ufo_data/bin/rr0/tran1950.md

-   **January:** As in December of the previous year, the magazine
    *[True](TrueMagazine.html)* publishes a resounding article by
    [Donald Keyhoe](KeyhoeDonaldEdward.html), with the evocative title
    *Flying Saucers are Real*, where he explains that flying saucers
    come from other planets, that the [USAF](USAF.html) knows it and
    carefully keeps the secret. He concludes: I think we are being
    prepared for what the [UFO](projets.html#UFO) project already knows:
    that the Earth is being watched by interplanetary travelers.

- **February**


-   **February 5th, 5:10 PM:** In Teaticket (Massachusetts), Marvin Odom, a former US Navy pilot, Lieutenant Philip Foushee, a pilot from the USAF base in Otis, and two other people observe two thin, illuminated cylinders. A glowing ball emerges from one of them. The two maneuvers then quickly disappear into the sky after 5 minutes [\[unexplained Blue Book case\]]{.source}.


-   **February 8:** First test of the French ground-to-ground missile SE 4200.


-   Upon the appearance of a giant sunspot, London television viewers
    saw for 1 hour on their screens "Russian" images with Swedish music.


"-   **February 24**"


-   **13 h 55 :** At Albuquerque (New Mexico) Luther McDonald and Harrison Manson, both weather observers from the Municipal Airport, observed a white and oval slightly elongated object flying horizontally for about 1 minute and 30 seconds using a theodolite [[case [Blue Book](BlueBook.html) unexplained]]{.source}.


-   Near Datil (New Mexico), observation of [green glowing ball](GreenFireballs.html) (see below) from an [USAF](USAF.html) observation post.

-   **February 25, 3:55 PM:** At Los Alamos, New Mexico, 12 security inspectors from the [AEC](AEC.html) observe a silver, flashing cylinder with tapered ends, slowly and then quickly flying, pulsating and oscillating, and changing direction. The duration of the witnesses' observations varies between 3 seconds and 2 minutes [\[unexplained Blue Book case\]]{.source}.

- **Mars**


-   **March 1st:** The Knoxville (Tennessee) regional office of the [FBI](FBI.html) receives a frantic call from a radar operator at a nearby military base. The technician has spotted a craft flying over the Oak Ridge atomic research center [Oak Ridge](OakRidgeAFB.html).


-   **March 3, 11:05 PM:** At the [USAF](USAF.html) base in Selfridge (Michigan), Lieutenant Frank Mattson observed an intense light of a dull yellow descending vertically, then flying horizontally very quickly for 4 minutes [[case [Blue Book](BlueBook.html) #650 unexplained]]{.source}.


-   **March 8:** A [Dayton](lieux.html#Dayton) (Ohio), visual and radar observation of a flying disc above the [Wright-Patterson](WrightPatterson.html) headquarters, headquarters of the [ATIC](ATIC.html). A TWA crew confirms the observation. The National Guard is put on alert and a (two?) [Mustang P-51](appareils.html#P51) takes off (s) to attempt an interception, in vain.


- The phenomenon of March 1st repeats itself several times.
  Establishment of the [Twinkle](Grudge.html#Twinkle) project, charged with investigating the phenomena of "green fireballs" in [New Mexico](NouveauMexique.html).

-   **March 20, 9:26 PM:** At Stuttgart (Arkansas), Captain Jack Adams and First Officer G. W. Anderson Junior, both of Chicago & Southern Airlines, observed for 25 to 35 seconds a 100-foot disc with 9 to 12 openings along the lower part emitting a soft purple light, as well as a light at its top blinking 3 times in 9 seconds, flying at no less than 1000 miles/h [[case [Blue Book](BlueBook.html) #671 unexplained]]{.source}.


-   **March 22:** The FBI agent Guy Hottel, stationed in Washington, sends a memorandum to his superiors in which he claims to have talked to an Air Force investigator. This informant told him that the Air Force had recovered 3 flying saucers in New Mexico, each with 3 bodies barely 1 m tall, dressed in black suits like those of supersonic pilots.


-   **March 27, 10:30:** At Motobu (Okinawa), the USAF radar operator Cpl. Bolfango spotted on his radar an object stationary for 2 minutes and then moving at 500 miles/h. A visual observation also took place [\[case [Blue Book](BlueBook.html) #678 unexplained\]]{.source}.


-   **March 28, 3:15 PM:** In Santiago (Chile), M/Sgt. Patterson, from the *US Air Attache* office, observed through binoculars for 5 to 10 seconds a white object flying quickly at high altitude, crossing 30° of the sky [[case [Blue Book](BlueBook.html) #680 unexplained]]{.source}.


