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Intelligence summary
On February 10, 1950, while flying at 9000 feet altitude northeast of Atka Island, two USAF officers reported sighting a red and white object resembling a flare that burst and fell free, illuminating their aircraft momentarily before disappearing into the undercast.
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AF FORM 112—PART | tt :
Peng (CLASSIFICATION)
APPROVED i JUNE 1948
ae Alaska eS pegce aS Ld Sal |
wi? AIR INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION/#A te & —/ |
Report of Sighting of Unidentified Object
| AREA REPORTED ON | FROM (Agency)
Alaska Director of Intelligence, Alaskan Air Gommane
. a '
DATE OF REPORT DATE OF INFORMATION | EVALUATION
|
9 March 1950 |. 10 February 1950 | C=-2
“SUBJECT
——_— _-
PREPARED BY (Officer) | SOURCE
Lt R. &. Smythe | Alaskan Sea Frontier
| REFERENCES (Control number, directive, previous report, eéc., as applicable)
None
| SUMMARY: (Enter concise summary of report. Give significance in final one-sentence paragraph. List inclosures at lower left. Begin text of report on AF Form 112—Part If.)
) At approximately 010555Z February, while flying at 9000 feet. altitude, on Green
Airway No. 8, approximately 120 miles northeast of Atka Island (approximate position
53° oOt N, 171° 11! W) First Lieutenant J. J. Sofet, USAF, co-pilot MATS C54, Bu.No.
| 45630, sighted a red and white "flare" as it appeared to burst approximately 2000 to
| 3000 feet above and slightly to the right of the aircraft, at an estimated distance
of 5 miles. This object was described as elliptical in shape, with a major diameter
only slightly greater than the minor diameter. It had a reddish core and a white
i fringe, and appeared to be 3' in diameter when it burst. As it fell, it diminished in
| apparent size, and the red core gradually turned to white, After an elapsed time of
| approximately two minutes, the "flare" disappeared into the undercast. No parachute
or other means of support were noted, and the object was reported as falling free.
i As it fell past the aircraft it was reported to have illuminated the plane cabin
imomentarily.
| On sighting the "flare" Lt. Sofet called itto the attention of the pilot, First
iLieutenant T. E. Cornell, USAF, who also sighted the object as it fell, and lost sight
lof it when it entered the undercast at about 8000 feet. First Lieutenant Cornell
| climbed to the Astro dome to look for other aircraft, but none were sighted. He then
fired an answering series of flares (one red and two green). Airways at Adak, North
| Shore Cape, and Kodiak were notified. No other traffic was reported on airways at
this time. First Lt. Cornell was certain that this object was not a meteor or meteor-
| ite, because he has flown near meteorites on numerous occasions, and has always
| experienced a buffeting from the rough air in the vicinity of these objects.
Weather was reported as cloudless above 8000 feet with bright moonlight.
Comment: Object possibly a flare, as reported, or a meteorite.
E. DON W. McKINNE
/ ist Lt, USAF Lt Colonel, USAF
| Admin Intelligence Officer Director of Intelligence
AE INCLS.
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Harr ACCITIE!
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| DISTRIBUTION BY ORIGINATOR EO. ttes2, See Sere
| sn memo
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DI ALS CoM La
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MOTE: 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 IN PART, BY OTHER THAN UNITED STATES AIR FORCE AGENCIES, EXCEPT BY PERMISSION OF THE DIRECTOR OF
INTELLIGENCE, USAF.
16—-55569--1 U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
Declassification Authority: NND 57565
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| REPORT NO.
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“AIR INTELLIGENCE INFORMATIO
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FROM (Agency)
i Direc
tor of Intelligence, Alaskan A
DATE OF
10 February 1959
| INFORMATION |
| |
EVALU ATION
—s . 2 | SOURCE
| Alaskan S¢a Frontier
SUMMARY: (Enter concise summery of feport.
?
ximately 0105552 February, while flying at 9090
No. &, a pprard mately 120 miles northeast of Atk
3° oot N, im? Ll' \) First Licutenant RRR USAF,
2U sisnte ed a red and white "flare" as it a
Ay Appr
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was descri ibed as ellipt:
inor diameter.
in n dianeter wnen it burst.
core gradually turned to wnite
"flare" disappeared into &:
were noted, and the object was rep
2
L
an
This oD jec
AS
ye
42
Wflare® Lt. WS calied it to the a
who also sighted the obj
at about 8900 feet.
the Astro dome to Look for other aircr
answering series of flares (one red and two gr
d Kodiak were notified. No other traffic
ee Lt. yas certain that this object wa
ie has flown near
ouffeting from the rough air in the vicinity of
ba aa a iy
U wy, vs 4
undercas
So
—
entered th
aft,
1
Give significance in findt one-sentence paragraph. List inclosures at lower ceft.
was reported to have illumi nated tne plane
yr
Begin text of revort on AF Form tt2—Part If.)
feet altitude, on Green
a Island (approximate position
ppeared to burst 20 se 2000 tO
DUNO.
LP
eet above and slightly to the right of the aircrait, at an estimated distance.
ical in shape,
It had a reddish core and
diameter
white
it fell, it diminished in
After an elapsed time of
undercast. No parachute
orted as falling free.
cabin
with a major
vY
a
the pilot, First
L, and lost signt
i
jghted. i
t Adak,
on airways at
BevEGR or meveor-
hen
aan
—e iNva ih
meteorites on numerous occasios
was reported as cloudless above 8000 feet witn bright mo
Object possibly a. flare, as reported,
DISTRIBUTION
or a meteorite.
oe
Pree UNITED STATES %
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Declassification Authority: NND 57565