THE DALLES OREGON, July 1952July 1952

On July 25, 1952, a ranger standing atop a mountain northwest of The Dalles, Oregon, observed a strange object about 15,000 feet above him. The observer used high-powered binoculars and watched the cylinder or balloon-shaped object through naked eyes as well. It appeared transparent white with some kind of exhaust-type propulsion. The ranger saw the object for roughly four minutes as it climbed higher and higher until it slipped from view. During this time, what appeared to be an explosion occurred. Small vapor trails and about five parachutes fell near Mount Adams, according to the ranger's report.

A second observer near the same area, also at the ranger station, reported a different impression. This witness noted that the object disintegrated and four parachutes descended on the south side of the mountain. The ranger station had an instrument to measure altitude but could not determine whether the object was at 71,043 feet or 7,144 feet. No aircraft activity was detected in the area.

The case file also documents sightings from other locations on the same date in July 1952. A B-29 bomber crew flying near Alice, Texas, reported seeing an intensely bright bluish-green light at approximately 0010 hours (12:10 a.m.) on July 25. The object was round, about 12 inches in diameter, and glowed so brightly that it illuminated the entire side of the aircraft. Crew members stated the object climbed sharply at a steep angle and vanished in a shower of sparks, similar to a spent skyrocket. Several crew members witnessed the event, including an aircraft commander, bombardier, and gunners. The object remained visible for only about two seconds. Weather was clear at the time, with visibility of 15 miles and winds from the south-southeast at 12 knots.

The Air Force's evaluation of the Texas sighting concluded that no known meteorological conditions would account for the observation. No physical evidence like fragments or photographs existed. The file notes that no aircraft were observed in the area at the time of the sighting, though two additional B-29s were reported flying in the vicinity.

The full case file is reproduced below as held by the National Archives, spanning 55 pages.