THE FIFTH HORSEMAN OF THE APOCALYPSE 1947 August 1 st

84 Pages·2009·2.32 MB·English

THE FIFTH HORSEMAN OF THE APOCALYPSE
UFOS: A HISTORY
1947 August 1 st - December 31st
SUPPLEMENTAL NOTES
By
Loren E. Gross
Copyright ©2001
Fremont CA
"UFOsarethe FifthHorsemanxrftheApocalypse."
— Dr. Lincoln LaPaz
"SupplementalNotes"consistofmaterialunder
consideration foranyrevisionoftheoriginal
UFOhistoryvolumecoveringthistimeperiod.
Russian secret weapon?
Ifthe flying saucers were Russian craft, it was assumed they would be seen coming and going
from bases in Communist territory. Flights like that meantthousands ofmiles, which would be
quite a feat in 1947, especially for Moscow's inexperienced long range aircraft engineers.
Various approaches to the continental United States (See map on page 2) had different advan
tages and disadvantages.
The most likely air route would be the one from Siberia (No.1). It was the shortest, and in fact
most saucerreports were coming in fromthe America's Pacific Northwest than elsewhere inthe
country. However, a drawback was that America had outposts in Alaska, which could give
advance warning.
The Polarroute (No.2) was much longer but any detection would be by chance observation. No
radar fence existed.
The Northeastern route (No.3) led directly tothe thickly populated East Coast but it passed
over, ornear, to nations friendly to the U.S., making detection orinterception a possibility even
before reaching Canadian airspace. Also, this routeparalleled a heavilytraveled civilian and
militaryair and sea traffic corridor.
The West and East coasts (No.4 & 5) were wide open but Russia had no aircraft carriers.
A sky invasion from the south (No.6) seemed very unlikely unless aRussian base could be
established in LatinAmerican and there was no political reason to expect any government in the
hemisphere would cooperate. But it should be noted, Mexico did offer a couple ofadvantages.
America's Spanish neigh|jor was very close to sensitive atomic/missile testing groundsjust
acrossthe border inNew Mexico and the barren wastes ofChihuahua might conceivably conceal
a secret saucer launching site.
American experts didn't believe the Russians could build a craft withenough range to reach
North America, maneuver around, and return to base. The only scenario that even seemed re
motely plausible was the use ofa captured German airframe design and a breakthrough inthe
use ofatomic power for propulsion. Various bits ofinformation fed such suspicions. The Com
munist newspaper Daily Worker, always taking its cue from Moscow, published onJuly 11lh
that it considered flying saucer sightings so much nonsense and that ifanyone stared at the sky
long enough he could end up seeing whatever he wante4 (xx.) Were the Redsjust being
sarcastic or werethey trying to throwthe U.S. military offthe track?
(xx.) Ripley, Josephine. "Saucers inthe Milky Way." ChristianScience Monitor, 11 July
47.
The Air Force investigators did have something to work withby mid-July. There was the
interesting Rhodes photo that resembled the experimental GermanHorton aircraft, and there was
aphotoofa heat-generating object that had cut through a cloud overNewfoundland. Less solid,
but very compelling pieces ofevidence, were the common characteristics that turned up in many
flying saucer reports made by apparent credible witnesses.
The radio signals
Air approaches to the U.S.
Ofspecial interest to American Intelligence was the detection, aboutthe end ofJuly, ofdefinite
radio signals from Communist territory apparently intended for remote controlled craft. These
radio signals were taken quite seriously and a meeting was convened at Wright Field, Ohio, to
deal withthe matter.
Ifthe saucers were Soviet, as these radio signals suggested, the military needed the FBI to
check for subversion and to forget thehassle overtoilet seat covers. Efforts would have to be .
madeto quickly repair relations with the FBI and appease Hoover.
Other stepswere taken:
General Spaatz ordered daring reconnaissance flights into the Bering Strait airspace.
Air Force investigators puttogetherageneral description ofthe characteristics ofa"flying
saucer" so the military would know what to look for.
A call went out to contact and interrogate WWII Germandesigners. •
In the meantime, flying saucers reports kept coming in. Theywere as good, oreven better,
than those recorded in June and July.
Let us nowcover all ofthese developments on adetailed, day to day, basis as muchas possi
ble.
31 July/1 August. Ferret missions.
Ferret missions in the Baltic Seaarea and the Bering Strait were apparently relatedto radio
signals emanating fromthe Rugen area ofRussian-occupied Germany. A ferret mission is a
reconnaissance flight devoted to the electronic monitoring ofradarand radio signals produced by
apotential enemy.
