic Goertzen of T win Falls for the T imes-News. *T t was all one color—sort of a light sky blue with a red, tubular .^fiery glow at the side of the top or L hood,” U rie continued. • ihe canyon floor is rough at Fthat particular point, and it rode ' up and down over the hills and hol­ low s at a speed indicating some type of control faster than the reflexes of man. It is my opinion that it is guided by instruments and must be powered by atomic energy, as it made very little noise—just a s-w-i-s-h as it passed by.” U rie described the size as about 2 0 feet long by 10 feet high and 10 feet wide, giving it an oblong shape. It might be described as look­ ing like an inverted pie-plate or broad-b,rimmed straw hat that had been compressed from two sides. Pressed for his candid opinion of । just what it was. U rie said that he was convinced that there was some­ thing to this flying saucer situation. “I know a number of the people who have also seen them and I know that they’re not just imagining something or trying to get their names in the paper,” U rie com­ mented. “I do know that it scared the boys and made me feel pretty uneasy,” he added. T racing down a rumor that County Commissioner Hawkins had seen an unusual object in the air on the same day as U rie’s experience, the T imes-News called him at his Filer home. ‘‘Yes, I did.” he replied without I hesitation. ‘T ’ll have to admit I’ve been skeptical all along until I saw it with my own eyes. I can’t say what it was, but I can say there’s something in the air.” Hawkins related that while at I Salmon dam W ednesday morning, I a sound resembling the echo of a I motor caused him to look upward, I and there he saw two circular ob- I jects that reflected light. T hey were I traveling at a great speed and I higher than most airplanes, accord- I 'ng to Hawkins. I Aside from this, he declined to I add details, except to say, 'T here’s I something in the air.” I His general description, however, I corresponded closely to those of I hundreds of persons who reported I seeing flying saucers after Kenneth I Arnold. Bouse businessman, had I touched off the deluge by telling of I coming upon nine disc-like objects I while he was flying in his private I plane in W ashington. I T hereafter, the nation became in- I creasingly flying saucer conscious, I creating a state of mind that made I it possible for four ’teen age T win I Falls boys to cause a mild sensa- Itlon when they built a model flying I disc and tossed into a local yard I July 10. T his was subseuently re- Ivealed as a hoax, following investi- Igation by the army and FBI. I T hereafter the saucer reports I tapered off into a few scattered in- I cidents until the question was re- I vived by this week’s occurrences. I Speculation has ranged from I mention that the discs could be I army or navy guided missile experi- I ments, or that they could be similar I experiments by some foreign coun- I try, to “something out of this I world.” I W hatever, they are, a lot of people I have seen “something.” O U T O U R W A Y FAT HE AD, AN' < L GO ON ABOU T YOU R BU SINE SS' T HE BU M P-OF A 0 l et™ W HE O SIDE GLA N CES COP R 1546 BY NE* SERVICE. II “If you quit driving to worl save enough money to buy Ju: the yard!” • . STANDARD FORM HO. M TO E. G.FROM SU BJECT, De M e ^um U N IT ED S T here is attached hereto copies 1947, and July 16, 1947, concerning Byron : GOV E RNM E NT 1947DATE : A ugust 20 Mr. T olson MF . E. A. TanhT M r. C legg___ Mr. Glavin Mr. L add Mr* Nichols Mr. Rosen Mr. T racy Mr. M F. Mr. M r. M r. wo memoranda dated July 2 45 .vage. Field E ngineer, Radio Corporation of America, Dallas, T exas, 416 nJ 2 9th Street, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and Kenneth^L pnold, Box 387, Boise, Idaho. T hese memoranda M ere made available to Special Agent S. W . Reynolds of the liaison Section by General Schulgen of the Army Air Forces Intelligence. General Schulgen requested that the Bureau conduct a background investigation of these two individuals mentioned in the attached memoranda since they were among the first to sight the allegeuT lyingdiscs. He indicated that he desired that the investigation be directed T bvrarcT ascertain!ng whether or not either of these individuals have any subversive back und and to ascertain whether or not they had any ulterior motive Carson ' Gurnea Harbo M ohr PennTn^torT Mr. Quinn T&nir^ T ele. Room_______ Mr. Nease ________ vise Holr«B_______ Mie® Gandy_J2H~ZZ Internal ? 23 M7 RZCO^L DAT IOli It is reconunerd Security Section Attachment COPY #372 4-1 \ OCAPN/KDS»cp 2 4 July 1947 M E M ORANDU M T O T HE SE CU RIT Y OFFICE R, OCAM A, T INKE R FIE L D. SU BJE CT : BYRON B. SAV AGE , Field E ngineer, Radio Corporation of America, Dallas, T exas. Residences 416 N. W . 2 9th Street, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.) RE : Flyind Disc. On 23 July 1947, BYRON B. SAV AGE was interviewed at his residence, 416 N. W . 2 9th Street, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, relating to his alleged viewing of a flying disc over the vicinity of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Subject, whose age is 38, advised he is married and has one child, end is presently the holder of a Private Pilot’s L icense, No. 39101 (Single E ngine, L and). Subject averred he has extensively studied electron­ ics, sound engineering and aeronautics, and his present occupation, which is Field E ngineer for Radio Corporation of America, offices of which are located in Dallas, T exas, is that of installing theater sound equipment. SAV AGE stated that between the days 17 M ay to 21 M ay 1947, just after dusk, he observed an object which he believed to be a small aircraft in the south. SAV AGE advised that the sun had just gone down and the moon had not arisen on the horizon. SAV AGE related that he and his wife had just departed their residence and had started to enter their car in the driveway at 416 N. W . 