NARA RG38: Navy UAP Incident Summaries 101-172 (1946-1948)
Date
February 1946 - late 1948
Document Type
Gov. Investigation Report
Authentication
VerifiedRedaction Status
▐ Partially RedactedIssuing Authority
Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (OPNAV) / Naval Intelligence
Summary
A collection of 72 Navy incident reports (numbered 101-172) spanning February 1946 through late 1948, filed under NARA Record Group 38, Box 7. The collection uses both the standardized "CHECK-LIST - UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS" format and a more detailed "INCIDENT SUMMARY SHEET" format, the latter providing narrative investigation summaries. Most significantly, this file contains a pre-Arnold-era anomalous aerial observation from February 18, 1946, by B-29 aircraft of the 28th Bombardment Group (VH) over Kansas/Nebraska at approximately 39°N-100°W - predating the June 1947 Kenneth Arnold sighting that is conventionally treated as the origin of the modern UFO era. Released via PURSUE Release 1, February 25, 2026.
Significance
Contains what appears to be a pre-Arnold anomalous aerial sighting dated February 18, 1946 - a multi-colored ball of fire traveling at very high speed at approximately 20,000 feet, observed by B-29 aircraft of the 28th Bombardment Group approximately 100 miles southeast of their position over the Kansas area. If validated, this represents documented U.S. military UAP reporting 16 months before the Kenneth Arnold sighting. Additionally documents a high-quality 1948 military sighting by Lt. J.A. Schmidt of the 521st Fighter Wing at Nichols AFB, Philippines, of a half-moon/donut-shaped silver object estimated at 30 x 20 feet that executed a 90-degree left turn and accelerated rapidly, disappearing in approximately 5 seconds with no sound or exhaust trail.