The Scotsman
July 7, 1947
Page 5
"Flying Saucers" Baffle U.S.
Planes Ready to Pursue Mystery Objects
Speed of 1200 M.P.H.
San Francisco, Sunday - Jet planes and
conventional fighter planes have just been
alerted by the U.S. Army Air Force on the
Pacific Coast in the hope of chasing and ex-
plaining the mystery of the "flying saucers"
which for twelve days has baffled the entire
country. Some of the planes carried photo-
graphic apparatus.
General Carl Spaatz, Commander of the
Army Air Force is in the North-West Pacific
area, where the majority of the strange
objects has been reported.
A cautious attitude marked official and
scientific comments, but Captain Tom Brown,
of the Army Air Force Public Relations Staff
in Washington, said that the Air Force had
decided that there was "something to this,"
but was completely mystified. Tales of flat
round objects zipping through the sky were
too widespread to be groundless and he noted
that a number of competent airmen and others
had reported them. |
LARGER THAN AIRCRAFT
First sighted on June 25 and greeted
generally with scornful laughs, the objects
have been reported every day since, by
observers in 33 American States and in
Canada. Competent observers, such as air-
line pilots, said they had seen totally unex-
plained discs or saucers, larger than aircraft,
travelling "in loose formation" at high speed.
Mr. David Lilienthal, chairman of the U.S.
Atomic Energy Commission, said the objects
had nothing to do with atomic experiments,
and Army and Navy officials entered positive
disclaimers.
Mr Lincoln White, State Department Press
Officer, asked whether anyone inside or
outside the State Department was investigat-
ing the possibility that the objects originated
with a Foreign Power, said he did not know
of any such inquiry.
The reports generally agree that the objects
are round or oval, with a speed ranging
from 300 to 1200 miles an hour, flying with
an undulating motion at 10,000 feet altitude
or less. Some are described as glowing or
luminous.
Mr Noah Hart, a mechanic of St. Louis, who
was trained as an aircraft spotter during
the war, said he saw one of the discs flying
at 300 feet. He described it as circular, with
a ribbed framework, and silver grey in
colour. It appeared to have a motor with
a propellor in the centre. The saucer kept
turning like a plane doing a slow roll.
- Associated Press |
