DOW-UAP-D156
Air Intelligence Information Report, Guam, 1956
- Agency
- Department of War
- Format
- Document, 5 pages
- Incident date
- 12/31/56
- Place
- Guam
- Released
- Release 07, October 23, 2026
- Source
- war.gov
Description from war.gov
Page 1
AF FORM 112 APPROVED 1 JUNE 1948 COUNTRY Japan dental ENSICAION 1076806 REPORT NO. IR-7-57 /016806 AIR INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION REPORT SUBJECT (U) Unidentified Flying Object Report FROM (Agency) Guam, M.I. DATE OF REPORT DI FEAF ATILO EVALUATION 8 Feb 57 DATE OF INFORMATION 25 Jan 57 B-4 PREPARED BY (Officer) SOURCE Capt Alan G. Pound, ATILO | Messages from D/O 7th Air Force (Adv) REFERENCES (Control namber, directive, presious report, eic., es amplicable) AFR 200-2 Unidentified Flying Object Reports SUMMARY: (Emier concise summary of report. Give significance in final one-sentence paragraph. List inclosures at lower left. Begin tent of report on 4P Form 118- Part I.) 1. Air Force (Advanced) Guan, M.I., concerning an unidentified aerial blinking light observed by an F-86D pilot flying in the Guan radio range holding pattern on the night of 31 Dec 56. 2. Further investigation determined that a lighted weather balloon had been launched one hour and thirty-eight minutes (1:38) prior to the sighting. The balloon was lost from the view of the ground station one hour and ten minutes (1:10) prior 3. Unless the lighted balloon which was launched prior to the sighting mal- functioned and remained at a relatively low altitude, the Unidentified Flying Object can not be readily explained. APPROVED: feared Ambuse Colonel, USAF : KEELING TOY USHT Director of Collections _ INCLS. DECLASSIFIED - NN 78452 DISTRIBUTION BY ORIGINATOR AFOIN-4, W-P APB, 0; ALASKAN AIR COMD; AIR DEFENSE COMD; 5th AF; 7th AF; 3rd ADIV; COMNAVMAR, GUAM NOTE: THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE OF THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE ESPIONAGE ACT. 50 U. S. C.- 31 AND 32. AS AMENDED. ITS TRANSMISSION OR THE REVELATION OF ITS CONTENTS IN ANY MANNER TO AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS PROHIBITED BY LAW. IT MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED IN WHOLE OR IN PART, BY OTHER INTELLIGENCE, USAF. UNT SEES A FORCE AGENCIES, EXCEPT BY PERNISSION OF THE DIRECTOR OF X12913 TENPINE (CLASSIFICATION) 10--55569-2 U.S. COVERNMERT PRINTING OFFICEPage 2
AF ORM 112—PART II APPROVED 1 JUNE 1948 FROM (Agency) Compule tin (CLASSIFICATION) AIR INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION REPORT REPORT NO. DI FEAF ATILO IR-7-57 PAGE 2 OF PAGES 1. At 1610Z on 31 Dec 56 an F-$6D pilot flying in the Guan range holding pattern sighted an unidentified blinking white light. Following is a copy of the unclassified message forwarded from Commander, 7th Air Force (Advanced), Guam, Marianas Islands, as a result of the sighting: "The following report submitted in accordance with paragraph 7, AFR 200-2, dated 12 Aug 1954 and FEAF Supplement 1 dated 30 March 1956. This message in 12 Part 1. A. Round. B. Dime. C. White. D. One. E. No. F. No. G. None. н. discernible. I. Blinking white light (remained constant for approximately four (4) seconds then blinked off and on quickly remaining constant agein for the same amount of time). Part 2. A. Object passed under aircraft while it was in a holding pattern on the Guam It came fron a westerly heading. B. Azimuth was thirty (30) degrees right, elevation about 25 degrees low. C. Pilot turned with the object and descended so azimuth and elevation was not discernible. D. The object came in from a westerly heading and pilot, thinking it was a B-47, turned down and into the object. The object proceeded to turn with the aircraft. Pilot began to get suspicious of object when he was unable to close with it and it continued to turn with him on the turn. pilot knew there were no other fighters airborne at the time and other aircraft stationed in the vicinity could not turn outside the F-86D's turning radius. The object passed between the interceptor and the city of Agana, Guan, and at this time no silhouette was seen. The object proceeded for approximately 10 miles at the pilot's altitude (20,000 MS) ther it climbed to about 30,000 MSL and came directly over interceptor. Pilot turned aircraft to keep it in sight and it started eircling him. interceptor was placed in afterburner and turned into the object trying to head it off. It continued to turn around aircraft and he was unable to gain on it or close with it. Then it proceeded west at aircraft altitude and returned over fighter at 10 to 15,000 feet high. Pilot again turned to keep it in sight and it circled fighter again. At this time pilot hadto break off and return to Andersen Air Force Base due to low fuel remaining• Contact was lost when pilot returned to base. F. Approximately 10 minutes. Part 3. A. Air visual. B. None. C. F-86D, 52-9995, 26,000 feet MSL, 242 degrees, 200 knots, Andersen AFB. Part 4. A. 1610z, 31 Dec 1956. B. Night. Part 5. In aircraft over Guan radio range. Part 6. A. N/A. NOTE: THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE OF THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE ESPIONAGE ACT, 50 U. 5. C.- 31 AND 32, AS AMENDED. ITS TRANSMISSION OR THE REVELATION OF ITS CONTENTS IN ANY MANNER TO AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS PROHIBITED BY LAW. IT MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED IN WHOLE OR IN PART, BY OTHER TH INTELLIGENCE, USAF. A UNITED SATES AHR FORCE AGENCIES, EXCEPT BY PERMISSION OF THE DIRECTOR OF DEN PEAL (CLASSIFICATION) 16-66570-1 * U.S. GOVERNMENT PRENTINE OFPICEPage 3
