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AF FORM 112 APPROVED 1 JUNE 1948 - i | : ) | | | ! | ; co Vcounray iRY REPORT NO USA eC! SS AIR INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION REPORT —_ FLIOBRED se PPE Se ee FROM (Agency) ra ry Training and Operations Canandaigua Lake, Gannett Hill, New York Sampson AFB, N.Y. DATE OF REPORT DATE OF INFORMATION EVALUATION £ February 1953 29 November 1952 PREPARED BY (Officer) | SOURCE | DONALD L. MYERS, "LT., USAF Letter ena "REFERENCES (Control number, directive, previous report, ete., as applicable) — a SS SUMMARY; (Enter concise summary of report. Give significance in final one- sentence paragraph. List inclosures at lower left. Begin tert of report on AF Form 112—Part II.) 1. This report contains information of the sighting of "Flares" in the vicinity of Canandaigua Lake from the peak of Gannett Hill, Rochester 9, New York, and Rochester, New York visually sighted flares nours, November 1952. 3. ABD stated in letter form the observation of what pag to be fiares. Visibility was poor due to light rain, no stars were visible. An out- line of South Hill on the east side of Canandaigua Lake could be seen, Above South Hill, slightly northeast of Canandaigua Lake (directly toward Sampson AFB or north of Sampson, a distance of approximately 25 miles) four stationary extremely bright white lishts were sighted. Each light would last only a few seconds then disappear and be replaced by light displaced laterally and verti-~ cally. There were never more than four visible at once and never less than one. le ceil explained that the observation may have been caused by an optical illusion due to refraction of light rays, however as each bright white light disappeared the after image was a cluster of six or seven red lights which faded inmediately like a vision persistency phenomena. Observing from arms length (26 inches) each cluster appeared to be a 3/6h, inch diameter circle. An actual circle of lights appearing so big at 25 miles (approximate distance from Sampson AFB) would be tremendous. From arm's length these lights were vertically displaced up to two inches, which would indicate altitude. Thers was no apparent diffusion of light or reflection on clouds. De eee estimated to have seen over one-thousand lights appear and disappear before ne and Mr. SM departed Gannett Hill. Upon descend- ing no lights were seen. Upon ascending another hill near Canandaigua, New York, nothing unusual was seen, 5, Further details concerning above information were unknown to source, i i | Papteyy | ig ( fz. wale berr sibel Asuibienblighunaennnh 48 tiotenee ae FRANK By ASE Jes Te, Colo, USAF . Chief, Wing Training & Operations oy were me ee. _ | DISTRIEUTION BY ORIGINATOR D/I, Hq USAF ~ 1 cy E.0, 1165 ATIC, AMC ~lcy Met. nemo . a & We 6% “AGE NCIES, EXCEPT | BY PER ISSION OF THE DIR ECTOR OF 16-—35569~-23 . 3S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. Declassification Authority: NND 57565 s LE ES TE A i ee ~~ ‘ Dieaiele TRUE COPY OFFICER IN CHARGE OF FLARES SAMPSON ATR BASE SAMPSON, N. Y. Dear Sirs it would please me very much if you would tell me if a very large number of Dlares were dropoed near Sampson, Sunday evening, November 23, 1952. here is why: On that evening at 5 pm, the writer, Rochester 9, N. Y., and stopped deer hunting with bow and arrow and came out of tne w the highest peak of Gannett Hill, west of Canandaigua Lake. No stars were visible. It was raining lightly and visibility was poor, bub we could see the outline of South Hill on the ast side of Canadaigua Lake. Above South Hill were four extremely bright white lights. By compass they were Siightly north of east, or directly toward Sampson, or eyen north of Sampson. They looked like bright flares but did not apvear to descend or move at ail while lighted. Hach light would last only a few seconds and disappear to be replaced soon afterwards by another light displaced laterally and vertically. There were never more than 4 Visible at once and never less than 1, E other things about them did not resemble flares. It may have been an cal illusion due to refraction of light rays, but as each bright light disappeared, the after image, which faded immediately like a ion persistency phenomena, was not a single red light but a cluster of éi or 7 red lights. Each cluster ap cared like a 3/64 inch diameter circle ar She ~ he tA vu . @) = oO Td c ee @ rat ax arm's length, say 26 inches away. An actual circle of lights were displaced vertically up to 2 inches at arm's length, which would be a big difference in altitude at 25 miles to Sampson, for flares to be dropped. Also there was no apparent diffusion of light or reflection on clouds as you expect to see from flares, i would estimate that we observed over a thousand lights come and go before we left Gannett Hill. On descending we could not see the lights. On ascending another hill near Canandaigua, we could see nothing unusual. Piease advise if we were watching normal cheromena, because we have other irdoressions obtained from the study which are Spam and emba rassing to relate, if we were viewing a mere scattering of lares, Yours very truly, : | A CERTIFIED TRUE COPY Vonahd 2. HM , DONALD Le MYERS, 2a Lt., USAF AO 2231652 Declassification Authority: NND 57565 eee a A ee om. AF FORM 112 APPROVED 1 JUNE 1948 COUNTRY REPORT NO. (LEAVE N. “a USA k F pd 0 £4 Ps AIR INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION REPORT FLYOBRPT _ AREA REPORTED ON SUBJECT — ngs FROM (Agency) Wing Training and Operations _|Canandaigua Lake, Gannett Hill, New York Sampson AFB, N.Y. DATE OF REPORT DATE OF INFORMATION EVALUATION 6 February 1953 29 November 1952 PREPARED BY (Officer) SOURCE DONALD L. MYERS, LT., USAF Letter from Harold B. Smith ————— REFERENCES (Control number, directive, previous report, etc., as applicable) 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 II.) 1. This report contains information of the sighting of "Flares" in the vicinity of Canandaigua Lake from the peak of Gannett Hill. 2. Harold B. Smith, 640 Melville St., Rochester 9, New York, and Carl Finsterwalder, 124 Devonshire Court, Rochester, New York visually sighted flares at 1700 hours, 23 November 1952. 