St. Louis, Missouri, POST DISPATCH - 2 January, 1945

Mysterious ‘Foo Fighters,’ Balls Of Fire, Trail U.S. Night Flyers

Thought at First to Be Explosive, but None as Yet Has Damaged a Plane



A UNITED STATES NIGHT FIGHTER BASE, France, Jan. 2 (AP)–American fighter pilots engaged in night missions over Germany report the Nazis have come up with a new “secret weapon” - mysterious balls of fire which race along beside their planes for miles.

Yank pilots have dubbed them “foo fighters,” and at first thought they might explode, but so far there is no indication that any planes have been damaged by them.

Some pilots have expressed belief that the “foo fighter” was designed strictly as a psychological weapon. Intelligence reports seem to indicate that it is radio-controlled and can keep pace with planes flying 300 miles an hour.

Lt. Donald Meiers of Chicago, said there are three types of “foo fighters” – red balls of fire that fly along at wing tip; a vertical row of three balls of fire which fly in front of the planes, and a group of about 15 lights which appear off in the distance – like a Christmas tree up in the air – and flicker on and off.

The pilots of this Beaufighter squadron – in operation since September, 1943 – find these fiery balls the weirdest thing they have as yet encountered.

“A ‘foo fighter’ picked me up recently at 700 feet and chased me 20 miles down the Rhine Valley,” Meiers said. “I turned to starboard and two balls of fire turned with me. I turned to the port side and they turned with me. We were going 260 miles an hour and the balls were keeping right up with us.”

“On another occasion when a ‘Foo-Fighter’ picked us up, I dived at 360 miles an hour. It kept right off our wing tips for awhile and then zoomed into the sky.”

“When I first saw the things, I had the horrible thought that a German on the ground was ready to press a button and explode them. But they didn't explode or attack us. They just seem to follow us like will-o-the-wisps.”

Lt. Wallace Gould of Silver Creek, N. Y., said the lights followed his wing tips for a while and then, in a few seconds, zoomed 20,000 feet into the air and out of sight.

Numerous Over Big Cities

The pilots agreed that the balls of fire were more numerous over large German cities.

Of his first experience with them, Gould said, “I thought it was some new form of jet propulsion plane after us. But we were very close to them and none of us saw any structure on the fire balls.”

Capt. Fritz Ringwald, staff officer from East St. Louis, Ill., went along on a flight after hearing the numerous reports of the “foo-fighters.”

“I saw lights off the right and told the pilot, who said, ‘Oh, those are lights on a hill’”, Ringwald reported, adding, “I looked in that direction a few minutes later and then told him, ‘Well, that hill is considerably closer to us now.’"

‘Foo-Fighter’ Seen by

East St. Louisan

Among those reporting the appearance of the “foo fighter” was Capt. Fred B Ringwald, 33-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs A. F. Ringwald, Woodcrest, East St. Louis.

A staff officer of the “Night Fighters,” a volunteer group of the Army Air Corps organized to carry out bombing raids on Germany, Ringwald wrote his parents last week he was operating from a French air base. He was a private pilot before joining the army in September, 1943, and operator of the Crescent Service Station, Tenth and State streets.

He took part in the African invasion and has spent a total of 21 months fighting in the European theater.

His wife, Mrs Emily Ringwald, joined the Waves last September and is stationed at Stillwater, Ok.



FIRE BALLS that fly with American night raiders over Germany, believed to be a new German psychological weapon have been reported by Capt. Fred B. Ringwald, (above) son of Mr and Mrs A. F. Ringwald, Woodcrest, East St. Louis





WAR DEPARTMENT

CLASSIFIED MESSAGE CENTER

OUTGOING CLASSIFIED MESSAGE





SECRET



Military Intelligence Div.

Res Unit/SCIEN/WDGBI/S/C No

Scien-30 74738



2 January 1945 Supreme Headquarters

Allied Expeditionary Forces

Main Echelon

Versailles, France

Number WAR 86184



For G-2 from Bissell WDGBI signed Ulio

Press reports red balls of fire accompanying planes in flight termed "Foo Fighters” by air personnel. Desire explanation if available.





Fnd





ORIGINATOR: G-2 INFORMATION: CGAAF

OPD

JEIA

NDD CM-OUT-86184 (Jan 45) DTG 032110Z



SECRET









The originator of this request for information about "foo fighters" was Clayton Lawrence Bissell. Bissell was commissioned as a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army Aviation Section, Signal Reserve on January 12, 1918. During his service in World War I, Bissell was credited with shooting down six aircraft, making him an ace.



After serving as the commanding general of the 10th Air Force in India and Burma, Bissell was assigned to the Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence in the War Department in January, 1944. The War Department encompassed Army Ground Forces, Army Air Forces and Service Troops.



It is clear that the sheer amount of public stories about "foo fighters" and mystery "spheres" being reported by allied aviators had led to a request for official information from Bissell and the WDGBI - War Department General Staff, Intelligence (G2)



Bissell retired in 1950 with the rank of Major-General.



