MEMORANDUM FOR THE COMMANDING GENERAL, ARMY AIR FORCES

SUBJECT: Top Secret Supplement to Daily Activity Report - ACAS-2

(TS)   I.   ACTION TAKEN ON JIC 306/25/M & JIC 594/1

1.  The Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC) at its 155th Meeting held on 6 August 1947 considered and took action on the following:

(R) a. JIC 206/25/M "Request by Westinghouse Electric International Company for Access to JANIS 154 and 155."  Subject paper was a request by Westinghouse International, which is conducting a survey for the Philippine Government which anticipates development of hydro-electric potentialities, for the loan of JANIS 154 and 155.  The JIC approved the request extracting all unclassified material for the use of Westinghouse.

(TS) b. JIC 394/1 "Possibility of War with the USSR Today."
Subject paper is an estimate prepared for the Joint Staff Planners as a matter of priority on "Possibility of War with the USSR Today."  After discussion and minor amendments the JIC approved the paper.
(Col Hussett - Ext 3228)

(TS)   II. ITEM OF CURRENT INTELLIGENCE INTEREST

The following information from the Far East Command Teletype Conference, 7 August 1947, is supplementary to a previous item of interest.  On 1 July 1947 a GCA operator at Chitose AAB, Hokkaido, reported that a target travelling at a speed in excess of 600 mph was observed and further that the target made four turns on the scope.  The radius of the turns was one and one-half miles.  The target heading when contacted was 100 degrees at a range of 16 miles north of Chitose AAB.  The target made a 180 degree turn at a heading of 0 (zero) degrees and remained on this heading to a range of 28 miles.  At this point the target turned to the left to a heading of 240 degrees and travelled for a distance of 6 miles.  It then made a 180 degree turn to a heading of 60 degrees.  On this 60 degree heading the target returned to its original point 28 miles north of the Chitose base turned to a heading of 0 (zero) degrees and travelled out of range.

(Evaluation: A-1: Completely reliable - Confirmed by other sources.)

A-2 COMMENT: This observation of target maneuvers establishes with certainly that the target is not a weather or other natural phenomenon as we now know natural phenomena.  The only objects that could fit the observed facts are aircraft.

Memo for CG/AAF subj: TS Supplement to DAR - ACAS-2 dtd 8 Aug 47 (cont'd)

Any aircraft travelling at this speed would have to be a jet-propelled fighter type since there are no known bombers that could operate at this speed.  One type of U.S.S.R. jet fighter has an estimated speed of 525 knots (605 miles per hour)
Maj Ferrier - Ext 71096

INTELLIGENCE REPORT        

FOR GENERAL USE BY ANY U. S. INTELLIGENCE AGENCY      

Distribution by Originator AAF (Cy 1) GHQ, FEC (Cy 2) WDID ATIS (Cy 3) CIC ATIS
(Cys 4 & 5) File (Cy 6)

1.    On 28 August 1947 at 1640 Item time Radar Station No. 1 sighted and plotted an unidentified aircraft moving at an estimated speed of 450-480 mph. Target orbited several times 30 to 35 miles out at a heading of 20-30 degrees from the station; then headed out on a 23° course, fading at 62 miles.

2.    Weather at time of sighting was broken overcast, 1000-1500 foot ceiling. (Remark in statement of Pvt Rivers that weather was "good” meant that no weather showed on radar scope.)

3.    Altitude was not determined nor were fighters alerted, due to short duration of plot. Aircraft was first picked up on low beam, indicating that it was at 1500 feet or below; then appeared distinctly on high beam on its outward track.

4.    The above information is evaluated A-2, as the radar team operating at the time of the incident is considered to have a high level of experience and skill. Inclosed are signed statements made by members of the radar team.

