1966: USS TIRU Encounters UFO

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THINK ABOUTIT SIGHTING REPORT

Date: January 1966

Sighting Time: late afternoon

Day/Night: Day

Location: Dabob Bay, Seattle Washington, on USS Tiru SS-416

Urban or Rural: Rural

Hynek Classification: DD (Daylight Disc) Metallic or whitish object was seen in the day

Duration:

No. of Object(s): 1

Size of Object(s): Huge

Distance to Object(s):

Shape of Object(s): the shape and form of a saucer with a bowl inverted

Color of Object(s): a metal craft with machinery on and around the outside of it. It appeared to have windows or lenses placed around its perimeter

Number of Witnesses: Many

Source: Bill Cooper of Fullerton, California, for this, the first known report of a multiple military witness sighting that occurred onboard the submarine USS Tiru in 1966.

Summary/Description: the cruise from Pearl to Seattle five of the crew had a very unusual experience. During one late afternoon the sub was cruising on the surface at approx. 10 knots when the port lookout reported a strange contact at a range of 2 miles bearing 315 degrees relative. The lookout refused to tell the OOD what it was

Full Report

In 1966 during the month of the Rose Festival in the Pacific Northwest United States, the USS Tiru SS-416 left Pearl Harbor bound for Seattle Washington. The sub moored to a civilian pier near the downtown Seattle area and thousands of people toured the sub during its stay in Seattle. After its duty as “showboat”, it proceeded to a back bay area where it underwent torpedo trials. I believe the area was called Dabob bay [pronounced day-bob] but I am not sure of the spelling.

I include the above information because it should be easy to research. During the cruise from Pearl to Seattle five of the crew had a very unusual experience. During one late afternoon the sub was cruising on the surface at approx. 10 knots when the port lookout reported a strange contact at a range of 2 miles bearing 315 degrees relative. The lookout refused to tell the OOD what it was that he had seen and instead insisted that the starboard lookout and the OOD both look at that area. The three men looked through their binoculars toward the area reported and were astounded to see a metal craft larger than a football field tumble from the clouds into the ocean.

It actually tumbled end over end and when it hit the water and sank beneath the ocean huge geysers of water rose into the air. When the port lookout was sure that the others had seen it he then told the OOD that he had seen it tumble from the ocean up into the clouds. The OOD and the starboard lookout were speechless. Within a few minutes, however, they all became excited when it again rose from the water and tumbled up into the cloud layer.

At about the same time a crew member below queried the bridge about a radar contact at the same range and bearing. Sonar also reported strange echos. The OOD called for the Captain to come to the bridge at that time.

He also called for the camera to be sent to the bridge. The Captain arrived on the bridge within 2 minutes and the Chief Quartermaster was right behind him with the camera.

At about the same time the object emerged from the clouds and fell down into the ocean. All five men witnessed this. The QMC took pictures as it rose up into the clouds and then back down into the ocean once again.

The five men watched for quite a while longer but nothing else happened. Soon the sub had moved out of visual range and the Captain told all witnesses that they were never to discuss what they had seen with anyone under any circumstances.

He stated that the incident was classified information. The Captain then went below and sent a radio msg. There was no doubt as to what we had seen.

It was a metal craft with machinery on and around the outside of it. It appeared to have windows or lenses placed around its perimeter. It made no noise that we could hear. It did not disturb the subs electrical systems nor did it affect the gyrocompass. It looked very much like a round flying “ship” as in a sea-going ship.

It had the shape and form of a saucer with a bowl inverted in the saucer and it was huge. I will never forget it as long as I live.

When I first saw this craft I believe that my heart literally stopped beating and I was terrified. The name of the OOD was Ensign Ball. The starboard lookout was an American Indian seaman that the crew called Geronimo. The port lookout was a new man who left the sub soon after the return to Pearl Harbor and his name was Cooper. I do not remember the Captain’s name nor the Chief Quartermaster’s name.

This is the first time I have ever mentioned it since the moment that the Captain told me that it was classified. As far as I know, it has never been reported to the public before this instant. It should be easy to verify the facts if you can get a copy of the log and/or contact the other witnesses.

The names should not be too hard to find in the ship’s records/logs. I was the port lookout. I must say that I feel a great uneasiness in posting this, much like the way I felt in Vietnam when my life was in great danger.