Posted On: June 11, 2022

The year was 1952. The place Washington, DC. Numerous UFOs were viewed by aircraft and caught on ground radar, buzzing the capital for several hours.

On the night of 19/20 July 1952, UFOs were seen all over Washington, DC, by the crews of several airliners, and were tracked on radar at Andrews AFB as well as Air Traffic Control Center at Washington National Airport.

Sometimes the unidentified targets would hover, cruise along at 100-130 mph, then accelerate to fantastic speeds. But, as Captain Ruppelt drily commented, no one bothered to inform Air Force Intelligence about the sightings, even though jets had been sent aloft to investigate, and the first they got to hear about it was when a headline story appeared the following morning!

A week later, on the night of 26 July 1952, UFOs again hovered and described a series of maneuvers over the nation’s capital, and were tracked on radar at Washington National Airport and Andrews AFB.

The following USAF Intelligence report (released in 1985) describes these extraordinary events:

"Varying numbers, (up to 12 simultaneously), of u/i [unidentified] targets, on ARTC [Air Route Traffic Control Center, Washington National Airport], radarscope. Termed by CAA personnel as "generally, solid returns", similar to a/c [aircraft] return except slower. No definable pattern of maneuver except at very beginning about 21:50 edt, 4 targets in rough line abreast with 1/2 mile spacing moved slowly together (giving about a 1" trace persisting at an estimated speed of less than 100 mph) on heading of 110. At the same time 8 other targets were scattered throughout scope.

ARTC checked Andrews Approach Control by telephone at 22:00 edt and ascertained that they were also picking up u/i targets. U/i returns were picked up intermittently until about 27/01:00 edt, following which weak and sporadic (unsteady) returns were picked up intermittently for another 3 1/4 hours. Washington National Tower radar crew reports only one target positively u/i. This return was termed a "very good target" which moved across the scope from West to East at about 30 to 40 mph. However, the radar operators stated that there could have been other u/i targets on their scopes, particularly outside their area of a/c control, which they would not have noticed or would have assumed to be a/c under ARTC Center Control. However, they noticed no other unusual (i.e. very slow or erratic) returns.

ARTC Center controllers also report that a CAA flight inspector, Mr. Bill Schreve, flying a/c # NC-12 reported at 22:46 edt that he had visually spotted 5 objects giving off a light glow ranging from orange to white; his altitude at times was 2200'. Some commercial pilots reported visuals from "cigarette glow" (red-yellow) to "a light" (as recorded from their conversations with ARTC controllers).

At 22:38 edt the USAF Command Post was notified of ARTC targets. Command Post notified ADC and KADF at 22:45 hours, and 2 F-94’s were scrambled from Newcastle at 23:00 edt. ARTC controlled F-94’s after arrival in area and vectored them to targets with generally negative results (flew through "a batch of radar returns" without spotting anything). However, one pilot mentioned seeing 4 lights at one time and a second time as seeing a single light ahead but unable to close whereupon "went out" (these comments from ARTC controller). One ARTC controller worked a USAF B-25, for about 1 hr 20 mins about 22:30 edt. B-25 was vectored in on numerous targets and commented that each vector took him over a busy highway or intersection.

Maj. Foumet (AFOIN-2A2) and Lt. Holcomb (USN, AFOIN-2C5) arrived at ARTC Center about 27/00:15 edt. Lt. Holcomb observed scopes and reported "7 good, solid targets". He made a quick check with airport Weather Station and determined that there was a slight temperature inversion (about 1°) from the surface to about 1000'. However, he felt that the scope targets at that time were not the results of this inversion and so advised the Command Post with the suggestion that a second intercept flight be requested. (2nd intercept flight controlled by ARTC, but no strong targets remained when they arrived. They were vectored on dim targets with negative results). Maj. Foumet and Lt. Holcomb remained in ARTC Center until 04:15, but no additional strong targets were picked up: many dim and unstable targets (assumed due to temperature inversion) were observed throughout the remainder of the period. All ARTC crew members emphatic that most u/i returns were "solid".

Finally, it was mentioned that u/i returns have been picked up from time to time over the past few months but never before had they appeared in such quantities over such a prolonged period and with such definition as was experienced on the night of 26/27 July 1952.

The sightings made headline news throughout the world, but were promptly explained by the Air Force as having been caused by the temperature inversion. Behind the scenes, however, a number of intelligence analysts felt that the UFOs might not be of terrestrial origin. An FBI memorandum written a few days later, relating to a briefing from Commander Boyd of the Current Intelligence Branch, Estimates Division, Air Intelligence, regarding the status of research into the matter, confirms that Boyd:

"advised that the objects sighted may possibly be from another planet, [but] that at the present time there is nothing to substantiate this theory but the possibility is not being overlooked. He stated that Air Intelligence is fairly certain that these objects are not ships or missiles from another nation in this world. Commander Boyd advised that intense research is being carried out by Air Intelligence, and at the present time when credible reporting’s of sightings are received, the Air Force is attempting in each instance to send up jet interceptor planes in order to obtain a better view of these objects".

Resources: Above Top Secret, Timothy Good, 1988

My Take: I often hear skeptics say, “If UFOs are real, why don’t they just fly over the capital?” My response is. It has already happened, more than once.