FOR THE COMMANDING GENERAL:

4 Incls

1. Certificate dtd 2 Sep 47,
Capt L.P. Wynne (in dup,)

2. Affidavit dtd 2 Sep 47,
T/Sgt B.L. Hicks (in dup)

3. Affidavit dtd 2 Sep 47,
Pfc Billy Anderson (in dup)

4. Affidavit dtd 2 Sep 47,
Pvt J.P. Rivera (in dup)

2 September 1947            

On 28th August 1947 at 1640 Item while serving as Chief controller at Radar site #1, I noticed a track appearing on the verticie (sic) plotting board which was moving at a great speed.  I immediately had Lt. Mulrain check with Fukuoka Control and Ashiya operations to see if there were any jet aircraft in the area.  No jet aircraft were in the area. We watched the track for four sweeps of the antenna and it moved four miles each sweep.  The antenna was rotating at 2 RPM.  This indicated a speed of 480 MPH.  We alerted no fighters as the plot faded at 23° - 62 miles.  A-3 315th Wing was notified of all action taken.  The weather was savanna 3.  The track faded at 1705

I certify that the above is true to the best of my knowledge and belief:

   /s/ LAWSON P. PYNNE (sic)   
 LAWSON P. WYNNE
 Capt, Air Corps,
 Senior Controller, 610th ACW
 Squadron

2 September 1947            

On the 28th of August, at 1640, a target appeared on the vertical plot board, at 23° 30 miles.  It was given the track number 4.  During the first three plots, I regarded it as a usual outgoing track.  In the meantime, the controller, Captain Lawson P. Wynne, was checking it for identification.

The weather was bad, with a low ceiling.  There was no local flying but there were several cross country flights on the plotting board.  The controller checked the flights for position, and none were near the position of this target, track #4.  The controller asked for the altitude of the target and I proceeded to turn the AN/CPS 4 on.  This equipment requires at least four (4) minutes to warm up, and before it was completely on, the target had faded.

The target (track #4) went out from the station on a heading of 023 degrees.  The antenna was rotating at the speed of two revolutions per minute and we received nine (9) plots.  Track #4 faded at 23°-62 miles.  This gave us a track covering 32 miles in 4½ minutes. This figures approximately 7½ miles per minute or 450 m.p.h.  The target was unidentified.

I affirm that the above statement is true to the best of my knowledge and belief.

  /s/ T/SGT BERRYMAN L. HICKS  
    T/SGT BERRYMAN L. HICKS
    RA13042790
    Operations Supervisor

WITNESSED BY:

 /s/ JAMES G. EARNEST, JR. 
  JAMES G. EARNEST, JR.
  Lt. Col., Air Corps

2 September 1947            

I was the plotter at the 610th ACWS on 28 August 1947.  At about 1600 to 1700 of that date, I remember plotting all of the track.  We picked up the aircraft at 023° at 30 miles and it faded at 023° at 62 miles.  We had about 10 plots on the aircraft.  We picked up the aircraft at 1640 and the speed was unusual.

I affirm that the above is true to the best of my knowledge and belief.

  /s/ Billy Anderson  
  Pfc Billy Anderson
  44038472, 610th ACWS
  APO 929

WITNESSED BY:

 /s/ JAMES G. EARNEST, JR. 
  JAMES G. EARNEST, JR.
  Lt. Col., Air Corps

2 September 1947            

On August 28, 1947, I was reading a scope, at 1640 I spotted a plane at 23 degrees 30 miles out to the north.  I then called it in to the plotter and was given a number for the track, which was number 4.  I then kept calling in the plot until it faded at 62 miles at 23' degrees.  The plot itself was very plain and the weather was good so it was no trouble for us to call it in.  When I spotted this track it circled around an area of 10 miles from 20 to 30 degrees and from 30 to 35 miles, then it started out until it faded.  The correct time of the fade was about 1705.  The speed of this plot was very unusual, averaging from 4 to 5 miles a sweep.  I was at the time reading scope number 4, low beam, medium range, P.P.I.

I affirm that the above is true to the best of my knowledge and belief.

