This document provides background information on UFO sightings throughout history. It discusses early sightings in the 1940s and the coining of the term "flying saucer" in 1947. It then outlines several famous UFO sightings and cases from the 1940s to 2000s, including the Roswell incident, Betty and Barney Hill abduction, Phoenix Lights, and Mexican military footage. It also summarizes the conclusions of Project Blue Book that UFOs do not represent a threat or advanced technology beyond our understanding. The document gives an overview of the history of UFO sightings and cases through prominent examples.

1. UFOs! Fact or Fiction?

3. UFOs: A Background
Flying objects, not easily identifiable by the human eye, have
been spotted all around the world for centuries. Those who
reported seeing such mysterious objects often attributed them
to spirits, angels, phantoms, ghosts or other supernatural
phenomena. In 1938, with the specter of war looming in
Europe, Orson Welles caused mass hysteria in America when
his radio broadcast based on H.G. Wells' science-fiction novel
"War of the Worlds" suggested that meteor-like rocket ships
carrying aliens were invading Earth.

4. Flying Saucers
The first well-known UFO
sighting occurred in 1947,
when businessman Kenneth
Arnold claimed to see a group
of nine high-speed objects
near Mount Rainier in
Washington while flying his
small plane. Arnold estimated
the speed of the crescent-
shaped objects as several
thousand miles per hour and
said they moved “like saucers
skipping on water.” In the
newspaper report that
followed, it was mistakenly
stated that the objects were
saucer-shaped, hence the term
flying saucer.

5. After news of Arnold's sightings hit the media, similar sightings began to be
reported in increasing numbers across the United States. Also in July 1947,
a Roswell, New Mexico newspaper claimed that personnel of the nearby
U.S. Army airfield had recovered a crashed flying saucer. The Army, in
turn, explained that the crash was that of a wrecked weather balloon.
(Though the Roswell incident was mostly forgotten until the late 1970s,
around that time several eyewitnesses began to come forward claiming the
"weather balloon" was in fact an alien craft; conspiracy theories regarding
Roswell still abound among ufologists.)

6. PROJECT BLUE BOOK…

7. It is an attempt to categorize ang investigate a surge in sightings of
unsual,unidentified objects flying across North Amerika Skies in late
1940’s

8. Main Goals of Project Blue
Book.
1.To Explain all reported sightings of UFO s
2.To decide if UFOs posed a threat to the national security of the United States
3.To determine wether UFOs were using any advanced technology that the
United States could use

10. 1897-The Aurora, Texas UFO Crash Occurring during the "Great Airship" wave of the
late 1800s, the legend of a UFO crash and a dead alien have survived over a century of
debate. Allegedly, the dead alien pilot is buried in the local cemetery. The story of the
crash was related by local newspapers, the UPI, and AP. The city received "historical
site" status because of the incident.
1941-The Missouri UFO Crash Retrieval
Brought to public knowledge by UFO investigator Leo Stringfield, from an account by
Charlette Mann. Mann related the story of her grandfather Reverend William
Huffman, who claimed to have been called to the scene of a crashed UFO with dead
aliens in Missouri.
1942-The Battle of Los Angeles
Shortly after the Japanese invaded Pearl Harbor, the city of Los Angeles was invaded
by a flying object of unknown origin. U.S. military sent volley after volley of shells at
the alleged flying saucer without damaging the intruder. Six people were killed during
the attacks.

11. 1961-Betty & Barney Hill Abduction
The best known case of alien abduction. While driving home from vacation, Betty
and husband Barney Hill would lose two hours of time during an alien encounter.
They would undergo physical exams at the hands of their alien captors. This case
was the subject of a book and a movie.
1965-Exeter, New Hampshire UFO Sightings
A series of UFO sightings took place which gained vast media attention, and
became the subject of the book, "Incident at Exeter," by John G. Fuller. The
sensational happenings were also featured in a two-part article in "Look" magazine.
Many eyewitness accounts by respected community members make this one of the
best cases.
1975-The Travis Walton Abduction
While working on a government land clearing project with six other crew members,
Travis Walton approaches a glowing UFO. He is hit with a blue green beam. The
crew members run from the scene, thinking Travis is dead. Five days later he
reappears, not having eaten during his absence. He relates that he was taken
aboard a UFO, and experimented on by alien beings.

12. 1997-The Phoenix Lights
Like a scene from a science fiction movie, a huge, circular object slowly moved over
the city of Phoenix and surrounding areas. Numerous photographs, and an
abundance of video film make this one of the best documented cases in UFO history.
Numerous eye witness accounts describe a large, slow moving triangular shaped
UFO.
2004-The Mexican Military UFO Footage
An extraordinary video film taken by Mexican military pilots stunned the world.
According to Mexican officials, the encounter occurred on March 5, when an aircraft
belonging to the Mexican Air Force, a Merlin C26/A, was engaged in drug interdiction
patrols. At around 17:00 hours it detected the presence of 11 objects following it. The
routine flight took place between Copalar, Chiapas and the State of Campeche.
2006-The O'Hare Airport UFO
On November 7, 2006, one of the nation's busiest airports, O'Hare in Chicago was
visited by a UFO which blasted an "eerie" hole in the cloud cover. The UFO was seen
for several minutes, according to eyewitness accounts of United Airlines employees.

13. The Conclusions of Project Blue Book
No UFO reported, investigated, and evaluated by the Air
Force has ever given any indication of threat to our
national security.
There has been no evidence submitted to or discovered by
the Air Force that sightings categorized as "unidentified"
represent technological developments or principles beyond
the range of present day scientific knowledge.
There has been no evidence indicating the sightings
categorized as "unidentified" are extraterrestrial vehicles

14. 1927-Oregon. Taken in Cave Junction, Oregon. There is some question as to
whether the photo was taken in '26 or '27, but nonetheless, if this is an
authentic photograph it is incredible. Reportedly snapped by a volunteer
fireman. Be sure to click to see full size image to really appreciate the picture.

15. 1929-SlideWard-Colorado Ward Sawmill, April-This incident is retold by the
photographers daughter: "This photo was taken by my father Edward Pline at
the sawmill in Ward where they lived at the time.

16. Washington D. C. 1952. During the dawn of Ufology in the United States,
unidentified flying objects made themselves known to the leaders of the free
world in 1952, buzzing over the White House, the Capitol building, and the
Pentagon. Seemingly the unknown objects were defying the very governmental
agencies sworn to protect the United States from foreign powers. Washington
National Airport and Andrews Air Force Base picked up a number of UFOs on
their radar screens on July 19, 1952, beginning a wave of sightings still
unexplained to this day.

17. 1965-Santa Ana, California. August 3. Taken by highway traffic engineer Rex
Heflin, while driving near the Santa Ana freeway. Heflin did not report his
sighting, but the photographs were published by the Santa Ana Register on 09-
20-65. This turned into a very controversial case with photos confiscated, and
disagreements between different Ufologists about the photograph's authenticity.
One of the most famous UFO photos ever
taken.

18. 1997-Phoenix, Arizona. Taken by Dr. Lynne Kietei, who also wrote a book on
the Phoenix Lights, and took video footage of the phenomena. The good doctor
has been a real proponent on getting the truth out about the Phoenix situation.
She has taken a lot of ridicule for her actions, especially being a professional
person who is "supposed to know better." A truly amazing photo this is, clear
and impossible to assign some known craft to.