Air Intelligence Information Report, Guam, 1956

AF FORM 112 APl'>ROVE'.0 I J UN£ 1948 COUNT~Y Japan AIR INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION REPORT SURJECT (u) Unidentified Flying Object Report AREA REPORTED ON I FROM (AD g, nlc11)FEAF _ G::i._arn_, M , I. I TILO DA~ o;:;_R__ T _ __________~ 1 -DA_T_Eo_F_lN_~~o;-M-~= T~-oN--- ~-------~I-EV-A-LU-A-Tl-oN___B-_- - -------• 5 7 5 7 4 ,-P-,- -ARE0 71lY (0c-;;;;,- --~- souRc=------~----------------• R-EP _ _ ..,...,., 'ffi1c~---,),---- ----- ------,1---==-=-='""£ ,--,.-=Cacc'pt"-c-=---,-,A=--la---c---7n_G--.-'_P..,,..o_un~d~, _A_T_I_LO-,--,------..--~---~M_e_s_sa__gea from D/0 7th Air Force (Adv) REFERENCES (Omtrol nw-mbtr, direetille. pr,w,oui r¢1Wrt. rte .. as om,lir,able) AFR 200-2 Unidentified Pl Ob"ect Re orta SUMMARY: ( &>..., c,mciu ,umma,y of r,p r,rt. Oi•• •iu>uft<an,• I•• fmal m e-8/Jllttnt • pa,ag,-aph. LW ;n,lo,mr,. al low,r left. Beq-m led of report °" A F ,Form Jl#-Pa,t 11.) l. This report forwards infonnat ion received by message from Comm1nder, ?th Air Force (Ad need) Guam, l . I., concerning an unidentified aerial blinking li ht observed by an F-86D pilot flying in the Guam radio range ho ding pattern on the night of Jl Dec 56, 2. Furth er investigation determined that a lighted weather balloon had been launched one hour and thirty- eight minutes (1 :,38) prior to the sighting . The balloon was loot from the vie-w of the ground station one hour and ten minutea (1:10) prior to the incident. 3. Unless the ligb.ted balloon which was launched prior to the sighting mal­ functioned and remained at a relatively low altitude, the Unidentified Flying Object can not be readily explained. ...J..(;..~r-J, K~;;r USAF of Collections __....,__ 1NQ.S. OlSTRtSUT!ON BV ORIC::INATOR AFOIN-4, 1-P AFB, O; ALASKA A1R COMD; Am DEFENSE COMO; 5th AF; 7th AF; 3rd ADIV; COI-1NA .[AR_. GUAM tiOTE: THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL. DEFEtiSE OF THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE ESPIONAGE ACT. 50 U.S. C.­ 31 /\NDS2.A$AMrnDED. ITS TRANSMISSION ORTHE REVELATION OF I CONTENTS IN AN.Y MA'.NNER TO AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS PROHIBITED BY LAW. IT MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED IN WHOLE OR IN PART. BY OTHER T UNI ST TES FOR AGENCIES, EXCEPT BY PfRN ISSION OF THE DIRECTOR OF INTELLIGENCE, USAF. Af .~ORM 112-PART II APPROVED I JUNE 1948 AIR INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION REPORT FROM (Ai,t,icg) DI Ft.AF ATILO REl'ORT r«l. IR-7- 57 PAGE 2 OF '-/ PAGl'S 1. t 16102 on 31 Dec 56 an F-Af>D pilot :£lying in the Guam range holding pattern sighted an unidentified blinking white liEtit. Following is a copy of the unclassified message forwarded from Commander, 7th Air Force (Adv.&nced), Guar:i, Marianas Isl.ands, as a result of the sighting: 11 The following report submitted in accordance with para.graph 7, AFR 200- 2, dated 12 Aug 1954 and F lF Supplement 1 dated 30 March 1956, This mess'lge in 12 parts. Part 1. A. Round. B. Dime . C. White. D. One. E. No. F. No. G. one. H. ot discer:r,ible. I. Blink:in­ white light (remained constant for approx:imately four (4) seconds then blinked off and on quickly remaining constant agein for the sn:rr.e amount of time). Part 2. A. Object pcssed under aircra.ft while it -was in a holding pattern on the Guam range. It came from a ,.,.,-ester1y heading. B. Az:imuth "'as thirty (JO) degreeB rig•1t, elevation abou 25 degrees low. C. Pilot turned with th object and descended so az:imuth and elevation was no discern:ible. D. The object came in from a westerly heading and pilot, thinkint; it wa5 a B-47, turned down and into the object. The object proc e d to turn with the ircraft. Pilot began to get suspicious of object when he W<:1s unable to close With it and it continued to turn with him on the turn. The pilot knew there were no otl1er fighters airborne at the t:ime and other aircraft stationed 1n the vicinity could not turn outside tl e F-86D• s turning radius. The object passed between the interceptor and th" city of Agana., Guam., and at this time no silhouette was seen. The object proceede south for approx:irnately 10 miles at t.oe pilot I s altitude (20,000 l~L) then it cl:imbed to about 30.,000 'hSL and came dh'ectly over interceptor . Pilot turned aircraft to keep it :in sight and it sta.rted circl~ h:llll.. Tl1e interceptor was pl&ced 1n afterburner arxi turned into the co j ect trying to head it off. t continued to turn around airer ft and he was unable to gain on it or close with it. Then it proceeded west at rircraft altitude and returned over fighter at 10 to 15,000 feet high. Pilot again turned to keep it :l.n sight and it circled fight.er again. At this ti.me pilot had break oi'f and return to Andersen Air Force Base due to low fuel remaining. E. Contact was lost when pilot returned to base. F. Approximately 10 minutes. Part 3. A. Air visual . B. None. C, F-86D, 52-9995, 26,000 feet 8L, 242 degrees , 200 knots, Andersen AFB. Part 4. A. 1610Z, 31 Dec 1956, B. Night. Part 5, In aircraft over Guam radio range. Part 6. A. N/A. NOTE: THIS DOCUME~T CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE OF THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE ESPIONAGE ACT, SOU. S. C.