Air Intelligence Information Report, Alaska, 1953

.,. At ros;~t,., (i} ., AF FORM 112 ~~~ (a.ASSIFIION) APPROVED 1JUNE 1940 .. COUNTRY REPORT NO. ALASKA IR 5004-42-53 ~ s AIR INTELLIGENCE INfORMATION REPORT SUBJECT Light Observed West of Gambell AREA REPORTED ON Gambell, St. Lawrence Island, Alaska DAT£ OF REPORT I DATE OF INFORMATION 8 Dec 1953 1 Dec 1953 rROM CArimcv, 5004th Air Intelligence IAPO 2 co PM Seattle Wash . EVALUATION I C-3 Sv Sq PREPARED BY (O_aiur) I SOURCE JOHN V. WRIGHT Capt USAF Clifford Iknokinok REFERENCES (OnUrol number ;Jirmloe, pri.foiu rtport, ac., a, appllcabk) SU MM ARY: (11}nter amcile aummarv of report. Gioe lignijicanu in fmal onHtnlenct paragraph. Lill ii1cloaum at lwer ltft. Btgln tut ofreport on A.F Form 111-Part lI.) This report contains information on a light seen by an observer at Gambell, St. Lawrence Island, Alaska (63°501N- 171°361W) , OllllOZ December 1953. Light was observed on a true heading of 283° from Gambell. While no definite conclusion can be reached as to the or1g1n of the light, a possibility exists that it could have come from an unidentified ship operating in or near U. s. Territorial Waters . APPROVED: Authority: NND57597 !1(7~ ~A •••R~d. 1 WILLIAM H: G~1 Major, USAF Commander \h I 1 J.,IBRARY SUBJECT & AREA CODES - - - ~M~showing Obse'rvation ;1/otle y:, 2 DISTRIB 10 11 BY ORIGINATOR COM'.ALSF.AFRON, ATTN: D /NI Comdr, 10th Air Div, ATTN: D/1 Comdr, AAC, ATTN: OI Comdr, FF.AF, ATTN: A-2 Comdr, 11th Air Div, ATTN: D/1 CINCAL, ATTN: J-2 (2 cys) Comdr in Chief, USPacFlt Comdr, USARAL, ATTN: G-2 Comdr, NEAC, ATTN: D/I OSI, AAC Comdr, ADC, ATTN: D/I NOTE; THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE OF THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OFTHE ESPIONAGE ACT,~ U.S. C.­ 31 ANO 32, ,,s AMENDED. ITS TRANSMISSION OR THE REVELATION OF ITS CONTENTS IN ANY MANNER TO AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS PROHIBITED BY LAW. IT MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED IN WHOLE OR IN PART, BY OTHER THAN UNITED STATES AIR FORCE AGENCIES, EXCEPT BY PERMISSION OF THE DIRECTOR OF JN'J'al.1GENCE, USAF. i ~ 1ht4-AAJ~ ' 16-56589-2 "· •. $/)VflNNtN'T PU NTING o, ,ic1 (CLASSIFIC,4N) GJ AF FORM 112-PART II v4',C a..4' tfi>J (CLASSIFICATl7 APPROVED 1 JUNE 1948 ~ _.,, AIR INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION REPORT FROM (~me,) REPORT NO. 5004th Air Intel Sv Sq APO 942, c/o Pl , Seattle, Wash IR 5004-42- 53 2 3 PAGE OF PAGES I . This report contains information on a l ight seen by an observer at Gambel l , St. Lawrence Isl~nd, Alaska (63°50'N - 171°36'W) , Ol lllOZ December 1953. Light was obser ved on a true heading of 283° from Gambell. II. SOURCE: Name - CLIWFORD IKNOKINOK Age - 26 Race - Eskimo Education - 8th Grade Completed Military Service - Member of Gambel l Unit, Alaska National Guard for three ' • • -- - • - (3) years, 9 months, pr omoted to Sgt 1 Jan 1953. Source presently Squad Leader with Gambell Guard Unit. Civilian Employment - Employed by CAA at Gambell from July 1942 thru April 1949. Present occupation -- hunter. WILLIAM W. CALDWELL and RODERICK M. MOORE , members of Flight I A 1 , 6004th AISS• and stationed at Gambell, have known source for +:he past eight months. They have found source to be trustworthy and honest and they have confidenc_e in his judgement. III. REPORT ON OBSERVATION: Source states that approximately lllOZ , 1 December 53 he saw a l i ght on the horizon West of Gambell. Source was standing in front of the Gambell School (el ev. approx. 