  /s/ JIMMIE P. RIVERA  
  JIMMIE P. RIVERA
  Pvt, 19276236
  610th A.C.W.S., APO 929

WITNESSED BY:

 /s/ JAMES G. EARNEST, JR. 
  JAMES G. EARNEST, JR.
  Lt. Col., Air Corps

INTELLIGENCE REPORT        

FOR GENERAL USE BY ANY U. S. INTELLIGENCE AGENCY      

Distribution by Originator ACofAS-2 (Cy 1) G-2, FEC (Cy 2) WDID ATIS (Cy 3) CIC ATIS
(Cys 4 & 5) File (Cy 6)

Additional information on preliminary report which was telephoned your Hq. at 1420/I 16 Sept.  Following is final report from 610 ACW Sqdn, Site 1, 33 deg 41 min north 130 deg 18 min east.  "1. On 16 Sept 1947 at approximately 1230 a plot was picked up by Pfc Dwight L. Price on low beam at 98 miles 40 deg from Site No. 1, Cames control.  The plot was 1st recorded at 40 deg 89 miles and was carried by Pfc Price to 69 miles 40 deg from Cames control where Sgt Robert D. Peterson tracked the target.  Sgt Peterson tracked the target until it faded 45 deg 19 miles from Pamel control.  2. Lt W. J. Cragg was controlling and Pfc David C. Fllocum was plotting.  The target passed 13 miles off the port wing of Northwest 841 and was travelling at an estimated air speed of 840 to 900 miles per hour.  This air speed is calculated from the scope with the target moving approximately 7 to 8 miles per sweep and the antenna on 2 RPM.  3. Pick up and subsequent fade of target would indicate that the target was flying between 10 to 20,000 feet, with the weather reported as Savannah 2.”  Lt. Cragg is of superior ability as a controller with 16 months experience, both Peterson and Price are good scope readers of average of better intelligence.  Interrogation developed that 4 to 6 identified aircraft were in the scope coincident with the unidentified target.  The planes were plotted at normal speeds verifying the accuracy of the scope and radar mechanism at that time.  Northwest Airlines plane number 841 was closest to the unidentified target.  This plane went on to Kimpo then took off for Haneda.  Because time element would not allow Capt. Osburn, Intelligence Officer Haneda AAB, to reach Field in time to question NW crew, Lt. Belasic, airdrome officer was requested at 2030/I by telephone to make interrogation tonight, he was further asked to make report through Haneda S-2 action FEAF information 5th AF and 314 COMWG.  Crews of all other acft that were within 100 miles of site number 1 are being questioned.  Track of unidentified target is roughly parallel to and 18 deg from unidentified target reported by the same radar site in radio from this Hq. H 907 F to 5th AF.  Current sighting was inbound, previous sighting was outbound.  Final report will follow when investigation is complete.  End.

1 October 1947              

  DIARY:

A crew change had occurred at 1200 and both controllers were engaged in checking communications channels for proper operation, at the time of the target track.

Initial indication appeared at 98 miles, 045° azimuth.  It painted dimly, leaving doubt in the operators mind as to whether it was spurious response or a target.

First plot was laid following its next appearance at 89 miles, 045° azimuth and three plots followed with azimuth constant and range decreasing uniformly per sweep to approximately 70 miles at which range it left the Long Range PPI.

Note:  The scopes are operated with delayed trace functions as indicated in diagram:

The Short Range operator picked up the track at 69 miles, and five plots were laid in to a 19 mile range with bearing changing gradually to 040°, the last plot appearing dimly, as it entered the clutter area of the Low Beam.

As the S.O.P. discourages the practice of altering the sweep range, or antenna coverage, no track was obtained within this range, and no targets seen beyond the clutter on a reciprocal or an angular bearing, with regard to original track.  That is to say, the target approached the station area, but was not detected leaving it.

Such a situation might be caused by a target leaving "on the deck", being obscured by permanent echoes, or mere failure of detection by inexperienced operators,

Assuming a course without change, the target would have appeared in the tracking area of E.W. site #6 which was operating at the time. No plots were recorded by this station.  No visual check was attempted during the time the target may have been close to the station.

