ACUFO:

S E C R E T

1st W/Ind

D-W-2

HEADQUARTERS XII TACTICAL AIR COMMAND, APO #374, U.S. Army, 23 January 1945.

TO: S-2, 415 Night Fighter Squadron.

Forwarded for compliance with paragraph 2 of 1st Ind.

[Signature]

LEAVITT CORNING, JR,.
Lt. Colonel, G.S.C,.
A/C of S, A-2.

2nd W/Ind

415th. NIGHT FIGHTER SQUADRON, APO #374, U. S. Army, 30 January 1945.

TO: AC of S A-2. XII Tactical Air Command, APO 374, U. S. Army.

1. In compliance with paragraph 2 of 1st. Ind., the following extracts from the Sortie reports of various pilots who have encountered the Night Phenomenon are submitted for your information.

[... other cases...]

[... other cases...]

Night of 26-27 December 1944 - “At 01:45 hrs. saw two yellow streaks of flame flying at same level at approximately 3000 ft. off port side. We also saw red balls of fire that stayed up for 10 seconds approximately 45 miles away. After seeing yellow streaks, made starboard vector lost altitude and streaks disappeared from view. Called GCI Blunder and asked if any E/A were in vicinity. They answered No. Instructed to return to Angels 10. We felt what was thought to be prop wash; very distinct. Noticed several groups of lights off port while patrolling in vicinity of Q-9050 and R-1556. Lights made distinct lines somewhat like arrows.”

[... other cases...]

2. In every case where pilot called GCI Control and asked if there was a Bogey A/C in the area he received a negative answer.

[Signature.]

F. B. Ringwald
Captain, A.C.
Intelligence Officer

* Foofighters is the name given these phenomenon by combat crews of this Squadron.

S E C R E T

The first real clue came with the last appearance of the exasperating and potentially deadly lights. They never kept 415th from fulfilling its missions, but they certainly were unnerving. The last time the foo-fighters appeared, the pilot turned into them at the earliest possible moment - and the lights disappeared. The pilot was sure that he felt prop wash, but when he checked with ground radar, there was no other airplane.

The pilot continued on his way, perturbed, even angry - when he noticed lights far to the rear. The night was clear and the pilot was approaching a huge cloud. Once in the cloud, he dropped down two thousand feet and made a 30 degree left turn. Just a few seconds later be emerged from the cloud - with his eye peeled to rear. Sure enough, coming out of the cloud in the same relative position was the foo-fighter, as though to thumb its nose at the pilot, and then disappear.

This was the last time the foo-fighters were seen in Germany, although it would have seemed fitting, if the lights had made one last gesture, grouping themselves so as to spell “Guess What” in the sky, and vanishing forever.

But they didn't.

The Strange Mystery Of The FOO FIGHTERS

During the closing months of the war our fighters chased weird colored balls of fire that suddenly disappeared.

By Harold T. Wilkins

[...]

On another occasion, when the queer formation of foo fighters got on the tail of a U.S. night fighter of 415th squadron, the perplexed and exasperated pilot swung his craft around and headed for them at top speed! As he came, the lights vanished into thin air. They simply were no longer there.

Note what this pilot reported:

“As I passed where they had been I'll swear I felt the propeller backwash of invisible planes!”

Came the reply from a derisive ground radar station:

“Are you fellows all plum loco? You must be crazy! You're up there all alone!”

The puzzled pilot flew on and, glancing back, was now startled to see that the balls had reappeared about half a mile astern of his plane. He thought to himself: “I'll show these spook planes a trick!” The night was starry but, near the zenith, was a bank of cumulus cloud. He headed his plane at top speed right into the mass of cloud. Then he throttled back and glided down for about 1,800 feet. He turned the machine around and headed back from the cloud the way he had entered it, but on a much lower level. Sure enough, the balls had been caught napping! They emerged from the cloud ahead but now on a course opposite to his own!

[...]

