---------------------------------------------------------------- ================================================================ PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD -- TRANSCRIPTION File: 1958-06-8847938-FortBragg-NorthCarolina.pdf Transcribed by Claude Sonnet 4.6 for GlitchyMatrix.com/bluebook/ ================================================================ FIELD 1 -- DATE: 20 Jun 58 [Local date of sighting. Zulu date is June 21; sighting ran 0405Z-0415Z on 21 Jun 1958, which is approximately 0005-0015 EDT on June 21 -- i.e., just past midnight local time, hence the "20 Jun" local date on the record card.] FIELD 2 -- LOCATION: Fort Bragg, North Carolina FIELD 3 -- DATE-TIME GROUP: Local [blank] / GMT 21/[0405]Z [Middle digits partially illegible on card. AIIR (IR/UFO-4-58) explicitly confirms 0405Z to 0415Z on 21 June 1958; treated as authoritative.] FIELD 4 -- TYPE OF OBSERVATION: Ground-Visual [X] Ground-Radar [ ] Air-Visual [ ] Air-Intercept Radar [ ] [Confirmed by AIIR Part II section c(1).] FIELD 5 -- PHOTOS: No FIELD 6 -- SOURCE: Military FIELD 7 -- LENGTH OF OBS: 10 mins FIELD 8 -- NUMBER OF OBJECTS: one FIELD 9 -- COURSE: North FIELD 10 -- BRIEF SUMMARY: Circular obj, size of full moon, light silver, lower section surrounded by a thin greenish haze. At first obj was motionless, then began slight oscillating motion & increased to great speed & disappeared. Observation at 35 deg elevation. FIELD 11 -- COMMENTS: Possibly refraction of moon with haze giving strange appearance. There are no first mag stars in the general area rpt at that time of night. 35 degree elev rules out mirage as possible because altho indications of refraction or mirage are present. Winds are fm the West ruling out a wind-blown obj. Most plausible explanation is a light reflection of some sort, however there is insufficient data to substantiate this. Case listed unidentified. FIELD 12 -- CONCLUSIONS: [ ] Was balloon [ ] Probably balloon [ ] Possibly balloon [ ] Was aircraft [ ] Probably aircraft [ ] Possibly aircraft [ ] Was astronomical [ ] Probably astronomical [?] Possibly astronomical [X] Other: UNIDENTIFIED [ ] Insufficient data for evaluation [ ] Unknown [Note: Both "Possibly Astronomical" and "Other: UNIDENTIFIED" appear to carry marks on the record card. Field 11 explicitly states "Case listed unidentified"; UNIDENTIFIED is treated as operative. The "Possibly Astronomical" mark likely reflects the moon-refraction hypothesis discussed in Field 11.] Form: ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP 52) [Record card present in two copies.] ================================================================ SUPPLEMENTAL DOCUMENTS ================================================================ 1. Air Intelligence Information Report, IR/UFO-4-58. AF Form 112, 2 pages (Part I and Part II). Country: United States of America. From: 464th Troop Carrier Wing (M), Pope AFB, NC. Date of report: 24 June 1958. Date of information: 20 June 1958. Evaluation: F-6 [Reliability Cannot Be Judged / Truth Cannot Be Judged]. Reference: AFR 200-2, 5 February 1958. Prepared by: R.J. MC GLYNN, Capt., Wing Intelligence Officer [see redaction flag]. Source: SFC [REDACTED], Hq Co, 519th Military Intelligence Battalion, Fort Bragg, NC. Observer is Communications Chief of the 519th MI Btn. Part I Summary: "An Unidentified Flying Object was observed between 0405/Z and 0415/Z 21 June 1958. It appeared as a circular object of light silver color with a thin greenish haze surrounding the bottom of the object. It was at first motionless then moved at great speed on a course of 360 deg until it faded from sight. Weather at the time of the sighting was clear with good visibility. It appears at this time that a phenomenon occurred." Approved: RICHARD J. MC GLYNN, Captain, USAF, Wing Intelligence Officer. Part II Structured Data (AF Form 112 -- Part II): From: Hq 464th TRP CARR WG (M), Pope AFB, NC. a. (1) Circular (2) Size of a full moon (3) Light Silver (4) One (5) N/A (6) Lower section of object was surrounded by a thin greenish haze (7-9) None b. (1) Noticed object while observing the weather and the sky (2) 35 deg elevation, 010 deg azimuth [first obs] (3) 35 deg elevation, 360 deg azimuth [last obs] (4) At first observation the object was motionless then began slight oscillating motion and increased to great speed and disappeared on a steady 360 deg path. (5) Faded from sight (6) 10 minutes c. (1) Ground-Visual (2) None (3) N/A d. (1) 0405Z to 0415Z, 21 June 1958 (2) Night e. 35 deg 09 min N / 078 deg 59 min W; 1 mile north of U.S. Army hospital at Fort Bragg, NC. f. (1) N/A (2) SFC [REDACTED], Hq Co 519th Military Intelligence Battalion, Fort Bragg, NC, F-6. Observer is Communications Chief of the 519th MI Btn. g. (1) Clear and Calm (2) Surface calm; 6000 ft: 250/20kts WSW; 10000 ft: 250/20kts WSW; 16000 ft: 270/30kts W; 20000 ft: 280/30kts W; 30000 ft: 280/60kts W; 50000 ft: 270/45kts W; 80000 ft: Not Available. (3-6) None [Handwritten annotation]: "At that time, the moon was due north, just behind the horizon. It is possible due to some atmospheric conditions that it might present itself above the horizon; however, the high angle of elevation rules this out. It is told that although [the object was in sight for] ten minutes, no one else reported this." h-j. None k. Wing Intelligence Officer. It appears at this time that a phenomenon occurred. l. None 2. ATIC Follow-Up Request, Joint Message Form (DD Form 173), dated 27 June 1958, 1600. From: COMDR, ATIC. To: COMDR, 464TH TROOP CARRIER WING (M), POPE AFB, NC. Unclassified. Reference: AIIR/UFO-4-58 dated 24 Jun 58. Requests compliance with AFR 200-2, paras 5 and 17. Symbol: AFCIN-4E4. Coordination: AFCIN-4E4: [Miley] [possibly Henry Miley or Dr. J. Miley -- signature partially legible], 27 June 58. AFCIN-4E: Colonel Gilbert [signature], 6/30/58. Released by: MARY C. MARKEVICH, 1st Lt., USAF, Assistant Administrative Officer [see redaction flag]. Writer (typed): Sgt. Bolley/kno [typist identifier]. 3. Follow-Up Response Teletype. Message: DE RJESDF 5. M 111300Z. From: COMDR 464TH TCW (M). To: COMDR ATIC WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB. BT. Reference: AFCIN-4E4; message WDO-INT 7-W093. Transmitted: 11/1430Z JUL [11 July 1958, 1430Z]. Full text (key paragraphs): "PARAGRAPH FIVE (5) CLN THIS OFFICE CONTACTED DETATCHMENT TWO ZERO (20) CMM THIRD (3RD) WEATHER GROUP AND THE ONE NINE FOUR THREE (1943) AACS SQ WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS PD THE CONTROL TOWER AT GRANNIS MUNICIPAL AIRPORT CMM FAYETTEVILLE NC CMM WAS ALSO CONTACTED WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS PD PARAGRAPH ONE SEVEN (17) CLN THIS OFFICE RECEIVED THE REPORT THROUGH THE 464TH AIR POLICE SQ POPE AFB NC CMM AND SFC ARLIE PARSLEY WAS INTERVIEWED AT THE FIVE ONE NINE (519) MILITARY INTELLIGENCE BATTALION CMM FT BRAGG NC PD AN ON THE SPOT CHECK WAS CONDUCTED AFTER THE INTERVIEW. PD SFC ARLIE PARSLEY APPEARED TO BE A SERIOUS SOLDIER PD" REDACTION FLAG -- UNREDACTED NAMES: - SFC Arlie Parsley: the primary witness. Named twice in the follow-up teletype (11 July 1958) by full name and rank. Identified as Communications Chief, 519th Military Intelligence Battalion, Fort Bragg. This is an enlisted witness, not an officer in a reporting role. His name should be reviewed before public deployment. - Capt. Richard J. Mc Glynn, USAF: Wing Intelligence Officer, 464th Troop Carrier Wing (M); prepared, signed, and approved the AIIR. Official investigative capacity. - 1st Lt. Mary C. Markevich, USAF: Assistant Admin Officer; released the ATIC follow-up request. Official administrative capacity. - Colonel Gilbert (partial legibility): AFCIN-4E coordinator on the follow-up request. Official capacity. ================================================================ SEARCH INDEX TERMS ================================================================ Fort-Bragg North-Carolina Pope-AFB Fayetteville 1958 June night military SFC Staff-Sergeant 519th-MI-Battalion Military-Intelligence Communications 464th-Troop-Carrier-Wing Wing-Intelligence-Officer circular full-moon silver greenish-haze oscillating motionless rapid-departure north 360-degrees 35-elevation clear-calm winds-WSW radar-negative AACS control-tower lunar-hypothesis refraction mirage atmospheric unidentified light-reflection-of-some-sort single-witness no-corroboration serious-soldier on-the-spot-check AIIR-IR-UFO-4-58 AFCIN-4E4 F-6-evaluation ================================================================ ================================================================ CASE ANALYSIS -- Claude Sonnet 4.6 ================================================================ THE OFFICIAL CONCLUSION ----------------------- ATIC classified this UNIDENTIFIED in the absence of data sufficient to confirm any of the candidate explanations raised in Field 11. The AIIR evaluator (Capt. Mc Glynn, 464th Wing Intelligence) rated both source and information F-6 -- reliability and truth cannot be judged -- while still submitting a formal intelligence report and noting "it appears at this time that a phenomenon occurred." The candor of that summary is notable; he did not attempt to close the case with a convenient label. WHAT THE EVIDENCE SHOWS ----------------------- Shortly after midnight on June 21, 1958 (0405-0415Z, approximately 12:05 AM EDT local), SFC Arlie Parsley of the 519th Military Intelligence Battalion was outdoors at Fort Bragg observing weather conditions when he noticed a circular object to the north-northeast, at approximately 35 degrees elevation. The object was the apparent size of a full moon, light silver, with a thin greenish haze surrounding its lower section. It was initially motionless for some period, then began a slight oscillating motion, then accelerated to high speed on a due-north (360-degree) heading until it faded from sight. Total observation duration: ten minutes. Weather was clear and calm. Upper winds ran from the WSW at 20-60 knots depending on altitude -- blowing roughly opposite to the object's eventual departure direction. ATIC noted this as ruling out a wind-borne object. The follow-up investigation contacted the 3rd Weather Group (Detachment 20), the 1943rd AACS Squadron, and the Grannis Municipal Airport control tower at Fayetteville -- all returned negative results. No corroborating witnesses were found despite the ten-minute observation window on a major Army post. POINTS OF INTEREST / WHAT GIVES ME PAUSE ----------------------------------------- The AIIR officer noted that the moon was "due north, just behind the horizon" at the time of the sighting. The object appeared to the north-northeast at 35 degrees of elevation, described as circular and roughly moon-sized in apparent diameter. The obvious question is whether these are related. The reporting officer and the ATIC evaluator both addressed this: a 35-degree elevation above the horizon is far too high for the moon (or any refracted image of it) to account for the position of the object. Standard atmospheric refraction can raise an object's apparent position by at most a degree or two above the true horizon; 35 degrees is not achievable through atmospheric effects. The greenish haze around the lower section is the single most unusual reported feature and the one least susceptible to mundane explanation. Refraction artifacts, light reflections, and mirage effects don't selectively produce greenish halos on the lower portion of a perceived object. This detail, if accurate, distinguishes the report from standard misidentification of the moon, a planet, or a bright star. The behavior sequence -- motionless, then oscillation, then rapid directional departure at high speed -- describes something that changed its activity over the ten-minute period, which is harder to explain with atmospheric optics. Atmospheric phenomena don't accelerate on a compass heading and fade from sight directionally. SFC Parsley's position as Communications Chief of a Military Intelligence Battalion indicates technical familiarity. The subsequent on-the-spot check by the 464th Air Police and interview at the 519th MI Bn produced the assessment that he "appeared to be a serious soldier" -- a deliberate credibility endorsement from the investigating unit that could have been omitted. The absence of corroborating witnesses from Fort Bragg is the primary weakness of the case. Ten minutes is a long window for an object described as filling the apparent disk of the full moon to go unreported by others on a populated military installation. No explanation for this gap appears in the file. BOTTOM LINE ----------- The UNIDENTIFIED classification is appropriate. The moon- refraction hypothesis is specifically addressed and rejected by both the preparing officer and ATIC on geometric grounds. The wind direction rules out a weather-borne object. All radar and air traffic checks were negative. The greenish haze feature and the behavioral sequence (motionless, oscillation, rapid directed departure) are not accounted for by any candidate explanation raised in the record. What keeps this from being a more compelling case is the absence of any second witness. A circular object described as the size of the full moon, visible for ten minutes from Fort Bragg, should have attracted other observers. That it didn't introduces real uncertainty about the account's accuracy -- not about the observer's honesty, which the file does not question, but about the reliability of a single person's unaided nighttime estimate of object size, position, and behavior. ================================================================ https://glitchymatrix.com/bluebook/ GlitchyMatrix Project Blue Book Archive All 10,808 declassified USAF UFO case files, 1945-1969 ================================================================ ----------------------------------------------------------------