DOW-UAP-D162

Air Intelligence Information Report, Alaska, 1953

Agency: Department of War
Format: Document, 4 pages
Incident date: 12/1/53
Place: Alaska
Released: Release 07, October 23, 2026
Source: war.gov
Topics: 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 December 1, 1953, incident near St. Lawrence Island, Alaska, in which an Alaska National Guard sergeant residing on the island reported observing a stationary light on the horizon west of Gambell for approximately five minutes. The report states that the light was observed at a true heading of 283 degrees, appeared similar in color to a flashlight, and disappeared as though it had been turned off. The preparing officer further noted that an unidentified ship may have been the source of the light, though no definite conclusion could be reached as to its nature or origin. 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.

Page 1

AF608265 -1 AF FORM 112 APPROVED 1 JUNE 1948 COUNTRY ALASKA Unclassified CLASSIFIEATION REPORT NO. IR 5004-42-53 AIR INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION REPORT (LEAVE BRANK - 00 la 265 SUBJECT Light Observed West of Gambell AREA REPORTED ON Gambell, St. Lawrence Island, Alaska DATE OF REPORT DATE OF INFORMATION 8 Dec 1953 1 Dec 1953 PREPARED BY (Officer) FROM (Agency) 5004th Air Intelligence Sv Sq APO 942, c/0 PM, Seattle, Wash. 6-3 SOURCE USAF Clifford Iknokinok SUMMARY: (Enter concise summary of report. Give significance in finci one-sentence paragraph. List inclosures at lower left. Begin tert of report on AF Form 119-Part II.) This report contains information on a light seen by an observer at Gambell, St. Lawrence Island, Alaska (63º50'N - 171°361W), 011110Z December 1953. Light was observed on a true heading of 283º from Gambell. While no definite conclusion can be reached as to the origin of the light, a possibility exists that it could have come from an unidentified ship operating in or near U. S. Territorial Waters. DECLASSIFIED Authority: NND 57597 APPROVED: Vilhan /henhalh) WILLIAM H. GREENHALCO, Major, USAF Commander 1 INCIS Map/ showing Observation LIBRARY SUBJECT & AREA CODES Nodex 53. 2823 DISTRIBUTION BY ORIGINATOR Condr, AAC, ATTN: OI COMAISEAFRON, ATTN: D/NI CINCAL, ATTN: J-2 (2 cys) Condr, PEAF, ATTN: A-2 Comdr, USARAL, ATTN: G-2 Comdr, NEAC, ATTN: D/- Comdr, 10th Air Div, ATTN: D/I Condr, 1lth Air Div, ATTN: D/I Comdr in Chief, USPacFlt OSI, AAC Comar, ADC, ATTN: D/I 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. inclassifiea 16-55509-2 B. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE LASSIFICATIO

Page 2

AF FORM 112—PART II APPROVED 1 JUNE 1948 Unchanified AIR INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION REPORT FROM (Agency) 5004th Air Intel Sv Sq APO 942, c/o PM, Seattle, Wash IR 5004-42-53 PAGE 2 OF 3 PAGES I. This report contains information on a light seen by an observer at Gambell, St. Lawrence Island, Alaska (63°50'N - 171°36 W), 011110Z December 1953. Light was observed on a true heading of 283° from Gambell. II. SOURCE: Name - CLIFFORD IKNOKINOK Age - 26 Race - Eskimo Education - 8th Grade Completed Militery Service - Member of Gambell Unit, Alaska National Guard for three (3) years, 9 months, promoted to Sgt 1 Jan 1953. presently Squad Leader with Gambell Guard Unit. Civilian Employment - Employed by CAA at Gambell from July 1942 thru April 1949. Present occupation -- hunter. WILLIAM W. CALDWELL and RODERICK M. MOORE, members of Flight 'A', 5004th AISS, and stationed at Gambell, have known source for the past eight months. They have found source to be trustworthy and honest and they have confidence in his judgement. III. REPORT ON OBSERVATION: Source states that approximately 1110Z, 1 December 53 he saw a light on the horizon West of Gambell. Source was standing in front of the Gambell School (elev. approx. 25 ft. above sea level) when he observed the light. Source said he thought the light was about 10 inches in diameter. Later he said that a circular object 5 inches in diameter, held at arms length, would cover the light. Source stated that the light did not move and determined this by sighting along the flag pole at Source saw no reflection or beam of light and the color of the light was similar to a flashlight. Source stated the light was not bright, nor was it very dim. At 1115% the light disappeared as though someone had turned it off. Source observed the light without the aid of binoculars. Source would not make an estimate as to distance of light from Gambell. IV. WEATHER: Wind - NE at approx. 20 MPH Visibility - Approx. 20 miles Ceiling - Approx. 2000 ft. The night was very dark. There was slush ice West of Gambell but no heavy ice was in the area. The ocean was calm. 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. Unclassified 16-66570-1 # U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