-   **March 29, 7 PM:** At Lake Marrowhode (Marrowbore?) (Tennessee), Whiteside and Williams, real estate agents, observed 6 to 12 dark objects resembling bombs, about 5 feet long, flying at 500 miles/h and descending, emitting a sound like the wind blowing through the trees [[case [Blue Book](BlueBook.html) #682 unexplained]]{.source}.


"-   **March 30**"


- In an article titled "Untertassen-Flieger Kombination", the magazine *Der Spiegel* states \...Rudolph Schriever, who claims that engineers from around the world were experimenting with flying saucers in the early 1940s, wishes to build one for the United States in 6 to 9 months. This 40-year-old graduate of the University of Prague states that he had made plans for such a machine, which he calls "flying top", before Germany collapsed and the plans were stolen from his laboratory. He states that the machine would be capable of travelling at 2600 miles/h over a range of 4000 miles. Schriever is a driver for the US Army in Bremerhaven.

-   *Objective Moon* begins to appear in *Tintin*.

- **April**


-   **April 1st:** Land-Air Inc. is officially commissioned to conduct scientific research on the phenomenon of green fireballs.


-   **April 7, 9:55 PM:** In Boston, the Logan Airport tower observed for 10 minutes an oval light changing from blue to white, then to red. It split in two and ended in a dance of lights, which disappeared to the northeast, against the wind. [[Hynek](HynekJosephAllen.html), 1979]{.source}

-   **April 8, 2:00am:** In Kokomo, Indiana, Earl Baker is awoken by his dog. He observes a 50 foot diameter, 15 foot wide metal disc, topped with a "conning tower" and having 3 openings on the edge emitting a blue light. The object remains stationary for 2 minutes, then flies away [[case [Blue Book](BlueBook.html) #706 unexplained]]{.source}.


-   **April 14, 2:30 PM:** At [Fort Monmouth](FortMonmouth.html) (New Jersey), M/Sgt. James of the Army saw 4 amber rectangular objects about 3 or 4 feet. During the 3 to 4 minutes of observation, James saw them quickly change speed and direction, go up and down [\[case [Blue Book](BlueBook.html) #711 unexplained\]]{.source}.


- In a remote region of Argentina, E. C. Bosa discovers a crashed flying disc and the corpses of 4 small pilots. Returning the next day with a friend, he finds only a pile of still smoking ashes. An object shaped like a cigar is seen while he is flying over the area at high altitude.


- The object photographed on April 23 at Redbud. See photo at images/1950-04-23.jpg.


-   **April 27th, 8:25 PM:** Above Goshen (Indiana), sighting by pilot [Robert Adickes](AdickesRobert.html) and his co-pilot.


-   Photography of a disk in Palma de Majorque, with a dome and in rotation.


-   **April 29:** Regulation of the [Air Force Letter](glossair.html#AFR) 200-5.


- **May 7, 6:45 PM:** 9 miles south of Easy Ely (Nevada), George Smith, his wife and their grandson saw a white-silver object hovering at 100 feet altitude, going forward and backward for 10 minutes then flying away high. [[case [Blue Book](BlueBook.html) #721 unexplained, no investigation conducted]]{.source}


-   **May 11, 7:45 PM:** At Mac Minnville (Oregon) [the Trents
    photograph a saucer](1950-05-11_McMinville.html).


-   **May 12:** [Hoover](officiels.html#HooverJohnEdgar), head of the
    [FBI](FBI.html), worries about the protection of vital installations
    such as Oak Ridge and requests that an appropriate investigation be
    conducted to determine if the unidentified objects flying over the
    [Oak Ridge](OakRidgeAFB.html) area are related to ionizing effects
    of radars. The [USAF](USAF.html) services are alerted, the
    [CIA](CIA.html) sends a radar expert from Washington to check the
    reliability of the instruments and... the poor technician is
    interrogated about his alcoholic background. Without result.


-   **May 22, between 12:15 and 12:30** : [Seymour Hess](HessSeymour.html) observes a UFO at the Flagstaff Observatory (Arizona) [[Vallée](ValleeJacques.html)][Bonvin]{.source}.


-   **May 29** : In Washington (DC), [observation of Captain
    Sperry](1950-05-29_Sperry.html).


-   **June 8**: The *Telephone Register* of McMinville (Oregon) publishes [the Trent story](1950-05-11_McMinville.html).


-   **June 25:** Beginning of the Korean War, increasing fear of a Soviet attack in Western Europe.


-   **June 27, 7:50 AM:** In Texarkana (Texas), Terrell and Yates, both employees of the Red River Arsenal, saw a shiny object flying horizontally for 4 to 5 seconds, whose shape resembled two overturned buckets against each other [[case [Blue Book](BlueBook.html) #738 unexplained]]{.source}.

