◆ SpookStack

Approved For Release 2001/04/02 : CIA-RDP81R00560R000100010002-9 distorted by an inversion. The fact that the object disappeared by shooting up 90 degrees into the air makes this case unidentified since such an abrupt change in position prevents an astronomical explanation. No airplane traffic or radar sightings were reported in the atea at the time. Time/place of sighting: September 25, 1965, at about 8 p.m., nine and a half miles northeast of Rodeo, New Mexico. Duration: More than five minutes. Number of observers: Two. Type of observer: Chemist (Ph.D.),51; wife, 47. Number of objects: Two. Observer reliability: Unknown. Shape: Lights. Dimensions: Unknown. Color: White light changing to a light blue. Sound: None. Altitude: 30-50 feet above terrain. Speed: Up to 80 miles an hour. Tactics: Object first appeared moving westward on an intersecting course with the observer's northbound automobile. Two lights were at an estimated angular separation of one to two degrees. Driver and wife first thought it was another auto, but as they approached he saw the objects were at altitude of 30-50 feet. He then thought that it was a small airplane and fearing a possible collision, he accelerated up to 80 miles an hour to pull ahead. The objects remained with the car for about two minutes, then began to move to the rear, changing color to light blue, and finally faded from sight about three minutes after they began to drop back. Comment: The Air Force says a check was made and there were no aircraft in the area at the time of the observation. The motion of the objects tends to rule out the possibility of the sighting being a reflection or mirage of ground lights. The case remains unidentified since no substantial evidence is available that can offer an explanation, the Air Force says. These sample sightings are representative of reports sub- mitted to Project Blue Book and are similar to those sub- mitted to two of the most reliable privately operated or- ganizations devoted to the investigation of and research on aerial phenomena, NICAP and APRO. The U.S. Air Force, in a Project Blue Book Special Report released in 1955, concluded that data on hand at that time failed to suggest any marked trend or to add up to any general model of design. 54 Approved For Release 2001/04/02 Statistics compiled on 575 cases between the years 1942-1963 by NICAP, however, showed that 58. per cent of the sighters mentioned geometric design (disc, ellipse, triangle, etc.) Of these, 26 per cent were disc shaped. In these instances it was not uncommon for the object to be likened to Saturn and a frequent phrase used to designate the shape was “two saucers, lip to lip.” In the reports to which we have had access, the colors mentioned ranged from silvery-white (predominant in daylight sightings) through every color in the spectrum, with red, changing to green, cropping up frequently on those occasions in which persons had witnessed night time maneuvers. We make no claims for this one. It is a deliberate gag, popular sport of photographers. For How-to, see picture story in this issue, pages 42-3. In the clearly annotated listings provided by NICAP in The UFO Evidence, published by that organization in 1964, one is struck by the similarities that occur in the descriptions of tactics. Viewers mention “hover” often and “wobbling.” The majority were impressed by the accelera- tion of the objects. Such comments as: “disappeared in seconds . . . climbed straight up at terrific speed .. . streaked away . . . shot away at sharp angle,” checker the reports of both ground and air witnesses. Air Force pilots remarked about the astounding maneu- verability of UFOs they had encountered. “After 10 or 15 seconds it made approximately a right angle turn,” was one statement, ending with “the speed was faster than an air- plane, slower than a meteor.” In another encounter, this in 1948 in Maryland, the pilot had closed in to check on an odd light over Andrews Air Force Base, reported the light “began to take violent evasive action,” turning so sharply that he (the pilot} couldn’t turn with it. Several of the pilots who have had these encounters are convinced that they have met with radio controlled missiles, basing their beliefs on the fact that the UFOs, though ap- parently reconnoitering, had no visible motors, guns or windows and gave off no smoke or fire. : CIA-RDP81 R00560R0001 00010002-9