July 12 or 13, 1953: (05:15 Hours)
On my way from Winnipeg to North Bay, I was travelling the Highway between Escanaba and Sioux, Michigan. As I rounded a corner I saw a large, totally black object directly over the road ahead (Figure 1). It was extremely dark, no reflections and no obvious openings. Although there was no wind or sound, the trees below the object were whipping around. As I was staring at the object and braking the car, I actually went off the road, across the shallow ditch and towards the fence line and trees. After navigating back onto the road, the object was gone.
Finding out later that the cloud ceiling was about 350 feet and assuming the road was between 20 and 25 feet wide, I estimated the object to be about 250 feet across and 50 to 75 feet thick.
I continued the drive to Sioux, Michigan, arriving about 06:15 – 06:30 hours. From there I phoned SAC Airbase (USAF). I was told to report the incident to my boss at #4FTTU – RCAF base at North Bay, Ontario. At that time I was a radar tech on loan to Public Relations and Intelligence at North Bay.
Upon arriving at the "Bay", I turned in my report to my boss, F/L D. Suchok. Without saying a word, my boss took me outside and showed me a bright red and a bright white light rapidly circling each other directly above the station. (Could be easily seen in bright noon-day sun!) Their altitude (by theodolite) was about 65,000 feet. They disappeared whenever the CF100s sent to intercept them reached an altitude of 35-38,000 feet, but returned when the planes descended. The lights had appeared at about midnight the day before and vanished about 13 hours later.
Autumn of 1953, Winnipeg: (specific date not remembered)
I was running up the high power radar in a CF100, at an air base in Winnipeg, Manitoba. A target came on screen at 17,000 yards at an elevation of 15 degrees. It travelled from 55 degrees starboard to 55 degrees port in less than 4 seconds! The radar return was much larger and stronger than a reflection from a Lockheed North Star – which we saw all the time (used by TCA – Air Canada).
Rough calculation using geometry; an object traversing 110 degrees in 4 seconds at 17,000 yards travels about 29,000 yards/4 seconds. 29,000/1760 = 16.5 miles/ 4 seconds. 16.5 x 60/4 = 248 miles/minute x 60 @ 15,000 mph!
At an elevation of 15 degrees (not accounting for Earth curvature) it would be about 5,000 yards x 3 = 15,000 feet in altitude. An object travelling at that speed should burn up from air friction! Close to Earth orbital speed!
This sighting was reported to FL/O Joe Widdis – no follow up occurred although I was contacted by two RCAF officers after my tour of duty was over and interrogated. I was informed that I was still considered to unofficially be a reserve member and any discussion of these incidents could lead to a court martial proceeding.
Mid 60s, Nanaimo and Nanoose Bay, BC: (specific dates not remembered)
No further sighting ‘til the mid 60s when working as a civilian shift supervisor at the underground regional emergency government Headquarters in Nanaimo (Diffen Bunker) and the army transmitter site at Nanoose Bay.
Nanaimo, BC – One Corp of Commissionairs, one civilian DND operator and myself observed a bright steady blue/white light appearing from the south. It made an arcing 180 degree turn then headed south again, followed almost immediately by a pulsing light of identical appearance on the same course and path.
Nanoose Bay Army Transmitter Site – One Corp of Commissionairs, one army signals Sargeant and myself. On doing my rounds I observed a light very high moving due East. I called the other two out to observe this. The light stopped and hovered then emitted a cone or spray-shaped beam of exhaust of some kind, clearly visible in the early morning light. It then moved at right angle to the North, at moderate speed. It then stopped, hovered again and then emitted a narrow beam of exhaust or light and quickly disappeared to the East into the sunrise. Time approximately 05:00 hours.
1966 – On Mount Benson, NW of Nanaimo: (05:15 hours)
Forest Rangers in lookout tower observed a glowing green sphere approaching up the back or SW side of mountain. It appeared to be as big as their living quarters! They suddenly lost all power as the sphere circled the tower. The power returned when the sphere departed. Andrew Hulse and his wife witnessed this appearance from their kitchen window in Nanaimo. Hulse was a diesel mechanic at the army bunker and Nanoose torpedo testing range.
Fall of 1967, Nanoose Bay: (01:00 hours)
Checking weather station and was aware of extremely bright light in the clear sky. Drifting slowly from West to East and then hovering. I photographed the object with a modified Polaroid 107 Land Camera that could take time exposures on ASA 1000 b/w film. The light from the object was almost dazzling in the black night sky. I took a 5-6 second exposure then the object disappeared. As the picture developed it was apparent that the dark sky was white and the bright object was dark grey with band markings on it.
I sent the Polaroid for analysis and their report said the only explanation they could give was an extremely bright UV source.
13-Jan-1968, Nanoose Bay: (22:00 hours)
Taking readings at the weather station at transmitter site. Saw a very bright object bobbing around erratically above Black Bay Road towards Parksville (Figure 2). To the North there was heavy cloud cover and the ceiling was about 275 feet as calculated by the red and white sections on the transmitter tower. The object illuminated the bottom of the clouds as it rose up into them at a fast speed. Its glow could be seen in the clouds for a moment. Suddenly it dropped down out of the clouds and bounced up and down in the air like it was suspended on an elastic cord. During this time I went to my car and grabbed my camera on its tripod and removed the lens cover. The object them moved erratically and slowly westward and then after travelling about 15 degrees hovered long enough to get a time exposure photo. Then it simply disappeared. It appeared to look like a squat hamburger bun shape with a square mast-like tail on one end.
April 28, 1977, North Vancouver: (22:30 hours)
Received a phone call from William Hamilton, an ex-WWII RCAF Gunnery Sargeant and complete skeptic. He resided up on Chartwell Road above the British Properties (altitude 1410 feet). He observed a large saucer-shaped craft with bright orange internal illumination from the windows surrounding the craft, drifting down Burrard Inlet just above Lions Gate Bridge.
My wife and I (both experienced amateur astronomers and active members of the Royal Canadian Amateur Astronomers Association) viewed the craft with a duplex field model 3 ½ inch Questar telescope at magnification 45X and 80X. The UFO appeared to be about 80 feet wide by 15 feet high as compared to the bridge. Orange square lighted windows all around a smaller domed bottom with an exhaust nozzle below with flame exiting from it. It climbed slowly up over Mount Seymour and hovered there. It then disappeared in a burst of orange coloured flame or gas.
Slide pictures were taken and sent to Captain Graham (Sr. Staff Officer) of the Rescue Co-ordination Centre c/o Maritime Forces Pacific, Victoria, with the assurance that they would be returned - - - They Never Came Back!!!
Nov 2, 1997, White Rock: (18:40 – 18:53 hours)
I had no further sightings of any conclusive nature for 18 years or more, until Nov 2, 1997. I was watching the 6 o’clock news when a large red glowing ball with short winglets drifted silently over my house, from north to south (Figure 3). I tried to video tape the object, but was unsuccessfull. It slowly turned West over Lumni Island and headed toward the San Juan Islands ‘til it disappeared from sight.
UFO*BC REPORTS