Vale do Potomac, Maryland, 1947: ex-tenente das Forças Aéreas vê objeto claro com centro escuro que roncava como um jato

[endereço residencial omitido], Frostburg, Maryland. July 21, 1947. Chief of Army Intelligence, Washington 5, D.C. Sir: On Sunday, July 20th, I observed an aircraft in flight that was unlike any I have seen to date and may shed some light on the "Flying Saucer Mystery". I served four years - 1942 to 1946 - with the Army Air Forces in grade of Lieut. Signal Corps assigned to the Third, Fourth and Thirteenth Air Forces respectively. During this time I had the opportunity to observe all types of aircraft and under all types of conditions but I never saw one like this one. At 9:45 AM (DST) Sunday July 20th, I observed an airborne object that appeared to be circular or possibly round, light - almost white in color, with a dark area at or near its center, flying in a North West by West direction on the same route used by Commercial Airlines between Washington, DC and Pittsburgh, Pa. The point of observation was approximately 22 miles East of Cumberland, Md. from the North bank of the Potomac River. The sky was about three fourths (3/4) overcast with three cloud layers ranging between 6000 and 10000 feet altitudes. Planes had been passing overhead all morning to which I paid little attention, but with the approaching of the craft in question was a soft rumbling

sound that grew steadily in volume until it reached the proportions of a loud roar when the craft was overhead. This sound was not unlike that of a jet propelled plane except the terrific volume was unusually loud. Due to the over-cast condition of the sky I was unable to see the aircraft until it had passed overhead and going away from me across a clear area where it was clearly visible for a period of about twenty (20) seconds. The aircraft was above the top-most layer of clouds or somewhere in the vicinity of 12000 ft. altitude. At 09:47 AM (DST) an DC-4 aircraft passed over going in the same direction and on the same course at about 5000 ft altitude. The peculiar differences are: a - The craft was circular or possibly round in shape. b - It was almost a silver-white in color with a dark area at its center. c - There was no trace of smoke streak as is usual with the jet. d - Its speed was about 3 to 4 times greater than the above mentioned DC-4. e - Its size, by comparison, would favorably correspond with a baseball held 30 ft from the eye. The only conclusions I have reached on the matter are:

a - This is an entirely new type of aircraft or b - It is a high powered jet propelled unit with a paint job designed to hide the tail assembly and wing tips, since neither were in evidence. A check of aircraft in this area at the time specified should determine and possibly answer this mystery. If possible, I should like very much to know the answer. [assinado] Howard A. Plummer. [carimbo: RECEIVED]