The article below was published in the daily newspaper The Lincoln Star, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA, page 1, on July 5, 1947.
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PORTLAND, Ore. - (AP) - The "flying saucer" mystery reached fever pitch Saturday, after "I saw them myself" statements from a veteran United Air Lines crew, scores of Portland residents, and 60 picnickers at Twin Falls Park in Idaho.
The UAL pilot, co-pilot and stewardess, who had scoffed consistently at "flying saucer" tales, said they saw such objects Friday night while flying a passenger plane from Boise, Ida., to Portland.
Their statements followed a day during which the "saucers" were reported seen in many parts of the nation.
Many Portlanders - including police, experienced fliers and three newspapermen - declared they saw silvery discs undulating over Portland.
In New Orleans, Miss Lillian Lawless said she saw an object, shining like silver or chromium, flying at a great height and at a terrific speed in a northeasterly direction over Lake Pontchartrain.
Describing what they saw as flat, translucent plates 12 to 15 inches in diameter, several Port Huron, Mich., residents reported seeing the "saucers."
Capt. E. J. Smith, Seattle, a veteran of 14 years with United Air Lines, said he observed the round flat objects—"like a pancake standing on end"—for about 12 minutes while flying from Emmett, Ida., to a point southeast of Ontario, Ore.
He radioed the Ontario airport, but airport officials saw nothing.
Sixty persons picnicking at Twin Falls Park, near Twin Falls, Ida., said they saw the discs Friday afternoon. A party of seven first saw some and 10 minutes later, a crowd of 20 or 30 people saw another batch of nine or ten. Word passed around, and soon the waiting crowd saw another batch circling and climbing.
At Seattle, Frank Ryman, coast guard yeoman, said he took a picture of what some residents north of Seattle thought was a flying disc. The photograph showed a pinhead-size spot against the dark evening sky.
The Oregonian dispatched a plane to hunt Portland's saucers. It found nothing but empty sky.
From Summerside, Canada, on Prince Edward Island, came reports of the discs. One was said to be moving south and another southeast.
Nearly all of the observers agreed that the objects - whatever they might be - were round, flat and shiny. How big they were remained uncertain. Dan J. Whelan, Los Angeles pilot, estimated the one he saw at 40 to 50 feet in diameter, while Port Huron residents thought they were small.