A War Department message dated the 31st recognized the completionofthree missions in the
Baltic in the month ofJuly whichwere now to be followed up flights further north. The prob
abilitythe flights would be near Russianairspace is indicated bythe need for State Department
concurrence. (See page 4)
On August 1st ferret flights inthe Bering Strait were authorized by General Spaatz. That the
flights would be a daring, is proved by the use ofthe words "utmost precaution" and instructions
for a cover story. (See pages 5-6) Granted thatthe message does not mention "flying saucers,"
it makes sense that Spaatzwould chose this time and place to search for special radio signals.
The state ofAlaska was the primary air approachto the lower48. (See page 2)
Fall 1947. Somewhere onRoute 66 inNew Mexico. (Sunset)
Object lands, takes off?
The witness was a Mr.W.J.. Rice who said that in later years he was a missile test mechanic
at California's Vandenberg AFB. The area ofthe sighting was flat desert with mountains five
miles to the east and six miles to the west. Mr. Rice refers to the UFO as a "ship" but He ob
served it, according to his story, close enoughto received the definite impressionthe thing was a
solid maneuverable machine ofsome sort. It was in view about 10 minutes and he estimated its
* Ifl"rtlT<«HCriTAlIllfMAtmiJAI AlirjRVM DECLASSIFIED
AuthorityAlAlp 79ftM
M MARADale
WAR DEPARTMENT
CLASSIFIED MESSAGE CENTER
OUTGOING CLASSIFIED MESSAGE
TOP SECRET
rARAPlIRASB NOT REQUIRED, HANDLE A3 TOP 3IECRKT C
PJin PAHA3 !>li and 60a (4), AR 380.5
Air Tntellinenoe RequiremoiKo f
Divioion, AC/A3-2, MaJ LangbeSw
31 July
OOMOJSHUSAPB Weioba&m Germany
Nri WAR 83'H9 ,
Prom AFACB oignod 3paata )|OVttiafc'UA 5736.
- - r. •- "°01ifcinued operation to tho
extent lo urged -*you are advioort that aareeraoni wMli
, *»onfc hQ bG0J1 fumUod vlth coraplotlon of thro0
altlc Son area in July. No furthor fl.lfilifco avo
thio time in Baltlo. , A Qev projeot to the
oeinc oomtoraplated whon B-2Q Perret and. crow can
be moved to your area for period of TDY. Sta&Tw ion-
ourrence io oxpeotod. , v
*
End
A.P, IS
Si UA..5736 is CM IK 5013^^30'jul
i. MbDQNALD :;w
DISTRIBUTION* Gon Chninborlin, Oon Norotad
GENERALPARTRIDGE
OM OUT 83^19 (Aug Hi) DXO 0414042 in
TOP SECRET
THE MAKING OF /\N EXACT POPV Of THIS MTO«tAOr IS TORB1DOCM 11
i)*'"*EtWIKWAlMtCIMCS
WAR DEPARTMENT
CLASSIFIED MESSAGE CENTER
INCOMING CLASSIFIED MESSAGE
TOP
not nEouinr:n, iiahdte ao Tor secret
vm lwuAa '31j ^po 6<n (h) ar 300-5
Pvoim OOKGEIT Aln'iimn Air Cnmnrmd Blinontlorf Piold A
nyl Atlrlawon
To; viilron .".ontor Tflilfl PJold AiauJrn JETISOIPVI,
for I; \oront
Info: COHaEFAAP Wooliinclon 23
nr: AX 19;»7
Jj a T'lvaphrooo of o rocolvod from
Spootz vbioh foiioun frbi'i horoi
"fpi ralloo limitation lmpouod north of Diouiodoo from
au aHon" ton Jtor:, nnd floodJlaht uounOfirJoo not, oppiioob
for PASJ3TON/VQW only. AJ'my soourUy Atjonoy obnnrvor will
not- partJoJiMlo, opoclol brlofJiyt uf crow to .oovor pop
foroort landing ov (IJI.ohing on oociploto doatvuotlon oV o-lr-
crnffrond oquiiTiiionfc usIng noooosory i-.-»t,oriai.p whJoh will bo
furnlshod wlli he afforded orew. lUonion inunt; not bo
(Hoc7oood ot.hi>r thnu boLng loot on voothor mloolon. flbouid
ropatrJotion bocouio noooooary ovory offor1 viJl bo maOe but
ft io oxiwotod tha^- efforts win boar no fruit." End of
paraphrooo and you aro.outhorizod to imlro such fllRhtn If
dooinod noooosary *.o coinpXoto mleolun rociuiromonls oo author
ised In obovo from Rpnotz with oxcoptlon minimum rango