29th Street, Oklahoma City. He judged the time to be between 8:30 p.m. and 9:00 p.m., and the lights from the city of Oklahoma City appeared to be shining on this object when he first saw it. He judged the object to be about 160° in the south when he first saw it, and as it moved toward him he remarked to his wife that ”a big white plane was coming over.” SAV AGE stated that when this object was at a 45° angle from him, he realized it was not a conventional type aircraft, and it appeared elliptical at first and as it moved closer it appeared perfectly round and was flat. S/V AGE advised the object, which appeared to him as a disc, had no appearance of being spherical and had a ratio of diameter to the thickness of approxi­ mately 10 to 1, appearing thicker in the center, but this could not be positively ascertained. SAV AGE judged the object to be at an altitude of between 10,000 and 18,000 feet, and it left no trailing effects. SAV AGE related that it appeared to be in bulk as big as the bulk of six B-29s at an altitude of approximately the same height. SAV AGE advised that the object was in his vision approximately 15 to 20 seconds and travelled at a speed which he judged to be approximately three times that of jet-propelled aircraft M emo'to the Security Officer, OCAM A, T inker Field, dtd 7^T 4/i7, File 3724-1. SAV AGE stated that there were no protrusions on this object and as it went by he listened for a sound of noise, and at one time thought he dis­ tinguished a swishing sound like the rushing of air. T his swishing sound occurred a few seconds after this object had passed him. SAV AGE averred this sound was not very loud end did not last very long, and it is very possible that the sound could have been his imagination or expectation, as he was not sure of the sound. SAV AGE related that he called his wife to see this object but it had disappeared before she could focus her eyes on it. Subject stated that the object appeared to diminish in size and speed as it mov^d^^ay, and it was moving in a direction of 350° to the north. Subject/stated that the object appeared to be frosty white in color at all times. SAV AGE advised that he has held a pilot’s certificate since 1934 and has been flying since 1929. He advised that he would be glad to answer any further inquiries and will cooperate in every way possible. SA.V A.GE stated he was sure this object was not a meteor and in his opinion it must be radically built and powered, probably atomic. KAL M AN D. SIM ON C.I. U .S. Army M E M ORANDU M FOR T HE OFFICE R IN CHARGE : 1. On 12 July 1947, M r* Kenneth Arnold, Box 387, Boise, Idaho, was interviewed in regard to the report by M r. Arnold that he saw 9 strange objects flying over the Cascade M ountain Range of W ashington State on July 25th. M r. Arnold voluntarily agreed to give the interviewer a written report of exactly what he had seen on the above mentioned date. T he written report of M r. Arnold is attached to this report as E xhibit A, AGE NT ’S NOT E S: M r. Arnold is a man of 32 years of age, being married aid the father of two children. He is well thought of in the community in which he lives, being very much the family men end from all appearances a very good provider for his family. M r. Arnold has recently purchased a home on the outskirts of Boise, recently purchased a $5,000 airplane in which to conduct his business to the extent of which is explained in the attached exhibit. It is the personal opinion of the interviewer that M r. Arnold actually saw what he stated that he saw. It is difficult to believe that a man of M r. Arnold’s character and apparent integrity would state that he saw objects and write up a report to the extent that h.e did if he did not see them. T o go further, if M r. Arnold can write a report of the character that he did while not having seen the objects that he claimed he saw, it is the opinion of the interviewer that M r. Arnold is in the wrong business, that he should be writing Buck Rogers fiction. M r. Arnold is very outspoken and somewhat bitter in his opinions of the leaders of the U . S. Army Air Forces and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for not having made an investigation of this matter sooner. T o put all of the statements made by M r. Arnold in this report would make it a voluminous volune. However after having checked an aeronautical map of the area over which M r. Arnold claims that he saw the objects it was determined that all statements made by M r. Arnold in regard to the distances involved, speed of the objects, course of the objects and size of the objects, could very possibly be facts. T he distances mentioned by M r. Arnold in his report are within a short distance of the actual distances on aeronautical charts of this ares, although M r. Arnold has never consulted aeronautical charts of the type the Army uses. M r. Arnold stated that this business had suffered greatly since his report on July 25 due to the fact that at every stop on his business routes, large crowds of people were waiting to question him as to just what he had seen. M r. Arnold stated further that if he, at any time in the future, saw anything in the sky, to quote M r. Arnold directly, "if I saw a ten story building FRANK M . BROW , S/a, CIC 4th AF ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Incident 