Declassified UAP

DOW-UAP-D159

Air Intelligence Information Report, Germany, 1953

Format
Document, 2 pages
Incident date
8/10/53
Place
Germany
Released
Release 07, October 23, 2026
Source
war.gov
Topics
Lights in the sky, Military aircrew, Intelligence reports

Description from war.gov

This document is an Air Intelligence Information Report (AIIR), a standardized U.S. Air Force reporting form used to record raw information of potential intelligence value for later analysis. The form served as a primary vehicle for U.S. Air Force field intelligence collection throughout the early Cold War, until defense-wide reporting standards were established in the early 1960s. This AIIR records a series of entries extracted from Tempelhof Airport air traffic control logs dated 10–11 August 1953 concerning aerial reports in the Soviet-occupied zone of Germany. The report states that a British European Airways DC-3 aircraft reported observing what the pilot described as red-colored rockets being fired approximately one mile in front of the aircraft while inbound to Tempelhof via the Center Corridor. It further states that the pilot of a second British European Airways DC-3 later reported a stationary, red-colored light approximately 20 nautical miles west of Genthin at an altitude of approximately 5,000 feet. The report also notes that British Berlin Air Safety Center stated that Soviet authorities had investigated the reported red light and could not account for it. A later Pan American pilot reported no corresponding light or activity when passing through the same area. All descriptive and estimative language contained in this report reflects the reporter’s subjective interpretation at the time of the event. Such characterizations should not be interpreted as a conclusive indication of the presence or absence of any intrinsic object features or performance characteristics.

2 pages, 602 words of text

Page 1

AF FORM 112—PART I APPROVED 1 JUNE 1948 COUNTRY 70% (CLASSIFICATIO) GERMANY 5 (LEAVE BLANIE: Hq Tempelhof AB Log No 4815c-4 260-53 SUBJECT AIR INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION REPORTA F6 03026 EXTRACTS FROM AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL LOGS AREA REPORTED ON SOVIET ZONE GERMANY DATE OF REPORT FROM (Agency) 7350TH BASE COMPLEMENT SQUADRON EVALUATION 11 AUGUST 1953 PREPARED BY (Officer) DATE OF INFORMATION 11 AUGUST 1953 SOURCE FRED L. ALLEN CAPT. USAF NONS AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER REFERENCES (Control number, directive, prezious report, ete,, as applicable) SUMMARY: (Enter concisc summary of report. Give significance in fial one-sentence paragraph. Liat inclosures at lower left. Begin text of report on AB Form 119-Part 11.) The following information was extracted fron Air Traffic Control Logs, TEMPELHOF, 11 August 1953. 10 August 1953: 19362 hours: British Buropean Airways DC-3 type Aircraft, GALK, flying inbound for TEMPELHOF via Center Corridor reported observing what appeared to be red colored rockets, being fired approximately one (1) mile in front of him. 2245Z hours: Bad Eisen Air Traffic Control reported the following information to TEMPELHOF Air Traffic Control: 2315Z hours: The pilot of British Buropean Airways DG-3 type GAGIP, reported sighting a stationary rec colored light trenty (20) neutical miles West of Genthin (5224N/12095) • Light appeared to be at approximately 5,000 feet but not above 5,500 feet. British Berlin Air Safety Center reported that the Soviets checked on this reported red light and could not account for it. 11 August 1953: 02352 hours: Pilot Lesser, Pan American Clipper C-193A Enroute t lanover via the Center Corridor reported to TEMPELHOF Air Traffic Control when over the area twenty (20) nautical miles West of Genthin. Pilot Lesser observed no light or activity of any description, but stated that on Friday night (7 August 1953) in this same area, he observed ground to air firing. Pilot Lesser stated that as his Aircraft approached this area (7 August 1953) the ground to air firing stopped. Pilot stated he was able to determine what type projectile was being fired. INCLS. MASAT IDAD DECLASSIFIED Authority: NND 57597 1497 B C LE LAST PAGE FOR SUBJECT & AREA CODES DISTRIBUTION BY ORIGINATOR AC/S, A-2, Has USAFE (Orig) A-2, Hqs Twelfth AT - 1 cy File - 1 ey CECIDIE IMCAOMATIOL NOTE: THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECT NG LUE MATION I BE ENSE 5/WHEN MED 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 INLANY MANNER-TO-AN NAUTHORIZED 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. CONEIENTIAL 16-56589-1 U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OPFICI

Page 2

AF FORM 112—PART II APPROVED 1 JUNE 1948 FROM (Agency) 7350 BASE COMPLEMENT SQ. GON BITIAI (CLASSIFICATION TAL AIR INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION REPORT REPORT NO. 260-53 PAGE 2 OF 2 PAGES NOTE: As of this report, this office has been unable to contact Pan American Airlines Pilot Lesser to gain any further information. Fredd Allen FRED I. ALLEN Capt. USAF Air Intelligence Officer LIBRARY SUBJECT & AREA CODES Nodex. 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. GON 16-55570-1

The text is machine-read (OCR) from the scan and can contain errors. The scan is the record.

Download the document Open on war.gov

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 a two-page Air Intelligence Information Report (AF Form 112, Report No. 260-53) prepared 11 August 1953 by Capt. Fred L. Allen, Air Intelligence Officer of the 7350th Base Complement Squadron, Tempelhof AB, Berlin. It extracts entries from Tempelhof air traffic control logs for 10-11 August 1953 on activity over the Soviet Zone of Germany. At 1936Z a British European Airways DC-3 inbound via the Center Corridor reported what looked like red rockets fired about one mile ahead of it. At 2315Z a second BEA DC-3 reported a stationary red light about 20 nautical miles west of Genthin, at roughly 5,000 feet and no higher than 5,500. The British Berlin Air Safety Center said the Soviets checked and could not account for the light.

The report is mainly a record of possible Soviet ground activity along the air corridors, not a typical UAP sighting. A Pan American pilot named Lesser saw nothing in the same area on 11 August. He said he had seen ground-to-air firing there on 7 August, which stopped as he approached. The report notes the pilot could determine the projectile type, but the text does not say what it was. Allen could not reach Lesser for follow-up, and no conclusion or identification is given. The OCR is noisy in places, and the 2245Z entry from Bad Eisen ATC appears to have no content. The form carries a declassification stamp (NND 57597).

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reported information pilot intelligence august tempelhof traffic control light area states british form approximately center part force airways aircraft colored stated usaf hours lesser document later logs soviet germany fired

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