THINK ABOUTIT UFO|UAP SIGHTINGS REPORT

1952: A C-124 Crew Watches Three Blue Objects in Fingertip Formation Pace Their Aircraft Over Vermont, Disappear and Return

At about 5:00 a.m. EST on April 24, 1952, a crew of a C-124 transport of the 1st Strategic Support Squadron, Biggs AFB, Texas, flying at 11,000 feet on a heading of 73 degrees magnetic, saw three round, blue objects in loose fingertip formation just above the horizon, about 20 degrees to the right of their course.

For two or three minutes the objects paralleled the aircraft and disappeared; about five seconds later they reappeared 20 degrees to the left of the course and stayed in sight for another minute. There was no light, vapor trail or exhaust. The crew thought them about 50 miles away. The pilot, navigator and a staff sergeant did not file the report for 48 hours, and Air Defense radar at St. Albans, Vermont had been jammed from 0704Z to 1035Z that morning. Blue Book lists this Bellevue Hill, Vermont UFO case as Unidentified.

Date: April 24, 1952

Sighting Time: 5:00 a.m. EST (0500 hours); 1000Z

Day/Night: At or near sunrise; clear

Location: In flight at 11,000 feet over Vermont (the written report gives 40°30’N, 72°15’W, which is not in Vermont)

Urban or Rural: Airborne

No. of Entity’s: Not Applicable

Entity Type: Not Applicable

Entity Description: Not Applicable

Hynek Classification: DD (Daylight Disc); dawn

Duration: 2 to 3 minutes, then about 1 minute

No. of Object(s): 3

Description of the Object(s): Three round, blue objects in loose fingertip formation with no light, vapor trail or exhaust

Shape/Size/Color of Object(s): Round, bluish; the report gives their size as the proportions of a C-124

Distance to Object(s): Estimated about 50 miles

Height & Speed: The aircraft was at 11,000 feet on 73 degrees magnetic; the objects traveled at high speed and faded rapidly

Number of Witnesses: 3 (the pilot, the navigator and a staff sergeant; names blacked out)

Special Features/Characteristics: Objects paralleled the course for 2–3 minutes 20 degrees right, vanished, then reappeared 20 degrees left; CAVU weather; winds 290 degrees at 45 knots

Case Status: Blue Book: Unidentified

Source: Air Intelligence Information Report 9234 (11th Bomb Wing, Carswell AFB, May 3, 1952); Offutt AFB message to ATIC; Eastern Air Defense Force and 32d Air Division endorsements; 764th AC&W Squadron reply; Project Blue Book record card; Blue Book April list; Berliner; Project 1947

Summary/Description: A C-124 crew over Vermont watched three blue round objects in loose fingertip formation parallel their course for two to three minutes, vanish and reappear on the other side. Radar at St. Albans reported jamming and no other unusual returns.

Detailed Report

The Air Intelligence Information Report 9234 was prepared on May 3, 1952 by Maj. Matthew M. Mack, intelligence officer of the 11th Bomb Wing, Heavy, at Carswell AFB, Fort Worth, Texas, and signed by Maj. Lionel A. Proulx, Director of Intelligence. It was originally submitted by TWX on April 26, 1952. The evaluation is A-3 (as read from the scan) and the source is the crew of the C-124.

The summary says that on April 24, 1952 at 0500 hours EST a crew of a C-124 transport assigned to the 1st Strategic Support Squadron, Biggs AFB, Texas, sighted what they described as flying saucers. The observation took place at 11,000 feet. The C-124 was heading 73 degrees magnetic. Approximately 20 degrees to the right of the C-124 and just above the horizon were three objects in loose fingertip formation. For approximately two or three minutes the objects paralleled the aircraft’s course and disappeared from sight. Approximately five seconds later they reappeared 20 degrees to the left of the course. This time they remained in sight for approximately one minute.

The objects were described as round and blue in appearance. No light, vapor trail or exhaust could be observed. They traveled at high speed and faded from sight very rapidly. They were estimated to be 50 miles distant and their size to be the proportions of a C-124. The weather in the area was clear with unlimited visibility, with winds from 290 degrees at 45 knots. The reporting crew consisted of a captain who was the pilot, a captain who was the navigator and a staff sergeant crew member. During the period the crew was supporting the 11th Bombardment Wing, Heavy, which was deploying six B-36 aircraft to Limestone AFB, Maine, on a simulated combat mission.

In his comments the preparing officer says the crew members made their initial report 48 hours after sighting the objects, that the information was relayed from Maine via a restricted land line to Carswell, and that he had no contact with the crew.

A message from the Commanding General, SAC at Offutt AFB asked ATIC to furnish any information relating to an explanation or identification of the reported sighting, referring to an Air Defense radar site. The Eastern Air Defense Force asked whether the Air Defense Command radar station site no. 14 had reported any unusual or unidentified return on April 24. The 764th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron at St. Albans, Vermont, replied on June 18, 1952: “this station reported jamming from 0704Z until 1035Z, 24 April 1952. No other unusual or unidentified radar returns were noted 24 April 1952.” The reply was forwarded through the 32d Air Division and EADF, and in July 1952 ATIC’s attention was invited to it.

The Project Blue Book record card marks it air-visual, source C-124 crew, 2 to 3 minutes, 3 objects, bluish, circular and straight and level. The comments read: “CAVU weather. Sunrise or near sunrise might cause phenomena. Objects appeared 20 degrees right of course for 2-3 minutes, disappeared, then reappeared 20 degrees left of course.” The conclusion is Unknown.

RESEARCHER’S NOTES

A 48-Hour Delay, a Jammed Radar and a Sunrise Suggestion

Delayed Report. The crew reported 48 hours after the event, from Maine over a restricted land line. The 5:00 a.m. time is the crew’s own and the report writer never spoke to them.
Radar. The St. Albans squadron reports jamming from 0704Z to 1035Z, which includes the sighting time (1000Z), and no other unusual returns. That means the radar record cannot confirm or deny anything within that window.
The Coordinates. The report gives 40°30’N, 72°15’W, which is south of Long Island, but the text says Vermont. One of the two is a typing error, and the file does not say which.
Size and Distance. The size is given as the proportions of a C-124 at about 50 miles. The report does not say how the crew could judge either figure.
Sunrise. The card notes that sunrise or near sunrise might cause phenomena. The report’s own text does not offer an explanation.

Bellevue Hill is a crew sighting made at dawn from 11,000 feet, written up two days later, with a radar reply that cannot help because the radar was being jammed. It is an honest Unidentified: the Air Force never found a cause, and the paperwork shows it tried.