it seemed impossible
-- but there it is
PART FOUR OF EIGHT PARTS
By the end of July 1947 the UFO security lid was down tight. The few members of the press who did inquire about what the Air Force was doing got the same treatment that you would get today if you inquired about the number of thermonuclear weapons stock-piled in the U.S.'s atomic arsenal. No one, outside of a few high-ranking officers in the Pentagon, knew what the people in the barbed wire enclosed Quonset huts that housed the Air Technical Intelligence Center were thinking or doing.
-- Captain Ed Ruppelt
Chief of the Air Force Project Blue Book
The Report on Unidentified Flying Objects (1956)
ON JUNE 24, 1947 A PILOT named Ken Arnold reports seeing nine aerial objects from his plane -- and the term 'flying saucer' enters history.
Seventeen days later, an official press release announces that 'the intelligence office of the 509th Bomb Group of the Eighth Air Force, Roswell Army Air Field, was fortunate enough to gain possession of a disc' -- and a legend is born.
This is the story of those amazing two and a half weeks when it all began... exclusively as told through the daily newspaper reports of the time.
FRIDAY : 4 JUL 1947
National:
Source: The Norman Transcript, Oklahoma - 4 Jul 47
More Flying Discs Reported
(UP)-- A flight of "flying saucers" has been reported in eastern Canada but reaction there to the mystery missiles reported earlier in nine states of the United States was "they're probably leftovers from the mad hatter's tea party minus cups, of course."
Dr. and Mrs. C.K. Gunn and two friends said they saw strange objects "traveling at great speed high in the sky" last Tuesday near their home at Summerside on Prince Edward island.
Roland Phillipson, one of the four, described the objects as shapeless, but glistening in the sunlight.
Father Burke-Gaffney, astronomer and dean of engineering at St. Mary's college at Halifax, said the saucers were "outside the realm of astronomy." Another Canadian source said "It's probably a matter for witch doctors."
Army research experts in Washington said they can't explain the saucers reported whizzing across the sky by persons in eight states, but they said they are investigating.
An Albuquerque, New Mexico Chamber of Commerce official, Max Hood, reported he saw "a disk-like bluish object following a zig-zag path in the northwestern sky" over New Mexico on July 01.
Other "saucers" previously were reported seen over a Navajo Indian reservation in northwestern New Mexico, and over Gallup, near Silver city, Santa Fe, Elephant Butte and other points in the state.
A U.S. meteorologist, E.E. Unger of Louisville, said he saw a circular object flying through the air Tuesday night as he left a neighborhood theater. He said it was moving about 100 miles an hour, and giving off an orange light. Mrs. Louis Goldstein, wife of a deputy sheriff at Monterey, California, reported she saw one of the "flying saucers" or discs at 7:45 a.m. (PST) today while looking out a window of her home by Monterey airport. "I know people will say I'm crazy, but I saw a quite-rounded flying object, not circular, with a red glow on one edge," Mrs. Goldstein said. "I saw it for 10 or 15 seconds - then, suddenly it vanished."
Airlines reported no planes in flight in the area at the time. The only plane at the airport was grounded. The projectiles, variously described as "too fast for an airplane and not fast enough for a falling star," "not moving at all," and "traveling at great speed," were reported seen again Thursday night streaking over Denver.
It was the third report of the "saucers" this week, while persons in Idaho, Oregon, California, New Mexico and other states reported seeing various versions of the unexplained projectiles last week.
Mrs. L.M. Wagoner and her eight-year-old son of Sherman, Texas reported they saw a flying disc about 7 p.m. Sunday while traveling between Dallas and Corsicana. Mrs. Wagoner said the disc, about the size of a man's hat, was traveling northward and disappeared in a few seconds.
A Dallas man, Tom Dean, said he and his wife and daughter saw a disc-shaped object "going like blue blazes from northeast to southwest at cloud level" Tuesday while traveling between Dallas and Fort Worth. Dean said it resembled a flattened-out balloon and was in sight for 12 or 15 seconds.
A shiny disc, traveling about 150 miles per hour, was seen over El Paso, Texas, at 3:30 p.m. MST, Sunday, June 22, by Dr. G. Oliver Dickson, an optometrist. He said it was shaped a little like a blimp, coming to a point at each end. The sun's rays were not reflected on it, he added.
Lt. Gov. Donald S. Whitehead of Idaho said today that he saw a strange comet-like object hanging high in the western sky on June 24. That was the day Kenneth Arnold, Boise, Idaho, first reported seeing the projectiles over southeastern Washington.
Their stories varied. Arnold had estimated the projectiles speed at 1,200 miles an hour.
Whitehead said the objects he and three other witnesses saw "didn't move, but just seemed to go below the horizon with the rotation of the earth."
At Denver Henry Martin and Walter Harrod said they caught a brief glimpse of a group of "bright objects" flying at about 5,000 feet Thursday night. Martin said they looked like coffee can cups. They were traveling in a southwesterly direction, he said.
State Highway Patrol Sgt. David Menary, of San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge detail, reported seeing a dozen bright metal objects "about the size of a football" whiz over San Francisco Bay June 24 and fall into the sea.
Dick Rankin, former Portland, Oregon flyer, said he saw the discs high over Bakersfield, California, going from 200 to 400 miles an hour June 23. There were ten of them in a formation flying north, he said.
At Bath, South Carolina, Jack Reams reported that last week he saw a disc 12 inches in diameter, giving off a small weird light as it whizzed through the sky at a tremendous speed.
Source: Long Beach Independent, Calif. - 4 Jul 47
Flying Disc Riddle Baffles Officials
SAN FRANCISCO, July 3. (INS) -- Almost 24 hours had gone by in the western United States today without any new reports of mysterious flying discs in the sky.
The discs, reported seen over a wide area from the Pacific northwest to the southwest, have defied scientific explanation.
The army and navy disclaimed any knowledge of the cause of the saucerlike objects seen traveling at high speed in the upper atmosphere by trained and untrained observers.
At Wright field, Ohio, it was announced the air research and development section of the army air forces will attempt to solve the riddle of the discs.
Lt. William C. Anderson, Wright field public relations officer, said:
"So far we haven't found anything to confirm that the discs exist. We don't think they are guided missiles."
Anderson added:
"As things stand right now, it appears to be either a phenomenon or the figment of somebody's imagination."
One high ranking Pacific coast army officer told International News Service:
"I know of no reason why anyone should place credence in the reports. I don't know of anything that could explain the phenomena."
(In Washington also, all army, navy and air officials available for comment took the view that there are actually no "flying discs" but that observers of the objects are victims of some form of optical illusion.
(The office of Brig. Gen. Emmet O'Donnell, army air forces information officer, reported: "We don't know what they are. But we think it is part imagination. Our intelligence people have checked and found nothing."
(Headquarters of Rear Adm. Mel Pride, chief of the navy bureau of aeronautics, said it knows of no "circular objects." A spokesman added: "As far as the navy is concerned, the matter is not one for serious consideration. We test rockets and other missiles at Inyokern, Calif., and Point Mugu, but haven't any circular numbers."
(Some Washington military authorities express belief the mysterious objects might actually be jet plane exhausts as seen through the sun's rays, or even jet planes themselves, traveling high and at great speed. From certain angles, these sources speculated, a fast moving jet plane, hit by bright sun, might be reflected to the ground in the form of the shiny objects reported.)
Those who reported observing the discs, however, could not be shaken in their stories.
One of the latest reports came from Sgt. David Menary of the California state highway patrol. Menary said he was driving off the San Francisco approach to the Golden Gate bridge yesterday afternoon and saw six spinning "saucers" plunge into the bay shortly after 2:15 p.m.
Menary's report was corroborated by his companion, Walter Castro, San Rafael garbage man.
