ACUFO:

ACUFO is my comprehensive catalog of cases of encounters between aircraft and UFOs, whether they are “explained” or “unexplained”.

The ACUFO catalog is made of case files with a case number, summary, quantitative information (date, location, number of witnesses...), classifications, all sources mentioning the case with their references, a discussion of the case in order to evaluate its causes, and a history of the changes made to the file.

◀ Previous case Next case ▶

Grand Canyon, Arizona, USA, on June 30, 1947:

Case number:

ACUFO-1947-06-30-GRANDCANYON-1

Summary:

Official US documents declassified in the 1970's and again in 2026 indicate that on July 1, 1947, Lt. William G. McGinty, US Navy, 195803, residing at Point Hugo, Port Hueneme, California, Lockheed P-80 student pilot based at Williams Field, Chandler, Arizona, was interviewed by Lynn C. Aldrich, Special Agent of the Counter Intelligence Corp of the U.S. Army Air Forces, about his encounter with unidentified flying objects (this expression was already in use in 1947).

McGinty stated that on 30 June 1947, at about 09:10 MST, he was flying at 25,000 feet over Grand Canyon, Arizona, in a P-80 aircraft. He stated that he was heading south towards Williams Field, Arizona, when he saw two round objects going at inconceivable speeds, straight down. He further stated that his reactions were to turn away from the objects. He further stated that one of the unidentified objects followed the other seconds apart. He further stated that due to the speed of the objects, he could only see that they were circular, and that they were possible light gray in color. He stated that it was his opinion that the objects were approximately 8 feet in diameter, and stated that the objects would have probably hit the ground approximately 25 miles south of the South Rim of Grand Canyon, Arizona.

The sighting was later included in the file of the new "Project Grudge", between July 7, 1950, and October 22, 1951. This Air Force Project reviewed previously recorded cases in order to give them ordinary explanations.

Project Grudge commented that while "it seems more probable that the objects sighted in this incident were freely-falling, man-made instruments, perhaps from burst instrument balloons, the possibility of their being free-falling meteorites is not completely ruled out."

And: "When the mass of an in-coming meteorite is in the proper order of magnitude, the meteor can come in on a non-vertical path, become a bright bolide, or fireball, and have its horizontal speed component reduced essentially to zero. It then falls to earth as a non-luminous, free falling body."

In his 1967 "Report on the UFO Wave of 1947", US ufologist Ted Bloecher indicated that on June 30, 1947, "near the south rim of the Grand Canyon, Arizona, Lt. William McGinty saw two objects plunge straight down to the ground."

In 1969, French ufologist, indicating his source is the Air Force's Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC, to which Project Grudge was attached), nevertheless included this sighting, as if it had no explanation, in his famous catalogue of "UFO landings".

Other ufology sources later published summaries of the case, without the explanation(s) put forth by Project Grudge.

Data:

Temporal data:

Date:	June 30, 1947
Time:	09:10 a.m.
Duration:	?
First known report date:	July 1, 1947
Reporting delay:	Hours, 1 day.

Geographical data:

Country:	USA
State/Department:	Arizona
City or place:	Grand Canyon

Witnesses data:

Number of alleged witnesses:	1
Number of known witnesses:	1
Number of named witnesses:	1

Ufology data:

Reporting channel:	US Army Air Forces.
Visibility conditions:	Day.
UFO observed:	Yes.
UFO arrival observed:	?
UFO departure observed:	Yes.
UFO action:	Free-fall.
Witnesses action:	Observed, evasive action.
Photographs:	No.
Sketch(s) by witness(es):	No.
Sketch(es) approved by witness(es):	No.
Witness(es) feelings:	?
Witnesses interpretation:	?

Classifications:

Sensors:	[X] Visual: 1. [ ] Airborne radar: N/A. [ ] Directional ground radar: [ ] Height finder ground radar: [ ] Photo: [ ] Film/video: [ ] EM Effects: [ ] Failures: [ ] Damages:
Hynek:	DD
Armed / unarmed:	Probably unarmed.
Reliability 1-3:	3
Strangeness 1-3:	2
ACUFO:	Possible meteorites fall.

