UFO Examines Weather Balloon

Date: January 22, 1951

Location: 50 miles eastsoutheast of Holloman AFB, NM

Captain Ernest W. Spradley of Aerial Photo Lab & Captain James E. Cocker of All Weather Flying Division both AMC, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, a General Mills Aeronautical lab project engineer Mr. McAleese and an airman, were flying in a C-47 heading eastsoutheast at about 11,000' and tracking a Project GOPHER plastic balloon at about 60,000' when they saw a bright star like object seemingly next to the pear shaped balloon or above and to the side.

As they approached and flew under the balloon they noticed the object descend to the balloon's level and grow larger in apparent size until about ¼ to ½ the 70' balloon, when it appeared to be round and flat like a dime, milky white or silvery in color with a clear outline.

Cocker & McAleese left the cockpit and went to the astrodome to observe the object.

After 3 minutes they saw the object separate from the balloon and head West at high speed, after about 1 minute it emitted a series of 3 bright flashes like photo flashes at 1 second intervals and disappeared from sight.