---------------------------------------------------------------- ================================================================ PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD -- TRANSCRIPTION File: 1954-10-8727440-NOUASSEUR-FRENCHMORROCCO.pdf Transcribed by Claude Sonnet 4.6 for GlitchyMatrix.com/bluebook/ ================================================================ [Note: Primary form is FTD SEP 63 0-329 (TDE), not the standard ATIC Form 329 (REV 26 SEP 52). Field numbering on the FTD form differs from the ATIC standard and is mapped to the ATIC structure below. "MORROCCO" on form and filename is misspelled; correct spelling is Morocco.] FIELD 1 -- DATE: 13 October 1954 FIELD 2 -- LOCATION: Nouasseur, French Morocco [Form spells MORROCCO; filename preserves that spelling. Nouasseur Air Base is present-day Casablanca Mohammed V International Airport.] FIELD 3 -- DATE-TIME GROUP: 13/1005Z [Daytime observation confirmed in teletype para S5(4)(B): DAY. 1005Z in French Morocco = approx 10:05 AM local (Morocco observed GMT/UTC+0 in this period).] FIELD 4 -- TYPE OF OBSERVATION: Ground-Visual [X] Ground-Radar [ ] Air-Visual [ ] Air-Intercept Radar [ ] [FTD form Field 6: GROUND-THEODOLITE. ATIC template has no theodolite checkbox; marked Ground-Visual with this note. Method was both naked-eye ground visual and precision theodolite tracking. Teletype S5(3)(A): GND VIS AND THEODOLITE. S5(3)(B): THEODOLITE. S5(3)(C): NOT APPL.] FIELD 5 -- PHOTOS: No FIELD 6 -- SOURCE: Military FIELD 7 -- LENGTH OF OBS: 30 Seconds FIELD 8 -- NUMBER OF OBJECTS: One FIELD 9 -- COURSE: East FIELD 10 -- BRIEF SUMMARY: [FTD Field 11. Transcribed verbatim from primary form:] Round, size of pin head, Silver. Straight path, did not maneuver, from 64 deg elev 243 deg az to 40 deg elev 30 deg az. Flat no sound, observed while following flt of weather balloong [sic] through Theodolite. [See form-vs-teletype note under Field 11.] FIELD 11 -- COMMENTS: [No separate ATIC Field 11 equivalent on FTD form. Physical evidence: No (FTD Field 9). FORM VS TELETYPE POSITION DISCREPANCY: FTD form records object position as: Start: 64 deg elevation, 243 deg azimuth End: 40 deg elevation, 30 deg azimuth Teletype S5(2)(B) and (C) record: Start: 34.7 deg elevation, 243.5 deg azimuth End: 42.2 deg elevation, 350.2 deg azimuth Starting azimuth agrees (243 deg / 243.5 deg). Starting elevation differs substantially: 64 deg (form) vs 34.7 deg (teletype). Probable misread on form: "34" transcribed as "64." Ending azimuth also likely differs: form "30 deg" is probable truncation of "350 deg" (leading "3" dropped). Ending elevation close: 40 deg (form) vs 42.2 deg (teletype). Teletype figures taken as more reliable -- from primary report, not a secondary summary. DETAIL ABSENT FROM FORM: Teletype S5(1)(F) states object APPEARED FLAT. This is not reflected in the form's brief summary. Combined with the round shape, the object's profile was disc-like -- round and flat. The form summary reads only "Round."] FIELD 12 -- CONCLUSIONS: [ ] Was balloon [ ] Probably balloon [ ] Possibly balloon [ ] Was aircraft [ ] Probably aircraft [ ] Possibly aircraft [ ] Was astronomical [ ] Probably astronomical [ ] Possibly astronomical [ ] Other: [specify] [ ] Insufficient data for evaluation [X] Unidentified [FTD form Field 10: "UNIDENTIFIED"] Form: FTD SEP 63 0-329 (TDE) [Standard ATIC Form 329 (REV 26 SEP 52) absent from this file. Case supplemented by a two-page teletype from Nouasseur, French Morocco, dated 13 October 1954, filed 13/1545Z.] ================================================================ SUPPLEMENTAL DOCUMENTS ================================================================ Doc 1: FTD Form 0-329 (TDE) -- carbon copy PDF page 2. Degraded duplicate of primary form. No additional readable data. Doc 2: Teletype routing/cover page PDF page 3. Receipt stamp: 14 OCT 1955 / 08 49 [time] [Note: Receipt date is one year after incident; likely reflects processing/filing date at a receiving command rather than the original transmission date. Annotation also shows "14Oct54 02 14[?]" which may be the original transmission date/time.] Handwritten annotations: "13/1005Z / NOUASSEUR French Morocco" and routing notes (attachments count). Routing codes: AD322, JPD352, TYES27, TDES12, JTA274, JFR A144, JFRNO