4AF 1208 I flying through the air I would never eay a word about it", due to the fact that he has been ridiculed by the press to such on extent that he is practically a moron in the eyes of the majority of the population of the U nited States* 1 Incl: E xhibit "Aw FRANK K. BROW N, s/a, CIC 4th AF SOM E L IFE DAT A ON KE NNE T H ARNOL D I was born M arch 29, 1915 in Subeka, M innesota* M y father’s name was E dward E rb Arnold; my mother’s maiden name was Bertha E . Barden. I was a resident of M innesota until’ I was six years old when my family moved to Scobey, M ontana, where they home­ steaded. M y grandfather, Roland C. Arnold also homesteaded in Scobey, M ontana, and became quite prominent in political circles along with Burton K# W heeler, the famous M ontana senator# I went to grade school and high school at M inot, North Dakota# I entered scouting at twelve years of age and achieved the rank of E agle scout before I was fourteen. M y former scout executive was H. H. Prescott, now a regional commissioner for the Boy Scouts in Kansas City, Kansas# As a boy, I was interested in athletics and was selected as an all-state end in 1932 and 1933 in the state of North Dakota. I entered the U . S. Olympic trials in fancy diving in 1932; I was a Red Cross L ife Saving E xaminer during the years of 1932 , ’33 and 134. I taught swimming and diving at scout camps and the municipal pool in M inot, North Dakota. I went to the U niversity of M innesota, where I swam end did fancy diving under Neils T horpe, and also played football under Bernie Bierman, but upon entering college I was unable to continue my football career because of an injured knee# M y high school foot­ ball coach was Glenn L . Jarrett, who is now the head football coach of the U niversity of North Dakota. I had little or no finances, and my ambition in furthering my education in college COPY \ "^O X^IJjJijJ Page 2 - Some L ife data on Kenneth /mold was through my athletics* As a boy in M inot, North Dakota, I did a good deal of dog sled racing, placing first with my-dog in 1930 in the L ions Club Dog Derby# In 1938 I went to work for Red Comet, Inc. of L ittleton, Colorado, a manufacturer of automatic fire fighting apparatus# In 1939 I was made district manager for them over a part of the western states, and in 1940 I established my own fire control supply known as the Great W estern Fire Control Supply# I have beer, working as an independent fire control engineer since, and I handle, distribute, sell and install all types of auto­ matic and manual fire fighting equipment in the rural areas over five western states# M y flying experience started as a boy in M inot, North Dakota, where I took my first flying lesson from E arl T # V ance, who was originally from Great Falls, M ontana# Due to the high cost at that time, I was unable to continue my flying and did not fly of any great consequence until 1943# I was given my pilot certificate by E d L each, a senior CAA inspector of Portland, Oregon, and for the last three years have owned my own airplane covering my entire territory with same end flying from forty to one hundred hours per month since# Due to the fact that I use an airplane entirely in my work, in January of this year I purchased a new Callair airplane, which is an airplane designed for high altitude take-offs end short rough field usage# In the type of flying I do, it takes a great deal of — Page 3- Some L ife Data on Kenneth Arnold practice and judgment to be able to land in most any cow pasture and get out without injuring your airplane; the runways are very limited and the altitude is very high in some of the fields and places I have to go in my work. T o date, I have landed in 832 cow pastures in mountain meadows, and in over a thousand hours a flat tire has been my greatest mishap. O M BfflSffitt FBI SE AT T L E .^ rector fbi L . R. BRU M M E T T FB8-14-47 5-21 PM U RGE NT SID"DE CKE R. _ ^M < ———* FL YING DISCS. INT E RNAL SCU RIT Y-X. L add Nichols. . M r/Rosen........ M i T racy M r. Huan.......... M r. Gurnoa ... M r. Harbo........ M r. M ohr ... . M r. Pennington M r. Q uinn l uma M r. ?r :>• AU GU ST FOU RT E E N Mmew m nineteen fortyseven Seattle post intelligencer PU BL ISHE D ART ICL E T O E FFE CT T HAT L BRU M M E T T , BOX T W O FIV E FOU R RE D- M OND, W ASH AND SIDNE Y DE CKE R BOX T W O NINE SIX RE DM OND, W ASHINGT ON HAD SIGHT E D T OO FORT YSE V E N DISCS AT APPROXIM AT E L Y NINE AM AU GU ST T HIRT E E N NINE T E E N U PON INT E RV IE W DE CKE R ST AT E D T HAT T W O V E RY BRIGHT OJE CT S T RAV E L ING AT AN E XT RE M E RAT E OF SPE E D W E RE NOT ICE D BY HIM AS HE |wAS ST ANDING NE AR T HE RE DM OND POST OFFICE . DE CKE R DE SCRIBE D T HE OBJE CT S AS HAV ING NO W INGS, NO T AIL , AND BOT H E NDS W E RE T APE RE D. DE CKE R ADDE D T HAT T HE OBJE CT S RE SE M BL E D A BE L L Y T ANK AND T HAT T HE Y W E RE NOISE L E SS. T HE OBJE CT S W E RE V E RY BRIGHT AND T RAV E L ING IN A NORT HE AST E RL Y DIRE CT ION OV E R RE DM OND, W ASHINGT ON, ONE A BIT BE HIND AND A L IT T L E ABOV E T HE OT HE R M AINT AINING E Q U AL RAT E S OF SPE E D FOR APPROXIM AT E L Y E IGHT SE CONDS A W HICH T IM E T HE Y DISAPPE ARE D FROM V IE W . DE CKE R ADDE D T HAT T HE Y W E RE HIGHE R T HAN A PL ANE GE NE RAL L Y T RAV E L S. BRU M M E T T ADV ISE D T HAT HE NOT ICE D T HE OBJE CT S AND CAL L E D DE CKE RS AT T E NT ION T O T HE M AND AL SO POINT E D T HE M OU T T O A M RS M AM IE E NGL ISH. BRU M M E T T ST AT E D T HAT HE SAW T W O OBJE CT S Av *L'*' ^u6 - T 8J U IU M 3S 1W H31N: A^«V iZd PAGE T OO T RAV E L ING AT L E AST T HRE E T IM E S FAST E R T HAN A PL AN. BRU