Documentation | The Minot AFB UFO case | 24 OCTOBER 1968 Sign Oral History Project Historical Case Study About  •  Acknowledgements •  Sitemap Narration / / Home Introduction Background Narrative Investigation Documentation / / Radar Analyses    Shough Report    Poher Report    Radarscope Photographs Documentation Interviews Maps Archives Documents Introduction Transactional Documents Selective Documents Memo for the Record Maps Chronological Order Documentation Project Blue Book Termination In December 1969, Secretary of the Air Force, Robert C. Seamans, Jr., announced the termination of the USAF program for the investigation of unidentified flying objects, stating that “the continuation of Project Blue Book cannot be justified either on the ground of national security or in the interest of science,” while concluding that the project does not merit future expenditures of resources. Following the announcement, Blue Book staff delivered the administrative and case files for approximately 13,000 UFO sighting reports (1947-69) to the Air Force Archives at Maxwell AFB, Alabama, where the records were available upon request until 1975. Subsequently, the records were microfilmed by the Air Force before transfer to the National Archives and Record Administration (NARA) in Washington, D.C. NARA produced its 35mm microfilm version [NARA Microfilm Publication T1206] for public release in 1976.[1] The 24 October 1968 Minot AFB case file number is 12,548. The documents comprise 145 pages in chronological order from 24 October to 14 November 1968, including two maps, and thirteen B-52 radarscope photographs. Transactional Documents Transactional Documents Basic Reporting Data and Format (8 pages) Blue Book final case report (12 pages) 3.  AF-117: Sighting of Unidentified Phenomena Questionnaire Lloyd Isley Robert O'Connor Joseph Jablonski Gregory Adams James Bond William Smith James Partin The bulk of the documents are transactional records, compliant to the procedures promulgated by Air Force Regulation No. 80-17, which established the overall objectives and uniform responsibilities of the UFO program.[2] Under the general provisions of AFR 80-17, each commander at an Air Force base was required to provide a UFO investigative capability. In this instance, Minot AFB commander Colonel Ralph E. Kirchoff designated 862nd Combat Support Group, Operations Division chief Lt. Colonel Arthur J. Werlich as liaison to the UFO project. This was Werlich's first UFO investigation, and he initially contacted Strategic Air Command headquarters, Offutt AFB, Neb, to request technical assistance, but was directed by Col. Weyant in Operations to comply strictly with AFR 80-17. Werlich's primary responsibility was to collect and collate a formatted list of Basic Reporting Data, to include his initial analysis and comments on the possible cause or stimulus for the observation at the end of the report. During the course of collecting the data, apparently Werlich interviewed 17 witnesses who visually observed a UFO, of which only 7 completed the 9-page Air Force Form 117, Sighting of Unidentified Phenomena Questionnaire (AF-117). Once Werlich had collated the Basic Reporting Data, he electronically transmitted the 8-page report to designated Air Force agencies, including Blue Book in the Foreign Technology Division (FTD) at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.[3] Upon receipt, Blue Book staff were required to evaluate the information in order to determine a cause or stimulus for the reports and produce a final case report. These primary transactional documents total 83 pages. Selective Documents Selective Documents Upper-air rawinsonde dataset (1 page) Wing Security Controller summary (1 page) Base Operations Dispatcher log (1 page) Transcription of Recorded Conversations (3 pages) 13 B-52 Radarscope Photographs (13 pages) Following receipt of the Basic Reporting Data, Blue Book staff requested supplemental information and specific materials to be forwarded by mail. In response, Werlich sent several selective documents that had been recorded concurrent with the events, which preserve and communicate to others descriptions of what was happening at a given time. These documents include an upper-air rawinsonde dataset;[4] a two-hour sequential log of the UFO descriptions and movements reported to the Base Operations Dispatcher by the ground observers at N-7; a witness list with sighting times, which includes a summary of distinct events compiled by