Posted On: June 11, 2022

The year was 1952. The place Washington, DC. Numerous UFOs were viewed by aircraft and caught on ground radar, buzzing the capital for several hours.

On the night of 19/20 July 1952, UFOs were seen all over Washington, DC, by the crews of several airliners, and were tracked on radar at Andrews AFB as well as Air Traffic Control Center at Washington National Airport.

Sometimes the unidentified targets would hover, cruise along at 100-130 mph, then accelerate to fantastic speeds. But, as Captain Ruppelt drily commented, no one bothered to inform Air Force Intelligence about the sightings, even though jets had been sent aloft to investigate, and the first they got to hear about it was when a headline story appeared the following morning!

A week later, on the night of 26 July 1952, UFOs again hovered and described a series of maneuvers over the nation’s capital, and were tracked on radar at Washington National Airport and Andrews AFB.

The following USAF Intelligence report (released in 1985) describes these extraordinary events:

"Varying numbers, (up to 12 simultaneously), of u/i [unidentified] targets, on ARTC [Air Route Traffic Control Center, Washington National Airport], radarscope. Termed by CAA personnel as "generally, solid returns", similar to a/c [aircraft] return except slower. No definable pattern of maneuver except at very beginning about 21:50 edt, 4 targets in rough line abreast with 1/2 mile spacing moved slowly together (giving about a 1" trace persisting at an estimated speed of less than 100 mph) on heading of 110. At the same time 8 other targets were scattered throughout scope.

ARTC checked Andrews Approach Control by telephone at 22:00 edt and ascertained that they were also picking up u/i targets. U/i returns were picked up intermittently until about 27/01:00 edt, following which weak and sporadic (unsteady) returns were picked up intermittently for another 3 1/4 hours. Washington National Tower radar crew reports only one target positively u/i. This return was termed a "very good target" which moved across the scope from West to East at about 30 to 40 mph. However, the radar operators stated that there could have been other u/i targets on their scopes, particularly outside their area of a/c control, which they would not have noticed or would have assumed to be a/c under ARTC Center Control. However, they noticed no other unusual (i.e. very slow or erratic) returns.

ARTC Center controllers also report that a CAA flight inspector, Mr. Bill Schreve, flying a/c # NC-12 reported at 22:46 edt that he had visually spotted 5 objects giving off a light glow ranging from orange to white; his altitude at times was 2200'. Some commercial pilots reported visuals from "cigarette glow" (red-yellow) to "a light" (as recorded from their conversations with ARTC controllers).

At 22:38 edt the USAF Command Post was notified of ARTC targets. Command Post notified ADC and KADF at 22:45 hours, and 2 F-94’s were scrambled from Newcastle at 23:00 edt. ARTC controlled F-94’s after arrival in area and vectored them to targets with generally negative results (flew through "a batch of radar returns" without spotting anything). However, one pilot mentioned seeing 4 lights at one time and a second time as seeing a single light ahead but unable to close whereupon "went out" (these comments from ARTC controller). One ARTC controller worked a USAF B-25, for about 1 hr 20 mins about 22:30 edt. B-25 was vectored in on numerous targets and commented that each vector took him over a busy highway or intersection.

Maj. Foumet (AFOIN-2A2) and Lt. Holcomb (USN, AFOIN-2C5) arrived at ARTC Center about 27/00:15 edt. Lt. Holcomb observed scopes and reported "7 good, solid targets". He made a quick check with airport Weather Station and determined that there was a slight temperature inversion (about 1°) from the surface to about 1000'. However, he felt that the scope targets at that time were not the results of this inversion and so advised the Command Post with the suggestion that a second intercept flight be requested. (2nd intercept flight controlled by ARTC, but no strong targets remained when they arrived. They were vectored on dim targets with negative results). Maj. Foumet and Lt. Holcomb remained in ARTC Center until 04:15, but no additional strong targets were picked up: many dim and unstable targets (assumed due to temperature inversion) were observed throughout the remainder of the period. All ARTC crew members emphatic that most u/i returns were "solid".

Finally, it was mentioned that u/i returns have been picked up from time to time over the past few months but never before had they appeared in such quantities over such a prolonged period and with such definition as was experienced on the night of 26/27 July 1952.

The sightings made headline news throughout the world, but were promptly explained by the Air Force as having been caused by the temperature inversion. Behind the scenes, however, a number of intelligence analysts felt that the UFOs might not be of terrestrial origin. An FBI memorandum written a few days later, relating to a briefing from Commander Boyd of the Current Intelligence Branch, Estimates Division, Air Intelligence, regarding the status of research into the matter, confirms that Boyd:

"advised that the objects sighted may possibly be from another planet, [but] that at the present time there is nothing to substantiate this theory but the possibility is not being overlooked. He stated that Air Intelligence is fairly certain that these objects are not ships or missiles from another nation in this world. Commander Boyd advised that intense research is being carried out by Air Intelligence, and at the present time when credible reporting’s of sightings are received, the Air Force is attempting in each instance to send up jet interceptor planes in order to obtain a better view of these objects".

Resources: Above Top Secret, Timothy Good, 1988

My Take: I often hear skeptics say, “If UFOs are real, why don’t they just fly over the capital?” My response is. It has already happened, more than once.