M M E T T ADDE D T HAT HE W AT CHE D T HE OBJE CT S FROM FIV E T O E IGHT SE CONDS AT W HICH T IM E T HE Y DISAPPE ARE D FROM SIGHT . ACCORDING T O BRU M M E T T T HE OBJE CT S W E RE DE SCRIBE D AS BE ING NOISE L E SS, HAV ING NO W INGS OR T AIL , L IGHT E R T HAN AL U M INU M , T APE RE D AT BOT H E NDS AND ONE ST AYE D A L IT T L E BE HIND AND A BIT ABOV E T HE OT HE R AND BOT H M AINT AIND E Q U AL RAT E S OF SPE E D. FROM BRU M M E T T S OBSE RV AT IO' HE W AS U NABL E T O DE CIDE W HE T HE R T HE OBJE CT S W E RE FL AT OR ROU ND. M RS M AM IE ^W L ISH ST AT E D T HAT W HE N BRU M M E T T CAL L E D HE R AT E NT ION T O T HE OBJE CT S SHE T OOK A PASSING GL ANCE AT T HE SKY AND COU L D OFFE R NO DE SCRIPT ION OT HE R T HAN T HE Y L OOKE D L IKE T W O SIL V E R BAL L S T RAV E L ING AT A FAST RAT E OF SPE E D. W IL COX E ND SHOL D PL S 9-2 3 PM OK FBI W ASH DC GAR STANDARD FORM NO. 64 ■Office Memorandum U NIT E D S GOV E RNM E NT Director, FBI date: September 2 0, 1947 FROM SAC, Chicago SU BJECT : FL YING RICHARD - Informant Reference is made to your letter dated August 11, 1947 in the above captioned matter. Sheriff FRE D BAU , M cHenry County, foodstock, Illinois, advised that he had received no reports of flying discs in the community of lily L ake, Illinois. He further stated that he had no record or knowledge of RICHARD F. SHAV E R of L ily lake. Deputy Sheriff FRANK KE L L E R, L ily lake, Illinois, advised that he was per­ sonally acquainted with RICHARiyfeT tAV E R, whom he described as a successful . writer of mystery stories. He said he had no information to the effect that SHAV E R was mentally unsound and he believed him to be a substantial citizen. M rs. R. L ANNE S, L ily L ake Realty Company, advised she had sold property to SHAV E R on two occasions and vias well acquainted with SHAV E R and his wife. She knew of no derogatory information concerning him. RICHARD SHARPE ' SHAV E R was interviewed at L ily L ake, Illinois and advised that he vias the featured writer of mystery stories fQ xO^*nazingR nBgazine, which magazine is edited by .RAY dHt^x^lJ/E H of thgj^tT f-Davis Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois. SHAV E R at the outset stated that PAL M E R had told him the . FBI would contact him regarding flying discs. _ - , -*>»■- SHAV E R indicated that the telegram received by the W ar Department, referred to in referenced letter, was probably sent by one of his readers, unknown to him. He said that he wrote mystery stories based on his firm conviction that under the earth are various caverns formerly inhabited by a super race, who have since fled to other planets. T his region of caverns he calls L emuria. He stated he believes there is valuable machinery and other resources in these caverns. He therefore explained flying discs, which he calls "space ships", as the mode of travel of the L emurians coming from other planets to reclaim the valuable machinery. SHAV E R indicated that his theories had aroused a wide following among readers of "Amazing" magazine. SHAV E R exhibited an article from an edition of the "Chicago T imes" for August 3, 1947. T he article stated that on June 2 4, 1947, on M urray Island, off the W ashington Coast, there had occurred a mysterious explosion which was believed to have been caused by a guided misale or rocket. It further stated that the date of the explosion was the same date on which one KE NNE T H' a private pilot, sighted the first flying disc at Boise, Id ^ SW 1W COPIE S DE ST ROYE D 270 NOV 18 1964 RNOL D, i i A l/t <>*15 ^ 2 DISCS • '■' ' -t -a 4 U W 033S I^HSIN' ^1333* Director, FBI Re: FL YING DISCS September 20, 1947 T he article went on to state that it was believed at the time that there was some correlation between the flying disc and the M urray Island explosion, and that RAYM OND PAL M E R, Chicago magazine editor, had employed ARNOL D to investi­ gate and "cover1* the M urray Island explosion. T he article went on to state that on August 1, 1947, at T acoma, W ashington, there was a conference among officials of the Army and Navy, who discussed the possible relation between the M urray Island explosion and the appearance of flying discs. ARNOL D was supposed to have been in attendance at this conference. At the conference, authorities brought samples of a lava oxide metal, allegedly taken from the scene of the M urray Island explosion. T he article stated that following the conference, two pilots left by plane for Hamilton Field, California, carrying samples of the lava oxide metal. T he article further reported that the plane crashed near Hamilton Field, California, and it was conjectured that the plane had exploded by reason of the combustion of the lava oxide metal it carried. From the above newspaper article, it should be noted that RAYM OND PAD®, SHAV E R'S employer, was from the start "exploiting" the appearance of the flying discs, possibly to enhance the appeal of SHAV E R’S stories. It is possible, therefore, that the entire flying disc theory was conceived by PAL M E R and SHAV E R. OAGslab 100-18999 - 2 - • Office M.emorandum T O Director, FBI [FROM SAC, Anchorage SU BJECT: Flying Disks DA TE: Reference is made to Bureau Bulletin No. 42 dated July 30, 1947. T his is to advise that two army officers reported to the Office of the Director of Intelligence, headquarters Alaskan Department, at Fort Richardson, Alaska, that they had witnessed an object passing through the air at a tremendous rate of speed which could not be judged as to miles per hour. T he first officer stated that his attention was attracted to this airborne object, and he in turn pointed it out to the second of­ ficer. T he object appeared to be shaped like a sphere and did not give the inpression of being saucer-like or comparable to a disk. T he first- officer stated that it would be impossible to give minute details con­ cerning the object, but that it appeared to be approximately two or three feet in diameter and did not leave any vapor trail in the sky. Both officers attempted to determine the approximate of the object, and from a weather group stationed nearby it was de­ termined that cloud formations at the time the object was sighted were" •’scattered above 10,000 feet.