On another occasion [in 1944-1945], when the queer formation of foo fighters got on the tail of a U.S. night fighter of 415th squadron, the perplexed and exasperated pilot swung his craft around and headed for them at top speed! As he came, the lights vanished into thin air. They simply were no longer there.

Note what this pilot reported:

“As I passed where they had been I'll swear I felt the propeller backwash of invisible planes!”

Came the reply from a derisive ground radar station: “Are you fellows all loco? You must be crazy! You're up there all alone!”

The puzzled pilot flew on and, glancing back, was now startled to see that the balls had reappeared about half a mile astern of his plane. He thought to himself: “I'll show these spook planes a trick!” The night was starry but, near the zenith, was a bank of cumulus cloud. He headed his plane at top speed right into the mass of cloud. Then he throttled back and glided down for about 1,800 feet. He turned the machine around and headed back from the cloud the way he had entered it, but on a much lower level. Sure enough, the balls had been caught napping! They emerged from the cloud ahead but now on a course opposite to his own!

On another occasion when the queer formation of Foo Fighters got on the tail of a U.S. night fighter of the 415th squadron, the perplexed and exasperated pilot swung round his plane and headed for them at top speed! As he came, the lights vanished into nothingness, in the fashion of squadrons of 'Etherian' flying machines!

Note what this pilot reported:

“As I passed where they had been, I'll swear I felt the propeller backwash of invisible planes!”

Came the reply from derisive ground radar station:

“Are you fellows all plum loco? Sure, you must be crazy! You're up there all alone!”

The puzzled pilot flew on, and, glancing back, was now startled to see that the balls had reappeared about half a mile astern of his plane. Said he to himself: “I'll show these spook planes a trick!”

The night was starry, but near the zenith was a bank of cumulus clouds. He headed his plane at top speed right into the mass of clouds. Then he throttled back, and glided down for about 1,800 feet. He turned the machine round, and headed back from the clouds the way he had entered it, but on a much lower plane. Sure enough, the balls had been surprised! They emerged from the cloud ahead, but now on a course opposite to his own!

It is true that, when the allies overran Germany, the Russians from south and east, and the British and Americans in the west, no more Foo Fighters were seen. But then, ,the secret German experimental stations were seized, and their secrets examined by Intelligence men - and this equally applies to the Nazi station of Peenemunde, more than once badly bombed by the British Royal Air Force planes, and, later, seized by the Russians - nothing was found blueprinting plans for blazing balls that can be made visible and invisible in an instant! Why, such a discovery would have been the last word in mid-twentieth century science! It could not have been kept secret! Moreover, how can one keep secret a device embodying an amazing discovery that no nation on earth has yet made? Had it been made, would not every nerve have been strained by Britain, U.S.A., and the U.S.S.R., in 1944 and 1945, when the war was still raging, to shoot down, or intercept a device embodying one of the most startling and sensational scientific discoveries of the second World War?

On another occasion when several of the globes were following a plane, the pilot circled around and headed for them at top speed. The lights vanished. The pilot was certain that he felt prop wash, but ground radar reported that no other object was near him. As he continued on his mission, he noticed the lights again trailing him. He entered a cloud, dropped down 2,000 feet and made a 30-degree left turn. As he emerged from the cloud, he glanced back. Coming out of the cloud in the same relative position were the lights, as though thumbing their noses at the pilot. Seconds later they again disappeared.

Obviously no simple explanation solves the mystery of the foo fighters. Flares do not dive, peel off, and turn. Weather balloons ascend almost vertically and do not pursue planes. There was no correlation between the lights and flak, and night flak was usually directed by radar, not visually. Since they didn't appear on radar, they could not have been jamming devices. The pilots were well acquainted wi1h the phenomenon of St. Elmo's fire. If the purpose of the balls was to confuse or frighten pilots, they did not succeed. Once they were found to be harmless, the men of the 415th Squadron regarded them humorously.

Another pilot who saw the objects in January angled sharply into them. He said he felt “prop wash” as he zoomed past the “foo-fighters.” Ground radar told him there were no other aircraft in the vicinity. He steered straight for a large cloud, determined to lose the UFOs.