A minimum of four cross-country and six local flights were airborne in the area during the track.  The uniformity of the plots practically precludes the possibility that a series of separate plots on these aircraft or a combination of these with P.E., cloud return, or surface vessel would be plotted as an individual target.

The crew was undermanned to an extent which prevented a check for IFF.  This also made it impossible to log plots so that the above information as to range, azimuth, and time, is based on memory of events, by those involved.  The height finding Radar was inoperative, consequently no altitude was indicated.  Since the antenna rotation speed was 2 RPM the 70 mile total track was plotted in 9 sweeps of the antenna, assuming them to face on consecutive rotation, which was the case to the best of operators recollection.  This would give a ground speed of about 925 MPH.

The computation of the Squadron Operations Officer, Capt Wynn, was closer to 800 MPH, on the basis of questioning, shortly after the target was reported.  The difference lies in the fact that the operator is uncertain as to whether the plots were on consecutive sweeps.  In the absence of recorded plots, range and time consumed cannot be accurately determined.

The latter figure suggests a jet-type aircraft and operations of our own planes of that type, on that date, should be checked.  It should be noted that the range of initial pickup is in excess of that reported, to date, in operations with CPS-1 radar and P-80 aircraft.  Such operations, however, are limited in number and should not be viewed as standard performances.  Changes in target aspect, equipment performance, operator capability, or propagation factors may account for the seemingly greater threshold.

The doubtful reliability of the tracking information as to time elapsed, should be emphasized, as well as the extreme improbability of electronic malfunction of the set.

The following messages are forwarded for your information:

a. From the 314th Wing - "Report of fighter aircraft of 314th CW at 1315/1 16 Sep current is as follows: 30 P-51 Johnson AAB local transition and gunnery training, 4 P-80 Yokota AAB on photographic mission in flood area around Koganor Johnson Field.  9 P-51 Tachikawa AAB local transition and gunnery training.  4 P-51 Johnson AAB on round robin to Ashiya, time of take-off 1024/1 time of landing 1306/I at Johnson.  1 F-15 cleared Johnson AAB for Kimpo, time of takeoff 0945/I, time of landing 1525 at Kimpo. 1 F-15 on round robin to Fukuoka area, time of takeoff 1203, time of landing 1620/1 Pd End”

b. From the 315th Wing - "Interrogation of crews of aircraft proximate to unidentified target reported in our radio Cite 1 381 F are negative.  This radio is final report CPO investigation by this Hq is completed Pd End”

FOR THE COMMANDING GENERAL:

HEADQUARTERS FAR EAST AIR FORCES APO 925

SUBJECT:  Report on Radar Target Indicating Supersonic Speed  

COMMENT   NO.   1   TO:   A-2   FROM:  ?A/D-3   DATE 16 Oct 47

There is no indication that target signal strength appeared other than normal.  Last Plot report as "dim".  This may be due to actual diminishing signal, departure from angle of maximum radiation area, phasing, or change in scope contrast because of proximity to clutter region in center of scope.  CPS-1 signals normally change from strong to medium or weak in all tracking areas.  No flare-up reported at any range.

No indication present which would lead to belief that target disintegrated at point of last plot.

It is possible that target would leave low beam radiation area at range recorded.  Absence of altitude information makes it impossible to estimate point at which this would occur.

There is no conclusive evidence that target faded.  Simply, there was no scope covering range less than that recorded for last plot.  With trace from a zero range, or utilizing high beam radiation, target possibly could have been tracked within 20 miles of MEW site.

It is well known that under certain radiating conditions false radar indicates may be received.  Experience during hostilities has indicated the existance (sic) of false targets which, owing to the nature of the transmission paths, close on or depart from the receiving equipment at speeds greatly in excess of those indicated by the true targets.  The similarity between this track and a track in the same area previously reported tends to confirm the probability that they are radiation phenomena rather than actual targets.

It is possible that the explanation of such targets lies in the field of radiation phenomena, with particular regard to dual reflection transmission paths.