Cigar Shaped Metallic Craft
AESS guard J.H. Collins in Tower #14 W of K-25 Gaseous Diffusion Plant, ORNL, at about 700' to 800' mean sea level, saw a 20' square object, white/grey but not shiny, like a piece of canvas with no markings, to the north-northwest about 300' above ridge about 1 mile away, Blackoak Ridge, height about 1,000' to 1,100' MSL, fly vertically into the clouds at about 6,000 ft MSL and back again 300' above ridge, taking 30 to 40 seconds each time traveling at constant speed like that of conventional aircraft, roughly 100 mph at about 4,600' in 30 to 40 seconds.
On second rise object climbed at 45º angle to the left and into the clouds then emerged out of the clouds diving straight down to 300' above ridge. Object circled slowly as it rose a third time at a 20º angle into the clouds again finally disappearing. Always kept broadside to witness. No sound or smoke. Report mistakenly treated as ground intrusion, thus GCI radar not alerted until 10:02 a.m., and F-47 fighters dispatched found nothing.
On July 16, 2003, a note was received stating:
Excerpt from Historical Data of 30th Air Division Defens), Eastern Air Defense Force, Selfridge Air Force Base, Michigan for October to December 1951,
Page 32 under the Unusual Flying Objects: A civilian guard, AESS on duty at Oak Ridge, Tennessee reported sighting an airborne object on December 7, 1951 at 8:15 a.m. EST. Traveling at a constant speed, equivalent to conventional aircraft, the object was described as square, approximately 20' wide, grey/white in color, with no markings. The observer, age 40, is described by his employer as honest and conscientious, and is held in high respect by his employer. Two F-47's were unsuccessful in an attempt at interception.