should not bo utlJUod. Iiutoud rongo which 'vould ailov
sufficient covorogo vithout oourtinc ouoli additional doiifloro
oo mny bo mot ot minimum ronco from altnn territory 1o to
bo uood. Utmoot proc&utiony will bo or.coxoizod In ptannlna
and preparation oi* such flights inourlna malntonanoo of ouf-
fiolont dlstonoo from landfall-nnd for obiAinlntj douirod
information. Pit shoefflor RCH ob3er*er 't6th Reoon Sqdn vi.ll
fly number 7 HCM poolUon In llou of Army Seouvlty Aflonoy
CM IH '»1O (3 ]rc)
Tor SBCnET
THE M4K1P9 QF ftM EXftCT COPY Pf THIS MESSAGE
*IIlTIIAtKHMlAI1CKIVC1
WAR DEPARTMENT
CLASSIFIED MESSAGE CENTER
INCOMING CLASSIFIED MESSAGE
TOP SECRET 7VI
Page 0
l-'rcinu COMQEU Ainoloin Mr Command Elmondorf Plotd Alasto
oflfJ AUcinoon
Nri AX 1670** 1 Aucuot 19'»7
otoorvor, Should fHghtn bra nooonoory thin Iloodqu&rtora
win bo noi.ifiort n» Co proponod ouuroo f1 IqIiI: plan onlliua-
♦;od tlmo doj)arturo one! .arrlvul notico will bo fornardod on
return of airoi-nft, uo 3to,
'•*■*
♦ En-1
ACTION: Gon SpaatzQENhKALPARTRIDGE
INFO: Gon Chambovlin, Gon florntud, CSA
CM JN UlO (3 Axis 'I7J UTO O1OS'I5Z
TOP
II
COPY NO,
•THC MAKING OF AM EXACT COPY Or TIIW MCSSAGL IS FORBIOOCM
size as 50 feet by 20 feet.
His narrative ofthe incident:
"The ship came up over the mountains fromthe east—came behind and over
the car at 100 feet—went west 3 to 4 miles—turned north. Came backto within
100 feet ofthe car and came down to within20 feet ofthe ground. I had pulled
the car offthe road—had gotten out and walked to the front ofthe car. When it
came back on my right—'north'—I walked around the front ofthe car to watch
the ship land—as it had come down so close.
"At that time I knew nothing ofsaucers andthought jt was a newkind ofjet
from Edwards A.F.B.—lost or in trouble. I started walking to the ship and had
gone only 20 feet when it went up and took offat a veryhigh speed over the
mountain. The desert sky was clear and almost blue-white. IfI had knownthen
[?] I mayor may not have gone out to that ship.
"It was very big in size and I thought it may be some new kind offlying wing
as at the time we and England were trying to build them. It was very interesting
and somehow I wishthat I could get that close again. I have build an 8" scope
so I know meteors or [planet] Jupiter—also [the earth satellite] Echo and Venus as
I also know a 707 or 747jet. ThenagainI have helped,to send up a few ofour
own satellites at Vandenberg A.F.B." (xx.)
(xx.) Letter: To: Aerial Phenomena Research Organization, 3910 East Kleindale Road,
Tucson, Arizona. 85716. From: W.J. Rice, (no address) Date:? Probably 1967
APRO files. Reel #1. Photocopy in author's files.
?August. Between Brandon, Manitoba and Rivers, Manitoba, Canada, (midnight)
"Dome-like projection ontop."
An auto containing seven persons, six were adults, was traveling on highway #10 when a UFO
wasencounterd:
"Marion's [no first name given in report] husbarjjl was stationed atthe Rivers
Air Force Base as were his two friends. They were all returning to the base from
seeing a movie in Brandon. The object was first sighted about 19to 20 miles east
ofRivers appearing suddenly to the left ofthe automobile and paced it atthe car's
speed ofabout 40-50 mph, the object doing the same. The occupants ofthe car
rolled down the windows ofthe car inorderto observe this object better. They
watched for about halfan-hour. During thistime the object hung completely
motionlessjust above the wires that bring power into Rivers.