AF FORM 112-PART II APPROVED 1 JUNE 1948 FROM (Agency) Copulantil (CLASSIFICATION) AIR INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION REPORT REPORT NO. DI FEAF ATILO IR-7-57 PAGE OF PAGES B. Brunson, Ted, First Lieutenant, 4lst Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, alert pilot, observer considered very reliable, no other supporting. Part 7. A. Broken clouds at approximately 3,000 feet. Clear above. Visibility 15 miles plus. B. Surface-60 degrees at 9 knots; 6,000-100 degrees at 24 knots; 10,000-100 degrees at 20 knots; 16,000-70 degrees at 16 knots; 50,000-120 degrees at 35 knots; 80,000-not available. C. 10,000 feet. D. 15 miles. E. Overcast 10/10. F. Negative. None. Part 8. Part 9. Part 10. Tried to get type and shape and to observe the object. Sueceeded only int keeping it in sight. No other traffic known. A check of all fields and control stations verified this. Part 11. Charles E. Heidenreich, 2nd Lt., USAF, Intelligence Officer, 4lst Fighter-Interceptor Squadron. Comments: Submitted without comment. Part 12. None." Since the UFOB was similar to sightings of weather balloons, 7th Air Force (Adv) was advised to check on any lighted balloons that might have been released at a time to correspond with the sighting. Confirmation was received that a lighted balloon had been launched at 11322 31 Dec 56 by the U. S. Weather Bureau at the U. S. Navy Communications Station (13°13 N - 144°501E). The balloon was last tracked five (5) miles west of the station at 13°33 N - 144 461E, altitude 20,000 feet at 1500z. The observing pilot was again questioned and he stated that he did not believe that the UFOB was a weather balloon because the UFOB maneuvered with the F-86D and accel- erated past his aircraft. For convenience in evaluating this report, a sketch of the general locality of the incident follows: 140 30k 144. 40. 14400 1450 - 13° 4ó N GUAN HOLDING PATTERE BALLOON LAUNCHED HER ANDERSON AFB 13° 36' 13°20' - 13°0' NOTE: THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE OF THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE ESPIONAGE ACT, 50 U. S. C.- 31 AND 32, AS AMENDED. ITS TRANSMISSION OR THE REVELATION OF ITS CONTENTS IN ANY MANNER TO AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS PROHIBITED BY LAW. IT MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED IN WHOLE OR IN PART. BY OTHER TH INTELLIGENCE, USAF. AY UNTO STATE FORCE AGENCIES, EXCEPT BY PERMISSION OF THE DIRECTOR OF (CLASSIFICATION) METERSN-T U. F. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICEPage 4
AF FORM 112-PART VI PROVED 1 JUNE 1948 FROM (Agency) DI FEAF ATILO (CLASSIFICATION) AIR INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION REPORT REPORT NO. IR-7-57 4 PAGE OF 4 PAGES COMMENTS OF THE PREPARING OFFICER: 4• The check on the lighted weather balloon showed that it was launched at 1432Z and had ascended to 20,000 feet at 1500Z. It was lost from view at that time. It's ascension rate was somewhat slower than standard. Normally a weather balloon would be near the 21,500 foot level twenty-eight (28) minutes after launching• 5. If the weather balloon had ascended normally, it would have been much higher than the altitude of the reported sighting. If the balloon had malfunctioned and leveled off or descended, it could possibly explain the reported UPOB. Man 3. Pound LAN G POUND Captain, USAF Air Tech Intel Liaison Officer COMMENTS OF THE APPROVING OFFICER: This report was prepared in its entirety by a member of the Air Technical Intelligence Liaison Office, HJK NOTE: THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE OF THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE ESPIONAGE ACT. 50 U.S. C.- 31 AND 32, AS AMENDED. ITS TRANSMISSION OR THE REVELATION OF ITS CONTENTS IN ANY MANNER TO AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS PROHIBITED BY LAW. IT MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED IN WHOLE OR IN PART. BY OTHER THAN UNITED STATES AIR FORCE AGENCIES. EXCEPT BY PERMISSION OF THE DIRECTOR OF INTELLIGENCE, USAF. telenti (CLASSIFICATION) 13-65570-1 * U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICEPage 5
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Machine summary
Written by Claude Sonnet 5.5 (Anthropic) on October 23, 2026, from the record's text and war.gov's description. It is not part of the record and can contain errors; check it against the document.
This is an Air Intelligence Information Report (AF Form 112, Report No. IR-7-57) prepared 8 February 1957 by Capt Alan G. Pound, Air Technical Intelligence Liaison Officer, Far East Air Forces, Guam. It covers an incident at 1610Z on 31 December 1956. An F-86D pilot, 1st Lt Ted Brunson of the 41st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, was in the Guam radio range holding pattern at 26,000 ft when he saw a round, white, blinking light. He reported that it passed beneath his aircraft, turned with him, circled him twice, and climbed and descended while he could not close on it, even in afterburner. He broke off after about 10 minutes because of low fuel. The report includes the original 7th Air Force (Advanced) message, weather data, and a locator sketch.
The report's main point is the balloon analysis. A lighted U.S. Weather Bureau balloon was launched about 1:38 before the sighting and last tracked at 20,000 ft at 1500Z. Pound judged that a normally ascending balloon would have been well above the sighting altitude. He allowed that a malfunctioning balloon that leveled off or descended could possibly explain it. The pilot rejected the balloon explanation because the object maneuvered with his aircraft and accelerated past it. The report notes no other known traffic and no corroborating witnesses. The final page's OCR is garbled, so some text is unreadable.
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