Sources:

[Ref. cic1:] C.I.C. - U.S. ARMY AIR FORCE:

CONFIDENTIAL

UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS
WILLIAMS FIELD, CHANDLER,
ARIZONA.

7 July 1947

MEMORANDUM FOR THE OFFICER IN CHARGE:

1. On 1 July 1947, Lt William G. McGinty, USN, 195803, P-80 Student, Williams Field, Chandler, Arizona, was interviewed by this Agent, and stated in substance: That on 30 June 1947, at about 0910, MST, he was flying at 25,000 feet over Grand Canyon, Arizona, in a P-80 type aircraft. He stated that he was heading south towards Williams Field, Arizona, when he saw two round objects going at inconceivable speeds, straight down. He further stated that his reactions were to turn away from the objects. He further stated that one of the unidentified objects followed the other seconds apart. He further stated that due to the speed of the objects, he could only see that they were circular, and that they were possible light gray in color. He further stated that it was his opinion that the objects were approximately eight feet in diameter. In conclusion, he stated that the objects would have probably hit the ground approximately twenty-five miles south of the South Rim of Grand Canyon, Arizona.

AGENT'S NOTES: Lt McGinty gave his permanent address as: N.A.M.T.C., Point Hugo, Port Hueneme, Calif.

2. On 1 July 1947, Captain Malcolm G. Armstrong, 0-734168, Instructor, Single Engine, Williams Field, Chandler, Arizona, was interviewed by this Agent and stated in substance: That his brother, Lt. B. Armstrong, stationed at HQ, 10th AAF, Brooks AAF, Texas had related to him that he saw a formation of unexplainable objects in the vicinity of Lake Mead, Nev. Captain Armstrong, further stated that his brother stated the objects were heading south, and were at approximately 10,000 feet altitude.

AGENT'S NOTES: Captain Armstrong could not give too much information on the objects that his brother had seen. Lt Lt. B. Armstrong can be contacted at HQ, 10th AAF, Brooks Field, Texas for further information.

Lynn C. Aldrich, Special Agent, CIC-AAF, FDTC

THIS IS A TRUE COPY

JOHN K. ORR, Major

[Ref. aaf1:] 4TH AIR FORCE - U.S. ARMY AIR FORCE:

COVERING
CI-B1

CONFIDENTIAL

[...] FOURTH AIR FORCE
Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff, A-2
Hamilton Field, California

TITLE Flying Discs

FILE No. D333.5 ID (4AF-1208-I)

INVESTIGATION MADE AT Palm Springs, Calif., Boise, Idaho, and Hamilton Field, California

DATE 18 July 1947

CONTROLLING OFFICE Air Defense Command
CASE CLASSIFICATION Incident
STATUS OF CASE Pending

REASON FOR INVESTIGATION:

Investigation initiated at the request of Headquarters Air Defense Command
reference letter Headquarters Air Defence Command, dated 7 July 1947, File D333.5 ID,
subject: Investigation fo Flying Discs.

SYNOPSIS:

Flying Discs first reported in this area 24 June 1947 near Mt. Rainier, Wash., by Kenneth Arnold (Incl 1, Exhibit A)

Unidentified object reported 9 July 1947 at approximately 1277 near Boise, Idaho, by David N. Johnson, Aviation Editor, Idaho Daily statesman (Incl 2, Exhibit B)

Unidentified objects reported by Cap. E. J. Smith, United Air Lines Pilot, 4 July 1947, eight minutes out of Boise, Idaho (Incl 3 MOIC, Incl 7 News Clippings dated 5 July 1947)

Record check of law enforcement agencies, public utilities, and local residences revealed no record of Richard Rankin in Palm Springs. (Incl 4)

Unidentified objects reported 8 July 1947 at 1245, traveling northeast over Hamilton field by S/Sgt Edward H. Baker, (Incl 5, Exhibit I)

Unidentified objects reported over Grand Canyon, Arizona 0910 MST by Lt. W. G. McGinty, USN (Incl 6) and in vicinity of Lake Mead by Lt. E. B. Armstrong, Hq Tenth Air force, Brook Field, Texas (Incl 6).

