ACUFO-1944-12-27-RHINEVALLEY-1
In his report of January 30, 1945, to the Tactical Air Command of the U.S. Army Air Forces, the intelligence officer of the 415th Night Fighter Squadron, which was operating in Alsace and southwest Germany at that time, Fred Ringwald, had compiled observations by this unit of what were called "foo fighters", and indicated for this one:
"Night of 26-27 December 1944 - 'At 01:45 hrs. saw two yellow streaks of flame flying at same level at approximately 3000 ft. off port side. We also saw red balls of fire that stayed up for 10 seconds approximately 45 miles away. After seeing yellow streaks, made starboard vector lost altitude and streaks disappeared from view. Called GCI Blunder and asked if any E/A were in vicinity. They answered No. Instructed to return to Angels 10. We felt what was thought to be prop wash; very distinct. Noticed several groups of lights off port while patrolling in vicinity of Q-9050 and R-1556. Lights made distinct lines somewhat like arrows.'"
Ringwald pointed out that in all the cases he listed where the pilot called the ground radar station and asked whether there was an aircraft detected in the area, he received a negative answer.
| Date: | December 27, 1944 |
|---|---|
| Time: | 01:45 a.m. |
| Duration: | ? |
| First known report date: | January 30, 1945 |
| Reporting delay: | Hours, weeks. |
| Country: | France or Germany |
|---|---|
| State/Department: | |
| City or place: | In the Rhine Valley. |
| Number of alleged witnesses: | 1 or 2 |
|---|---|
| Number of known witnesses: | 1 or 2 |
| Number of named witnesses: | 0 |
| Reporting channel: | Military summary report. |
|---|---|
| Visibility conditions: | Night. |
| UFO observed: | Yes. |
| UFO arrival observed: | ? |
| UFO departure observed: | ? |
| UFO action: | Appeared. |
| Witnesses action: | |
| Photographs: | No. |
| Sketch(s) by witness(es): | No. |
| Sketch(es) approved by witness(es): | No. |
| Witness(es) feelings: | ? |
| Witnesses interpretation: | ? |
| Sensors: |
[X] Visual: 1 or 2.
[ ] Airborne radar: ? [ ] Directional ground radar: Negative. [ ] Height finder ground radar: [ ] Photo: [ ] Film/video: [ ] EM Effects: [ ] Failures: [ ] Damages: |
|---|---|
| Hynek: | NL |
| Armed / unarmed: | Armed, machine guns and 20 mm cannons. |
| Reliability 1-3: | 3 |
| Strangeness 1-3: | 3 |
| ACUFO: | Unidentified, possible extraterrestrial craft. |
[Ref. rwd1:] FRED B. RINGWALD, INTELLIGENCE, U.S. ARMY AIR FORCES:
Note: the document that follows was retrieved by Jan Aldrich's historical ufology effort Project 1947, at www.project1947.com/fig/1945a.htm
Only the header, the footer and the part related to the case documented in this file are shown.
Only other cases are removed, as they are shown in their own case file in this catalog.
|
S E C R E T
1st W/Ind
D-W-2
HEADQUARTERS XII TACTICAL AIR COMMAND, APO #374, U.S. Army, 23 January 1945.
TO: S-2, 415 Night Fighter Squadron.
Forwarded for compliance with paragraph 2 of 1st Ind.
[Signature]
LEAVITT CORNING, JR,.
Lt. Colonel, G.S.C,.
A/C of S, A-2.
2nd W/Ind
415th. NIGHT FIGHTER SQUADRON, APO #374, U. S. Army, 30 January 1945.
TO: AC of S A-2. XII Tactical Air Command, APO 374, U. S. Army.
1. In compliance with paragraph 2 of 1st. Ind., the following extracts from the Sortie reports of various pilots who have encountered the Night Phenomenon are submitted for your information.
[... other cases...]
|
[... other cases...]
Night of 26-27 December 1944 - "At 01:45 hrs. saw two yellow streaks of flame flying at same level at approximately 3000 ft. off port side. We also saw red balls of fire that stayed up for 10 seconds approximately 45 miles away. After seeing yellow streaks, made starboard vector lost altitude and streaks disappeared from view. Called GCI Blunder and asked if any E/A were in vicinity. They answered No. Instructed to return to Angels 10. We felt what was thought to be prop wash; very distinct. Noticed several groups of lights off port while patrolling in vicinity of Q-9050 and R-1556. Lights made distinct lines somewhat like arrows."
[... other cases...]
|
2. In every case where pilot called GCI Control and asked if there was a Bogey A/C in the area he received a negative answer.
[Signature.]
F. B. Ringwald
Captain, A.C.
Intelligence Officer
* Foofighters is the name given these phenomenon by combat crews of this Squadron.
S E C R E T
[Ref. jcn1:] JO CHAMBERLIN:
The first real clue came with the last appearance of the exasperating and potentially deadly lights. They never kept 415th from fulfilling its missions, but they certainly were unnerving. The last time the foo-fighters appeared, the pilot turned into them at the earliest possible moment - and the lights disappeared. The pilot was sure that he felt prop wash, but when he checked with ground radar, there was no other airplane.