Dropping down 2,000 feet, he made a 30 degree turn and emerged from the cloud seconds later. Behind him and in the same relative position followed the “foo-fighters.” The lights stalked the plane for a short distance, then disappeared.

Foo fighters continued to plague the 415th all through January 1945. Usually the lights, colored orange, red, or white, would tail the aircraft for a few moments before streaking away. The ghostly objects never showed up on radar, but the veteran crews discounted theories that the glowing globes were reflections, St. Elmo's fire, or flares, all of which they had observed many and would have easily recognized. One pilot even insisted that he had felt prop wash as the foos zipped passed him.

Often the [WWII] UFO were characterized as phosphorescent, silver, white, and various shades of red, sometimes a yellow, green, or blue. Usually, radar checks verified that the accompanied or pursued ships were completely alone in the sky. One of the final USAF European sightings reflected this apparent contradiction. On this occasion the pilot swore he felt prop wash rush past him and his craft.

Wilkins [Harold T. Wilkins] also mentions in his report the case of a US pilot from the 415th Night Fighter Squadron. During one of his missions, the pilot saw a strange formation of these glowing “foo fighters”. Surprised and annoyed, he turned his plane and flew at maximum speed directly towards the objects. When he got close enough to them, the ghostly shapes became darker and darker and suddenly could no longer be seen at all. His report continues: “As I flew through the place where the objects had been, I clearly felt something like the air pressure from the propellers of the now invisible aircraft... The ground station radioed mockingly: “Are you totally crazy? There's nothing to see up there except your plane!” The confused pilot flew on. When he looked back, he was astonished to see that the glowing objects had reappeared about half a mile behind him (Wilkins 1967, p. 28).

A summary of incidents [reported by airmen of the U.S. Army Air Forces 415th Night Fighter Squadron] was prepared by Captain F. B. Ringwald, Intelligence Officer with Headquarters 12 of the Tactical Air Command to advise S-2 of the “Night Phenomenon” encountered by the pilots and dated January 30, 1945.

“Night of 26-27 December 1944 - At 01:45 hrs. saw two yellow streaks of flame flying at same level at approximately 3000 ft. off port side. We also saw red balls of fire that stayed up for 10 seconds approximately 45 miles away. After seeing the yellow streaks, made starboard vector lost altitude and streaks disappeared from view. Called GCI Blunder and asked if any E/A [enemy aircraft] were in vicinity. They answered no. Instructed to return to Angels 10. We felt what was thought to be prop wash; very distinct. Noticed several groups of lights off port while patrolling in vicinity of Q-9050 and R-1556 Lights made distinct lines somewhat like arrows.”

It is noteworthy to point out that these pilots made a distinction between the usual flak bursts sent up by anti-aircraft fire and what they were seeing in these incidents. One might expect that due to technical advances during the war, eventually one side may develop a new sort of anti-aircraft weapon that could behave in an intelligent manner in pursuit of enemy planes. The problem with this here is that there are no known reports of “Foo Fighters” bringing down aircraft of either side. The objects that seemed to be “under perfect control at all times” didn't seem to do damage but merely accompany planes on their respective missions without interference.

To end the summary, Ringwald said that in each case where the pilot called GCI control to ask if “Bogey A/C” were in the area, he received a negative answer. It was also noted, perhaps more of interest to modern audiences, that these objects were called “Foofighters.” One word only, which should we call it? Chamberlin added his own written footnote for another sighting on February 28: "Returning, 45 miles East of Base (Loral Ochey) sighted foo fighters to rear starboard. Orange red in color. Turned to have a look and it disappeared. Near Luneville, SECRET north of Strasbourg. Lt. Buscio & Krasner RO.”