the 91st Missile Wing, Security Controller; a Transcription of Recorded Conversations between Radar Approach Control (RAPCON) and the B-52 co-pilot; and a sequence of thirteen 8x10" photographic prints of the B-52 radarscope film. These selective documents total 19 pages. Memo for the Record Memos Memo, 24 Oct. 1968, Werlich to Blue Book (2 pages) Memo, 28 Oct. 1968a, Weyant to Blue Book (1 page) Memo, 28 Oct. 1968b, Weyant to Marano (1 page) Memo, 29 Oct. 1968, Marano to Minot AFB (1 page) Memo, 30 Oct. 1968a, Quintanilla to Pullen (1 page) Memo, 30 Oct. 1968b, Marano to Minot AFB (2 pages) Memo, 1 Nov. 1968a, Werlich to Marano (7 pages) Memo, 1 Nov. 1968b, Blue Book to Goff (1 page) Teletype, 1 Nov. 1968, Quintanilla to Pullen (1 page) Teletype, 7 Nov. 1968, Pullen to Quintanilla (1 page) Memo, 8 Nov. 1968, Marano to Minot AFB (1 page) Memo, 14 Nov. 1968, Blue Book to Minot AFB (1 page) During the course of the investigation, Blue Book staff were in regular contact with Col. Werlich and transcripts of the telephone conversations are included as Memo(s) for the Record. These documents provide supplemental information, and moreover, in contrast to the formality of the transactional documents, personal details, and insight into the process of the investigation. Included are Werlich's initial report to Blue Book; requests from Blue Book staff for additional information and materials following receipt of the Basic Reporting Data; Werlich's response to the requests; and two subsequent requests by Blue Book assistant Lieutenant Marano for information concerning the weather radar that were ultimately not responded to. Further, there are 3 Memo(s) for the Record, and two TWX communications between Strategic Air Command headquarters and Blue Book staff. Monday morning following the events, Colonel Weyant, in the Directorate of Operations at SAC, phoned twice inquiring about Blue Book investigation procedures. And later, Colonel Pullen, assistant to the Deputy Chief of Staff Intelligence, Brig. General Richard R. Stewart, was in periodic contact with Blue Book chief Lt. Colonel Hector Quintanilla. These memorandum of communications comprise 20 pages. Maps Maps Werlich Overlay Map Off-base Disaster Control Grid Map (as of 9 Nov 1965) Werlich also prepared and forwarded a map overlay (transparency to be superimposed on a 200-series map chart), in which he plotted the B-52 movements during the UFO encounters, including the relative positions and movements of the UFO. Due to security restrictions, he could not forward the original 200-series map chart (1:200,000), but instead, instructed Blue Book staff to acquire the original master chart at Wright-Patterson AFB. Whether Blue Book staff did is not known, particularly since the map included in the file is an unclassified Off-base Disaster Control Grid Map with a different scale (1:250,000).[5] Chronological Order No. Title Description Date Pp. Seq. 1. File folder "Minot AFB, ND 24 October 1968" 1 1 2. Cover page "Minot AFB, ND 24 October 1968 Air & Ground-Visual, Air Radar." 1 2 3. File index card "Project 10073 Record." 1 3 4. Separator page "This case includes 13 photos 8 X 10." 1 4 5. Memo for the Record "Subject: UFO Observation, Minot AFB, North Dakota, 24 October 1968" Late Thursday afternoon, Col. Werlich phoned Blue Book to report the UFO events per AFR 80-17. 24 October 1968 2 6 6. Memo for the Record "SUBJECT: 24 Oct 68 UFO Sighting from Minot AFB N.D." Late Monday morning, Col. Weyant in Operations at SAC headquarters phoned Blue Book duty officer Sgt. Jones inquiring about the UFO report. 28 October 1968a 1 7 7. Memo for the Record "Subj: Call fm Col Wyatt, SAC Hqs" Early Monday afternoon, Col. Weyant in Operations at SAC headquarters phoned Blue Book assistant Lt. Marano inquiring about the UFO investigation. 28 October 1968b 1 8 8. Basic Reporting Data (TWX) "SUBJ: UFO REPORT" Prepared by 862nd CSG Operations Div. Chief (designated Project Blue Book investigating officer), Arthur J. Werlich, Lt Col, Minot AFB NDAK, containing specific responses to Basic Reporting Data required by AFR 80-17. Transmitted to ADC at Ent AFB, CO; WIADIV Malmstrom AFB, MT; FTD at Wright-Patterson AFB, OH; AFRDC; and SAF-OI. 290428Z 28 October 10:28 p.m. (CST) 8 16 9. Memo for the Record "Subject: UFO Sighting, 24 Oct 68, Minot AFB" Tuesday morning, Lt. Marano phoned Minot AFB and spoke to Mr. Carber about the status of Werlich's UFO report. 