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

scr.:;:ch fur this fragment was confirmed b: '... t. Cdr. Frank Thompson of
the U.S. Navy. 'The fragment, Selid to have been dislodged by gunfire
ft'Q~ II Na"y jet, re!'ortedly ff'll to the ground, where it \~as found,
still ~lc~ing. an hour later by lJ.S. military ground search ~rewg.
Reports of UFO events over WashingtoJ'l) D. C" in 1952 contain no
reference to such a gunfi TO i nci uent. I f such a fragment did ~xist
and was classified "Secret" as was claimed, its existence and where-
abouts wculd not nect:ssarily be revealed to this project. A request
for official conFirmation that the claimed fragment did or did not
exist and does ot" does not er-ist was forwarded to U.S. Air Force
Headquarters. A reply wa~ received from .1. W. Clinton, by direction
of the Chief of Info'!"'~lation, [JE)partment of the Navy Mr. Clinton
indicated that a thorough search of all Navy record~ available failed
to reveal any account of ~ Navy jet fighter's encounter wHh an UFO
in .July 1952 or at any other time. Pe'chaps more significant, howe'let',
were the facts that Navy reccrJs of the year 1952 c~rried only one
Frank TIlompson, an individual who had retired from active ~ ty several
rears beforr 1952 with the rank of IH'utcnant, not Heutenant commander.
Navy fighters based near Washington were armed only for firing practice
conducted far out at sea over a restricted firing area. Navy aircraft
armcd with live ammunition, Mr. Clinton pointed out, wOllid 11<:l.vI",1 been
usurping nn Air roree function if they had been present over ~Jashington.
D. C., as interceptors. Mr. Clinton concluded: liThe incident is not
beyond the realm ~f possibility, but due to the nature of the Navy's jet
operations about the Washington, U. C. area at the ~ime, it was very
highly unlikdy."
The 3,OllO-lh. mas!' of nwtallic material from the St. Lawrence River
\"as the ,~ubjcct of several communlc,lttOll!; received hy tillS project. Among
thesl' W(!S a lett(~r from Mrs. Carol lIalfo}'d~Watkins, Sccretnry of the
Ottawa Nel' 3cil'nces Clul) (Project file 1326-P). The Club now has Ct l3tody
135
ser..ch fur this fragment was confirmed b· 'ut. Cdr. Frank Thomp~;on of
the U.S. Navy. 'nle fragment, sajd to have been liislodged by gunfire
hQ~ u Na"y jet, re!'ortedly frU to the grounu, where it \,as found,
still ~lc~ing, an hour later by I).S, military ground search ~rews.
Rl'ports of UFO events over Wash.ingtoT1, D, C., in 1952 contain no
reference to such a gunfi 1'0 i nci uent . If sllch a fragment did £1X is t
and was classified "Secret" as was claimed, its existence and where-
abouts would not nec~ssarily be revealed to this project. A requftst
for official cOTl!'irmation that the claimed fragment did or did not
exist and Joes 01." does not: exist was forwarded to U.S. Air Force
1Ieadquarters. II reply wa~ received from .1. W. Clinton, by directioll
of the Chief of Info'fillation, [Jcp<Jrtment of the Navy ML Clinton
indicated that a thorough search of all Navy recQrd~ availRble failed
to reveal any account of 8. Navy jet fighter's encounter w.ith ;in UfO
in .July 1952 or at any other time. Pe'chaps more s.ignificant, howe'let',
were the facts that Navy recc,rJs of the year 1952 carried only one
Frank 111Ompson, an individual who had reti red from act ive r! ty several
renrs befoTr- 1952 with the rank of 11 {'utenant, not ]\.eutenant commander.
Navy fighters baH',\ near Washington werc armcu only for firing practice
conducted far out at ;;ea over a restricted firing area. Navy aircraft
armed with live anununi tion, Mr. Clinton pointed out, wOldel hav':? been
Ilsurping an Ail: Force function i r they had been present over ~Iashington.
D. C., as interceptors. Mr. Clinton conclu,[cd: "The incident is not
beyond the realm ~f p05~ibility. but dUD to the nature of the Navy's jet
operations about the Washington, U. C. area at the time, it was very
highly unlikldy."
The 3,O(lO-lh. ma~~ of metal1.lc material from the St. Lawrence River
"a~ the ~;ubjcct of ~cv!,)l'al comm\lnic"tioll~; received hy this project. Among
thesl" 101:,5 a lettr)r from Mrs. Carol lialford·Watkins, ~c('ret(lry of the
Ottawa Ne,\' 3cil"nce~ Cluj' (Project file 1326-1'). The Cluh now has c't3tody
135