"The object appeared to be 25 feet long and made from one piece ofshiny
silvery metal. There did not seemto be any windows, doors, or seams. There
was a dome-like projection on top ofthe main body ofthe object. The under
side ofthe object gave offa very brilliant white light which illuminated the
ground and roadway under and around the object. After about halfan hour,
the object suddenly winked out like a light that was turned off. It was not seen
8
again.
"When the witnesses reached Rivers, they reported what theyhad seento
anofficer on the Air force Base, who statedthat hethought it could have been
a secret plane and thatthey should not mentionwhatthey saw to anyone." (xx.)
(xx.) UFO report found in APRO's files. Investigators: "E. Barkerand B.C.
Cannon." Date ofinvestigation unknown! Photocopy in author's files.
APRO file microfilm. Reel#1.
1 August. Near Winnemucca, Nevada, (about 1:00 p.m.)
Boise Idaho Mayorsees discs in V-formation.
According to the Idaho Statesman:
"A passenger onUnited Airlines inaugural Boise-to-Reno southbound flight
Friday, Boise Mayor Potter P. Howard said that he spotted 12 discs flying in the
vicinity ofWinnemucca, Nevada.
"A woman passenger, whose name was not learned, also saw the 12 discs,
Mayor Howard said.
" 'The saucers were several thousand feet below theplane/ Mayor Howard
said. He estimated thatthey were flying about 1,000 feet above the ground."
(xx.)
(xx.) Boise, Idaho. Idaho Statesman. 2 August 47.
4 August. Kenneth Arnold gets a scare.
A Twins Falls paper reported an embarrassment experienced by Arnold:
"A plane piloted by Kenneth Arnold, Boise flying salesman who first reported
sighting the flying discs, crashed yesterday at the Pendleton, Oregon, airport.
"The Civil Aeronautics Administration station here said Arnold escaped in
jury whenthe engine ofhis two-place airplane quit wlSle the craft was about 30
feet 30 feet in the air.
"The plane's landing spar in the left wing was broken, the CAA said.
"Arnold was en route to Boise from Tacoma [Washington] where he and
Capt. E.J. Smith ofUnited Air lines investigated another flying disc story." (xx.)
(xx.) Twin Falls, Idaho. Times-News. 5 August 47.
Early? August. Between Philomathand Corvallis, Oregon, (about 7:00 p.m.)
Anti-aircraft gunner sees discs.
A press report states:
"Mr. and Mrs. I.W. Robinson and son, Clifford, observed three 'flying discs'
about 7 p.m. recently, the objects moving ina northeasterly direction between
Philomath and Corvallis. Clifford, ananti-aircraft gunner's mate inthe last war,
estimated the objects were moving about fourtimes as fast as an airplane and at
from 8,000 to 9,000 feet altitude. The discs were about the size ofa large airplane
and were flying abreast. The Robinsons were working at their new cold storage
locker building when they saw the objects move across the sky, apparently rising
and dipping as they moved along." (xx.)
(xx.) Salem, Oregon. CapitalJournal, 5 August 47.
5 August. 21/2 miles northwest ofOntario, Oregon. (6:30 a.m.)
"They werejust like everyone describes them."
TheArgus newspaper printed:
"The Ross Osburn family spottedone ofthe familiarly seen 'flying discs' Tues
day morning at 6:30 over their home. The object appearedto be headed ina norther
ly direction.
" 'As it went farther off,' Mrs. Osburnexclaimed, 'it appeared to be two objects.
They arejust like everyone describes them, round,just flying discs. Theyweren't
planes, they didn't lookjike planes.
"The Osburn ranch is located two and ahalfmiles northwest ofthe city. Mrs.
Osburn saw the disc—or discs first and called her husband and son, Larry. While
Theywere looking at the stange aircraft, Mrs. Osbum was phoning neighbors ofher
Discovery.
"As far as they could determine, the Osburns were the only onesto seethe
saucers." (xx.)
(xx.) Ontario, Oregon. Argus. 7 August47.
6 August. "Far from solved." „
A Spokane, Washington, paperprinted:
"Dave Johnson, aviation editorofthe Idaho DailyStatesman said in a signed
statement published in the newspapertodaythat 'the flying disk mystery is still far
from solution unless military intelligence is reaching a decision which may ormay be
made public'
"Johnsonsaid Kenneth Arnold, Boise salesman-flyer who first reported sighting
the flying saucers, investigated further disk reports at Tacoma ,Washington, and 'flatly
refused to further discuss the subject.'
"Johnson's article added:
" 'Arnold said he had been requested by military intelligence authorities at Mc-
Chord field, Washington, to refrain frommaking public statements concerning his