Source: Twin Falls Times News, Idaho - 4 Jul 47
Five Theories Told to Explain 'Saucers' Flights in 11 States
Five theories were advanced today to "explain" the mysterious "flying saucers" which persons in 10 states have reported seeing. The theories ranged from a San Francisco layman's flat assertion that they were "space ships" from older planets to a Chicago scientist's peevish comment that the witnesses were seeing "spots in front of their eyes." Three of the other explanations came from army air force officers who began a preliminary investigation and then dropped it because they weren't getting anywhere.
The AAF's experts said:
1. The phenomena might be caused by natural weather conditions, such as heavy hailstorms and clouds.
2. Perhaps they were meteorites composed of silica that broke up when they hit the earth's atmosphere.
3. Earlier, an AAF spokesman said "if some foreign power is sending flying discs over the United States, it is our responsibility to know about it and take proper action."
More Data Needed
After a preliminary AAF investigation, however, Maj. Paul Gaynor, army air forces spokesman said:
"We feel that it is up in the clouds and we can't do anything until we get more concrete information."
The mysterious discs, usually reported as shiny and traveling at great speed, first were reported 10 days ago over the Pacific Northwest. Reports of the projectiles poured in from Oregon, Washington, California, Kentucky, New Mexico, Idaho, Colorado, South Carolina and eastern Canada. Yesterday persons in Texas and Ohio reported seeing the "flying saucers."
'Frisco Man Surprised
Ole J. Sneide, of San Francisco said he was surprised that the witnesses didn't know they were seeing "oblate spheroid space ships from the older planets."
In a letter to the San Francisco Chronicle Sneide warned the people of the earth to "set up no belligerence" or they would be wiped out in less than 24 hours.
He said the "masters" of the "space ship" passengers from out of this world "planted the original humanities here."
Explains Theory
They have been absent from our planet since before the fall of the Roman empire, when the "Great Master left earth for the outer galaxy by fohatic teleportation," he explained.
"He is now back and what is going to be depends upon mankind..."
Aircraft engineers, at the University of California conceded that if the "flying saucers" were traveling at 1,200 miles per hour, as reported by some witnesses, any passengers must be "out of this world."
Speed "Impractical"
One professor, H.A. Johnson, said air travel at more than 600 miles per hour was impractical now because of temperatures generated by air friction.
At 1,200 miles per hour, air friction would generate a temperature of 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, which is about the limit of safety for metals now in use," he said. He said V-2 rockets traveled 3,600 miles per hour, but were in the air only a short time.
Source: San Mateo Times, Calif. - 4 Jul 47
[No Headline]
MOFFETT FIELD, July 4. -- Officials and scientists of the large Ames aeronautical laboratories, operated by the national advisory committee for aviation today were mum over the likelihood of their [sic] being anything to the so-called flying saucers as reported by numerous persons around the nation.
One spokesman did say, however, that a routine quiz of experienced airline pilots, who daily fly the areas where the flying saucers were said to have been, reported no unusual occurrences and completely discounted the stories.
Caught the Rockets
Meanwhile, a navy radar officer stated no radar post operated by the government on the Pacific Coast has yet reported any unidentified objects in their scopes.
If the objects actually existed, they would show up on radar scopes that keep a constant watch on the upper skies. When asked if such a high speed object might not be caught on a scope, he explained that British radar sets during the war were able to watch the drop of V-2 rockets when they reached an estimated speed of 1900 miles per hour.
Source: Ottawa Citizen, Canada - 4 Jul 47
Flying Saucers Cause Concern Across Atlantic
Canada's much publicized "flying saucers" have become the subject of world-wide news interest with speculation they might be secret jet propelled planes or pilotless missiles undergoing tests.
Correspondents for London newspapers have been receiving queries from their editors asking them to clear up the "mystery" which has become a one-day sensation on the other side of the Atlantic.
One of the reports they have been asked to investigate is the possibility the saucer-shaped objects, said to have been seen whizzing about Canadian skies, are tails of fire associated with rockets such as those used by the Germans in the closing stages of the war.
But the best the correspondents could do today was report there was nothing new in the "flying saucer" legend. Apparently Canadians hadn't seen any more of the "flashing" missiles for which scientists and observers in all parts of the Dominion have been seeking an explanation for several days.
Last "positive" saucer reports came from Prince Edward Island yesterday where four people had a 30-second view of an airborne wafer they couldn't identify. They said they saw it "quite plainly, a shapeless object that gleamed and glistened in the sun." They said it was travelling "at a great [last sentence illegible].
Canada:
Source: Montreal Gazette, Canada - 4 Jul 47
'Saucers' Over P.E.I. Flying At High Speed
Halifax, July 3. (CP) -- Whether the men of Mars are lobbing some sort of missiles at us or whether the stars are scattering big hunks of dust hasn't been determined, but the appearance of the "flying saucers" in the Maritimes has resulted in considerable speculation.
Dr. C.K. Gunn, superintendent of the Dominion Experimental Fox Farm, at Summerside, P.E.I., his wife and Roland Philipson, manager of the Prices board office in that town, and his daughter yesterday had a 30-second view of an airborne wafer they couldn't identify. They had read stories of the appearance of flying saucers on the west coast and wondered if there was any connection.
All four said they had seen the object "quite plainly" and described it as variously as "a bright luminous object," "a shapeless object that glistened and gleamed in the bright sun," "like a large star" and "something unusual." It was traveling high, at great speed.
Spokesman for the R.C.A.F. eastern command and the weather office could give no explanation.
Texas:
Source: Galveston Daily News, Texas - 4 Jul 47
20 Texans Now Have Reported Seeing "Saucers"
By Associated Press
An army air force spokesman said in Washington Thursday they could find nothing to substantiate reports of flying disks, but in Texas at least 20 persons now have reported seeing them.
Latest to see the "flying saucers" or disks were a Texarkana housewife, a Bowie County farmer, and his son. They reported yesterday that they saw the objects late Tuesday over both Texarkana and Dekalb, 33 miles away.
The farmer was Wendell L. Carson, 32, who admitted that when he and his 7-year-old son first saw the object "we thought we were seeing things." He said it was soundless, and fit newspaper descriptions.
Mrs. S.G. Nichols of Texarkana said she witnessed the objects the same afternoon. She described it as "looking like a shiny cloud." Both said it was heading in a westerly direction.
A tabulation being kept by the Associated Press now lists the names and addresses of 20 persons who have reported seeing the disks in Texas. Most have been in west and northwest Texas. All disks have been reported seen in the past six days.
Meanwhile, the Screwball Club of Orange and the Bonehead Club of Dallas continued to feud over the disks. The Orange club Wednesday suggested a disk derby, offering prizes such as watches with split second hands to time the disks. The Boneheads promptly said the Screwballs did not have the proper character for such a bonehead event.
Yesterday, the Screwballs answered with a challenge to a duel with flying disks. They offered to let their "vice president in charge of defending our honor" meet a Bonehead vice president.
"Any boneheaded attempt to seize the Orange Disk Derby will be resisted to the last Screwball," they said.
Jack Estes, one of the 57 vice presidents of the Dallas club, late yesterday agreed to the duel, provided it be held on neutral ground. He suggested they meet at Houston, and throw disks at each other across the ship channel.
Ohio:
Source: Toledo Blade, Ohio - 4 Jul 47
Flying Saucers Seen In Ohio
CINCINNATI, July 4 -- Cincinnatians began seeing "flying saucers" yesterday as persons have been doing in seven western states. A woman said she saw three of the mysterious discs streaking across local skies.
No solution was offered for the mystery that has been "plaguing" westerners.
"I'm just as curious about them as you are," said Joseph P. Dwyer, Civil Aeronautics Administration inspector at the Lunken Airport control tower.
"We haven't the faintest idea what they may be," said a CAA inspector at the Greater Cincinnati Airport. Neither control tower reported official observance of the saucers.
