IsaacKoi

1952

  • 1952.0919 Operation Mainbrace sightings

     

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    Operation Mainbrace sightings

    Various sightings occurred during Operation Mainbrace, mainly between 19th and 21st September

    These incidents comprise Case 90 in Isaac Koi's "Top 100" article,  since they were referred to in 31 of the books covered by that article.

    These incidents also featured in a list of cases produced jointly by British ufologists Dave Clarke and Andy Roberts for the Fortean Times in 2007 as part of a survey of various researchers of the ten cases from 1947 onwards that interested them the most.

     

     

  • 1952.0919 Topcliffe sighting

     

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    Topcliffe sighting
    On 19 September 1952 there were reports of an object seen near RAF Topcliffe, North Yorkshire, England, reportedly chasing a RAF Meteor jet piloted by Flight Lieutenant John W Kilburn during Operation Mainbrace.

    This incident is Case 81 in Isaac Koi's "Top 100" article,  since it was referred to in 34 of the books covered by that article.

     

     

  • 1952.0920 aircraft carrier sighting

     

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    Aircraft carrier sighting
    On 20 September 1952, U.S. newspaper reporter Wallace Litwin claims to take photograph of silver sphere in the air whilst aboard the aircraft carrier “Franklin Roosevelt” in the North Sea during NATO’s Operation Mainbrace.

     

     

     

  • 1952.0921 North Sea sighting

     

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    North Sea sighting
    On 21 September 1952, six RAF pilots over the North Sea report seeing a shiny, spherical object coming from the direction of NATO’s Operation Mainbrace fleet.

     

     

     

  • 1952.0924 Chadwell recommends NSC attention

     

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    Chadwell recommends NSC attention
    On 24 September 1952, a memo from H Marshal Chadwell (CIA Assistant Director for Scientifc Intelligence) to CIA Director Walter Smith discusses CIA research and national security implications of “the problem of ‘unidentified flying objects’, i.e. flying saucers”. Chadwell stated that he considered “this problem to be of such importance that it should be brought to the attention of the National Security Council in order that a community-wide coordinated effort towards its solution may be initiated”.

     

  • 1952.1002 Chadwell memo

     

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    Chadwell memo
    A further memo from H Marshal Chadwell (CIA Assistant Director for Scientifc Intelligence) on 2 October 1952 to CIA Director Walter Smith summarised his views and proposed action, including the recommendation that the Director of Central Intelligence “advise the National Security Council of the implications of the ‘flying saucer’ problem and request that research be initiated”.

     

     

     

  • 1952.1010 Presque Isle, Maine incident

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    The Presque Isle, Maine incident occurred on 10 October 1952.

     

     

     

  • 1952.1011 American Optical Society symposium

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    On 11 October 1952, the American Optical Society sponsors a symposium on UFOs. Papers given by Dr J Allen Hynek, Dr Menzel and Dr Liddel.

     

     

     

  • 1952.1017 Oloron "angel hair" incident

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    On 17 October 1952 the Oloron, France incident occurred involving reports of “angel hair” being seen.

     This incident is Case 98 in Isaac Koi's "Top 100" article,  since it was referred to in 28 of the books covered by that article.

     

     

  • 1952.1021 RAF Meteor sighting

     

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    RAF Meteor sighting
    On 21 October 1952, 3 UFOs were reported by Michael Swiney (instructor at the RAF’s Central Flying School at Little Rissington, Gloucestershire) and his student, Lieutenant David Crofts of the Royal Navy, whilst flying a RAF Meteor.

     

     

     

  • 1952.1202 Chadwell on Air Force briefing

     

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    Chadwell on Air Force briefing

    On 2 December 1952, a memo from H Marshall Chadwell, Assistant Director of OSI, for CIA’s DCI Walter Bedell Smith entitled “Unidentified Flying Objects” details a further Air Force briefing for CIA on 25 November 1952, stating that “at this time, the reports of incidents convince us that there is something going on that must have immediate attention. … Sightings of unexplained objects at great altitudes and traveling at high speeds in the vicinity of major U.S. defense installations are of such nature that they are not attributable to natural phenomena or known types of aerial vehicles.”.

    Chadwell further stated ‘OSI is proceeding to the establishment of a consulting group of sufficient competence and stature to review this matter and convince the responsible authorities in the community that immediate research and development on this subject must be undertaken’. Chadwell attached a draft memorandum to the National Security Council.

     

  • 1952.1204 Intelligence Advisory Committee

     

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    Intelligence Advisory Committee
    On 4 December 1952, the Intelligence Advisory Committee discussed UFOs and agreed that the Director of Central Intelligence should “enlist the services of selected scientists to review and appraise the available evidence in the light of pertinent scientific theories”.

     

     

  • 1952.1206 Gulf of Mexico incident

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    On 6 December 1952, the crew of a USAF B-29 over the Gulf of Mexico reported several unknowns were seen on the airborne scopes and some flashes of light were also seen visually about 190 miles from Galveston. Incident involved the pilot (Captain John Harter), the radar officer (Lieutenant Sid Coleman), the navigator (Lieutenant Cassidy), Master Sergeant Bailey and Staff Sergeant Ferris. (Commonly referred to as “the Gulf of Mexico incident”).

     

  • 1952.1211 CAA press release

     

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    CAA press release
    On 11 December 1952, the US Civil Aeronautics Administration (“CAA”) issues a press release relating to its report on the radar detection of unidentified targets during the summer of 1952.

     

     

     

  • 1952.1218 Chadwell on British activity

     

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    Chadwell on British activity
    On 18 December 1952, H Marshall Chadwell, Assistant Director of the CIA’s OSI, prepared a memorandum for the record entitled “British Activity in the field of ‘Unidentified Flying Objects’” which refers to a British “standing committee created about sixteen months ago on flying saucers”.