Extent of publicity in local area indicated by press clippings, (Incl. 7)

Distribution AAF
Copies 2
AD 1
4AF Files 1

APPROVED:
DONALD L. SPRINGER
Lt. Colonel, GSC
AC of S. A-2

[Ref. aaf2:] NEW PROJECT GRUDGE - U.S. ARMY AIR FORCE:

PROJECT 10073 RECORD

1. DATE - TOME GROUP: 30 Jun 47
2. LOCATION: Williams AFB, Arizona
3. SOURCE: Military
4. NUMBER OF OBJECTS: Two
5. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION: Not reported
6. TYPE OF OBSERVATION: Ground-Visual [!]
7. COURSE: Straight down
8. PHOTOS: No
9. PHYSICAL EVIDENCE: No
10. CONCLUSION: Probably METEOR
11. BRIEF SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS: Observer sighted two round objects heading straight down. They were light grey traveling at a very high rate of speed.

("Project 10073" was the code for the reactivated Project Grudge, between July 7, 1950, and October 22, 1951.)

On 30 June 1947 at about 0910 MST [-], pilot was flying at 20,000 feet over Grand Canyon, Arizona, heading south towards Williams Field, Arizona, when he saw 2 round objects going at inconceivable speeds straight down. One of the unidentifie objects followed the other [?] apart. Due to their speed he could not see only that they were circular and possibly light grey in color.

In his opinion the objects were approximately 6 feet in diameter. He estimated that the objects would have possibly hit the ground approximately 25 miles north of the south Rim of Grand Canyon, Ariz.

AGENT'S NOTES: [-] gave his permanent address as: M-A.M.T.C.., Point Bugs, Port B[-], Calif.

CHECK-LIST - UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS

Incident # 78

1. Date: 30 June 1947
2. Time: 0910 MST
3. Location: Near Williams Field over Grand Canyon, Arizona
4. Name of observer: Lt. [], USN
5. Occupation of observer: P-80 student, Williams Fld. Chandler, Ariz.
6. Place of observation: plane
8. Number of objects: 2
9. Distance of objects from observer: N/A
10. Time in sight: N/S
11. Altitude: descending from 25.000 ft
12. Speed: "inconceivable"
13. Direction of flight: straight down
14. Tactics: N/S
15. Sound: N/S
16. Size: 6 ft in dia.
17. color: Light grey
18. Shape: circular
19. Odor detected: N/S
20. Apparent construction: N/S
21. Exhaust trail: N/S
22. Weather conditions: N/S
23. Effect on clouds: N/S
24. Sketches or photographs: none
25. Manner of disappearance: Seemed to have hit the ground some 25 miles [?] the South Rim of Granc Canyon, Arizona
26. Remarks: (over)

Incident #78 -- Grand Canyon, Arizona -- 30 June 1947

While it seems more probable that the objects sighted in this incident were freely-falling, man-made instruments, perhaps from bursted instrument balloons, the possibility of their being free-falling meteorites is not completely ruled out.

When the mass of an in-coming meteorite is in the proper order of magnitude, the meteor can come in on a non-vertical path, become a bright bolide,or fireball, and have its horizontal speed component reduced essentially to zero. It then falls to earth as a non-luminous, free falling body.

[Ref. tbr1:] TED BLOECHER:

Ted Bloecher indicated that on June 30, 1947, near the south rim of the Grand Canyon, Arizona, Lt. William McGinty saw two objects plunge straight down to the ground.

[Ref. jve1:] JACQUES VALLEE:

59
June 30, 1947
0910

Grand Canyon, near Williams Field (Arizona). A Navy lieutenant was flying at 9000 m toward the south when he saw two circular objects diving at "unconceivable" speed. They were gray, about 3 m in diameter, and appeared to land 40 km south of the Grand Canyon. (Atic)

[Ref. bme1:] BRUCE MACCABEE:

Date	Place	Local Time	Brief Description
6/30/47	Grand Canyon	0910	Lt. McGinty in aircraft reported two round grey objects traveling straight down.

Bruce Maccabee noted that this case is found in the Project Blue Book listing ("Table of Contents") preserved in the U.S. National Archives.