­ 31 AND32. AS AMEN DED. ITS TRANS~IISSI0N OR THE REVELATION OF ITS CONTEtffS IQ! ANY l.1ANNER TO AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS PROHIBITED BY LAVI. :~r~~~I: ~~~:,Eu~!;_RoDucED 1N WHOLE oR 1N PART. sv OTHEP~-=ORCE AGENCIES. EXCEPT sY PERM1ss10N oF rnE 01RECT0R oF {CLI\SSI FiCi:not0 AF FORM 112-PART II APPROVED 1 JUNE 1948 AIR INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION REPORT FROM (Agei;c,) DI FEAF ATILO REf'ORT HO. IR-7-57 PAGE OF PAoES 3 4 B. Brunson, Ted, First Lieute ant, 41st Fig)lter-Interceptor Squadron, alert pilot, observ r considered very reliable, no other supporting. P rt?. A. Brok n clouds at approx:imately 3,000 feet. Clrer above. Visibility 15 miles plus . B. Surf·ce-60 degrees at 9 knots; 6,000-100 de&rees at 24 knots;l0,000-100 degrees at 20 knot ; 16,000-70 degrees at 16 knots; 50,000-120 degrees at 35 knots; 80,000-not .,.vailable. C. 10,000 feet . D. 15 mile . E. Overcast 10/lO. F, Negative. Part 8. one. Part 9. Tried to get type and shape and to observe the object. Succeeded on y in keeping it in sight. Part 10. No other traffic known. A check of all fields and control stations ver • ied_ this . P rt 11. Ch=rles E. Heidenreich, 2nd Lt., USAF, Inten· ~ence Officer~ 41st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron. Co:nmmts: Submitted without comment. Part 12. None. n 2. Since the UFOB -was simil&r to sightinss of we.-;.ther balloo,ns, 7th Air Force ( v) was advised to check o any liV1ted balloons th.t might have b n released at a. t:une to correspond with the sighting. Confirm~tion 1-:as received th, t a lighted balloon had been launched at ll+32Z 31 Dec 56 by the U. S. ·eat.her Bur au at the U. S. avy Communications St tion (13°13 11: - 144050 1E). The balloon was la t tracked five (5) miles west of the statior ~t 13°33 1N - u~ 046 1E, altitude 20,000 eet at 1500Z. 'J.'11e obaorving pilot was again questioned and he stated that he did not believe th& t the OB was 2. •eather balloon b"ecause the UFOB maneuvered with the F-86D and ccel­ erated. past his a ircr ft . 3. For convenience in ev~luatl.1".g this report, a sketch of the general locality of the incident follows: --+-------.i------~-------.­- 1~•,,o" If Jt,.,,t,£2~0-. At:"S 17•30 1 NOTE: THIS OOCUMElff CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE OF THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE ESPIONAGE ACT, 50 U.S. C.­ 31 AND32. AS AMENDED. ITS TRAl'ISMIS5I0N OR THE REVELATION OF ITS CONTENTS IN ANY MANNER TO AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS PROHIBITED BY LAW. IT MAY NOT Bt REPRODUCED IN WHOLE OR IN PART, BY OTHER TH CE AGENCIES, EXCEPT BY P£Rr-.1 ISSlON OF THE DIRECTOR OF INTELLIGENCE, USAF. UNI EO STAT R.F ~F F0R.1:1 111-PART II PROVED 1JUNE 1948 AIR INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION REPORT FROM (Aaencu) REPORT rm. DI FEJ • ATILO IR- 7- 57 4 PAGE OF PAGES CX)LIB? TS OF 'IH PREPAR:m:i OFFICER: 4. The check on the lighted weather ball oon showed that it was launched at 14322 and had ascended to 20, 000 feet at 15002. It as lost fr vie at that t:im . It ' s ascension rate as somewhat slower than standard . onnally a weather balloon would be near the Z7 , 500 foot level twenty- eight (28) minutes after launching . 5. If the weather balloon had ascended no ally, it would have been much higher tha!l the altitude of the reported sighting . If the balloon had malfunctioned and leveled off or descended, it could possibly explain the reported UFOB . ,e&....~~~ ALAN G. POUND Captain, USAF Air Tech Intel Liaison Of~ic r COI'-' •NTS OF THE APPROVTtG OFFICER : This report was prepar ed in its entirety by a member of the Air Technical Intell ence Li ison Office , HJK MOTE: THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE DF THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE ESPIONAGE ACT. 50 U.S. C.­ 31 AND 32, AS AMENDED. ITS TRANS~TISS!ON OR THE REVELATION OF ITS CONTENTS IN ANY MANNER TO AN UNAUTHORIZEO PERSON 1$ PROHIBITED BY LAVI. IT MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED IN WHOLE OR IN PART. 8Y OTHER THAN UNITED STATES AIR FORCE AGENCIES. EXCEPT BY PERMISSION OF THE DIRECTOR OF INTELLIGENCE. 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