Longview, WashingtonJuly 1949

On the morning of July 3, 1949, a commander with the U.S. Navy Reserve sighted what he believed to be a flying disc near Longview, Washington. The observer was standing at the airport, which was preparing to host an air show that afternoon. About 150 people were present at the time, and all of them saw the objects. The commander was an aeronautical engineer and airport manager with experience in guided missiles and pilotless aircraft from World War II.

At 1040 (10:40 a.m.), the first object appeared to the northwest at approximately 30,000 feet altitude, traveling southeast at an estimated 300 miles per hour. The object remained visible for three minutes, traveling in a large arc across the sky before disappearing into the sun directly overhead. The commander described the motion as a "skulling or falling leaf" pattern, with a definite regular oscillation that he timed at roughly 40 to 48 oscillations per minute. The object was metallic in appearance, circular in shape, and about the size of a pin held at arm's length. No smoke or vapor trail was observed. Two additional identical objects appeared at 1049 (10:49 a.m.) and 1125 (11:25 a.m.), initially sighted at 45 degrees altitude from the west. All three objects disappeared overhead after similar three-minute flights.

Other witnesses corroborated the sightings. A stunt pilot from California confirmed the commander's observations. An aeronautical engineer at the airport estimated the altitude at 7,000 feet and initially thought the first object could have been a balloon, though he stated it was yellowish in color. However, he believed the last two objects could not have been balloons. A licensed pilot in nearby Astoria reported seeing an object about the size of a DC3 aircraft at roughly 4,000 feet altitude, oscillating as it descended the coast. The commander noted that despite his background and experience, he could not identify the objects as conventional aircraft, balloons, birds, parachutes, stars, meteors, or any other common object.

Weather conditions that morning were clear with unlimited visibility and only scattered wisps of cirrus clouds. The wind was consistently from the southwest. The commander attempted to organize observations from multiple locations to triangulate altitude and course data but reported that local radio stations thought the effort was a publicity stunt and did not cooperate.

The Air Force concluded that the objects were likely balloons, though the file documents a primary witness with considerable expertise in aircraft and missiles who insisted they were not. The full case file is reproduced below as held by the National Archives, spanning 14 pages.