D191 Message header: "PP JFRM JFPBM JEPAQ JEDVP 444" "DE JFRNO 109" "P 1315252" "FM COMDR [illegible] EUR NOUASSEUR FR MOR" Doc 3: Teletype routing/cover page -- carbon copy PDF page 4. Near-illegible duplicate of Doc 2. No additional readable data. Doc 4: Teletype JFRNO 129, 13 October 1954, page 1 PDF page 5. To: JFPBM/CINCUSAFE WIESBADEN GER JEDWP/COMDR AIR TECHNICAL INTEL CEN WPAFB OHIO JEPHQ/DIR OF INTEL HQ USAF WASH D C INFO JFPSM/COMDR AMFE WIESBADEN GER JFRM/COMDR 17TH AF RABAT FR MOR Classification: UNCLASSIFIED Control ref: NASPH./UNCL 1. -2127 ATTN: CINCUSAFE ACS/INTEL AFR 200-2 paragraph data (partial): S5(1)(A) [Shape]: [teletype reads "AND" -- probable transmission error or abbreviation; form reads ROUND] S5(1)(B) Size: HEAD OF A PIN S5(1)(C) Color: SILVER S5(1)(D) Number: ONE S5(1)(E) Formation: NOT APPL S5(1)(F) Features: APPEARED FLAT S5(1)(G) Trail/exhaust: NONE S5(1)(H) Sound: NONE S5(1)(I) Other: NONE S5(2)(A) Movement description: FOL FLT OF WEA (PIBAL) BALLON [following flight of weather (PIBAL) balloon] S5(2)(B) First position: 34.7 deg elev, 243.5 deg az S5(2)(C) Last position: 42.2 deg elev, 350.2 deg az S5(2)(D) Path: ONE STRAIGHT PATH -- NO MANEUVER S5(2)(E) [Manner of disappearance]: DIS [disappeared] S5(2)(F) Duration: 30 SECONDS S5(3)(A) Observation method: GND VIS AND THEODOLITE S5(3)(B) Equipment: THEODOLITE S5(3)(C) Electronics: NOT APPL S5(4)(A) Date-time: 1313[?]52 [13/1305Z or 13/1352Z -- partially illegible; form gives 1005Z] S5(4)(B) Period: DAY S5(5) Location: 33 DEG 22 MIN NORTH 27 DEG 35 MIN WEST [likely 07 DEG 35 MIN WEST -- consistent with actual Nouasseur Air Base coordinates; leading "0" probable transmission dropout] S5(5)(A) Additional observers: NONE S5(5)(B) [Redacted], A/2C, 29-3 WEA DET, OBSR, RELIABLE; [Redacted], A/2C, 29-3 WEA DET, OBSR, RELIABLE S5(7) Weather: CLEAR; [?]33 DEG/15 KNOTS; NUP VIS 15 MILES; SURFACE 250 DEG AT 4 KNOTS [continues on page 2] Doc 5: Teletype JFRNO 129, 13 October 1954, page 2 PDF page 6. (PAGE TWO JFRNO 129) Weather data continuation: 5,228 FT CALM; 10,[?]ELE; 195 DEG 5 KNOTS; 15,228 FT at 25 DEG / 15 KNOTS S5(7)(C) Ceiling: NO CEILING S5(7)(D) Visibility: 15 MILES S5(7)(E-F): NONE S5(8) Conditions: NORMAL S5(9): NONE S5(9)(11): NONE S5(9)(12): NO COMMENT Timestamp: 13/1545Z OCT JFRNO Doc 6: Teletype -- carbon copy PDF page 7. Near-illegible duplicate of Docs 4-5. No additional readable data. ================================================================ SEARCH INDEX TERMS ================================================================ Nouasseur French-Morocco Morocco North-Africa Casablanca 1954 October 1950s military airman weather-observer pibal theodolite balloon-tracking round silver flat disc pin-head straight-path no-maneuver east 30-seconds daytime clear reliable two-witnesses 29-3-weather-detachment weather-detachment SAC 17th-Air-Force USAFE ATIC Wright-Patterson unidentified CINCUSAFE Wiesbaden ground-visual theodolite-tracking precision-measurement AFR-200-2 no-sound no-photos ================================================================ CASE ANALYSIS -- Claude Sonnet 4.6 ================================================================ THE OFFICIAL CONCLUSION ----------------------- UNIDENTIFIED. The conclusion is notable because a ready explanation was at hand: the observers were actively engaged in tracking a PIBAL weather balloon through a theodolite when the object appeared, and the teletype describes the UFOB's movement as "following flight of weather (PIBAL) balloon." Despite this proximate candidate, the Air Force declined to assign a balloon conclusion. The record does not state why that explanation was considered insufficient. WHAT THE EVIDENCE SHOWS ----------------------- On the morning of October 13, 1954, two Airman Second Class weather observers from the 29-3 Weather Detachment at Nouasseur Air Base, French Morocco, were conducting a PIBAL observation -- a standard meteorological procedure in which a small gas- filled balloon is released and tracked through a theodolite to measure upper-air wind speed and direction at altitude. Both observers are rated RELIABLE in the teletype, which is the standard Air Force reliability designation for trained observers. During that tracking, a separate object appeared. It was described as