*’ T he object was noted to be traveling below the cloud formation. DE FE igi .titude T he first officer stated that in his peared to be metallic and was silver in color many airplanes. opinion the object ap- much like the color of T he second officer stated substantially the same facts and also pointed out that the object remained within his vision for ap­ proximately 15 to 2 0 seconds. W hen sighted, the object was traveling due south at a speed considerably in excess of any plane. T he second officer stated that the object appeared to him to be approximately 10 feet in diameter and compared it to half the size of a full moon on an ordinary night. T he second officer based the altitude at approximately the same as the first officer except for the fact that due to the size he believed the object to be, he estimated the altitude to be only approximately 3,000 or 4,000 feet. T he object appeared broadside to the second officer, and no evidence of a spinning motion or reflection was noted. As to the color, the j appeared to be a dull metal finish. pointed out that it OPIE S DE ST ROYE D (/ £70 NOV 18 1964 dy^33s ivnu bih ; • Hd 8,11 sz d '«I3J3|, OSM ^33" L etter to Director, FBI 9-17-47 Re: Flying Disks In conclusion, the second officer pointed out that one of the remarkable features of this object was that it was definitely traveling against the wind. T he exact date of the sighting of this object was not fur­ nished this office, and inasmuch as it occurred previously to the re­ ceipt of Bureau instructions in this matter, no further investigation is being conducted by this office unless specifically requested to do so by the Bureau. 100-1403 HL M sGW H STANDARD^FORM NO. 64 . Office Memorandum • united to : Director, FBI frO m : SAC, Philadelphia SU BJE CT : FL YING OBJE CT RE PORT E D OV E R PHIL ADE L PHIA AU GU ST 6, 1947 SABOT AGE _________ ______________________ DAT E : ST AT E S GOV E RN 1947 by the M iss E L E ANOR'NADDL E , 2 114 Hobart Street, Philadelphia, who is employed GE ORGE R’. GRE E NW AL D M ANU FACT U RING COM PANY, 1524 Chestnut Street, Phila- delphia, advised as follows: yw»>gg Between 10:30 and 10:45 P home with CE CE L IA on August 6, 1947, she was sittingon 'FINE . She was facing north and observedthe steps of her a large white object traveling at a very fast rate of speed to the south T here was a buzzing sound, not too loud but plainly audible, just after this object streak passed through the air. T his white object left in its trail a-thin of smoke, which was grayish in color. ployed M iss CE CE L IA FINE , 5617 Arlington Street, Philadelphia, who is em- by the PRE SSM AN & GU T M AN COM PANY, INC., Room 1140, P.S.F.S. Building, Philadelphia, stated she was sitting on the steps of M iss NADDL E 's home on the evening of August 6, 1947, around 10:45 p.m. engaging in conversation with M iss NADDL E , when M iss NADDL E abruptly stopped in the middle of her con­ versation and appeared to be frightened. M iss FINE at that time was sitting in a position in which she was facing south. She did not see any object in the sky after noting M iss NADDL E ’s change of expression, but she did hear a slight buzzing sound. JOHN SNYDE R, 1440 V ankirk Street, Philadelphia, an insurance agent, who was a former pilot of B-2 4’s in the Army Air Corps, advised as follows: He was sitting on the steps of his home around 10:45 p.m. on August 6, 1947, with his wife; and his neighbors, the KE L L Y family, were sitting on their steps next door to the residence of SNYDE R. All of the above parties were facing east. SNYDE R noticed at this time an object, emitting a bluish- white flame, passing quickly through the air. T he object was traveling from northeast to southwest. U sing his experience in the Army Air Corps as a guide, SNYDE R estimated the above object was between 1000 and 3000 feet in the air and traveling at a rate of between 400 to 500 miles an hour. T his object din not lose elevation as it passed through the air and left either smoke or a condensation trail in its former path, which A hissing sound accompanied the passing ate and not nearly as loud as the noise asted for about two seconds. s object. T his sound was moder- ship accompanying the passage of a rocket ^..''W jb 37 SEp ^9,7 "-^ \\ ^a/ COPIE S DE ST ROYE D 270 NOV 15 1^04 RECEIVED :i 9 I01MM* INTERNAL SECURIT K B. I. RECEIVED pZG. I 47PH’ HTERNAL SECURP ’ Director, FBI September 18, 1947 JOHN J. KE L L Y, 1442 V ankirk Street, who is a retired police officer of the Philadelphia Police Department, advised as follows: Around 10:45 p.m. on August 6, 1947, he and his wife were sitting on the steps of their home, when KE L L Y noticed an object, resembling to him a giant firecracker, pass quickly through the air. KE L L Y heard no noise, but the object had completely passed from view in a southern direction within a split second. It left a fiery trail for about 100 feet. August 6, 1947, was a clear night, and no storm was brewing. KE L L Y was sure the object he saw was no falling star, and he noted the