Kansas:
Source: Hutchinson News Herald, Kansas - 4 Jul 47
Discs Seen In Kansas
Garden City -- The "mystery discs" have reached Finney county and western Kansas.
Mrs. W.L. Gordon, RFD 1, said that she saw "strange green objects" skimming across the southern sky about 11:35 p.m Tuesday.
The farm woman said the heavenly objects, previously reported seen by aviators and others in various parts of the nation, including California and Oklahoma, appeared below the moon. She said that if one thought of the moon as a dinner plate the mysterious disc would be a table knife. She said it was long, with a peak on the upper side. Ends were pinkish in color.
Mrs. Gordon said the flying object's green color distinguished it from a shooting star. She said it moved from west to east, traveled at great speed and was visible for several seconds.
Idaho:
Source: Twin Falls Times News, Idaho - 4 Jul 47
'Flying Discs' Seen Over City, Richfield
More of the elusive and contradictory "flying somethings" played a return engagement Thursday over Magic Valley. An up to the minute report was received that two "flying saucers" were seen above Twin Falls at 5:10 p.m. Thursday, and delayed reports came in that one was sighted near Richfield before reports of the mystery craft became prevalent in the Pacific northwest.
Meanwhile, an army air forces spokesman in Washington, D.C., said preliminary investigation into reports of the flying saucers had failed to produce sufficient factual data to warrant continuance of the investigation. However, Lieut.-Gen. Nathan Twining, commanding officer at Wright field, Dayton, O., Thursday urged persons seeing the objects to send information about them to him at Wright field.
R.L. Dempsey, residing in a trailer camp near the Truck Lane market, reported seeing two "flying saucers" over Twin Falls at 5:10 p.m. Thursday. He said they were headed in a direction about two degrees west of north.
Dempsey described them as flying high, appearing shiny, and sounding like a Flying Fortress at an altitude of 20,000 feet. He said they left vapor trails and were in sight about one minute.
From Richfield came a report that Mr. and Mrs. Charles Housel and Sherman Coffman, all of that community, noticed one of the "flying objects" on June 20, about one week before the first report on the subject was made by a Boise pilot.
The Richfield residents said it was headed west at a high rate of speed and seemed to be whirling. A thin trail of white smoke was left behind the "flying disc" as it skimmed extremely high through the air, they reported. They declared they were "certain it was not an airplane."
Reports were received earlier this week of a formation of the mystery craft flying over Galena summit and of a lone "flying disc" sighted near Malta, both on Monday.
For the past week, the "flying somethings" have been reported by residents of numerous northwestern and southern states, and have been variously described as discs, saucers, half-saucers, with and without sound, bright, shiny, glowing, with and without vapor trails, at great heights and exploding at a low elevation, flying solo and in formations, and heading in all directions.
National (Late Breaking):
Source: Billings Gazette, Montana - 4 Jul 47
Army Will Drop Air Discs Probe
Washington, July 3. (AP) -- A preliminary inquiry into reports that strange "flying discs" have been whizzing at 1,200 miles an hour over the western United States "has not produced enough fact to warrant further investigation," an Army Air Force spokesman said today.
The official said "we don't have a thing that would give any realism" to a report made last week by a flying Boise, Idaho, businessman. He said he saw nine mysterious objects -- big as airplanes -- racing over Washington State's Cascade Range with a peculiar weaving motion "like the tail of a kite." Several other persons in widely scattered localities later said they had glimpsed similar objects.
The Air Force spokesman said the Army had no new experimental planes or guided missiles which would fit such a description. He said Air Force people are inclined to believe either that the observers just imagined they saw something, or that there is some meteorological explanation for the phenomenon.
However, Wright Field (Dayton, Ohio) public relations officials said the air materiel command is making an investigation of "saucer shaped" missiles seen recently in the Pacific northwest and Texas.
Describing conversations with "a meteorologist from Langley field" and with "various scientific brains around the pentagon" -- all anonymous -- the Washington air forces spokesman said these meteorological maybes have been discussed.
(1) That solar reflections on low-hanging clouds produced spectral "flashes" which might have appeared like moving objects.
(A Washington, D.C. scientist, who declined to be identified, told a reporter, however, that he does not think it possible for solar radiation to produce such a phenomenon. "Otherwise," he said, "we'd be hearing of such cloud reflections all the time. The state of Washington has no monopoly on clouds.")")
(2) That a small meteor might have broken up, producing crystals of silica that "caught" the rays of the sun. (But the air forces man said that if this happened, meteoric fragments undoubtedly would have been found.)
(3) That icing conditions in high clouds produced "large hailstones which might have flattened out and glided a bit, giving the impression of horizontal movement even though they were falling vertically."
Navy officials also reported negative results on an investigation they launched.
They said the only craft In their organization which would fit the description given by the Idaho man is the "V 1-73" -- a wingless plane known as the Flying Pancake.
But they said that the navy's lone craft of that type "had never left Bridgeport, Conn."
SATURDAY : 5 JUL 1947
National:
Source: The Lowell Sun, Mass. - 5 Jul 47

"Flying Saucers" Whizzing Through Northwestern USA
Coast Guardsman Gets Photo Of Mysterious Shiny Disks
United Airlines Plane Goes Off Course, Follows Object for 15 Miles
By Harry L. Carlson
SEATTLE, Wash., July 5 (UP) -- Coast Guardsman Frank Ryman, 27, had a picture today snapped from the front porch of his home which authorities hoped would clear up the mystery of the flying saucers.
Ryman said an enlargement of the shot made with a Speed Graphic camera at 5:30 p.m. (PST) yesterday at the north end of Lake Washington showed a "white saucer" that was neither an airplane, a cloud nor a silver balloon. He promised to release the picture today.
(In New York city, Acme News pictures said a seven by nine inch print of the photograph showed two tiny dots in the center of the picture. The cameraman's
caption admitted that one of the dots was a flaw in the print. The other dot, supposedly the "object," was about one eighth of an inch across and a sixteenth of an inch in height.)
Still Skeptical
Authorities were still skeptical that the mystery missiles were any sort of new aircraft as they checked scores of reports of the fast-moving shiny disks zipping through the sky over a large area of the northwest yesterday.
The pilot and co-pilot of a United Airlines passenger plane said they turned their craft off its course near Boise, Ida., and chased a "strange object" for 15 miles before it outdistanced them or disintegrated in the dusk. United Capt. E.J. Smith and Second Officer R.E. Stevens, both of Seattle, said "we can definitely say that what we saw was not smoke, not a could, and not another airplane."
A similar object was seen by John Corlett, United Press staff correspondent, his wife, and Mr. and Mrs. V.H. Selby from Corlett's back yard in Boise. Corlett said it was a white disc flying about 10,000 feet directly overhead. It disappeared in three or four seconds.
"Playful Manner"
Two Portland, Ore., police scout cars three miles apart notified Police Radio Officer Dick Haller at 1.15 p.m. yesterday that they had sighted a group of strange objects weaving in a "playful manner" at 10,000 feet above the ground over the southern suburbs of Portland.
Clark County Deputy Sheriff Fred Kives, stationed across the river from Portland, said he saw 20 flying discs "slewing off to one side, almost in single file" over the county court house. Sgt. Claude Cross of the Oregon state police said he saw two objects at an undetermined height and thought they "looked like toy balloons." The other said, however, that the objects that they watched for about 90 seconds definitely were not balloons.
Portland police were ordered to keep a sharp lookout for the discs today.
The discs were reported seen over numerous other communities of the northwest and T.L. Huckaby of Pine Bluff, Ark., said he saw a flying object "about the size and color of a wash tub." He was the third person to report the discs in the Pine Bluff area.
The Army and Navy remained silent on the flying discs except to deny certain suggested theories. A Navy spokesman in Washington said last night that he doubted the "flying saucers" were the Navy's new "flying flapjack," the experimental Vought-Corsair FX5U1, since none of the planes were believed in the area.