[Ref. bme2:] BRUCE MACCABEE:

6/30/47 - Grand Canyon - 0910 - Lt McGinty in aircraft reported two round grey objects traveling straight down.

[Ref. dwn1:] DOMINIQUE WEINSTEIN:

French ufologist Dominique Weinstein compiled a catalog of the cases of UFOs observed from aircraft. This case appears in the February 2001 (6th edition) of his catalogue as:

DATE	47.06.30
TIME
COUNTRY	USA
PLACE	near the south rim of Grand Canyon, Arizona
	M
TYPE OF PLANE AND WITNESSES	a US Navy P-80 pilot
UFO DESCRIPTION	2 grey circular objects (diameter: 30 meters) flying straight down
Radar
G
X
E
SOURCES	A26.6/365 03

The sources "A26.6/365 03" are referenced at the end of the catalog as:

APRO Bulletin (Aerial Phenomena Research Organisation - USA) [Vol. 26, No. 6]

report on the UFO wave of 1947, Ted Bloecher

Project 1947 Reports, newsclippings and documents (cases from Jan Aldrich and Barry Greenwood)

[Ref. fre1:] FRANCIS RIDGE - THE NICAP WEBSITE:

June 30, 1947; Near S rim of Grand Canyon, Ariz. (BBU) [= "Blue Book Unkown"]

9:10 a.m. (MST?). Navy Lt. William G. McGinty flying P-80 from Williams AAF at 30,000 ft heading S saw 2 gray, circular objects about 8 or 10 ft diameter, diving at "unconceivable" speed from about 25,000 ft, which appeared to land 25 miles S of the Grand Canyon. (Vallée Magonia 59; cf. Project 1947; FOIA; FUFOR Index; Bloecher 1967)

[Ref. nip1:] "THE NICAP WEBSITE":

June 30, 1947; Near S rim of Grand Canyon, Ariz. (BBU)

Preliminary Rating: 5

AVCAT is a special project being conducted by NICAP, with the help and cooperation of the original compiler of AIRCAT, Dr. Richard Haines, and other sources, to create a comprehensive listing of sightings from aircraft with detailed documentation from these sources, including Projects SIGN, GRUDGE & BLUE BOOK.

P-80 Pilot Sees Circular Objects Dive & Land

June 30, 1947

Nr. rim of Grand Canyon, Arizona

9:10 a.m. MST
Duration N/s
P-80 aircraft
United States
Military
1 observer
No EMI
No radar contact

Brad Sparks:

June 30, 1947; Nr. rim of Grand Canyon, Arizona (BBU)

Detailed reports and documents
reports/470630grandcanyon_report.htm (Dan Wilson) [Contains [aaf2]]

[Ref. bss1:] BRAD SPARKS:

This US ufologist indicated that on June 30, 1947, at 9:10 a.m. - mabye MST time - Navy Lt. William G. - or C. - McGinty flying a P-80 from Williams AAF at 30,000 feet and heading south saw two gray circular objects about 8 or 10 ft diameter, diving at "unconceivable" speed from about 25,000 feet. The objects appeared to land 25 miles south of the Grand Canyon.

The sources are indicated as "Sparks; Vallée Magonia 59; cf. Project 1947; FOIA; Saunders/FUFOR Index; Bloecher 1967; FBI files".

[Ref. get1:] GEORGE M. EBERHART:

June 30 [1947] - 9:10 a.m. Naval Lt. William G. McGinty is flying a P-80 from Williams AFB (now Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport), Arizona, near the Grand Canyon when he observes two circular objects diving at inconceivable speed and landing 25 miles south of the canyon. (NICAP, "P-80 Pilot Sees Circular Objects Dive and Land"; Bloecher, p. II-12; Sparks, p. 18)

[Ref. wia1:] "WIKIPEDIA" (EN):

Table of Reports, Jun 25 - Jul 21

Report publish date	Location	Date of claimed sighting	Names	Notes	Bloecher #
	Williams Air Base, Arizona	Jun 30	Lt William G McGinty (147)		#115

The source is indicated as "USAF Files".

Aircraft information:

The Lockheed P-80 "Shooting Star" (photo below), introduced into service in 1945, was the second jet fighter aircraft designed by the United States, the first being the Bell P-59 "Airacomet", and it was the first capable of exceeding 800 km/h in level flight.