Page 3

AF FORM 112—PART II APPROVED 1 JUNE 1948 Unclasrified CLASSIFICA AIR INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION REPORT REPORT NO. FROM (Agency) 5004th Air Intel Sv Sq APO 942, c/o PM, Seattle, Wash IR 5004-42-53 PAGE 3 OF 3 V. COMMENTS OF PREPARING OFFICER: WILLIAM TT. CALDWELL, member of Flight A, 5004th AISS, at Gambell, used a Len- satic Compass to determine the true bearing of the light observed. He also made a check of the village to see if other natives had observed the light but none had seen the light. Source is apparently in error when he says a disk 5} inches in diameter would cover the light. A light measured in this manner would appear much larger than his first estimate of the light size. No land exists within a considerable distance of Gambell, St. Lawrence Island, Alaska on a bearing of 283º true, thus removing the possibility of a land based light. From the information available no conclusion can be reached as to the origin of the light or its type. A possibility exists that the light came from a ship at sea, identity of which is unknown. Engul JOHN V. WRIGHI /Captain, USAF Preparing Officer 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. Unclassified 16--85570-1 U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

Page 4

AF FORM 112—PART II APPROVED 1 JUNE 1948 . Unclassified AIR INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION REPORT FROM (Agency) 5004th Air Intel Sv Sq APO 942, c/o PM, Seattle, Wash IR 5004-42-53 INCL #1 PAGE OF PAGES S S CAPE CHAPLINA LINE OBSERVATION ON HEADING 283° TRUE GAMBELL DATE ST. LAWRENCE ISLAND INTERNATIONAL SCALE: 1"= 13.7 NM 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. Unclassified 16-55870-1 # U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

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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 (IR 5004-42-53) prepared by the 5004th Air Intelligence Service Squadron and dated 8 December 1953. It covers an observation made on 1 December 1953 at about 1110Z at Gambell, St. Lawrence Island, Alaska. The source was Clifford Iknokinok, a 26-year-old Alaska National Guard sergeant and hunter. He reported a stationary light on the horizon west of Gambell, about the color of a flashlight, neither bright nor dim. He saw no beam or reflection, and the light disappeared about five minutes later "as though someone had turned it off." Airman William Caldwell took a compass bearing of 283° true. The weather was clear to about 20 miles, with a ceiling near 2,000 feet and a very dark night. Captain John Wright was the preparing officer, and Major William Greenhalgh approved the report.

The report is a modest, low-key entry. The officer found no land on that bearing, which rules out a land-based light, and concluded that an unidentified ship was possible but that no conclusion could be reached. Caldwell canvassed the village and found no other witnesses. The officer also noted that the source's size estimate was inconsistent. The source declined to estimate distance, and the report gives no radar or aircraft data. The document is unclassified, and the OCR shows no visible redactions apart from the declassification stamp (NND 57597). The attached map shows the observation line.

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