Approved For Release 2001/04/02 : CIA-RDP81R00560R000100010001-0
thorough news coverage. If so, this would tend to give a false picture of total UFO activity.
News coverage and publicity have been spotty and erratic over the years, largely reflecting the degree of official attention to UFOs. In this connection, it is interesting to note that during the past six years the Air Force has constantly debunked UFOs; during that period no real “flap” has occurred in the United States. In the same period, concentrations have occurred.
The following chart probably gives a more accurate picture of real increases and decreases of UFO activity.
FLAPS
(Based on U.S. publicity)
CONCENTRATIONS
YEAR
PERIOD
MAIN LOCATIONS
X
1947
June-July
Western United States
X
1950
First Half
Midwest, West, & SW U.S.
X
1952
July-August
Eastern United States
X
1952
Sept.-October
Europe
X
1954
April-December
World-Wide
X
1954
October
France
X
1955
August
Midwest United States
X
1957
November
Midwest, Southwest U.S., South America
X
1959
June-August
Pacific Ocean, Australia, New Guinea, New Zealand
X
1960
August
Northern California
X
1962
May, July-August
Argentina
X
1962
September
New Jersey
June-July
1947
The first major wave of UFO sightings in the United States began in June 1947. Kenneth Arnold, a private pilot flying near Mt. Ranier, Washington, first reported a sighting to the press. On June 24 he observed 9 flat, shiny objects which fluttered and skipped along as if in a chain. In describing the sighting to newsmen, he said the strange objects flew “like a saucer skipped across water.” Newsmen promptly dubbed the objects “flying saucers,” and the name stuck.
In the next three weeks, similar objects were spotted all over the country, but reports were concentrated in the northwest. Later research in library files, by a NICAP member traveling around the country, uncovered 125 separate UFO reports for June and July. These covered 25 states, with 30% coming from Washington.
Washington
38
Colorado
16
Idaho
11
Utah
8
Oregon
6
California
5
New Mexico
3
Wyoming
2
Arizona
2
91
Ninety-one (72% of total) came from states west of the 100 degrees W longitude line. East of that line, Oklahoma had 9 reports, other states had only one or two.
The Air Force Project Blue Book Report, released in 1955, lists for the same period:
June — 13 sightings, 4 unknown
July — 40 sightings, 8 unknown
—
53 Total
The following chart lists the main sightings of this period.
DATE
LOCATION
TIME
NUMBER
SHAPE
COLOR
OBSERVERS
ACTIONS
SECTION
1947
June 23
Iowa-Cedar Rapids
---
10
Discs
Shiny
Railroad Engineer
Fast, fluttered
" 24
Wash.-Mt. Ranier
1400
9
Flat
Bright
Pilot (private)
Fluttered, skipped
" 24
Ore.-Cascade Mtns.
---
5-6
Discs
Shiny
Prospector, Contractor
Banked
" 25
N.Y.-Glens Falls
---
1
Disc
Red, blue
County Deputy Treasurer
Unspecified
" 26
Ariz.-Grand Canyon
---
1
Ball
Silver
M. D.
High speed
" 28
Nev.-Lake Meade
1515
5-6
Circular
Unspec.
Pilot (USAF)
Formation off wing
III.
" 28
Ala.-Montgomery
2120
1
Light
Bright
4 USAF Officers
Zig-zag, 90° turn
III.
" 29
N.Mex.-Rocket test site
---
1
Disc
Silver
Rocket expert
Flew straight
IV.
July 1
N.Mex.-Albuquerque
---
1
Disc
Bluish
Chamber of Commerce Executive
Zig-zag
" 4
Ore.-Redmond
1100
4
Discs
Unspec.
Car full
High speed
" 4
Ore.-Portland
1305
3-30
Discs
Shiny
Police, Pilots (private)
Oscillated
II.
" 4
Wash.-Seattle
1745
1
Circular
White
USCG Yeoman
Across wind
VIII.
" 4
Idaho-Hauser Lake
1900
1
Disc
Unspec.
Over 200 persons
Circled, shot up
Approved For Release 2001/04/02 : CIA-RDP81R00560R000100010001-0