above object did not seem to be falling but maintained the same altitude. T he wives of SNYDE R and KE L L Y verified the accounts of their husbands as to the above-mentioned object. A It is to be noted that the SNYDE RS and the KE L L YS live in Northeast' „ Philadelphia near Oxford Circle, which is about ten miles removed from the residence of M iss NADDL E . M iss NADDL E ’s residence is located in the western part of Philadelphia. T he M isses NADDL E and FINE are not known to the above- mentioned KE L L YS and SNYDE RS. It is further noted the observation of M iss NADDL E , the KE L L YS, and the SNYDE RS roughly correspond. All of the above persons seem reliable and not the type to seek publicity or to spread rumors. M iss NADDL E and JOHJt^E L L Y called the ’’Inquirer”, Philadelphia news­ paper, and inquired if it could offer any explanation as to what they had seen. A representative of that paper had advised M iss NADDL E and KE L L Y that the object they saw may have been some product of an oil refinery or chemical company in their neighborhood. Both the Offices of Naval Intelligence and Army Intelligence in Phila­ delphia were requested by the Philadelphia Office to ascertain if either the Army or the Navy was doing any experimental work on new types of planes or equipment, in the vicinity of Philadelphia. Such was done with negative re­ sults. T he Office of Naval Intelligence indicated that an explosion had oc­ curred at the CHARL E S L E NNIG CHE M ICAL COM PANY on August 6, 1947. S. A. GIM BE L , Safety Department of the CHARL E S L E NNIG CHE M ICAL COM PANY, INC., 5000 Richmond Street, Philadelphia, advised aS follows: T he above company is a manufacturer and distributor of chemicals. A fire had occurred on a dump of the company on August 6, 1947, but was quickly gotten under control. Such fire was confined to the company's prem­ ises and could not have been observed from outside the plant. T he CHARL E S - 2 - Director, FBI September 18, 1947 L E NNIG COM PANY is about two and one-half miles southeast from Oxford Circle. T he account of the fire does not seem to fit into the general pattern of the above-mentioned flying object, for it is noted that the flying object was allegedly traveling from a position northeast of Oxford Circle to a south­ westerly direction in Philadelphia. GIM BE L pointed out that, to the best of his knowledge, there are no oil refineries and chemical companies located around Oxford Circle or north of such, but that all of the companies of this type are several miles south of Oxford Circle. All logical investigation having been conducted, no further action will be taken on the instant matter unless advised to the contrary by the Bureau. FFB/ctg 98-1762 - 3 - Septem ber 27, 1947 M ajor General George C* M cDonald A ssistant Chief A ir Staff - 2 The Pentagon W ashington, D. c, i RE CORDE D , / Dear General M cDonaldt The Federal Bureau of Investigation has been requested by your office to assist in the investigation of reported sitt­ ings of flying discs* M y attention has been called to instructions dissem inated by the A ir Forces relative to this m atter* I have been advised that these instructions indicate that the A ir Forces would inter­ view responsible observers while the FBI would investigate incidents of discs found on the ground, thereby relieving the A ir Forces of running down incidents which in m any cases turned out to be "ash can covers, toilet seats and whatnot*" 4 fl In view of the apparent understanding by the A ir Forces of the position of the Federal.Bureau of Investigation in this m atter, I cannot perm it the personnel and tim e of this organisa­ tion to be dissipated in this m anner* I am advising the Field Divisions of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to discontinue all investigative activity regard- r^^ ing the reported sightings of flying disos, and am instructing them y to refer all com plaints received to the appropriate A ir Force representative in their area* > Sincerely yours. . Tolson______ . E. A. . clegs________ /• Olavir.______ «r. L add _____ yr. Nichols______ " •* Rosen________ . T ree',•________ 1 Esan______ ^Gurnea_______ ■Harb c________ . P enr.TnTon^Z ..a . Quin T aaa___ T ele. Roon_______ Mr. Nease________ Miss Gandy W lONS SE CT ION a I L E ° '^ John Edgar Hoover Director RECEIVED •CT 3 4 26 PT INTERNAL SECURE F. B. I. "'PT. f " ' STANDARD FORM NO. 64 Office Memorandum U NIT E D ST AT E S GOV E RNM E NT T O : T HE DIRE CT ORS DAT E : September 25, 1947 FROM : 0. M . IADD Mr. Tolson____ Mr. E. A. Tanin- Mr. Clegg____ ' Mr. Glavln__ □ Mr. L addjX Mr. Nichols Mr. Rosen SU BJE CT : FL YING DI _ _____ ____ —*------h / Mr. Tracy / y M / Hr* Carson_________ / X 1 / CX Mr. ^^__________ I f Mr. Gurnea________ x-X X^X \ / V . Harbo__________ T he Bureau was requeued by the Air Forces Intelligence to assist; ^In>ton the Air Forces in attempting to arrive at an explanation of the above £ie?ito£»2!jzz phenomena. T he Air Forces indicated that the alleged sightings of flying ^i|^°^^= discs might have been made by individuals of Communist sympathies for the _ ____ ZZZZZ purpose of causing mass hysteria in the U nited States over the fear of a secret Russian weapon. T he Bureau agreed to assist in the investigation of the reported sightings, and the Field was advised in Bureau Bulletin No. 42 , Series 1947, dated July 30, 1947, that they should investigate each instance which was brought to their attention of the sighting of a flying disc in order to ascertain whether or not it was a bona fide sighting, an imaginary one, or a prank. T he results of the investigation