John B. Callis

Electronic Warfare Officer

Captain John B. Callis served as an Electronic Warfare Officer aboard the United States Air Force RB-47H Stratojet during the July 17, 1957 electronic intelligence encounter. Operating alongside Captain Howard C. Byrnes, Callis monitored the aircraft's sophisticated electronic surveillance equipment while the crew conducted a routine intelligence training mission across the southern United States.

During the flight, Callis independently observed unusual radar emissions on the aircraft's electronic intelligence receivers. The signals did not correspond to known radar installations and appeared to move in conjunction with an unidentified object that was simultaneously being tracked by ground radar stations and observed visually by members of the flight crew.

As the encounter continued, Callis reported repeated acquisitions of the unidentified signal despite major changes in the aircraft's course and position. The electronic contacts displayed characteristics inconsistent with fixed ground-based radar systems and appeared to accompany the aircraft over a considerable distance. These observations were recorded independently of the visual sightings, making the RB-47 incident unique among classic military UAP cases.

Following completion of the mission, Callis participated in the Air Force debriefing and contributed to the official records examined during Project Blue Book's investigation. His testimony reinforced the conclusion that multiple independent systems—including airborne electronic intelligence equipment, visual observations, and ground radar—had detected the same unidentified phenomenon.

Historians continue to regard the RB-47 encounter as one of the strongest military UAP cases because of the quality of the witnesses and the convergence of independent sensor data. Callis' role as one of the aircraft's Electronic Warfare Officers remains central to understanding the technical aspects of the incident.