To date, no answer from Supreme Headquarters, Allied Expeditionary Forces (SHAEF) to Bissell's request has been located. The written numbers probably refer to such messages A1358 and E96722. 1/5 and 2/9 probably refer to paragraphs or parts of the message where the answer is found as paragraph or part 1 of 5 paragraphs or parts.







Providence, R.I. The Providence Journal - 3 January, 1945

JAPS CLAIM ROBOTS WILL BE USED SOON



Tokyo Broadcast Says Bomb Will Dominate Skies of Pacific

Washington, Jan 2–(UP)–Tokyo claimed today that a Japanese-manufactured robot bomb would make its debut soon giving Japan domination of the skies of the Pacific Ocean. The broadcast beamed to Latin America and recorded by the FCC did not give any weapon, nor did it explain how the Japanese could hope to use them for such distances and against such tiny targets as American Pacific bases offer.

Spokane, Washington, Spokesmen Review - 9 January, 1945

Japanese Now Use Flying Bomb in China

Kunming, China, Jan 6. (Delayed)—(UP)—The Japanese are using some kind of flying bomb for the air defense of China.

Announcing this today, Maj. Gen. Claire L. Chennault said it had not been determined whether the bombs were launched from planes or the ground. So far they have had not great success. Flyers told of seeing “objects following or paralleling” the course of American planes. In each case the pilots were able to evade the objects.

The Japanese Air Force “is incapable of defense and therefore is bound to try to work out something,” commented Chennault, Commander of the United States 14th air force.

TIME Magazine - 15 January, 1945

Foo-Fighter





Their descriptions of the apparition varied, but they agree that the mysterious flares stuck close to their planes and appeared to follow them at high speed for miles. One pilot said that a foo-fighter, appearing as red balls off his wing tips, stuck with him until he dove at 360 miles an hour; then the balls zoomed up into the sky.



Skeptical scientists, baffled by the whole affair, were inclined to dismiss the fireballs as an illusion, perhaps an afterimage of light which remained in the pilots's eyes after they had been dazzled by flak bursts. But front-line correspondents and armchair experts had a Buck Rogers field day. They solemnly guessed: 1) that the balls of fire were radio-controlled (an obvious absurdity, since they could not be synchronized with a plane's movements by remote control); 2) that they were created by "electrical induction of some sort"; 3) that they were attracted to a plane by magnetism.



The correspondents further guessed that foo-fighters were intended: 1) to dazzle pilots; 2) to serve as aiming points for antiaircraft gunners; 3) to interfere with a plane's radar; 4) to cut a plane's ignition, thus stop its engine in midair.



Some scientists suggested another possibility: that the fireballs were nothing more than St. Elmo's Fire, a reddish brush-like discharge of atmospheric electricity which has often been seen near the tips of church steeples, ships' masts and yardarms. It often appears at a plane's wing tips.



If it was not a hoax or an optical illusion, it was certainly the most puzzling secret weapon that Allied fighters have yet encountered. Last week U.S. night fighter pilots based in France told a strange story of balls of fire which for more than a month have been following their planes at night over Germany. [*] No one seemed to know what, if anything, the fireballs were supposed to accomplish. Pilots, guessing it was a new psychological weapon, named it the "foo-fighter."Their descriptions of the apparition varied, but they agree that the mysterious flares stuck close to their planes and appeared to follow them at high speed for miles. One pilot said that a foo-fighter, appearing as red balls off his wing tips, stuck with him until he dove at 360 miles an hour; then the balls zoomed up into the sky.Skeptical scientists, baffled by the whole affair, were inclined to dismiss the fireballs as an illusion, perhaps an afterimage of light which remained in the pilots's eyes after they had been dazzled by flak bursts. But front-line correspondents and armchair experts had a Buck Rogers field day. They solemnly guessed: 1) that the balls of fire were radio-controlled (an obvious absurdity, since they could not be synchronized with a plane's movements by remote control); 2) that they were created by "electrical induction of some sort"; 3) that they were attracted to a plane by magnetism.The correspondents further guessed that foo-fighters were intended: 1) to dazzle pilots; 2) to serve as aiming points for antiaircraft gunners; 3) to interfere with a plane's radar; 4) to cut a plane's ignition, thus stop its engine in midair.Some scientists suggested another possibility: that the fireballs were nothing more than St. Elmo's Fire, a reddish brush-like discharge of atmospheric electricity which has often been seen near the tips of church steeples, ships' masts and yardarms. It often appears at a plane's wing tips. [*] Last month pilots reported that they had seen mysterious floating silvery balls, apparently another "secret weapon" in daylight flight over Germany.

NEWSWEEK - 15 January, 1945

Foo-Fighters





That was more than a month ago, one of the first times Allied fighters encountered what they now call "foo-fighters."