The army said no attempt had been made to pick up the discs with radar equipment, explaining that radar facilities were only used for training purposes in this area at present.
Ryman, who is attached to the public relations office of the Seattle coast guard headquarters said 20 persons were present when he snapped the picture of the disc. He was amusing himself taking pictures of airplanes passing over his home at Lake City on Lake Washington when he got the opportunity, he said.
"I made the shot when it was directly overhead," he said. "I made a terrific blowup of the shot, and it's clearly visible. The picture was taken in the bright sunlight with scattered clouds in the sky. But it is not a picture of a cloud and it is not a shot of a silver balloon."
Smith and Stevens said they sighted a fast moving object just after leaving Boise, for Portland and Seattle on a regularly scheduled flight.
------------
By PAUL F. ELLIS
(United Press Science Writer)
Reports of "flying saucers whizzing through the air at rocket speeds poured in again today from many parts of the nation, causing scientists to speculate that many Americans were suffering a bad case of jitters.
One expert in the diagnosis of human behavior flatly said that the so-called "phenomena" was pure imagination, hallucination or delusion on the part of many of those who reported seeing "strange objects."
Another scientist, an authority on astronomy, said he believed "some persons were seeing spots before their eyes."
The new reports that "saucers" were observed came from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Idaho and other states in the far west. One commercial airline pilot said he had even chased one of the "saucers" and that he was unable to catch up with it.
Luminous Halo
In Philadelphia, an intern at the Pennsylvania Hospital for Mental Diseases, said he also saw such an object. His, he said, had a "luminous halo."
In Augusta, Ga., a physician, Dr. C.R. Battey, reported he saw such saucers while fishing several weeks ago. He said they were flying at about "22,000 feet," or something like four miles -- almost out of anti-aircraft range.
Bring Smile
These and other such reports brought a smile from Dr. John G. Lynn, Valhalla, N.Y., an expert on human behavior. He said the reports reminded him of the time actor Orson Wells frightened New Jersey citizens "half to death" with a broadcast about "Men From Mars" invading New Jersey.
Dr. Lynn blamed the current "wave of saucer hysteria" on recent predictions that an atomic war would break out, laying waste the United States.
All this talk, he said, prepares many people for emotional disturbance. In many cases he said, they see what they want to see. Still others see what doesn't exist because they expect to see something -- such as flying saucers.
The Navy and the Army long have denied sending up any new, super-duper saucer-like planes. Astronomers say there has been no unusual amount of meteorites falling these days -- especially saucer-shaped meteors.
Dr. Lynn said the "people will get over it."
"They always do," he said.
Source: Eugene Register-Guard, Oregon - 5 Jul 47
Persistent Saucers Keep Cropping Up
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Hundreds of persons throughout the west told Saturday of seeing mysterious sky discs while scattered observers elsewhere in the country said that the bright, saucer-like objects zipped high over them in the Independence Day sky.
From Idaho, Oregon, Washington and California and in the far west, Louisiana in the south, Michigan in the mid-west, Pennsylvania in the east and Canada's east coast reported Prince Edward Island came reports of the strange objects first reported over Washington state June 25 by Kenneth Arnold of Boise, Idaho.
Portland Alerted
Both ground and aerial observers told of seeing the discs. Early in the afternoon Portland, Ore., police, swamped with calls, issued an all-car alert and within minutes two patrol cars radioed reports that they were watching the discs.
Observers said they were certain they were not the 24 P-80 jet planes were high over that city Friday.
At 2:50 p.m., a group of picnickers at Twin Falls, Idaho, said they saw discs going west. A few minutes later another group was seen and at 3:10 a third group of the discs – the total number was estimated at about 35 – was seen also speeding west. Nearly 60 persons were in the observing group.
At 7 p.m. George Astor of Spokane, Wash., said a group of 200 persons observed one disc circle for 30 minutes at Hauser Lake, Idaho, before it zoomed upward and disappeared.
The entire crew of a United Air Lines plane said they saw the discs - "like a pancake standing on end" - eight minutes after taking off from Boise at 9:04 p.m., and kept them in sight for about 12 minutes.
Yeoman Frank Ryman of the Seattle Coast Guard photographed a disc - but it appeared in the negative only as a pinpoint of light.
Pilot "Scared Silly"
A Los Angeles pilot and his companion said they were "scared silly" when they saw what they thought was one of the flying saucers moving swiftly north by northeast at 7000 feet, some 2000 feet above their plane.
At New Orleans, Miss Lillian Laulers said she saw one going northeast over Lake Ponchartrian [sic] Friday night. Port Huron, Mich., also joined the reporting group.
And for the first time, reports came from the east. Something round with a luminous halo was sighted over Philadelphia, but Doctor. M.K. Leisy said it appeared to be going only at about the speed of the wind below clouds.
From Summerside, Canada, on Prince Edward Island, came reports of the discs, one what said to be moving south and another southeast.
Nearly all of the observers agreed that the objects - whatever they might be - were round, flat and shiny. How big they were remained uncertain. Dan J. Whelan, the Los Angeles pilot, estimated the one he saw at 40 to 50 feet in diameter, while Port Huron residents thought they were small.
Capt. E.J. Smith, pilot of the United Air Lines plane which spotted several, said "It’s hard to judge size unless you know how far away a thing is."
But he agreed with others that he had seen the much-discussed "saucers," and added, "none of us believed in these saucer reports before."
Source: The Oregonian, Oregon - 5 Jul 47
View of 'Flying Saucers' Over Ontario Dumbfounds Veteran Pilot, Other Crew Member of Airliner
Dumbfounded crewmen of a United Airlines plane flying from Boise to Portland Friday evening joined a horde of Portland-Vancouver area residents in describing "flying discs" seen Friday.
Discs also were reported in many other regions of the West, but the carefully qualified statements of Capt. E.J. Smith, First Officer Ralph Stevens and Stewardess Marty Morrow remained a new high in observations.
In an interview at Portland before taking off for Seattle, Captain Smith, a veteran of 14 years with United Air Lines said an object at first believed to be an approaching aircraft was sighted by Stevens, who was at the controls eight minutes after take-off from Boise at 9:04 P.M.
Landing Lights Flashed
Stevens flashed his landing lights as a signal there was another aircraft in the area. There was no response.
"What the devil is that?" Stevens demanded. Captain Smith said he looked and made out not only the "disc" Stevens had mistaken for a plane, but four others, about evenly spaced in a line to the south of it.
Smith estimated their distance at "about 30 miles," but said they were clearly visible against the afterglow of the setting sun.
They radioed a report to the Boise CAA tower, then called Stewardess Morrow to the flight deck to verify what they saw.
Shortly afterward, the five discs disappeared, then three more appeared in front of them, with a fourth flying "by itself, way off to the right," Smith said.
He radioed the Ontario, Ore., CAA communications tower and told the operator:
"Step outside and look to the southwest about 15 miles and see what you can find".
Ground View Lacking
The operator reported he could see nothing, which Smith said meant the discs were farther away than he had previously estimated since they were not visible to the tower operator.
He was some 30 miles from Ontario at the time, he said.
The airliner was at 10,500 feet when he saw the first disc, Stevens reported. The discs seemed to be flying in about the same direction and to be climbing about at the same rate as the airliner. However, when the plane reached a height of 8000 feet, the discs still were in sight and somewhat higher.
The first group veered to the left of the airliner before disappearing, then the second group in "loose formation," appeared. The objects finally "merged, then disappeared, then came back in sight and finally vanished, again in the northwest," Smith said. "When they did finally disappear, they went fast."
"You can see a big plane at a great distance for a long time before it disappears. But no object I know of could disappear so quickly as these things."
Both Smith and Stevens, who had been joking about sighting "flying discs" before taking off from Boise, were obviously embarrassed but earnest when telling of the strange objects. Stevens has been flying for United three years.
Other Reports Listed
Other reports from the Portland-Vancouver and other areas of the west included:
Thomas Berry, 915 N.E. Killingsworth street, his wife and a friend, saw what they thought was a star traveling to a northeasterly direction over Troutdale. They examined it through binoculars and glimpsed it flashing in the sun.
It appeared to be V-shaped and was flying level, although dipping a bit, they reported.
M.A. Deaton, 2578 N. E. 32d avenue, saw a disc going due east and described it as "fast traveling, faster than an airplane."
Objects Resemble Birds
International News Service reported discs seen from windows of the bureau's office in the Journal building. "At first they appeared to be high flying birds as the motion undulated and it appeared some kind of wings propelled them," INS reported.
"They banked sharply and without apparent system of direction. Two objects were so high that reports of their disc-like appearance could not be verified, but they seemed to move with high speed. They were last seen heading south after circling sharply over the west side area."
A possible explanation was seen by Burl Nofisch, 6604 N. Burrage street, who witnessed a plane going east about 1 P.M. He said he saw foil or aluminum pieces nearby, swirling away on air currents, and it appeared they had been thrown from the plane.
First Specimen Found
Sherman Cook, 2000 N. E. 65th avenue and neighbors did better. They "captured" a "disc" which fluttered down from an estimated altitude of more than 4000 feet to land on the Rose City golf course.
Cook and his next-door neighbor, Bud Bankhead, rushed to the scene and found a 3 x 2 foot piece of white paper, of cheap quality, slightly yellowed around the edges. It was turned over to The Oregonian for scientific examination.
However, Portland police asked Oregon national guard flying units to look into the reports.
At Eugene, E.F. Smith, an assistant cashier from the Southern Pacific railroad, said he saw silvered discs, which seemed to be tied together, being dropped from a light plane. He was driving his car at the time and did not see them land.
A private pilot at near-by Springfield said he had dropped yellow advertising leaflets from his light plane recently, but was not in the air Friday.
Meantime Alturas and San Diego, Cal., Omaha, Neb., Grand Junction. Colo., and Boise, Idaho, reported visitations of "flying saucers," first reported a week ago by Kenneth Arnold, Boise pilot, who said he saw nine traveling 1200 miles an hour. They have since been reported over most of the West.
At Alturas, Modoc county's district attorney Charles Lederer and Dale Williams, secretary of the Alturas Chamber of Commerce, reported seeing seven while driving through the Warner mountains near the Oregon border. They estimated the discs were 2000 feet in the air and traveling at a tremendous speed.
Two navy chief petty officers at San Diego, Robert L. Jackson and William Baker, said they saw three discs traveling about 400 miles an hour, coming in from the west, circling and heading back to sea.
Plates Glow Like Moon
Mrs. Fred C. Nelson said she saw three, two round and the other oval-shaped as if tilted, in the northern sky at Omaha early Thursday. They glowed like a full moon, she asserted.
From Grand Junction came a report that H.E. Soule, Appleton, Col., saw a disc swoop down from the Northwest at an altitude of about 200 feet, narrowly miss his house, and then soar to greater heights and disappear southeast. The disc appeared about two feet in diameter, traveled at amazing speed, and had no motor sound or vapor trail, he said. This occurred last Saturday.
John Corlett, United Press correspondent at Boise, reported he, V.H. Selby, Boise artist, and their wives saw a disc while having a garden dinner. The disc moved from the northwest to southeast and took about three seconds to disappear from view, Mrs. Corlett, who saw it first, reported. It was noiseless and traveled at high speed.
Ohio:
Source: Toledo Blade, Ohio - 5 Jul 47
Toledo Women Report Seeing 'Saucers' Over City
A silver disc shaped object flashed across the Toledo skies at 8 a.m. today and disappeared eastward, Mrs. Rosco Rex, 1220 Mason St., reported to The Blade.
Mrs. Rex was seated on the front porch of her home when she saw the object approaching at a high speed and called to her daughter-in-law, Mrs. Rhea Rex.
Mrs. Rex said the object was "perfectly round" and at first she believed it might be a balloon except for its speed. In only a few seconds it had disappeared, she reported.
"Silver discs" have been reported on the west coast but what they are or where they came from has not been determined.
Illinois:
Source: Freeport Journal-Standard, Ill. - 5 Jul 47
"Flying Saucers" Sighted In State
Springfield, Ill., July 5. (UP) -- The mysterious "flying saucers" have shown up in Illinois.
Claude Price, Springfield, concession superintendent of the Illinois state fair, reported yesterday that several cars parked along route 36 just outside Decatur Thursday night to watch "mysterious round, flat objects" fly across the sky.
He said the mystery objects looked about as big as airplanes.
Decatur police said they have had no reports of the objects flying across the sky at Decatur.
Louisiana:
Source: The Lowell Sun, Mass. - 5 Jul 47
At New Orleans, Too
NEW ORLEANS, July 5 (AP)-- A New Orleans saleswoman reported seeing a
mysterious "flying disc" in the sky over Lake Pontchartrain last night.
Miss Lillian Lawless said the object was flying at a great height and at terrific speed in a northeasterly direction. She said she could not estimate the size but that it looked like "a round, saucer."
It shone like silver or chromium, she said.
Montana:
Source: Kalispell Daily Inter Lake, Mont. - 5 Jul 47
Montanans Report Seeing "Saucers"
Great Falls, Mont., July 5 (AP) The mystery of the sky has extended to Montana.
"Flying Saucers" were reported seen over the Missouri river between here and Helena Friday afternoon by Mr. and Mrs. Curt Dennis of Great Falls.
Dennis, Great Falls sculptor and artist, said he and his wife were fishing near the Hardy bridge, 38 miles south of here, when a brilliant flashing drew their attention to the sky in mid afternoon.
Dennis said he looked up and saw some silver-colored objects flashing through the sky. He said they appeared to be traveling northwest but that because he had to look into a bright sun, the objects were hard to clearly distinguish.
The objects disappeared beyond the high and rugged horizon near the Hardy bridge in a matter of a few seconds, Dennis reported, adding:
"The 'saucers' were flying in a single-file formation. There were about 12 of the 'objects' and they "shined up like silver and looked like a string of plates going over."
A spokesman at the weather bureau here eliminated the possibility that the 'saucers' might be meteorological-devices.
Seen Near Libby
A call Tuesday from Mrs. William Boothman living some two miles northeast of Libby, on Montana 37, stated that while sitting outside her home that morning, watching the clouds, she noticed three or four discs floating high in the sky between her and the sun.
The woman went to the field where her husband was working. When she told him about sighting the mysterious aerial objects, the husband laughed but not for long, for glancing up toward the sun, the couple saw a whole flock of the discs traveling high above the earth.
That afternoon Boothman again reported seeing one of the shining objects in the air. All were traveling in a general north and east direction. Mrs. Boothman first described the objects as bright, shining and appearing about the size of the end of an ordinary milk bottle, but as her husband pointed out, they had no measure of comparison by which to determine either the size or distance of the objects.
Mr. Boothman suggested the posibility that the objects were large specks of dust reflecting and magnified by the sunlight. His wife's description of the objects tallies loosely with descriptions of the mysterious discs sighted at several different places along the west coast last week.
Idaho:
Source: The Charleroi Mail, Penn. - 5 Jul 47
Sky Saucers No Myth Now Says Writer
EDITOR'S NOTE -- The following dispatch is by John C. Corlett, Idaho manager for United Press, a newspaperman of 15 years experience.
By JOHN CORLETT
United Press Staff Correspondent
BOISE, Ida., July 5 (UP) -- Just before dusk last night, as my wife and I and two friends were relaxing after dinner, a tiny white disc -- one of the mysterious "saucers" -- scudded across the sky at a terrific speed.
We were entertaining friends and were relaxing in the garden when my wife suddenly pointed skywards and cried, "Look!"
In just about the time it takes to turn your head, the silver object was nearly out of sight.
Both my wife and I, and our guests, Mr. and Mrs. V.H. Selby, caught a glimpse of the tiny object. Selby is a Boise artist.
During the last few days we had discussed the various news stories carried about the discs, many of which came from the Boise area, and, frankly, I had been a bit skeptical or them. But the disc was unmistakable, even in the three or four seconds time during which we had a chance to see it.
The disc traveled at a high rate of speed. It appeared first in the northwestern sky, apparently coming from the general direction of the Oregon-Washington line, and travelled southeast.
There was no noise -- absolutely none that we could hear, either before or after the disc shot by.
The sky was clear, and we could not have mistaken a cloud for the disc we saw.
At one point in its progress the disc was almost directly overhead. It was flying fairly high, I'd judge at about 10,000 feet.
Until last night I didn't believe in them. But now I know that those "saucers" aren't just a myth, part of someone's imagination. It took seeing them with my own eyes to believe in it.
Source: Spokane Daily Chronicle, Wash. - 5 Jul 47
Airlines Pilot Describes Chase of "Flying Saucers"
(The following is an eyewitness account by a United Airlines pilot, Capt. E.J. Smith of Seattle, of an aerial chase given to a strange group of objects sighted last night in the sky over Boise, Idaho.)
By CAPT. E.J. SMITH.
SEATTLE, July 5. (UP) -- United Air Lines flight number 105 took off from Boise, Idaho, at 8:04 p.m. The tower joshingly warned us to be on the lookout for "flying saucers."
My co-pilot, Ralph Stevens, also of Seattle, was flying the plane shortly after we got into the air. Suddenly I noticed he had switched on the landing lights.
He said he thought he saw an aircraft approaching us head-on.
I noticed the object -- or objects -- then for the first time myself.
What we saw were four or five "somethings." One was larger than the rest and for the most part kept off to the right of the other three or four similar, but smaller objects.
Saw Objects Clearly.
As we were flying northwest -- roughly into the sunset -- we saw whatever they were in at least partial light. We saw them clearly. We followed them in a north-westerly direction for about 45 miles.
Then I called the attendant at the Ontario, Ore. radio tower, giving an approximate location and course for the objects. The attendant acknowledged our call, went outside to look, but was unable to see anything like what we described.
Finally the objects disappeared in a burst of speed. We were unable to tell whether they outsped us or disintegrated.
We were never able to catch them in our DC-3. Our air speed at the time was 185 m.p.h. Through the Boise air tower we radioed another United plane to see if they had seen anything. That plane was flying eastbound -- into the night -- and had not.
Later Stevens and I called Miss Marty Morrow, our stewardess. She verified what we had seen.
Because we were following the objects at roughly the same altitude, we can't say anything about their shape except that they were thin and were smooth on the bottom and rough appearing on the top.
We can't say whether they were saucer-like, oval or anything else about their size.
But whatever they were, they were not other aircraft, nor were they smoke or clouds.
Our plane had eight passengers aboard, but because the objects were mostly ahead of us and off the bow, they were unable to see them.
Washington / Oregon:
Source: The Oregonian, Oregon - 5 Jul 47
Air Liner Crew Confirms Flying Discs Over State
Many Seen During Day Over City
Reports of two to 20 fantastic "flying discs" over the Portland-Vancouver area Friday were confirmed by the crew of a westbound Boise-to-Portland United Airlines plane.
Their report, detailed enough to shake the most incredulous, left them equally shaken.
"No object I know of could disappear so quickly," Capt. E. J. Smith, veteran pilot of the plane, reported in an interview at Portland.
Three Sight Objects
He, First Officer Ralph Stevens and Stewardess Marty Morrow all saw the objects, which appeared to be 30 or more miles away, eight minutes after take-off from Boise at 9:04 PM, and had them -- nine in all -- under observation for an estimated 10 to 15 minutes.
Seen from approximately the same altitude, the UAL crew could give no clue to their shape, other than that they were "very thin, very flat on the bottom, and appeared to be rough or irregular on top. They are not aircraft. They are bigger than aircraft."
Scores of persons in the Portland area Friday reported seeing, "flying discs" or something like them. Most observers agree the objects were moving rapidly, apparently in formation at about 10,000 feet.
Coincidentally, the Associated Press and army officers at Fort Lewis, Wash., announced a flight of six bombers and 24 P-80 jet-propelled Shooting Stars were making a holiday demonstration flight at great altitude over Portland about the time the first "discs" were reported.
Police Cars Alerted
The first "saucers" sighted were said to be "right over" Oaks amusement park. Don Metcalfe, Oaks employee, told William LeRoy, park superintendent, that he had seen them.
An "all car" alert by Portland police radio brought reports from Patrolman Earl Patterson, in car 13, and Patrolmen Walter Lissy and Robert Ellis, in car 82, that they had spotted them.
Patterson, an air corps veteran who was at S.E. 82nd avenue and Foster road, said the discs came from the west, passed under the sun and proceeded southwesterly. They were either aluminum or eggshell white, did not flash or reflect the sun, and were traveling fast, Patterson said. It was his opinion they were not airplanes and would have to be radio controlled. They were erratic in flight, wobbling and weaving, he said.
Veterans Spy Objects
Lissy and Ellis, both veterans and civilian pilots, said they saw three discs which remained in sight about 30 seconds. They could not judge speed or height because the objects near Oaks park were traveling at "terrific speed." They heard no sound but said they saw flashes and noted erratic flight including sudden changes of direction.
Capt. K.A. Prehn of the harbor patrol, Harbor Pilot A.T. Austed and Patrolman K.C. Hoffi, who were at the Irving street headquarters of the harbor patrol, said they saw the discs going south over the Globe mills at about 10,000 feet. They seemed to oscillate, weave and turn until sometimes a full disc, sometimes only a crescent was visible.
All three said they were undecided whether there were three or six discs because of the flashes. Captain Prehn described the sight as a "wobbling hubcap." A regular plane was in the sky at the time, but these were not planes, they agreed.
Deputies Report Streaks
Sgt. Claude Cross reported seeing two objects from state police headquarters, 9200 S.E. McLoughlin boulevard. They looked like toy balloons, almost pure white and traveled sidewise with no flashing lights, he said.
Sheriff's Deputies John Sullivan, Clarence McKay and Fred Krives of the Clark county, Wash., sheriff's office, reported seeing 20 streak over Vancouver in a straight line, traveling west and south. They heard a low hum or "drone," and described the objects as "dark, not flashy and more like a bunch of geese."
Harry Hale, production manager of The Oregonian, said he saw a shiny object in the sky just west of Beaverton, while driving toward Portland Friday morning. The object was moving swiftly in a southerly direction, but disappeared suddenly.
Source: The Oregon Journal, Oregon - 5 Jul 47
Prowl Cars Spot Disks In Sky Here
Whatever they are, there are some disk-like objects flying around in the sky.
Or else eight Portland area policemen and deputy sheriffs who sighted the objects Friday, numerous private citizens, the crew of a United Air Lines plane over Boise, Idaho, and a coastguardsman who claims to have photographed one near Seattle, are all wrong.
In Portland, the alert was sounded over police radio at 1:06 p.m. Friday, after the East Side station received a score of calls that the disks were overhead. Within seconds, two prowl cars reported spotting the mystery craft.
Flashes Seen, Noise Lacking
First to report in were Patrolmen Walter Lissy and Robert Ellis in Car No. 82, who stopped near Oaks Park. Both World War II veterans and civilian pilots, they sighted three of the objects within 30 seconds traveling at great height and speed over the park. They reported they heard no engine noises but saw flashes. The objects seemed erratic and changed direction of flight. The patrolmen agreed that without knowledge of the size of the objects, it would be impossible to judge their speed or altitude.