Discussion:

Project Grudge proposed several ordinary explanations; they are not "proven" but why should they be ignored, when they are plausible? It is true that Project Grudge explanations were sometimes far-fetched; but in other cases they just made sense, or at least some sense.

It may seem odd that a meteor would appear as a falling dark gray object; but it is correct that this happens, though very rarely, On example is a 1857 case in the region, later reinterpreted as a UFO sighting report.

So this case can be explained by two falling fragments of a meteor, ie, two meteorites falling to the groud.

The cons are that the corresponding meteor was apparently not reported, and that a two meteorites falls sighting would be even rare even rarer than one.

Evaluation:

Possible meteorites fall.

Sources references:

* = Source is available to me.
? = Source I am told about but could not get so far. Help needed.

[cic1] * Memorandum by Lynn C. Aldrich, Special Agent, Counter Intelligence Corps (CIC), U.S. Army Air Forces, July 7, 1947.
[aaf1] * "Flying Discs", A-2 (Air Intelligence), Hamilton Field, U.S. Air Force, July 18, 1947.
[aaf2] * Case file #78 of "Project Grudge" Air Force UFO investigation, 1950 - 1951, US Air Force, at the National Archive and Records Administration (NARA), Washington D.C., USA.
[tbr1] * "Report on the UFO Wave of 1947", compiled by Ted Bloecher, USA, 1967, updated 2005 by NICAP.
[jve1] * "Passport to Magonia: From Folklore to Flying Saucers", book by Jacques Vallée, Tandem Books publishers, USA, page 191, 1969.
[bme1] * 1947 sightings list in "UFO Related Information from the FBI Files: Part 3", article by Bruce S. Maccabee, MUFON State Director for Maryland, in the ufology bulletin MUFON UFO Journal, Mutual UFO Network, USA, No. 121, page 12, December 1977.
[bme2] * "UFO Related Information from the FBI Flle", article by Dr. Bruce S. Maccabee, in the ufology bulletin APRO Bulletin, of the ufology group Aerial Phenomena Research Organisation (APRO), USA, Volume 26, No. 6, page 8, December 1977.
[dwn1] * "Unidentified Aerial Phenomena - Eighty years of pilot sightings - Catalog of Military, Airliner, Private Pilots' Sightings from 1916 to 2000", catalog compiled by Dominique F. Weinstein, NARCAP International Technical Advisor, France, 6th edition, February 2001.
[fre1] * "The 1947 UFO Sighting Wave - A Comprehensive Chronological Summary of the Period", chronology compiled by Francis Ridge, NICAP Website Site Coordinator, USA, created December 14, 2005, updated November 12, 2018, at https://www.nicap.org/chronos/1947fullrep.htm
[nip1] * Case file on the ufology website The NICAP WEbsite, USA, not dated, as of 2026, at https://www.nicap.org/chronos/1947fullrep.htm
[bss1] * "Comprehensive Catalog of 2,200 Project Blue Book UFO Unknowns: Database Catalog (Not Yet a Best Evidence List) – NEW: List of Projects & Blue Book Chiefs Work in Progress, Version 1.35, Feb. 3, 2026, catalogue compiled by Brad Sparks, USA, page 19, 2001-2026.
[get1] * "UFOs and Intelligence: A Timeline", electronic document by George M. Eberhart, May 31, 2022.
[wia1] * "Table of reports during the 1947 flying disc craze", list on the Wikipedia (EN), as of 2026, at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Table_of_reports_during_the_1947_flying_disc_craze

File history:

Authoring:

Main author:	Patrick Gross
Contributors:	None
Reviewers:	None
Editor:	Patrick Gross

Changes history:

Version:	Create/changed by:	Date:	Description:
0.1	Patrick Gross	June 17, 2026	Creation, [cic1], [nip1], [aaf2], [aaf1], [tbr1], [jve1], [bme1], [bme1], [dwn1], [fre1], [bss1], [get1], [wia1].
1.0	Patrick Gross	June 17, 2026	First published.

This page was last updated on June 17, 2026.