342_HS1-416511228_319.1 Flying Discs 1949

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HFAD UARTERS 6TH mrATHER SQUADRON
Albrook Air Force Base
Canal Zone
17 February 1949
'322..
SUBJET:
Unidentified erial Objects Vicinity of San Andres Islands,
Caribbean Sea
TO:
Commanding General
Military Air Transport Service
Washington 25, D. c.
ATTENTION: AC/S, A-2
1. In accordance with Rest ricted l etter, Headquarters, 2108th Air
eather Group, subject:
Report on Information on "Flying Discs", dated
24 March 1948, the following report is submitted.
2 .
t 2030 hours on 8 February 1949, Captain McBride of the S. s.
Antigua, A United Fruit vessel, berthed at Cristobal pier area, Canal
Zone, was interviewed by Intelligence personnel, Caribbean Air Command,
concerning three aerial objects sighted by officers of his ship on voy­
age to Canal Zone from New Orleans, Louisiana.
•
3.
Captain :cBride stated that the first object, which appeared to
be a disc, was sighted at 1630 on 6 February 1949 at 12 degrees 30 minutes
north latitude, 81 degrees 10 minutes west latitude, in the close vicinity
of the San Andres Islands .
The S. s. Antigua's course was 152 degrees at
16 knots. Vihen sighted, the obj ect was at an altitude of 60 degrees f r om
the horizon as determined by the ship's sextant in. the direction of 120
degrees. As it µ:i.ss es directly over the ship, several officers described
it as a round, silver-colored sphere. Although McBride had di£f'iculty in
determining its height, he estimated the diameter as 12 to 14 inches. As
it passed overhead, bearing 310 degrees, it changed color from silver to
yellow to red and went out of sight in the dusk at an altitude of 22 de­
grees.
The wind at the time was estimated at force four, approximately
29.
4.
t 1700 on the same date two more objects were sighted, one off'
the pert bow at an altitude between 50 and 60 degrees, and the other, off
the starboard bow bearing 201 degrees at an altitude of 47 degrees.
Both
disappeared abeam in the dusk.
None showed any luminousity or motivating
power.
5.
The circumstances described suggest a possibility that these
objects are some type of weather balloons .
A study made by this head­
quarters of the prevailing winds at all altitudes during the period 4-6
February 1949 virtually eliminate any possibility 0£ a radiosonde instru­
ment being the object sighted.
The only release point which might have
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