conducted by the Bureau Field Offices in this matter have failed to reveal any indication of subversive individuals being involved in any of the reported sightings. T he Bureau has received a communication in the captioned matter from the Special Agent in Charge at San Francisco, dated September 19, 1947, which attached a ’'restricted” letter that was furnished confidentially to the SAC at San Francisco by L ieutenant Colonel Donald L . Springer, A-2 , Army Air Forces, Hamilton Field, California, a copy of which is attached hereto. It is noted that the letter, which is dated September 3, 1947, is signed "By Command of L ieutenant General Stratemayor" by Colonel R. H. Smith, Assistant Chief of Staff Intelligence, Headquarters, Air Defense Command, M itchel Field, New York, and is addressed to the Commanding Generals of the various Air Forces. T his letter is entitled "Cooperation of FBI with AAF on Investigations of ’Flying Disc’ Incidents." T his letter states in substance that it was the original intent of the AC/AS-2, Headquarters, Army Air Forces that whereas the ADC Air Forces would interview responsible observers, the FBI would investigate incidents of so-called cCisos-oeT ng found on the ground. Further, it indicates that the services of the FBI were enlisted in order to relieve the numbered Air Forces of the task of tracking down all the many instances which turned out to be "ash can covers, toilet seats and whatnot." RE COM M E NDAT ION: It is recommended that the Bureau protest vigorously to the Assistant Chief of Air Staff - 2 . It is also recommended^T hat the Bureau discontinue all activity in this field and that tinue all investigations and to A proposed Bulletin is attached Attachment the Bureau Field Offices be advised to discon- refer all complaints received to the Air Forces for your approval. SW R:A JB COPY HE ADQ U ART E RS AIR DE FE NSE COM M AND M itchel *ield, N9w York In reply refer to: D333.SE X 3 September 1947 SU BJE CT t Cooperation of FBI with AAF on Investigations of "Flying Disc” Incidents. T Ot Commanding Genrals, First, Second, Fourth, T enth, E leventh and Fourteenth Air Forces AT T E NT ION! Assistant Chief of Staff, A-2 1. T he Federal Bureau of Investigation has agreed to assist Air force Intelligence personnel in the investigation of "flying disc" incidents in order to quickly and effectively rule out what are pranks and to concentrate on what appears to be a genuine incident. 2. It was the original intent of the AC/AS-2 , Headquarters, Army Air Forces that whereas the ADC Air Forces would interview respon­ sible observers whose names would be furnished by AAF, the FBI would investigate incidents of so called "discs" being found on the ground. T he services of the FBI were enlisted in order to relieve the numbered Air Forces of the task of tracking down all the many instances which turned out to be ash can covers, toilet seats and whatnot. 3. It is requested that each A-2 informally coordinate and cooperate with the FBI, generally keeping the FBI Informed of any proposed calls that intelligence personnel will make on this subject. V ery shortly, with the separation of the AAF from the W ar Department, a firm policy will be established to clarify the liaison arrangements between A-2’s and FBI Special Agents. Presently, it is considered inadvisable to promulgate a formal interim policy — only to have it replaced in a month or so by another. BY COM M AND OF L IE U T E NANT GE NE RAL ST RAT E M E YE R: /s/ R. H. SM IT H R. H. SM IT H Colonel, GSC Asst Chief of Staff-Intell. STANDARD FOR?^^. 64 * T O FROM SU BJE CT : E . G. FIT CH INST RU M E NT FOU ND ON FARM NE AR DANFORT H, IL L INOIS M R. L ADD U NIT E D ST AT E S GOV E RNM E NT DAT E : SE PT E M BE R 2 3, 1947 Reference is made to a memorandum to M r. Harbo on the above-captioned matter, dated September 3 1947 Mr. Tolson_______ Mr. E. A. Tamm Mr. Clegg_________ Mr. GlavIn Mr. Mr. Nichols Mr. Rosen_ Mr. Tracy_ Mr. carson_ Mr. Egan ) Mr. Gurnea /r>iieral Surratt nt InuM tigation ’ U nited States Departm ent nt Sustire 42 2 - Federal Office Building, Civic San Francisco 2 , California September 19, 1947 Center Director, FBI Attention: Assistant Director D. M . L ADD . Dear Sirr RE : -RE PORT S OF FL YING DISCS I am transmitting herewith copies of a ’Restricted'’ letter date September 3, 1947, which was furnished to me by L ieutenant Colonel DONA L . SPRINGE R, A-2, Anny Air Forces, Hamilton Field, California, which letter is designated to certain Commanding Generals in the Army Air Forces from Colonel R. H. SM IT H, Assistant Chief of Staff - Intelligence, Headquarters Air Defense with AAF on Command, M itchel Field, New York, concerning "Cooperation of FBI Investigations of ’Flying Disc’ Incidents". It is my understanding from recent Bureau instructions that we are to assist the Air Force Intelligence personnel in the investigation of flying disc incidents* However, it will be noted from the attached letter that it is Army interpretation that it was their intent that the Bureau would investi­ gate those incidents of the so-called "discs" being found on the ground and apparently not those which are observed only in flight* Further, the atten­ tion of the Bureau is respectfully called to paragraph two of this letter and to the last sentence therein which states, "T he services of the_F#.I were enlisted in order to relieve the numbered Air Forces of the task of tracking down all the many instances which turned out to be ash can covers, toilet seats and whatnot*" In the first place, the instructions issued by the Army Air Forces in this letter appear to limit the type of