- **July**

-   **July 2:** On Lake Ontario, at Sawbill Bay, as a couple picnics on the beach, the air begins to vibrate. They hide and see a disc resting on the lake, with portholes in a ring, with a "mast" ending in a hoop like a goniometer. Beings turn at regular intervals on the edge. They stop to look in the direction of the witnesses, but actually look at a deer above them. The beings enter and the disc lifts off vertically, leaving behind it a reddish water with golden reflections. (Lob and Gigi).

-   **July 13th, 5 PM:** At the Redstone Arsenal (Alabama or Georgia?), two experienced Arsenal employees, including Mr. Washburn, observed an object resembling a "bowtie", seemingly made of polished aluminum, fly straight, then a triangle make a quarter turn in the opposite direction and return to its original position. The object then made a [right angle turn](Turns.html) and accelerated away after at least 30 seconds [\[unexplained Blue Book case n° 758\]]{.source}.


- In Houston, Texas, a television station whose call sign (identification mark) was made up of the 4 letters KLEE changed its name to KPRC TV. Surprisingly, the old KLEE call sign continued to appear on various screens until 1954, not only around Houston, but also in other states as far away as New York and even in England, where the transmission system is different. These impossible delayed receptions are part of a whole range of delayed TV and radio echoes, never fully explained.

-   **July 24:** Inauguration of *Cap Canaveral*.


-   **July 30:** Round objects appear above the Hanford nuclear power plant at an altitude of 4600 m. An interception attempt by [USAF](USAF.html) fighters fails.


-   **August 1st:** Permanent replacement at [MJ-12](MJ-12.html) of Secretary [Forrestal](ForrestalJamesVincent.html) by General [Walter B. Smith](SmithWalterBedell.html), Director of the [CIA](CIA.html).


-   **August 4th, 10am:** In the North Atlantic, approximately 100 miles southeast of the city of New York (39' 35' North, 72' 24.5' West), Quartermaster Nils Lewring, Second Jacob Koelwyn, and Lieutenant of the M/V Marcala observed a cylindrical object 10 feet in altitude, flying and spinning, accelerating at the end of the 15 seconds of observation [[case [Blue Book](BlueBook.html) #773 unexplained]]{.source}.


-   **August 5, 11:30:** [Observation of Great Falls](1950-08-15_11-30_GreatFalls.html) (Montana): 2 UFOs are observed on radar, filmed (see below) and photographed by 2 independent observers. The case is declared inexplicable by physicist Mr. L. Baker. 35 of the 290 photos are requisitioned by the [USAF](USAF.html). Electromagnetic and physiopathological effects are found. [\[Keyhoe 1973\]]{.source} [\[Hynek 1974\]]{.source} [\[DD-5\]]{.source}


-   **August 20, 1:30 PM:** In Nicosia, Cyprus, Liaison Officer Lieutenant William Ghormley, Colonel W. V. Brown, and Lieutenant-Colonel L.w. Brauer of the USAF MATS observe a round, shiny object flying quickly straight for 15-20 seconds [\[Case [Blue Book](BlueBook.html) #793 Unsolved\]]{.source}.


-   **August 24 (25?) 20:00:** Approximately 250 miles southwest of the
    Bermuda (29' 40' North, 67* 28' West), on board a B-29, the radar
    operator and S/Sgt. William Shaffer detected an unknown object and
    a possible blue trail 3 minutes later. The B-29 followed the
    unknown target, then passed it at 1/4 mile distance. The target was
    followed for 5 minutes, then passed the B-29 and moved away. The
    total duration of the detection was 20 minutes [[case [Blue
    Book](BlueBook.html) #787 unexplained]{.source}.

- **August 30**


- Experts from the company *Land-Air* observe unidentified aerial phenomena during tests of a Bell rocket plane.

-   **13:30:** At Sandy Point (Newfoundland, Canada), 3 local employees, including Kaeel and Alexander from the USAF base, observed for 5 minutes a dark barrel-shaped object, with a kind of pole descending into the water, moving at a speed of 3 to 5 miles/h, at an altitude of 15 to 20 feet [\[case [Blue Book](BlueBook.html) #790 unexplained\]]{.source}.


-   **August 31:** The same team makes a similar observation to the one from the day before during a rocket launch [V-2](V2.html) at the [Holloman](HollomanAFB.html) base.


-   **September 3, 2 PM:** In Spokane (Washington), Major R.J. Gardiner, Mrs. Gardiner and a neighbor (who had previously seen 3 objects, the others having seen 1), observed for 5 minutes disks seeming of metallic bronze, about 20 to 30 feet long, 2 to 6 feet wide, each moving in a disordered manner [[case [Blue Book](BlueBook.html) #797 unexplained]].


-   **September 10:** Retrieval of 3 bodies following a crash in Albuquerque (New Mexico).


-   **September 20, 10:49:** At Kit Carson (Colorado), a "reliable" witness observed 2 large round and luminous objects and 3 smaller ones inside. The 2 objects remained stationary for 1 minute and then moved, and the 3 smaller ones came out from behind or inside the 2 larger ones. All of them quickly moved away into the sky [[case [Blue Book](BlueBook.html) #807 unexplained]{.source}.


