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HEADQUARTERS, ARMY AIR FORCES
WASHINGTON
MEMORANDUM FOR COMMANDING GENERAL, ARMY AIR FORCES
SUBJECT: Reports of "Rocket" Sightings over the Scandinavian Countries.
1. For your information, the following reports of rockets or
missiles in the Scandinavian area have been received in cables from
Military Attaches and State Department representatives in foreign
countries and in news dispatches:
a. News items concerning "rockets” over the Scandinavian peninsula
have appeared sporadically since early June 1946. The chronological
sequence of reports is as follows:
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(1) |
10 June 1946 - Helsinki, Finland. A
light-emitting "ghost rocket" was observed flying at an altitude of
900-1200 feet. The missile left a trail of smoke in the sky. |
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(2) |
12 June 1946 - Helsinki, Finland. The Finnish
News Agency, quoting the Helsinki Astronomical Institution, said the
"ghost rocket" was a meteor. |
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(3) |
10 July 1946 - Stockholm, Sweden. "Shining
missiles" had been observed traveling at great altitude and high
speed and had caused speculation by the newspaper, Aftonbladt [Aftonbladet], that
the Russians were conducting rocket experiments on Baltic bases.
One missile was alleged to have fallen and exploded Tuesday, 9 July,
near the town of Sundsvall, which lies on the west coast of the
Gulf of Bothnia approximately 390 miles west of the nearest Russian
territory. |
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(4) |
15 July 1946 - London, England. The London Daily Mail
quotes a dispatch from Geneva which stated that a strange object
sighted over the Rhone Valley touched off conjecture that the
Russians are testing flying bombs over the Alps. It stated further
that rocket missiles, which have fallen recently in Sweden, are
V-weapons from Peenemunde (former German center for guided missile
research now under Russian jurisdiction). In closing the article
stated that all sailors on the Baltic run had been warned, under
the penalty of death, not to talk about any phenomena observed.
Russia is reported to be closing a huge area in the Baltic to all
traffic. |
SECRET
ADDRESS REPLY To: COMMANDING GENERAL, ARMY AIR FORCES. WASHINGTON 25. D. C.
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flashes of fire about every ten seconds. Swedish astronomers dismiss the meteor theory but the Swedish Army is at a loss to account for them officially or otherwise and have alerted the military districts to observe and report promptly any further sightings. |
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(7) |
12 July 1946 - State Department Cable, Stockholm, Sweden states
in part, "On Tuesday afternoon, 9 July, a member of the Legation
saw a rocket-like missile. It seemed to be falling rapidly toward
the earth and no sound of explosion was heard. On the same
afternoon another landed on the beach near Stockholm. No damage was
caused. The press reports that military authorities are now
studying fragments. According to a local scientist, the first
inspection indicated that the fragments contained an organic
substance which looked like carbide. The press announced that a
missile fell at 1430 11 July in a suburb of Stockholm. |
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"The Swedes claim that they do not know the purpose, character, or
origin of the missiles, but they definitely state that the missiles
did not originate in Sweden. According to eyewitnesses, the
missiles were heading in a northwest direction. |
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"If the missiles are of Russian origin, as believed generally,
(according to some reports they come from Estonia), their purpose
might be of a political nature to intimidate the Swedes in
connection with Russian pressure on Sweden for current loan
negotiations or possibly to offset the supposed increase in US
military prestige in Sweden". |
2. An American civil engineer, returning from Russia, reports
that hundreds of Russian "tourists" are arriving and settling in
the Aland Islands. These islands lie in the mouth of the Gulf of
Bothnia between Finland and Sweden.
3. A report from Finland, dated 26 June 1946, bearing an F-3
evaluation, stated that a V-bomb was observed recently over
Helsinki. The bomb was believed to have been launched from the
Porkkala area which is located 20 miles southwest of Helsinki on
the Baltic seacoast. Recent maps indicate that this area is
territory which belongs to Russia although it is a portion of the
Finnish mainland.
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SECRET
4. Due to the lack of conclusive evidence and the variety of
reports, it is difficult at this time to reach any definite
conclusion as to the origin of these reported missiles but the
following are significant:
a. The statement of the Helsinki Astronomical Institution
disclaiming the possibility of the object sighted 10 June 1946
being a rocket appeared with such promptness as to incite
suspicion that Russian influence on the press was making itself
evident.
b. The possibility that the objects may have been a meteor is
lessened by a report from the United States Naval Observatory
stating that no meteor showers were predicted for the Scandinavian
area between 4 May and 28 June 1946.
c. The Russians may be launching rockets from sites in Estonia
or Latvia.
d. The presence of Russian "tourists" in the Aland Islands has
not yet been explained but it is conceivable that the Russians
intend to establish an area similar to Peenemunde on the islands.
e. The additional possibility that the Russians intend to impress
the outside world with their potentialities by deliberately firing
missiles over the Scandinavian area must not be overlooked.
5. Until more complete reports covering the Scandinavian
rocket situation are available, conclusive statements pertaining to
their origin, appearance, characteristics and purpose cannot be
made.
1 Incl
Map of
Scandinavian
countries
cc:
General LeMay
General Partridge
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