Department of WarPDFTier 2 · Documented firsthand report
Air Intelligence Information Report, Germany, 1953
DOW-UAP-D159 · Release 07 (10/23)
Agency
Department of War
Document type
PDF
Location
Germany (Europe)
Incident date
8/10/53
Release
Release 07 (10/23)
Evidence tier
Tier 2 · Documented firsthand report
What the document says
This document is an Air Intelligence Information Report (AIIR), a standardized U.S. Air Force reporting form used to record raw information of potential intelligence value for later analysis. The form served as a primary vehicle for U.S. Air Force field intelligence collection throughout the early Cold War, until defense-wide reporting standards were established in the early 1960s.
This AIIR records a series of entries extracted from Tempelhof Airport air traffic control logs dated 10–11 August 1953 concerning aerial reports in the Soviet-occupied zone of Germany. The report states that a British European Airways DC-3 aircraft reported observing what the pilot described as red-colored rockets being fired approximately one mile in front of the aircraft while inbound to Tempelhof via the Center Corridor. It further states that the pilot of a second British European Airways DC-3 later reported a stationary, red-colored light approximately 20 nautical miles west of Genthin at an altitude of approximately 5,000 feet. The report also notes that British Berlin Air Safety Center stated that Soviet authorities had investigated the reported red light and could not account for it. A later Pan American pilot reported no corresponding light or activity when passing through the same area.
All descriptive and estimative language contained in this report reflects the reporter’s subjective interpretation at the time of the event. Such characterizations should not be interpreted as a conclusive indication of the presence or absence of any intrinsic object features or performance characteristics.
Auto-extracted from the original PDF · may contain extraction artifacts. The source document above is authoritative.
AF FORMt112-PART I
APPROVED I JUNE 1948
CO~NTRY
GERlWiY
260-5
SUBJECT
AIR INTELLIGENCE INF
EXTRACTS FROII AIR TIW'FIC CaffROL LOGS
AREA REPORTED ON
FROM (A9'/>cr)
SOVIE!' ZOIE GERWY
73501'H BASE COMPLU!N'r SQOlDROI
DATEOF REPORT
11 AUGUST 1953
PREPARED BY (O}ftctr)
ItVAlUATION
lfONE
FRED L. ALLEN
C.AFT.
USAF
ISOURCE
AIR TBAn'IC COlfTROLLER
REFERENCES ( Co•lrol nu ,.btr, dirtdirt, prtoiou, report, de., a, applicabl•)
SUMMARY: (lrnler ..,,,;,. •umm•r11 ofr<port. Gioe •i,nlfitana In final 01,uc,uenu paragraph. Lut lnclo.urta at IOllitr left. Bttln tat ofrtport on AF Form IJt-Part Il.)
The followi11g information•• extracted f'l'OII Air Trattic Control Loga,
TEMPELHOF, 11 August 1953.
10 August 1953:
1936Z hours:
2245Z hOUl'IIS
British European Airways DC-.3 type ilrcraf't, GALJI,
flJing inbound for TEIIPELHOF via Center Corridor
reported obiHrrl.ng what appear.d to be red colored
rockets, behg ti.red approrl.llately ane (1) mle in
tront ot hia,
•
Bat Eisen lir Tratfic Control reported the following
1nt'oraat1on to T!MPELHOF Air Tra.tfic Control:
The pilot of British European Airways 00•3 t1pe
Aircraft, GA.GIP, reported sighting a stationary red
colored light twenty ( 20) nautical miles West of Gentbin
( 5224B/1209E).
Light appe&Nd to be at approximateI.y
5,000 feet but not abo"9 5,500 teet.
2315Z houras British Berlin Air Satety Center reported that the
SOYiets checked on this reported red light and could
not account for it.
11 August 195li
0235Z hours:
____ INCLS.
,....~ ...~
\ t:>li\P
,.~'°-i.S.'f..i..\q.\.~)
l ~4\1
t'1..,\A..'""'rt
DISTRIBUTION BY ORIGINATOR
Pilot Leaser, Pan .hericen Clipper C-193.l t>nroute t.o
Hanaftr da the Center Corridor reported to TEIIPELHOF
Air Traffic Control when oTer the area twnty- (20)
nautical a.ilea •st ot Genthin. Pilot Lesser obae?"Yed
no light or activity of any description, but stated
that on Friday night (? August 1953) 1n this sue area,
be obsened grourd to air firing. Pilot Lesaer stated
th&t as his Aircraft approached this area (7 August 1953)
the groUJld to air firing stopped. Pilot stated he ns
unable to determine what type projectile was being
fired.
•
Authority:
NND57597
FOR
JEZT & AR.EA COD£s
AC/S, .l•2, Bqs USAJ'E (Orig)
A.C/S, A•2, Hqs Twlfth AF • 1 cy
OSI DO # 3 - 1 01
-------------,
File - l
NOTE: THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFEC
E MEANING OFTHE ESPIONAGE ACT. 50 U. S.C.
31 AND 32. AS AMENDED. ITS TRANSMISSION OR
AUTHORIZEO PERSON JS PROHIBITED BY LAW.
IT MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED IN WHOLE OR IN P
,
0 HER THAN UNITED STATES AIR FORCE AGENCIES, EXCEPT BY PERMISSION OF THE DIRECTOR OF
INTELLIGENCE. USAF.
eONFJ:.;NTIAL ·~-· ..-----·~--...
~
.
AF FORM 112-PART II
3
APPROVED I JUNE 1~48
l
68 Nil=~~f11Al
AIR INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION REPORT
FROM (;lgrncv)
REFORT NO.
0 BASE COMPLEMENT SQ.
.PAGE
2
OF
2
PAGES
B<1l'E;
.A.a of thie report, thie office has been
unable to contact Pan American Airlines Pilot Lesser
to gain any further inforaation.
~'t{~~
Capt.
USAF
Air Intelligence Officer
LIBRARY SUBJECT a -AREA CODES
WcJe_~
NOTE: TH IS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE,OF THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OFTHE ESPIONAGE ACT. SOU. S. C.
31 AND 32. AS AMENDED. ITS TRANSMISSION OR THE REVELATION OF ITS CONTENTS IN ANY MANNER TO AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS PROHIBITED BY LAW.
INTELLIGENCE, USAF.
l&-&,5.S7(rl
u.•. COYbNM(HT PIIIINTINC o,,1ec
IT MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED IN WHOLE OR IN PART. BY OTHER THAN UNITED STATES. AIR F'ORCE AGENCIES, EXCEPT BY PERMISSION OFlHE DIRECTOR OF
Context
This is one of 282 Department of War records in the declassified archive, reported in the Europe region. It was published in Release 07 (10/23).
Evidence tiers describe the type of record (sensor capture vs. written report vs.
administrative file) · not a claim about its conclusions. UFO Papers reports only what the documents state.