-   **September 21, 9:52:** In Provincetown (Massachusetts), the MIT research associate and National Air Guard Major H. Ligda spotted an object on radar during the MIT's detection of the USAF F-84 or F-86 fighter flight. The object's speed was 22 miles/min (200 miles/h), and it made turns with an acceleration of 11 to 12 g during the minute of observation [\[unexplained Blue Book case #809\]]{.source}.


-   **October 12:** 11 UFOs are again spotted above [Oak Ridge](OakRidgeAFB.html). A squadron of F-82 fighters takes off to intercept them, without success: the craft dodge at an astonishing speed.

- **October 15**

-   **3:20 PM:** At [Oak Ridge](OakRidgeAFB.html) (Knoxville?) (Tennessee), Trooper Rymer, J. Moneymaker, and Captain Zarzecki of the [AEC](AEC.html) saw two shiny silver objects in the shape of a rifle ball or bladder. The objects dove, leaving a trail of smoke, and one of them disappeared. The other stayed at 5-6 feet altitude, 50 feet away, and went away and came back several times, going further each time [\[unexplained Blue Book case #819\]]{.source}.


- At the base of the [USAF](USAF.html) of Pope (North Carolina), Daniel and Woodward each make an observation [\[case [Blue Book](BlueBook.html) #821 unexplained, listed as "unidentified" in the index, but no data can be found about it\]]{.source}.


-   **October 23, 0:42:** In Bonlee (North Carolina), former USAF pilot Frank Risher sees an aluminum object shaped like a dirigible or a Convair C-99 cargo plane with 3 openings, coming from the southeast, hovering for 3 to 5 seconds, and flying towards the south-southeast until the end of the 40 second observation. [[case [Blue Book](BlueBook.html) #824 unexplained]]{.source}


-   **November 1st:** Attack against the American President [Truman](TrumanHarryS.html) by Puerto Rican extremists.


-   **November 5, 11:55:** At [Oak Ridge](OakRidgeAFB.html) (Tennessee), the illustrator of *Fairchild Aircraft* Don Patrick observed a translucent, light gray object with a darker core, shaped like a pear or a bean. The object flew for 5 to 10 minutes making rapid and precipitous movements [\[case [Blue Book](BlueBook.html) #829 unexplained\]]{.source}.


-   **November 7:** "Duel" between a fighter plane and a white light spinning around it, even in ascent. [\[Hynek, 1979\]]{.source}


-   **November 21:** Canadian physicist Dr. [Wilbert
    Smith](SmithWilbertBrooker.html) sends a memorandum to his government on geomagnetism indicating, that following a discreet inquiry by the Canadian Embassy, it has been established that the subject has received the highest classification from the US government (at a higher level than the H-bomb), that flying saucers do exist, that their modus operandi is unknown but that a significant effort is being made by a small group led by Dr. [Vannevar Bush](BushVannevar.html), and that the whole subject is considered by US authorities to be of the utmost importance.


-   **December 2, 10:50:** In Nanyika (Kenya), L. Scott and his wife observed an object shaped like a pear, iridescent, with a flattened top, turning while remaining stationary and emitting a sound similar to a buzzing of bees [[case [Blue Book](BlueBook.html) # 845 unexplained, the only data comes from the archives of the East African newspaper "Standard"]{.source}.

- **December 6**


- A device similar to the one from the [Roswell crash](1947-07-02_Roswell.html) crashes to the ground at high speed in the El Indio-Guerrero zone, in the Del Rio region (Texas), near the Mexican border, after following a long trajectory through the atmosphere. The recoverable debris of the completely charred object is transported to the [AEC](AEC.html) complex in Sandia, [New Mexico](NouveauMexique.html) for study.

-   **5 PM:** In Fort Meyers, Florida, an ex-airplane salesman Harry Lamp and 4 boys observe with LO-power binoculars an object of 75 feet, 3 to 4 feet thick, with a dome on top, silver with a red edge with 2 white and 2 orange engines on its sides. The center rotates when the object remains stationary, then the object flies away very quickly [[case [Blue Book](BlueBook.html) # 848 unexplained]]{.source}.


-   **December 11, 10:13 PM:** In Alaska, 10 miles northwest of Gulcana, the crew of *Northwest Air Lines* Flight 802 observed 2 white flashes followed by a dark cloud rising and splitting into 2 [[[case Blue Book](BlueBook.html) #849 unsolved]]{.source}.


- At an air show in Longview, over a hundred people watched the maneuvers of several metal discs.


- Publication by Henry Holt of the book by [Frank Scully](ScullyFrank.html), *Behind the Flying Saucers*.


-   [Richard Hall](HallRichardH.html) begins his career as a ufologist.