Oak Harbor: F-94s chase round gray object
Air Force pilots in three F-94 fighters and naval personnel observed a silent, round gray object at high speed and altitude west of Whidbey Island. Photos were taken during the 50-minute pursuit, later attributed to Venus by the Air Force.
Background
Event
On October 16, 1951 at 11:01, US Air Force pilots flying three F-94 fighters out of McChord AFB (today Joint Base Lewis-McChord), together with navy ground personnel, sighted a round, grey object. It moved silently at high speed and great altitude west of Naval Air Station Whidbey Island in Oak Harbor, Washington.
Witnesses and Pursuit
The pilots pursued the object for about 50 minutes before breaking off the chase. Navy ground observers confirmed the sighting. The fighters photographed the object during the sortie, which provides rare visual evidence.
Evidence and Explanation
Photographs from the F-94s show the object clearly. The Air Force later explained the observation as the planet Venus. Sources such as NICAP, Sparks (p. 118), Clark III (391–392), and Clark IV (436–437) document the case as a military UFO event supported by radar and photographs.