The pilot continued on his way, perturbed, even angry - when he noticed lights far to the rear. The night was clear and the pilot was approaching a huge cloud. Once in the cloud, he dropped down two thousand feet and made a 30 degree left turn. Just a few seconds later be emerged from the cloud - with his eye peeled to rear. Sure enough, coming out of the cloud in the same relative position was the foo-fighter, as though to thumb its nose at the pilot, and then disappear.
This was the last time the foo-fighters were seen in Germany, although it would have seemed fitting, if the lights had made one last gesture, grouping themselves so as to spell "Guess What" in the sky, and vanishing forever.
But they didn't.
>[Ref. hws1:] HAROLD T. WILKINS:
During the closing months of the war our fighters chased weird colored balls of fire that suddenly disappeared.
By Harold T. Wilkins
[...]
On another occasion, when the queer formation of foo fighters got on the tail of a U.S. night fighter of 415th squadron, the perplexed and exasperated pilot swung his craft around and headed for them at top speed! As he came, the lights vanished into thin air. They simply were no longer there.
Note what this pilot reported:
"As I passed where they had been I'll swear I felt the propeller backwash of invisible planes!”
Came the reply from a derisive ground radar station:
"Are you fellows all plum loco? You must be crazy! You're up there all alone!”
The puzzled pilot flew on and, glancing back, was now startled to see that the balls had reappeared about half a mile astern of his plane. He thought to himself: "I'll show these spook planes a trick!” The night was starry but, near the zenith, was a bank of cumulus cloud. He headed his plane at top speed right into the mass of cloud. Then he throttled back and glided down for about 1,800 feet. He turned the machine around and headed back from the cloud the way he had entered it, but on a much lower level. Sure enough, the balls had been caught napping! They emerged from the cloud ahead but now on a course opposite to his own!
[...]
[Ref. kap1:] KENNETH ARNOLD AND RAY PALMER:
On another occasion [in 1944-1945], when the queer formation of foo fighters got on the tail of a U.S. night fighter of 415th squadron, the perplexed and exasperated pilot swung his craft around and headed for them at top speed! As he came, the lights vanished into thin air. They simply were no longer there.
Note what this pilot reported:
"As I passed where they had been I'll swear I felt the propeller backwash of invisible planes!"
Came the reply from a derisive ground radar station: "Are you fellows all loco? You must be crazy! You're up there all alone!"
The puzzled pilot flew on and, glancing back, was now startled to see that the balls had reappeared about half a mile astern of his plane. He thought to himself: "I'll show these spook planes a trick!" The night was starry but, near the zenith, was a bank of cumulus cloud. He headed his plane at top speed right into the mass of cloud. Then he throttled back and glided down for about 1,800 feet. He turned the machine around and headed back from the cloud the way he had entered it, but on a much lower level. Sure enough, the balls had been caught napping! They emerged from the cloud ahead but now on a course opposite to his own!
[Ref. vgs1:] VINCENT H. GADDIS:
This author, writing about 1944-1945 Foo Fighters reported by 415th NFS, indicated:
On another occasion when several of the globes were following a plane, the pilot circled around and headed for them at top speed. The lights vanished. The pilot was certain that he felt prop wash, but ground radar reported that no other object was near him. As he continued on his mission, he noticed the lights again trailing him. He entered a cloud, dropped down 2,000 feet and made a 30-degree left turn. As he emerged from the cloud, he glanced back. Coming out of the cloud in the same relative position were the lights, as though thumbing their noses at the pilot. Seconds later they again disappeared.
Obviously no simple explanation solves the mystery of the foo fighters. Flares do not dive, peel off, and turn. Weather balloons ascend almost vertically and do not pursue planes. There was no correlation between the lights and flak, and night flak was usually directed by radar, not visually. Since they didn't appear on radar, they could not have been jamming devices. The pilots were well acquainted wi1h the phenomenon of St. Elmo's fire. If the purpose of the balls was to confuse or frighten pilots, they did not succeed. Once they were found to be harmless, the men of the 415th Squadron regarded them humorously.
[Ref. gld1:] GORDON LORE AND HAROLD DENEAULT:
Another pilot who saw the objects in January angled sharply into them. He said he felt "prop wash" as he zoomed past the "foo-fighters." Ground radar told him there were no other aircraft in the vicinity. He steered straight for a large cloud, determined to lose the UFOs.
Dropping down 2,000 feet, he made a 30 degree turn and emerged from the cloud seconds later. Behind him and in the same relative position followed the "foo-fighters." The lights stalked the plane for a short distance, then disappeared.
[Ref. jcf1:] JEROME CLARK AND LUCIUS FARISH:
Foo fighters continued to plague the 415th all through January 1945. Usually the lights, colored orange, red, or white, would tail the aircraft for a few moments before streaking away. The ghostly objects never showed up on radar, but the veteran crews discounted theories that the glowing globes were reflections, St. Elmo's fire, or flares, all of which they had observed many and would have easily recognized. One pilot even insisted that he had felt prop wash as the foos zipped passed him.
