DOW-UAP-D181, Unresolved UAP Report, Catalina Island, 1949
WAR.gov / Department of War PURSUE Release 07
A U.S. Air Force Project 10073 record card, a routing slip from May 1949 and a handwritten letter concerning a civilian report of six objects over Catalina Island, California, on April 28, 1949.
Document Highlights
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Short overview
A U.S. Air Force Project 10073 record card, a routing slip from May 1949 and a handwritten letter concerning a civilian report of six objects over Catalina Island, California, on April 28, 1949.
Why this is interesting
The record card summarizes the report in a few words: a civilian ground observer sighted six objects, each of which flew by alone; neither the length of the observation nor the course is recorded, and there were no photos or physical evidence. The Air Force’s conclusion on the card is “insufficient data for evaluation”, and the same note appears on the handwritten letter. The routing slip that went with it carries dates from May 1949. The file is an example of how sparse early reports were closed without an assessment of what was seen.
Background
This file contains correspondence from Mr. Percy Wackey of Avalon, California to Mr. Kenneth Arnold of Boise, Idaho. Mr. Wackey relayed that his wife and another individual reported observing six objects over Catalina Island on the night of April 28, 1949. A handwritten annotation and contemporary documentation associated with the letter indicate a conclusion by the U.S. Air Force that the incident lacked sufficient data for evaluation.