Type: Military Report
Source:
On October 24, 1968, witnesses at Minot Air Force Base and a B-52 crew reported sightings of unidentified phenomena, documented primarily through Air Force Form 117 (Sighting of Unidentified Phenomena Questionnaire). Six ground observers completed these forms, with Lt. Col. Arthur Werlich compiling their data into a Basic Reporting Data packet submitted to Project Blue Book under Air Force Regulation 80-17.
Key details from the AF-117 records and investigation include:
Ground Observations: Witnesses described a large, glowing object that appeared to be an "orange ball of light" or a "miniature sun" hovering near missile silos, with some reporting a second object and sounds similar to jet engines.
B-52 Crew Data: Only Maj. James Partin (non-crew pilot) and Capt. Patrick McCaslin (navigator) were listed in the initial report, but Partin was the only B-52 member to submit an AF-117, describing the object as a bright orange light about 15 miles away.
Investigation Gaps: The official investigation notably did not interview the primary B-52 crewmembers (including the aircraft commander), relying instead on second-hand accounts and the limited AF-117 data from Partin.
Official Conclusion: Project Blue Book attributed the radar contacts and visual sightings to a combination of anomalous propagation, a plasma ball (similar to ball lightning), and celestial bodies like Sirius, dismissing the security breach at Oscar-7 as unrelated.
The discrepancy between the AF-117 forms and the official report, along with the lack of direct crew interviews, has led independent researchers to question the completeness of the Air Force's final case file.