round and silver, pin-head size as seen through the theodolite, and moving in a straight line without maneuvering over approximately 30 seconds before disappearing. No sound. No trail. The teletype's Section 5, paragraph 1(F) adds a detail absent from the FTD form summary: the object APPEARED FLAT. Round, silver, flat, and silent -- a disc-like profile, though this word is nowhere used in the record. The precise theodolite readings, per the teletype (which are more reliable than the form's summary), place the object starting at approximately 34.7 degrees elevation, 243.5 degrees azimuth, and ending at approximately 42.2 degrees elevation, 350.2 degrees azimuth -- a substantial angular sweep in 30 seconds, elevation increasing as the object moved. The FTD form records different numbers that appear to contain transcription errors: "64 deg" elevation likely misread from "34 deg," and the ending azimuth "30 deg" likely a truncation of "350 deg." Conditions were excellent: clear sky, 15-mile visibility, no ceiling. The observation took place at approximately 10:05 AM local time in full daylight. POINTS OF INTEREST / WHAT GIVES ME PAUSE ----------------------------------------- The theodolite context is the most significant element of this case. A PIBAL observation is a precision exercise. The operator maintains the balloon in the crosshairs of the theodolite -- a narrow field of view -- while a second observer records azimuth and elevation at timed intervals. For something other than the tracked balloon to appear in that field of view, it must have been in very nearly the same part of the sky. The teletype's "following flight of weather (PIBAL) balloon" confirms this: the UFOB was sharing the balloon's sky. This raises an immediate question the file does not answer: could it be a second balloon? Multiple PIBALs were sometimes released at intervals, and other stations could have released balloons visible at altitude from Nouasseur. A PIBAL balloon at altitude is round, silver, and silent -- matching the description exactly. The investigators presumably considered this, and the UNIDENTIFIED conclusion suggests they found something that argued against it. The most plausible distinguishing factor would be speed: a balloon at altitude drifts slowly enough that theodolite readings change gradually, while 30 seconds across ~106 degrees of azimuth change implies considerably faster angular motion than a typical balloon would produce at tracking distance. The "APPEARED FLAT" detail in the teletype is worth marking. Weather observers tracking a spherical balloon know what a sphere looks like through a theodolite. Reporting that the object appeared flat suggests it was perceived as having a different profile from the balloon they were already watching. Nouasseur in October 1954 was an active SAC facility. The 17th Air Force was based at Rabat. The reporting chain went directly to CINCUSAFE, ATIC, and USAF Intelligence HQ -- the standard but highest-level routing for a UFOB report of this type. BOTTOM LINE ----------- This is a stronger-than-average case on the observer quality dimension. Two trained military weather observers using a precision instrument, rated reliable, saw something in their theodolite that was not the balloon they were tracking. The description -- round, silver, flat, straight path, no maneuver, no sound, 30 seconds -- is consistent with either a distant aircraft or a second balloon, but the investigators who had access to the balloon's tracked position data and local flight information still returned UNIDENTIFIED. The missing piece is the comparison between the UFOB's angular track and the known balloon's tracked position. If the theodolite data for the known PIBAL placed it elsewhere in the sky at the time of the observation, that would definitively rule out the balloon. That comparison either was not done, was done and found inconclusive, or was done and found anomalous -- the record as filed does not say which. ================================================================ https://glitchymatrix.com/bluebook/ GlitchyMatrix Project Blue Book Archive All 10,808 declassified USAF UFO case files, 1945-1969 ================================================================ ----------------------------------------------------------------