Patrolman Earl Patterson in car No. 13 stopped at SE 82d avenue and Foster road to look eastward from where the disks were reported. Telephone calls located them coming out of the sun. He saw nothing, but a few seconds later observed one coming out of the west and heading southwest. The craft seemed to be aluminum or eggshell white and didn't flash or reflect light, he said.
Objects Unidentified
A former air corps veteran, he said the object was unlike any plane he'd ever seen. He thought it appeared radio-controlled because the disk could change direction at a 90-degree angle without difficulty.
Members of the harbor patrol at the foot of NW Irving street stepped out when they heard the all-car alert. Capt. K.A. Prehn, Harbor Pilot, A.T. Austed and Patrolman K.C. Hoff all saw the objects and said they appeared to be going south high over the Globe mills at terrific speed. Capt. Prehn said the flashes kept them from ascertaining whether there were three or six.
"The disks would oscillate and sometimes we could see a full disk, then a half-moon shape, then nothing at all," he reported. The objects looked more like a shiny chromium hub cap off a car which wobbled, disappeared and reappeared."
There was a plane in the sky at the time, but all were emphatic that the disks were not planes.
Airlines Crew Confirms Reports Of Flying Disks: Five Spotted
Circumstantial reports of flying disks in the sky Friday came from the crew of a United Airlines plane over Boise, Idaho, and a coast guardsman near Seattle, as well as from Portland area police and citizens.
E.J. Smith, captain of the airliner, told United Press that he sighted five "somethings" which were "thin and smooth on the bottom and rough appearing on top." The objects appeared against the sunset shortly after the plane took off at 8:04 p.m., he said.
"We saw them clearly," he reported. "We followed them in a north-westerly direction for about 45 miles. Finally the objects disappeared. We were unable to tell whether they outsped us or disintegrated.
Not Aircraft
"We can't say whether they were saucer-like, oval or anything else," the captain said, "but whatever they were, they were not another aircraft, nor were they smoke or clouds."
In Seattle, Coast Guardsman Frank Ryman, 27, reported to United Press that he snapped a picture from the front porch of his home which showed a "white saucer" flying over the north end of Lake Washington.
Acme News Pictures, New York City, said a 7x9 inch print of the photograph showed two tiny dots, one of which was a flaw in the print.
Don Metcalfe, 19, Oaks Amusement park employe, reported that he saw several objects "like spinning disks" in the sky Friday. He said several picnickers, including a woman pilot noticed them.
In Vancouver, Wash. Sheriff's Deputies John Sullivan, Clarence McKay and Fred Krives heard the Portland police radio broadcast and ran out of the sheriff's office to look at the sky. Over Portland, three to five miles away, Sullivan said, they saw 20 to 30 objects "like a flight of geese." They heard a low humming sound.
Others Doubtful
Col. G.R. Dodson, commander of the Oregon national guard, made an inspection of this area from the air after the disks were reported here. He said he saw nothing "suspicious."
Only known military airplanes in the air at the time of the reports were 23 B-29 bombers near Astoria.
Despite all the reports, at least two persons remained unconvinced of the existence of the disks. Al P. Sanford, Holgate moorage, gave his opinion that the objects were cottonwood blossoms.
Burl Nollach, 64, of 6604 E. Burrage avenue, telephoned the Journal to berate the newspapers for "perpetrating a hoax." He said he saw objects in the sky about a minute after an airplane passed over his house. To him the objects looked like bits of aluminum foil, perhaps cigarette wrappers.
More Seen Later
Several late flights of objects over Portland were reported Friday afternoon. E.A. Evans, 3433 SW Macadam avenue, said he saw three fly east across the Willamette river near the Ross Island bridge about 2 p.m.
The objects did not appear high, he said, and were traveling so fast that, appearing in the west, they were out of sight in the east in two to four seconds. He said they resembled metallic disks glinting in the sunlight.
Later, he said, he and neighbors saw a single disk-like object flying north far away and very high.
At 4:30 p.m., Mrs. Lawrence J. Hayward, 6124 NE 21st Avenue, reported sighting a disk "like a new dime flipping around" in the air over the Sandy district. She said it seemed to be moving slowly.
Paper Recovered
Thomas W. Dwyer, 1232 NE 59th Avenue, said he sighted two white or silver objects flying southeast high over Portland a few minutes before 5 p.m. He reported another, headed northeast, over his home at 5:30 p.m.
C.J. Bagne, Tigard, reported that four disks flew past Mount Jefferson at about 11 a.m. while he was driving near Redmond.
Sherman Cook, 2000 NE 65th avenue, recovered from Rose City golf course a piece of paper he said had fallen from a great height in the sky. Time of its fall coincided with some of the reports of flying disks. The paper, of low quality, measured 23-1/2 x 36 inches.
Silver Disks, Dropped By Plane
EUGENE, July 5 -(AP)- A Eugene railroad cashier said Friday he saw silvered disks being dropped out of a light airplane flying over this city.
E.F. Smith, Rt 2, Eugene, an assistant cashier for the Southern Pacific Railroad, said he was driving on a Eugene street when --
[Remainder of article unavailable.]
Seattle, Washington Post Intelligencer - 5 July 47
Seattle Lensman First To Catch 'Disk' By Camera
Objects Reported at Many Points Along Coast
Caught in the sights of a veteran photographer's camera as it flashed across Seattle skies, a weird silver "flying disk" was photographed here yesterday by Yeoman Frank Ryman of coast guard public information.
The picture is the first ever taken of the mysterious high-speed objects sighted by thousands in many parts of the United States, but particularly along the West Coast during the past nine days.
Yesterday, alone, hundreds of people between San Diego and Seattle reported seeing the plate-like gleaming objects winging northward high in the sky at near super-sonic speeds.
Waited Until Disk Reached Point Directly Overhead
Veteran of seven years service, and an experienced cameraman, Ryman dashed into his home at Lake city when excited neighbors called out that one of the disks was in sight to the south.
"I grabbed my Speed Graphic (press camera) and field glasses and ran back outside. The disk came over at about 7,000 or 10,000 feet. It was flashing brilliant silver in the sun."
Ryman, 26, with two years overseas service, waited until the disk, "about 1-tenth the apparent size of a full moon," was directly overhead. Then he clicked his shutter.
The strange gleaming object appeared to change course slightly as it passed over Ryman's home, 12321 22nd N.E.
"There was no noise," he said. "No sound of engines. And I am positive there were no wings or fins in sight. It definitely was not a plane. I looked for wings and other possible projections as I watched it through the binoculars."
To confirm his own judgment after the disk had vanished into the blue to the north, Ryman phoned the navy weather station.
"I thought that perhaps it conceivably could have been a weather balloon being blown along by a high wind. The navy told me that there was very little wind -- about 10-12 knots at most. The object I photographed appeared to be traveling over 500 miles an hour."
Advises Newspapers
Convinced it was no balloon, Ryman phoned the Post Intelligencer to report the appearance of the disk and his picture-taking attempt.
A hurried trip to the P-I's darkroom proved his skill with his camera.
Right in the middle of the exposed plate was the disk.
Enlarged many times the disk showed up clearly as a slightly blurred whitish object.
"Through field glasses the disk appeared to be extremely smooth on its surface. There were no aperatures or ports or vents visible," Ryman said.
Thick Over Portland
The disk Ryman saw was only one of perhaps 20 of the fantastic serial saucers sighted speeding through West Coast skies between San Diego and Seattle.
Greatest concentration of the disks was reported over Portland where hundreds of police, newsmen and residents watched the gleaming silver platter-like objects speed in from the east, circle, then head north at high altitude.
A few minutes later, a Post-Intelligencer phone call confirmed they were sighted by a deputy sheriff heading north a few miles from the Clark County courthouse, Vancouver.
Seen Near Bow Lake
A Portland newspaper cameraman who went up in a plane in search of the disks returned without having sighted one.