25 ft . above sea level) when he observed the light. Source said he thought the light was about 10 inches in diameter. Later he said that a circul ar object 5½ inches in diameter, held at arms length, would cover the light. Source stated that the light did not move and determined this by sighting along the f l ag pole at the school. Source saw no reflection or beam of light and the color of the light was similar to a flashlight. Source stated the light was not bright. nor was it very dim. At 1115Z the light disappeared as though someone had turned it off. Source observed the light without the aid of binocul ars. Source would not make an estimate as to distance of light from Gambel l . IV. WEATHER : Wind - NE at approx. 20 MPH Visibility - Approx. 20 miles Ceiling - Approx. 2000 ft. The night was very dark. There was slush ice West of Gambell but no heavy ice was in the area. The ocean was calm. NOTE· THIS OCX:UMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE OF THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE ESPIONAGE ACT, 50 U. S. C.­ •31 ANO 3Z, AS AMENDED. ITS TRANSMISSION OR THE REVELATION OF ITS CONTENTS IN ANY MANNER TO AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS PROHIBITED BY LAW. IT MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED IN WHOLE OR IN PART, BY OTHER THAN UNITED STATES AIR FORCE AGENCIES, EXCEPT BY PERMISSION OF THE DIRECTOR OF INTELLIGENCE, USAF. l &-66610-1 '/t "· •. IIOYHIUUNT , ...TING o,r1cc ' v/b~~ AF FOl!M 11.2--::f>ART II (CLASSIFlCAT) APPROVED I JUNE 1948 ­ AIR INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION REPORT .. V. COMMENTS OF PREPARING OFFICER : WII.J.,I.AM W. CALDWELL, ioomber of Flight A, 5004th AISS, at Gambell 11 used a Len­ satic Compass to determine the true bearing of the light observed. He al so made a check of the village to see if other natives had observed the light but none had seen the light. Source is appar ently i n error when he says a disk 5½ inches i n diameter would cover the light. A l i ght measured in this manner would appear much l arger than his first estimate of the light si ze. No land exists withi n a considerabl e distance of Gambell, St. Lawrence Isl and, Al aska on a beari ng of 283° true , thus removing the possibility of a land based light. From the information availabl e no_gonclusion can~? re~~~~~. as to the origin of the l ight or its type. ·~ -· A possibility exists that the light came from a ship at sea 11 identity of whi ch i s unknown. f!f.WR;;411 f ~eparing Officer . . . ' . ' ... FROM (dQencr) REPORT NO. 5004th Air Intel Sv Sq APO 942 11 c/o Pl:, Seattle II Wash IR 5004-42-53 PAGE 3 OF 3 PAGES NOT£· THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE OF THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE ESPIONAGE ACT, 50 U. 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. IT MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED IN WHOLE OR I N PART, SY OTHER THAN UNITED STATES AIR FORCE AGENCIES, EXCEPT SY PERMISSION OF THE DIRECTOR OF INTEl.LIGENCE. USAF. Ld✓ u ,,. (~ 1-70-1 -ft •• I.-·...... " '"''"'..... I r AF FORM 112-PART II Um.de 44~.L {a.ASSIFI N) APPROVE?l I JUNE lt'-48 .. AIR INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION REPORT FROM (Aqme,) REPORT NO. 5004th Air Intel Sv Sq APO 942, c/o PM, Seattle, Wash IR 5004-42-53 / / SCALE: 1"•13.7 NM CAPE CHAPLINA INCL #1 PAGE OF PAGES N / / ST. LAWRENCE ISLAND NOTE: THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE OF THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE ESPIONAGE ACT, 50 U.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, lT MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED IN WHOLE OR IN PART, BY OTHER THAN UNITED STATES AIR FORCE AGENCIES, EXCEPT BY PERMISSION OF THE DIRECTOR OF INTELLIGENCE, USAF. 18- 66670- 1 -.Jt II, a.. HVftlN ■INT '1tlWTIN~ Ot'l'ICI