Unidentified flying objects: hearing before the Committee on Armed Forces of the House of Representatives, Eighty-ninth Congress, second session, April 5, 1966 ...

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of September 3, 1965. In other words, both Patrolman Hunt and myself saw
this object at close range, checked it out with each other, confirmed and re-
confirmed the fact that this was not any kind of conventional aircraft, that it
was at an altutude of not more than a couple of hundred feet, and went to con-
siderable trouble to confirm that the weather was clear, there was no wind, no
chance of weather inversion, and that what we were seeing was no illusion or
military or civilian craft. We entered this in a complete official police report
as a supplement to the blotter of the morning of September 3 (not September
2, as your letter indicates). Since our job depends on accuracy and an ability
to tell the difference between fact and fiction, we were naturally disturbed by
the Pentagon report which attributed the sighting to "multiple high-altitude
objects" in the area and "weather inversion." What is a little difficult to under-
stand is the fact that your letter (undated) arrived considerably after the
Pentagon release. Since your letter says that you a re still in the process of
making a final evaluation, it seems that there is an Inconsistency here. Ordi-
narily, this wouldn't be too important except for the fact that in a situation
like this we are naturally very reluctant to be considered irresponsible in our
official report to the police station.
Since one of us (Patrolman Bertrand) was in the Air Force for 4 years en-
gaged in refueling operations with all kinds of military aircraft, it was im-
possible to mistake what we saw for any kind of military operation, regardless
of altitude. It was also definitely not a helicopter or balloon. Immediately after
the object disappeared, we did see what probably was a B-47 at high altitude,
but it bore no relation at all to the object we saw.
Another fact is that the time of our observation was nearly an hour after
2 a.m., which would eliminate the 8th Air Force operation, Big Blast, since
as you say this took place between midnight and 2 a.m. Norman Muscarello,
who first reported this object before we went to the sight saw it somewhere in
the vicinity of 2 a.m., but nearly an hour had passed before he got into the
police station, and we went out to the location with him.
We would both appreciate it very much if you would help us eliminate the
possible conclusion that some people have made in that we might have (a)
made up the story, or (b) were incompetent observers. Anything you could
do along this line would be very much appreciated, and I'm sure you can under-
stand the position we're in.
We appreciate the problems the Air Force must have with a lot of irresponsible
reports on this subject, and don't want to cause you any unnecessary trouble.
On the other hand, we think you probably understand our position.
Thanks very much for your interest.
Sincerely,
EUGENE BERTRAND, Patrolman.
DAVID HUNT, Patrolman.
DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE,
HEADQUARTERS,8TH AIR FORCE(SAC),
Westover Air Force Base, Mass.,Novembr 24,1965.
Memorondum : DOOTO.
Subject: UFO sighting.
To: AFSC (TDEW/UF0.)
1. In reply to your letter, same subject, November 16, 1965, and telephone con-
versation between Specialist Master Sergeant Heft:ley, 8th Air Force, and Sergant
Moody, Headquarters, AFSC, on November 19, 1965, the following information is
furnished.
2. Big Blast "Coco," a SAC/NORAD training mission, was flown on September
2-3, 1965, By 03/0430Z, the operational portion of the mission was complete, and
participating aircraft were en route to their home stations.
3. Ten B-47 aircraft from Pease AFB were involved in Big Blast "Coco" and
were estimated to arrive at their initial approach fix (Pease TACAN 3200 radial,
10 DME fix), between 03/0444Z and 03/0535Z. The town of Exeter is within the
traffic pattern utilized by air traffic control in the recovery of these aircraft at
Pease AFB, N.H. During their approach the recovering aircraft would have
been displaying standard position lights, anticollision lights, and possibly over
wing and landing lights.
For the commander.
WILLIAM A. MCGILPIN, Jr.,
Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Air Force.,
Directorate of Operations.