Another cameraman in the same city dashed hastily to the city golf course when a resident telephoned that a disk was landing on a green. He came back empty-handed except for a circular bit of blank paper that had floated to earth from somewhere.
The last report on the disks received from points south of Seattle, just before the airborne "saucers" appeared over this city, came from Bow Lake where six disks zoomed in low at 2,000 feet.
"They seemed to flop over and over several times, then shot upward, flashed brightly, and disappeared against the background of a high overcast," said ex-P-38 pilot J.H. Oakley, 9422 45th Ave. S.W, a Boeing Field flight instructor.
Oakley reported they were going very fast...
California:
Source: Lodi News-Sentinel, Calif. - 5 Jul 47
Lodi Matches 'Cups' With 'Saucers'
Startling Stories Told
As persons from coast to coast watched the skies, and sharp-eyed onlookers in 11 states claimed to have seen "flying saucers" traveling through the air at speeds never before attained by man, a number of Lodi residents came up with the startling revelation that they have viewed "flying cups," undoubtedly searching for their brother saucers.
These "cups," perhaps on a holiday journey from our neighboring planet -- the moon -- were noted at varying heights over the city yesterday.
A cropdusting pilot -- who asked that his name be withheld -- said that he viewed one of the "cups" when it swooped over a tomato patch he was engaged in dusting.
Aluminum Colored
The "cup," he said, was aluminum in color and shaped much like a Chinese teacup. Due to the fact that there was a large gasoline storage tank nearby, the pilot commented that the "cup's" aviator might have mistaken the shiny flat tank top for a grounded "flying saucer."
When queried as to the speed of the "flying cup," the pilot said that from his calculations the "cup" reached speeds of approximately 1500 miles per hour.
He stated that the "cup" had a slight rotating motion, and went so fast that he was able to get but a mere glimpse of the speeding craft.
A prominent Lodi evangelist, who also claims to have seen the cup, stated that he had received thought messages from passengers aboard it.
Destined to Unite
He said that the waves from the thought message awakened him about 2 a.m. Friday. The message received, although hazy, transferred the thought that those aboard were intending to unite with their menfolk aboard the "flying saucers," and settle on this world in Oklahoma, the Sahara and Gobi deserts.
Fears of invasion were quelled, when other Lodians viewing the "cups" revealed that they perceived no armament on them.
United Press, last night, reported nothing of the "flying cups," giving way to the belief that they are centered in this area.
Source: The Bakersfield Californian, Calif. - 5 Jul 47
Flying Saucer Reported Here By Grocer, Sons
The appearance of a "flying saucer" over Bakersfield rounded out the local Independence Day celebration.
Norman Culver, a grocer, who lives at 2517 Alturas Drive in La Cresta, reported this morning that he saw a shiny object, exactly like a pie plate flipping over and over as it crossed the sky Friday afternoon.
His observation was confirmed by his two sons, ages 8 and 13, who also said that they saw the object.
"It was too high to estimate the size," Mr. Culver said, but it appeared from the ground to be about the size of a pie tin or platter."
The shiny object, apparently of metal, reflected the sun as it flipped over, traveling from west to east, and appeared to pass directly overhead, Mr. Culver reported. It appeared to be going faster than an airplane, he said, and he estimated its speed roughly at 500 to 600 miles per hour.
The first report of "flying saucers" locally was made by Richard Rankin, Palm Springs pilot, who told friends in Portland, Ore., that he saw 10 of the things over Bakersfield June 23, at an altitude of 9000 feet and traveling at speeds of 300 or 400 miles an hour.
Features and Commentary:
Source: The Oregonian, Oregon - 5 Jul 47
Airborne Writer Winds Up Disc-Gusted After Fast Sky Search for Flying Discs
By PAUL F. EWING, Staff Writer, The Oregonian
AT 10,500 FEET OVER PORTLAND WITH THE OREGONIAN'S "FLYING SAUCER" HUNTING EXPEDITION. July 4 (Special) -- There's nobody up there but us and the birds. On second thought, there are no birds, either.
Persistent and widespread reports of scads of "flying saucers" over the city -- the Vancouver, Wash., sheriff's office reported 20 in a line "going like hell toward the west" -- sent our scientific party scrambling aloft.
Lonely Up There
Armed with a camera in the trembling (but eager) hands of Harold Gazin and the airplane in the hands of Bryce Piper, instructor at Oregon City's Sky Park airport, we circled upward over Oaks Amusement park where the flitting phenomena first were sighted.
No balloons, no "flying saucers," no other planes were in sight.
We leveled out at 10,500 feet and flew westward on the trail of the 20 saucers, peering eagerly for the first sight of the sun-reflecting, weaving discs.
Over the crest of the Coast range hung a scanty fringe of clouds. We joined the clouds and looked westward. Ahead of us was Tillamook backed by a sizable chunk of Pacific ocean, but no discs. The only interesting sight was a lone plane, flitting toward Astoria in the distance.
Lots of Scenery Seen
Turning back over the Willamette valley, the expedition checked visibility. To the south we could see Salem and Albany. To the east were the Three Sisters, Mt. Jefferson, and Mt. Hood with few intervening clouds.
Northward across the Columbia were Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Adams and the base of cloud-shrouded Mt. Rainier. But no saucers.
The expedition returned to Portland, where it suddenly occurred to a scientific mind that the discs might be a modern version of the flying rugs popular in Arabian Nights days -- if they had days with their nights.
Real Planes Sighted
That might mean a silver foil rug too thin to be seen from the same altitude. The expedition plane dipped down 8000 feet, still circling for a glimpse of the elusive saucer.
No soap. Our scientific eager beavers spotted two or three light planes going about their business at an altitude of 1500 feet, but no discs.
At that altitude there was nothing else for it. We landed satisfied there were no discs. And immediately reports of a new saucer infestation began to flood The Oregonian's city desk.
Source: Oxnard Courier Press, Calif. - 5 Jul 47
Inventor Here?
A young Oxnard man may be the inventor of the "flying saucer."
Wendell White, 22, of 619 G street, said today he had gotten an idea for a flying saucer while he was a student at Cal Aero Technical Institute at Glendale, and had told a scientist at the Point Mugu missile center, Ralph Hiett, about it three months ago.
White hasn't heard whether anyone has worked on the idea, but today he offered a convincing explanation of how it would work.
Molecular Vacuum
The principal he thought of, White said, was one of a molecular vacuum behind a vertical air foil.
Although air molecules travel at an average rate of 17,000 feet per second, he continued, a vane that is moving fast enough will be too far ahead for the air to catch up, leaving a vacuum. If the vacuum is bounded by a surface, outside air will press against the surface.
Pressure Tremendous
With a disk 20 to 100 feet in diameter, with a ring of spinning vanes on top to create vacuums behind each vane, the air pressure from underneath would be tremendous. Torque would be prevented by another ring of vanes spinning in the opposite direction.
White said forward motion could be obtained by other vanes perpendicular to the axis of the saucer, spinning around its edge. If the side ring of vanes were left open at the front, and shielded from air ahead of the saucer by a surface over which air would flow without resistance, air behind the saucer would press it forward.
Quarter-Inch Vanes
The rotating vanes, which would not need to be more than a quarter of an inch high, could be propelled by several types of engines, White said, and the device could be piloted by a man at the controls or guided by radio controls from the ground.
A graduate of Ventura Junior College, White served 2-1/2 years in the Signal Corps during the war. He is now designing trucks for Dick Smalley's Coast Truck Sales.
Notes:
1. The original quote by Kenneth Arnold stating "It seemed impossible..." changed in all later news reports to "It seems impossible...".
2. As the purpose of this series is to recreate the experience of reading about the phenomenon as it occurred, inconsistencies and inaccuracies are being left un-noted, but will be revisited in a new multi-part series coming in early 2012.
3. As this series continues, each part becomes progressively longer.
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