Scientific Study of Unidentified Flying Objects (the Condon Report, complete, three volumes)

hot-nir !, ..dloOIlS, \vith small
Inq ruet LOllS for mukl ng s·.lc!l
and hi rthday cantlles have
of Spt~cial Investigations infol'med us that there \"as "nothing 011
file in his medicci records to cast doubt on his veradt)'."
In spit0 of the officer's apparent reliability, investigation
disclosed that the photogl'aph5 w('rc probably 110t taken at the time
or pla.:.:- ciaimed. WIllIe he asserted that he barely had tirae to
snap the two photographs through the window of the C- 47, the numb 2rs
0:1 the sides of the slide framt'S 5howed tk~t the two slides had
not b-:en taken in il1l1nl'diatc sequence. Comparison of these numbers
with the numbers on othel' slides fro 'n the same roJl of film also
showe:i the LJrO photographs to have been made after the officer ret.ired
from the /\ir Forc'", and had moved to n nc'>'I commun i ty. Wili Ie the
frame numbE'ts stamped all mountings of the' sliJcs might conceivably
have been cn'oncous 1)' stampeu, as the officer claillll·d, such an error
would /lul account for discrepancies in the frame numher's on the film
itself, \~hich are present w~H.:n the film leaves the factory. '111(:
officer JiJ not know that the film itself was prenumbered.
Case 23 is an example: of a simple prank by the young at hf'art.
A pilOf:, about to take off from an Air Force base jn an airnlane
equipped \~ith a po\~erful, movable searchlight, suggested to his
co-pilot, "Let's sec if we can't spook some UFO rt!ports. II By judicious
use of the 5t"archlight from the air, particularly \vhen flashes of
li~ht from the ground wr.re noticed, the 11i lots succeeded remarkably
well. ~Iernbcrs of the ground party, hunt i ng raccoons at the time,
did report [1Jl impressive liFO ~ightJng. Our field team found, in
this case, all interesting opportunity to study tIll' reliahilit)" of
t t' ~ t i PlOl1)'
" C0ll111101) prank i~; tilt, 1'lunchi II!; of
candll's burllill\~ to kt't'!1 tIll' air hCHll'd.
ba',loon w~il1g plastic dn'·c!t'ancrs' haw;
111,Jpeared il\ 1\t'\~sp(1l'cr!'l aJ'lu l1la~azincs across the nation.
of Spl~cial Investigations informed us that there "as "nothing 011
file in his medic::i records to cast doubt on his veracit)'."
In spite of the officer's apparent reliability, investigation
disclosed tl1nt the photogl'apll~ were probably not taken at the time
or pIli';" clai.med. Whl Ie he asserted that he barely had tir.le to
snap the two photogr'lphs through the window of the c- 4 7, the numb Jrs
0:1 the sides of the ~lid(' framcs showed r.},:lt the two slides had
not b-:cn taken in illllllt.'diatl' sequence. Comparison of these numbers
wittl the numbers on other slides fro'] the; SHme roll of film also
showed the uro photographs to have been m:Jue after the officer ret.ired
from the ,'iT Forc'~ and had moved to a I1G'~ communit.y. While the
frame numbt'rs g tfllllped Oil mountlnp,s of' til c' slides llIigh t conce i vab 1 y
have been erroneously stamped, as the officer c1aiml·tl, such an error
woul d mlt aCCOLIIl t for dis crc'panci os in the frame numh€, l'S on th e fi 1m
itself, \~hich are PTCS(,llt \~!H!n tIl(' film loaves the factory. '11]("
officer JiJ not know that the film itself was prenumbered.
Case 23 is an cxamrleo of a Simple prank hy the younp, at hf'art.
A pilot:, a.bout to take off from an /\ir Force base Ln all airnlane
equipped "ith a po\~erful, movable searchlight, suggested to his
co-pi lot, "Let's sec if we can't spook some UFO f(!portf.." By judici ous
use of the sE'srchlight from the air, particularly \vhen flashes of
light from the gr()und wrre noticed, the pilots succeed~d remarkably
we II . ~Iernb('rs of the ground part.y, hUlit i lIf: raccoons at the time,
did repoTt. (In impressive liFO ~ight1ng. ()ur [ie](\ tl'llnl found, in
this ca,t', all tntl'rl'sting opportunity to study tIll' rl'liahilit)· of
tl,~timony .
.\ common prank i" thl' I allJlchi 11)1 of hot -!:i l' hd loons, Id th small
candh'~ bUTl1ill\~ to J.;l'l'll tlw H.ir 11('111"('11. In,;trtlction" fOT l1luking s·.!c}]
ha'.loon u~~il1g Ida:-;til: dr)'-dt'ancrs' ha!(s and hirthduy callt1lc~ have
{11,Jpcared i 1\ t\l'\~Sp-1pCtl' and lIlagadnes acros!'\ the nati on.