investigations which the Bureau will be asked to handle and secondly it appears to me the wording of the last sentence in the second paragraph mentioned above is cloaked in entirely uncalled .for language tending to indicate the Bureau will be asked to conduct investigations only in those cases which are not important and which^are f^-*- almost, in fact, ridiculous T he thought has occurred to me the Bureau might desire to discuss this matter further with the Army Air Forces both as to the types of investi­ gations which we will conduct and also to object to the scurrilous wordage issay the least two which, to paragraph insulting to the Bureau in the last sentence of Director, FBI RE t RE PORT S OF FL YING DISCS 9/19/47 In the event the Bureau decides to discuss the matter further with the Army Air Forces, it is recommended that no indication whatsoever be given indicating this letter was referred to me by L ieutenant Colonel SPRINGE R inasmuch as it would undoubtedly cause him serious embarrassment and would certainly cause the excellent personal relationship which exists between L ieutenant Colonel SPRINGE R and this office to be endangered* Very truly yours, Harty M .U imbaH (J Special Agent in Charge HM Kjmhr 62-2938 ‘ i • * • COPY HE ADQ U ART E RS AIR DE FE NSE COM M AND M itchel Field, New York In reply refer to: D333.SE X 3 September 1947 SU BJE CT t Cooperation of FBI with AAF on investigations of ’’Flying Disc" Incidents. T Oj Commanding Genrals, First, Second, Fourth, T enth, E leventh and Fourteenth Air Forces AT T E NT IONj Assistant Chief of Staff, A-2 1. T he Federal bureau of Investigation has agreed to assist Air force Intelligence personnel in the investigation of "flying disc" incidents in order to quickly and effectively rule out what are pranks and to concentrate on what appears to be a genuine incident. 2. It was the original intent of the AC/AS-2 , Headquarters, Army Air Forces that whereas the ADC Air Forces would interview respon­ sible observers whose names would be furnished by AAF, the FBI would investigate incidents of so called "discs" being found on the ground. T he services of the FBI were enlisted in order to relieve the numbered Air Forces of the task of tracking down all the many instances which turned out to be ash can covers, toilet seats and whatnot. 3. It is requested that each A-2 informally coordinate and cooperate with the FBI, generally keeping the FBI informed of any proposed calls that intelligence personnel will make on this subject. V gry shortly, with the separation of the AAF from the W ar Department, a firm policy will be established to clarify the liaison arrangements between A-2’s and FBI Special Agents. Presently, it is considered inadvisable to promulgate a formal interim policy — only to have it replaced in a month or so by another. BY COM M AND OF L IE U T E NANT GE NE RAL ST RAT E M E YE Rj /s/ R. H. SM IT H R. H. SM IT H Colonel, GSC ’ Asst Chief of Staff-Intell. / 63 OC T 6 1947 (D) FL YING DISCS --E ffective immediately, the Bureau has discontinued its investi­ gative activities as outlined in Section B of Bureau Bulletin No. 42 , Series 1947 dated July 30, 194?. All future reports connected with flying discs should be referred to the Air Forces and no investigative action should be taken by Bureau Agents. 810C1 i^T STANDARDK Office ^'^^^^^^ • U NIT E D ST AT E S GOV E RNM E NT T O = Director, FBI Butte date: September 2 7, 1947 SU BJE CT : FL YING DISCS SIGHT E D M AY 5, 1947, BE T W E E N E L IE NS BU RG AND SE AT T L E , W ASHINGT ON W arden JOHN HE NRY, M ontana State Prison, Deer L odge, M ontana, has advised the writer that while driving between E llensburg and Seattle, W ashing­ ton, about 3:30 P,M , , on M ay 5, 1947, he sighted a silver object streaking across the sky* T his was also seen by M E L BOU RNE Jlr^llL L , convict chauffeur, and M rs. HE NRY. T his object went into a nose dive and they thought it would crash. However, before reaching the earth it disintegrated, leaving a long pillar of "gas” hanging in the sky. It was particularly odd because this re­ mained in form and did not blow away. It was observed by these three people while they drove from twenty to thirty miles* T his smoky, gaseous pillar was a long ways o^f and remained high in the air. W arden HE NRY said that this silver object was traveling at an '' excessively high rate of speed and when it disintegrated it was still a long way from the earth. W arden HE NRY said when he first saw it he thought it was probably a jet propelled plane but that he couldn’t tell except that its mo­ tions were erratic. He said he had not reported it until he had noticed so much in the papers about these discs. Although three people saw it, they ‘de­ cided that they must be "seeing things". T he Seattle Office is requested to advise M r. H. R. PE T E RSON, 4th Air Force, S-2, M cChord Field, W ashington. No further action is being taken by the Butte Office due to the time elapsing between the sighting of this object and the report. 7 *8 ^y033$ iv^yjj^ ‘^SS£ ^d. ^‘^^ J jfd. ; ^ ■VOS'iVi- ■ 0 M^.33y U NIT E D ST A GOV E RNM E NT L ADE the the Air Force for for SW R lace - ..LC lxT? IOM M E NDAT ION: Supervisor R "• J.rnu ~ . . iroo r. Heodor r. re nr.!' :?'“ - - Quinn Ta— ’ale. boor SU BJECT: FL YING DISCS T here are attached hereto is recommended that thia memorandum be made Fletcher of the Internal Security SeotiSavailable to his informati DAT E ; October 9, 1947 nn mne Air corns „ Photographs of various reports; «■« above-oaptionS matter. M aison Section by L ieutenant ColoueiT ’E ^eN V the’"E ?eK • completion of Bureau files. ’ e111^ um