Multiple unidentified radar targets appeared over Washington, D.C., flying at supersonic speeds and ignoring the laws of inertia. They vanished instantly when fighter jets intercepted. The incident alarmed the White House and the Pentagon, and President Truman was reportedly woken. The Air Force later held a press conference explaining the targets as temperature inversions causing radar illusions.
Account
Multiple unidentified radar targets appeared over Washington, D.C., flying at supersonic speeds and ignoring the laws of inertia. They vanished instantly when fighter jets intercepted. The incident alarmed the White House and the Pentagon, and President Truman was reportedly woken.
Contested
The Air Force's explanation of temperature inversions causing radar illusions has been challenged by radar operators and pilots, who noted that the targets appeared on multiple independent radar systems and were tracked visually. No consensus was ever reached.
Sources
- US Air Force Blue Book project archives
- Washington National Airport radar records
- July 1952 Air Force press conference records