3. Mr. Smith stated in letter form the observation of what appeared to be flares. Visibility was poor due to light rain, no stars were visible. An out- line of South Hill on the east side of Canandaigua Lake could be seen. Above South Hill, slightly northeast of Canandaigua Lake (directly toward Sampson AFB or north of Sampson, a distance of approximately 25 miles) four stationary extremely bright white lights were sighted. Each light would last only a few seconds then disappear and be replaced by light displaced laterally and verti- cally. There were never more than four visible at once and never less than one. 4. Mr. Smith explained that the observation may have been caused by an optical illusion due to refraction of light rays, however as each bright white light disappeared the after image was a cluster of six or seven red lights which faded immediately like a vision persistency phenomena. Observing from arms length (26 inches) each cluster appeared to be a 3/64 inch diameter circle. An actual circle of lights appearing so big at 25 miles (approximate distance from Sampson AFB) would be tremendous. From arm's length these lights were vertically displaced up to two inches, which would indicate altitude. There was no apparent diffusion of light or reflection on clouds, 5. Mr. Smith estimated to have seen over one-thousand lights appear and disappear before he and Mr. Finsterwalder departed Gannett Hill. Upon descend- ing no lights were seen. Upon ascending another hill near Canandaigua, New York, nothing unusual was seen, 6, Further details concerning above information were unknown to source, 4 v4 Db hte FRANK My MADSEN JR., le. Col., USAF a Chief, Wing Training & Operations , APPROVED: DISTRIBUTION BY ORIGINATOR “ DECLASSIFIED D/I, Hq USAF - 1 cy E.0, 11682, Sec, 3(E) and 51D) or ¢f) ATIC, AMC -lcy MEAL. MMO /3// AF ris 08 LHF 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. IT MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED IN WHOLE OR IN PART, BY OTHER THAN UNITED AIR FORCE AGENCIES, EXCEPT BY PERMISSION OF THE DIRECTOR OF a aps Oats Soc= Se ne ee ee | \ INTELLIGENCE, USAF. . "4 pie ee om ae te " * abo? S ! ASSIF tS Ts wicon ve 16—55569-—2 U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE aa 2 ee v ff ag Declassification Authority: NND 57565 TRUE COPY HAROLD B. SMITH 640 1 Melville Street Rochester 9, New York November 29, 1952 OFFICER IN CHARGE OF FLARES SAMPSON ATR BAS SAMPSON 3 i eattie ha ¢ Dear Sir: It would please me very much if you would tell me if a very large number of Tlares were dropped near Sampson, Sunday evening, November 23, 1952. Here is why: On that evening at 5 pm, the writer, Harold B. Smith, 640 Melville St., Rochester 9, N. Y., and Carl Finsterwalder, 124 Devonshire Court, stopped deer hunting with bow and arrow and came out of the woods on the highest peak of Gannett Hill, west of Canandaigua Lake, No stars were visible. lt was raining lightly and visibility was poor, but we could see the outline of South Hill on the Hast side of Canadaigua Lake. Above South Hill were four extremely bright white lights. By compass they were slightly north of east, or directly toward Sampson, or even north of Sampson. They looked like bright flares but did not appear to descend or move at all while lighted. Each light would last only a few seconds and disappear to be replaced soon afterwards by another light displaced laterally and vertically. There were never more than 4 visible at once and never less than 1. But other things about them did not resemble flares. It may have been an optical illusion due to refraction of light rays, but as each bright white light disappeared, the after image, which faded immediately like a vision persistency phenomena, was not a single red light but a cluster of 6 or 7 red lights. Each cluster ap eared like a 3/64 inch diameter circle ar arm's length, say 26 inches away. An actual circle of lights were displaced vertically up to 2 inches at arm's length, which would be a big difference in altitude at 25 miles to Sampson, for flares to be dropped. Also there was no apparent diffusion of light or reflection on clouds as you expect to see from flares, I would estimate that we observed over a thousand lights come and go before we left Gannett Hill. On descending we could not see the lights. On ascending another hill near Canandaigua, we could see nothing unusual. Please advise if we were watching normal phenomena, because we have other impressions obtained from the study which are useless and embarassing to relate, if we were viewing a mere scattering of lares. ’ Yours very truly, A CERTIFIED TRUE COPY /s/ Harold B. Smith Me % A) | BO VcAe eae rn | Declassification Authority: NND 57565