29 October 1968 1 17 10. Memo for the Record "Subj: Telephone conversation with Col Pullen, Hq SAC" Tuesday afternoon, Blue Book chief Col. Quintanilla phones Col. Pullen at HQ SAC. who requests a preliminary report for DCS/I Gen. Stewart "to get this thing simmered down." 30 October 1968a 1 18 11. Memo for the Record "Subj: Need for Additional Info on Minot Sightings" Wednesday morning, Lt. Marano phoned Minot AFB requesting that Col. Werlich obtain the following supplemental information and forward it to Blue Book. 30 October 1968b 2 20 12. Memo for the Record "Subj: Telephone conversation of 31 Oct 68, Col Werlich - Lt Marano" Thursday afternoon, Col. Werlich phoned Lt. Marano in response to his request for supplemental information on the Minot observations. 01 November 1968a 7 27 13. Memo for the Record "Talked to Mr. Goff, TDPA, who is quite familiar with air-borne radars." On Thursday Goff suggested to Quintanilla that the observations "may have been precipitated by some type of ionized plasma similar to ball lightning." 01 November 1968b 1 28 14. Upper-air data set (Unreadable). A complete National Climatic Data Center dataset for 0000 and 1200 hrs., 24 Oct. 1968, Bismarck, ND, is included in the Shough Report. See: Endnote #10. 1 29 15. Wing Security Controller's summary "On 24 Oct 68 the following personnel at the listed LCF's sited the UFO at times indicated." The 91st Strategic Missile Wing security controller's list of UFO observers, and brief summary of events. 1 30 16. Base Operations Dispatcher's log. "0800. Object S/E of N-7 moving towards site with brilliant light like the sun." Base Operations Dispatcher's chronological log of UFO events reported by ground observers at N-7, from 0800-1010Z (3:00-5:10 a.m. CDT). 1 31 17. Transcription of Recorded Conversations "Transcript of tape for 24 Oct 68 from 0830 to 0915" Transcript with time-code references of conversations between the B-52 co-pilot (Runyon) and ground controller's at Minot AFB, Radar Approach Control (RAPCON), from 3:44-4:40 a.m. CDT. 3 34 18. AF Form 117 A1C Isley, Lloyd M. (91st MIMS) "Sighting of Unidentified Phenomena Questionnaire" 28 October 1968 9 43 19. AF Form 117 A1C O'Connor, Robert Micheal (91st MIMS) "Sighting of Unidentified Phenomena Questionnaire" 28 October 1968 9 52 20. AF Form 117 A1C Jablonski, Joseph Patrick (862nd SPS) "Sighting of Unidentified Phenomena Questionnaire" 25 October 1968 9 61 21. AF Form 117 A1C Adams, Gregory (862nd SPS) "Sighting of Unidentified Phenomena Questionnaire" 25 October 1968 9 70 22. AF Form 117 SSgt. Bond, James Frederick (FSC - 862nd SPS) "Sighting of Unidentified Phenomena Questionnaire" 26 October 1968 9 79 23. AF Form 117 SSgt. Smith, William E., Jr. (FSC - 862nd SPS) "Sighting of Unidentified Phenomena Questionnaire" 26 October 1968 9 88 24. AF Form 117 Maj. Partin, James A. (Pilot - 23rd Bomb Sq., 5th BMW) "Sighting of Unidentified Phenomena Questionnaire" 30 October 1968 9 97 25. TWX "TO COL PULLEN SSO SAC. FROM LT COL QUINTANILLA REFERENCE OUR TELECON WITH REGARDS TO MINOT AFB UFO'S." O12014Z 01 November 8:14 p.m. (EST) 1 98 26. TWX "REFERENCE OUR TDPT MESSAGE REGARDING MINOT AFB UFO. SAC COMMANDER AND STAFF ARE EXTREMELY INTERESTED IN THIS ITEM." O71540Z 07 November 3:40 p.m. (EST) 1 99 27. Memo for the Record "Subj: Minot AFB Sightings" Lt. Marano wanted to ask Werlich about the weather radar. 08 November 1968 1 100 28. Project Blue Book Final Report "UFO Observation, 24 October 1968" "The following conclusions have been reached after a thorough study of the data submitted to the Foreign Technology Division." This one-page letter with three attachments was sent to the Special Security Office at SAC headquarters; with copies to the 862nd CSG, Minot AFB, ND; and SAF-OI. 13 November 1968 12 112 29. Memo for the Record "Subject: Telephone call of 13 Nov 68 to Minot AFB, North Dakota" Blue Book staff called Col. Werlich to request information on the weather radar. 14 November 1968 1 113 30. Werlich Overlay Map Overlay map (transparency) prepared by Col. Werlich based on a classified USAF series-200 map, providing the flight track of the B-52 and relative locations of the UFO (1:200,000). 7 120 31. Minot area map OFF-BASE DISASTER CONTROL GRID MAP (9 November 1965) (1:250,000). 12 132 32. 13 Radarscope Photographs Thirteen 8 X 10 photographs of the B-52 ASQ-38 radar Plan Position Indicator (PPI) with data plates, from the Maxwell/NARA microfilm. These images are very poor quality reproductions. 24 October 1968 13 145 ©2026 Man Up A Tree Productions, LLC