[Ref. lhh1:] LARRY HATCH:
525: 1945/01/12 13:00 200 8:00:00 E 50:00:00 N 3311 WEU GER RHP 6:8
RHINE VLY,GERM:J.THOMPSON/P51:4-5 SLVRY FOOTBALL SHAPES:a common sight
Ref#171 ALDRICH,Jan: PROJECT 1947 (research) Page No. 0 : IN-FLIGHT
[Ref. jck1:] JEROME CLARK:
The author recalls that between November 1944 and January 1945, members of the 415th Night Fighter Squadron had repeated sightings over the Rhine Valley. Lights, usually orange, white, or red, appearing alone or in pairs, paced interceptor aircraft, always at night. The lights or objects, which the pilots thought were intelligently controlled, performed fast-moving maneuvers and seemed to respond to the pilots' actions.
The author says that in one instance, a pilot seeing the objects headed right toward them, hoping for a clear look. As he passed them, he experienced what he thought was "prop wash," though ground radar personnel insisted there were no other aircraft on the screen.
Regretting his bold decision to approach them, the pilot decided he needed to remove himself from the situation; he flew into a big cloud, then descended 2,000 feet and executed a 30-degree turn. He looked behind him, and the foo fighters were still there to his rear. They followed him for a short while before vanishing.
[Ref. dwn2:] DOMINIQUE WEINSTEIN:
At 1 h05, the crew of the 415th NFS observed saw two yellow streaks of flame flying at the same altitude (3,000 feet) off their port side. They also saw "red balls of fire" that stayed up for ten seconds, approximately 45 miles away. Responding to the yellow streaks, the pilot turned starboard and dropped in altitude, but the yellow streaks "disappeared from view. Requested by the pilot, GCI Blunder answered that they had no enemy aircraft on their screen in that area. The crew was instructed to return to "Angels 1 0". They felt was thought to be prop wash; very distinct. They noticed also several groups of lights off port while patrolling in vicinity of Q-9050 and R-1556. Lights made "distinct lines somewhat like arrows".
Sources: USAAF, 64th Fighter Wing, Mission report of 415111 FS squadron, December 26/27 1944 / USAAF, Report from Captain F.B. Ringwald, Intelligence Officer, 415111 Night Fighter Squadron, To A/C of S,A-2 XII Tactical Air Command, January 30, 1945, NARA I Strange Company, Keith Chester, 2007
(Ref. nip1:) "THE NICAP WEBSITE":
(1944) Dec. 26/27, 1944; Germany
Multiple sightings: red balls of fire; two yellow streaks of flame & disappeared from view; the crew thought they felt prop wash; a group of lights that made distinct lines, somewhat like arrows; row of vertical white lights. (Page 103,131 Ref.1)
The reference 1 is described at the end of the document as "Strange Company (2007), Keith Chester".
[Ref. tai1:] "THINK ABOUT IT" WEBSITE:
Date: Dec. 17, 1944
Location: Breisach, Germany
Time:
Summary: 5 or 6 flashing red and green lights in T-shape.
Source:
The Bristol Type 156 "Beaufighter", nicknamed "Beau", was a British multi-role aircraft developed during WWI. It was originally conceived as a heavy fighter variant of the Bristol Beaufort torpedo bomber; it proved to be an effective night fighter, which came into service with the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Battle of Britain.
Originally, armament consisted of four 20mm cannons and six 0.303-in machine-guns but many variants were built; for example, versions had the ability to additionally carry eight rocket projectiles, some had a Vickers 'K' gun, Beaufighter TF.Mk X was used for anti-shipping operations.
The Beaufighter Mk VIF was fitted with the Mark VIII radar.
Below: Beaufighter Mk VIF of the 415th Night Fighter Squadron.
|
The Beaufighters served with the U.S. Army Air Force until the end of the war, but most were replaced by the P-61 "Black Widow" beginning on March 20, 1945.
|
The events in the report are complex and not easily explainable in prosaic manner. The "two yellow streaks of flame" could have been V-2 rockets, but they were "flying at same level" than the aircraft.
The "prop wash is very odd, especially as the report said it was "very distinct". The "several groups of lights off port" that "made distinct lines somewhat like arrows" are also weird.
Unidentified, possible extraterrestrial craft.
* = Source is available to me.
? = Source I am told about but could not get so far. Help needed.
| Main author: | Patrick Gross |
|---|---|
| Contributors: | None |
| Reviewers: | None |
| Editor: | Patrick Gross |
| Version: | Create/changed by: | Date: | Description: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1 | Patrick Gross | April 24, 2024 | Creation, [rwd1], [jcn1], [hws1], [kap1], [vgs1], [gld1], [jcf1], [lhh1], [jck1], [dwn2], [nip1], [tai1]. |
| 1.0 | Patrick Gross | April 24, 2024 | First published. |
