Intriguing UFO Cases From Project Blue Book - New York State

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Intriguing UFO Cases FromProject Blue Book - New York State

Investigations on Western New York UFO sightings released

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) – A host of files, gathered over a nearly 30-year-span starting in the 1940’s, were recently consolidated online in on one site. 

Project Blue Book, an Air Force project which cataloged investigations into civilian and military sightings of unidentified flying objects (UFO), was just declassified, and the files contain eight reports from western New York.

 

Although all reports from the area were dismissed due to astronomical reasons or insufficient data, one was dismissed based on the description of “Inversion Reflection.”

That 1959 Warsaw report dismissed a “reliable” civilian source who said they saw four red and white, bright, star-shaped lights appear the size of a half dollar. The civilian, who worked as a horse trainer, said two formed as a pair and the others scattered. The dismissal was given as atmospheric conditions, such as a “superior mirage.” They said they had indications that there was a sharp inversion at around 4,000 feet in the sky. 

Other reports just like that were investigated out of the Niagara Falls Air Base, or Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station.

 

Another Buffalo report was completely brushed off in January of 1966. The civilian sent in a report to Project Blue BOOK to report something they had never before seen. They listed witnesses and described — even drew the phenomenon they reported seeing — a bright light with a tail — heading from the west and moving east. They said they followed it for a time before it disappeared behind a cloud. They reported it being unique, and as bright as the reflection of the sun off a small object. Hector Quintanilla, the chief of Project Blue Book, sent this person a letter telling them they didn’t have sufficient evidence for evaluation.

In another report, a Buffalo civilian reported a UFO sighting, then later changed their minds. She said she saw a round, orange object the size of a basketball in the sky. After looking at it through binoculars, they said they saw a small crater emitting fiery gas from the bottom. When the Air Force followed up with her, she agreed with them when they told her they thought the object was simply Mars. 

That’s similar to this short report, which a Buffalo witness filled out. They originally said they saw a metallic, pear-shaped object in the sky. That report was dismissed as astronomical. The Air Force said the witness “concurred with the reporting officer that this sighting was Venus.”

One of the most detailed reports in western New York was when a fighter pilot in flight and civilians on the ground both saw a bright object in the sky. The fighter pilot said he saw a red and white object, which varied in brightness in the sky which forced him to take evasive action. He said he attempted to make radar contact but failed. His report corroborated with a civilian on the ground who said the object was there for well over a half hour, and before he knew it, it was gone. They reported the flight pattern and shapes of the object, which they say moved across western New York. The fighter pilot even said he gave chase to it. He drew a map of where he chased the object, which always seemed to be ahead of him, no matter what direction he was in. That sighting was ultimately dismissed as “Venus.”

PHOTOS | See photos and drawings from the original reports, many of which are over 50-years-old. 

A witness to a Buffalo UFO event in 1958 filled out a questionnaire about his sighting, in which he depicted a triangular shape which had a jet stream, and was colored orange and yellow. He said he eventually saw five objects over the course of an hour. Despite his details, the Air Force deemed this as insufficient data.

Another report claimed to have pictures of a UFO that they witnessed. This 1961 report from Buffalo was seen by military and civilians. They reported seeing white and blue-white objects which were the size of peas at an arms length. They said the objects had blinking red lights on each side and turned in a circular motion from left to right. They captured photos, and said the photos were unaided by unnatural light. They said the only thing in a clear sky was the UFO, which they attempted to zoom in on. The Air Force eventually determined the object was “Venus.”

The final, and potentially most well-known, report has multiple civilian sources and was seen by journalists in June of 1963 in Niagara Falls. The journalist eventually took the news article and witness reports to the Air Force to get an explanation. They said they saw multiple sightings over a span of hours. They saw objects which were large and bright during the evening. In the news report, they described it as a sight resembling the satellite Echo I, but much larger. They said thousands of witnesses saw the object, and FAA control tower operators witnessed the block, as well. The Air Force said it was a mix of astronomical and man-made equipment which people were seeing. They said one object was a very bright Jupiter and the other was satellite Echo I.

Project Blue Book was ordered to be terminated in 1969, and officially was dismissed in 1970. They said in reports that no UFO sightings ever proved to be a threat to national security.

These reports were compiled for an online archive at The Black Vault.

Western New York has recently flirted with its mysterious past. In East Aurora in 2014, a slew of signs depicting a UFO abducting livestock popped up.

Although East Aurora authorities and East Aurora Mayor said although the signs were funny, they said there was no immediate danger, and someone was playing a practical joke.