525: 1945/01/12 13:00 200 8:00:00 E 50:00:00 N 3311 WEU GER RHP 6:8
RHINE VLY,GERM:J.THOMPSON/P51:4-5 SLVRY FOOTBALL SHAPES:a common sight
Ref#171 ALDRICH,Jan: PROJECT 1947 (research) Page No. 0:IN-FLIGHT

The first real clue came with the last appearance of the exasperating and potentially deadly lights. They never kept 415th from fulfilling its missions, but they certainly were unnerving. The last time the foo-fighters appeared, the pilot turned into them at the earliest possible moment – and the lights disappeared. The pilot was sure that he felt prop wash, but when he checked with ground radar, there was no other airplane. The pilot continued on his way, perturbed, even angry – when he noticed lights far to the rear. The night was clear and the pilot was approaching a huge cloud. Once in the cloud, he dropped down two thousand feet and made a 30 degree left turn. Just a few seconds later be emerged from the cloud – with his eye peeled to rear. Sure enough, coming out of the cloud in the same relative position was the foo-fighter, as though to thumb its nose at the pilot, and then disappear. This was the last time the foo-fighters were seen in Germany, although it would have seemed fitting, if the lights had made one last gesture, grouping themselves so as to spell "Guess What" in the sky, and vanishing forever.

Case 70

December 27, 1944

Rhine Valley, Germany

At 1 h05, the crew of the 415th NFS observed saw two yellow streaks of flame flying at the same altitude (3,000 feet) off their port side. They also saw “red balls of fire” that stayed up for ten seconds, approximately 45 miles away. Responding to the yellow streaks, the pilot turned starboard and dropped in altitude, but the yellow streaks “disappeared from view. Requested by the pilot, GCI Blunder answered that they had no enemy aircraft on their screen in that area. The crew was instructed to return to “Angels 10”. They felt was thought to be prop wash; very distinct. They noticed also several groups of lights off port while patrolling in vicinity of Q-9050 and R-1556. Lights made “distinct lines somewhat like arrows”.

Sources: USAAF, 64th Fighter Wing, Mission report of 415111 FS squadron, December 26/27 1944 / USAAF, Report from Captain F.B. Ringwald, Intelligence Officer, 415111 Night Fighter Squadron, To A/C of S,A-2 XII Tactical Air Command, January 30, 1945, NARA I Strange Company, Keith Chester, 2007

[... other cases...]

And though that's the last official report known from the 415th, in Jo Chamberlin's December, 1945 article in American Legion magazine -- which revisited the experiences of the 415th after interviewing the crews themselves -- the last reported encounter had a slightly different flavor...

The last time the foo-fighters appeared, the pilot turned into them at the earliest possible moment -- and the lights disappeared. The pilot was sure that he felt prop wash, but when he checked with ground radar, there was no other airplane.

The pilot continued on his way, perturbed, even angry -- when he noticed lights far to the rear. The night was clear and the pilot was approaching a huge cloud. Once in the cloud, he dropped down two thousand feet and made a 30 degree left turn. Just a few seconds later he emerged from the cloud -- with his eye peeled to rear. Sure enough, coming out of the cloud in the same relative position was the foo-fighter, as though to thumb its nose at the pilot, and then disappear.

This was the last time the foo-fighters were seen in Germany, although it would have seemed fitting, if the lights had made one last gesture, grouping themselves so as to spell "Guess What" in the sky, and vanishing forever.

But they didn't.

The foo-fighters simply disappeared when Allied ground forces captured the area East of the Rhine. This was known to be the location of many German experimental stations.

The encounter Chamberlin described was actually just one of the last few encounters, and actually occurred on the night of January 29/30, 1945. But it shows once again the vivid difference between dry official reports, and the encounters as described person to person.

And though the strange lights had seen their last in Europe, half a world away the 'foo fighters' may have fought on.

(1944) Dec. 26/27, 1944; Germany

Multiple sightings: red balls of fire; two yellow streaks of flame & disappeared from view; the crew thought they felt prop wash; a group of lights that made distinct lines, somewhat like arrows; row of vertical white lights. (Page 103,131 Ref.1)

Date: Dec. 17, 1944

Location: Breisach, Germany

Time:

Summary: 5 or 6 flashing red and green lights in T-shape.

Source: