Documents / Report
This August 1949 technical report from the US Air Force Air Materiel Command presents Project Grudge's investigation of unidentified flying objects through January 1949. Drawing on consultants including Dr. J. A. Hynek, Rand Corporation, the Air Weather Service and Dr. P. M. Fitts, it explains most of 244 incidents as balloons, aircraft, astronomical phenomena, hoaxes or psychological errors. It concludes the objects pose no direct threat to national security and recommends reducing the investigation in scope.
No. 173: Rawinsonde released from Burisdale AFD at 1900 CGT. Shreveport under influence of very tight low of a local nature which extended through the 900 mb. level. In all probability, Rawinsonde balloon path was circular following inber curvature around Shreveport, hence balloon was seen approximately two hours later in the same area. Assuming a balloon leak, not altogether uncommon, the Rawinsonde could have remained low enough to be seen. Virus reported as high as 70K account for speed. Conclusion: Rawinsonde balloon. No. 174. Greatest pilot balloon sounding release was at Lake Charles at 0300 CST. Wind flow TNW in lower levels, charming to SFM with altitude. No winds of high enough velocity to carry pilot balloon sounding from Lake Charles to New Orleans in time interval were reported. Only other release in the area was at illoxi, North of New Orleans. Winds aloft were NEW. Speed stated by observer of 300 L.7.X. is approximately 15 times greater than any wind reported for that area. Conclusion: Not a balloon. No. 175, Pilot balloon sounding released from Albuquerque at same time as observation. Upper winds show that flow hence could not have been the AB balloon. Great differences of opinion exist as to speed and shape of the object. One observer states that the object was not a weather balloon. All evidence indicates that this is true. Conclusion: Not a balloon. No. 176: Navy mariners and Weather Bureau pilot balloon sounding were released approximately one hour prior to sighting. Wind flow, however, was TEM at all levels from the surface to 15,000 feet which would seem to preclude the possibility of either balloon drifting north to the 8-n Pablo area. Both witnesses also agree that the object was travelling at high speed. Birds for that region did not exceed 25 K. Conclusion: No balloon. No. 177: Crack-pot report: Is sufficient information to evaluate. No. 176; No weather balloons were released in the vicinity on the date mentioned. So. 179; Crack-pot report; insufficient information to evaluate. No. 160: To date given hence no analysis possible.
Report, from the classic collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is under it. The text was read from the page images by an OCR model; expect the odd misread word. 413 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.