Probably related to the silvery balls seen by daylight pilots (



Day bombers have met the Me163, which has an explosive charge in the nose and is apparently designed to crash into Allied planes. When one pilot closely inspected foo-fighters tagging him, however, he detected nothing but the spheres.



Lt. Donald Meiers of Chicago was flying a Beaufighter on an intruder mission over Germany. He was braced to meet Nazi planes or anti-aircraft. Suddenly an eerie light split the darkness around his plane. Looking up from his instrument panel, the horrified lieutenant saw two red balls of fire cruising alongside his wingtips. Thinking he had run into a secret anti-aircraft weapon, Meiers tensed and waited for a German on the ground to push a button and blow him up. But the balls merely kept pace with him for a while and then disappeared.That was more than a month ago, one of the first times Allied fighters encountered what they now call "foo-fighters." [*] In addition to the wingtip balls, pilots have reported two other types. One is a group of three smaller balls which fly in front of their planes, the other a group of about fifteen which appear some distance away and flicker on and off. Apparently controlled by radio, the foo-fighters keep formation with the planes, even when they dive, climb, or take evasive action. "But they don't explode of attack us," Meiers said last week. "They just seem to follow us like will-o'-the-wisps."Probably related to the silvery balls seen by daylight pilots ( NEWSWEEK, Dec. 25, 1944 ), the foo-fighters so far apparently baffle intelligence officers. Possibly they are the results of a new anti-radar device which the Germans have developed. On the other hand, they may be the exhaust trails of a smaller model of the radio-controlled Messerschmitt-163, a rocket-propelled flying wing.Day bombers have met the Me163, which has an explosive charge in the nose and is apparently designed to crash into Allied planes. When one pilot closely inspected foo-fighters tagging him, however, he detected nothing but the spheres. [*] The name comes from the "Smokey Stover" comic strip.





SECRET SECRET

?TH: CG, XII TAC

Initial

Date: 16 Jan 1945

HEADQUARTERS XII TACTICAL AIR COMMAND (ADV) D-C-1



Office of the A/C of S, A-2



APO 374, US Army,

16 January 1945

SUBJECT: Night Phenomenon



TO : Commanding General, First Tactical Air Force (Prev),

APO 374, US Army. Attn: A/C of S, A-2



1. The following is quoted from training and tactical information supplied by the 415th Night Fighter Squadron for the month of December 1944:



"We have encountered a phenomenon which we cannot explain; crews have been followed by lights that blink on and off changing colors etc. The lights come very close and fly formation with our planes. They are agitating and keep the crews on edge when they encounter them, mainly because they cannot explain them. It is requested further information be furnished on this subject, such as similar experiences of other night units."



2. Further information is requested.



/signed/



LEAVITT CORNING, JR.,

Lt. Colonel, G. S. C.,

A/C of S, A-2.





1st Ind



D-B-1



HEADQUARTERS, FIRST TACTICAL AIR FORCE (PROV), AC of S A-2, APO 374, US Army,

10 January 1945



TO: AC of S A-2, XII Tactical-Air Command, APO 374, US Army



1. There have been no instances reported as above.



2. Before an investigation can be made it will be necessary to have more complete information, such as colors of the lights, their intensity, size, duration, and at what altitudes seen; also if the lights are observed at any specific hours. Do subject lights cross Allied lines and in what direction are they seen to travel? Also, has it been noted on what part of the aircraft are they carried, i.e. wing, tail, prop; and how close do they approach our aircraft?





For the Assistant Chief of Staff A-2:

/s/



S V BOYKIN

Major AC,

Executive Officer







-1-



SECRET





1945, January, "Phoo Bombs"

From the Office of Director of Intelligence for the US Strategic Air Forces in Europe (USSTAF) comes a new name for foo-fighters. In a Top Secret document dated 19 January 1945 entitled "An Evaluation of German Capabilities in 1945" we learn under paragraph 2e Other Weapons:

"German capabilities with already proved weapons as V-1 and V-2 and untried weapons, such as the 'Phoo' Bomb, Magnetic Waves and gases applicable to aircraft, are considered to offer no new threat of really serious proportions...."

Park Ridge, IL. Park Ridge Herald-Advocate - 19 January, 1945



(from Mel Tierney Post Servicemen file, Park Ridge Library)

'Ridge Fortress Pilot Tells of Encounter with Nazi Jet Plane'

An Eighth Air Force Bomber Station, England--Second Lieutenant Edward M Karl, 22, Park Ridge pilot of an Eighth Air Force B-17 Flying Fortresss, saw his first Nazi jet-propelled fighter on the mission attacking marshalling yards at Kassel, Germany, and still can't give much of a description of it even though it came within two [?] yards of his plane at the time.

It was his navigator, Second Lieutentant Robert M Favor of Sweetwater, Texas, who first spotted the strange craft.

“They're firing rocket projectiles at us,” he yelled over the interphone, but this this didn't seem quite right for the Fortress formation was not quite across the English Channel, churning along over friendly territory toward Germany.

Closer observation showed that the smoke trail behind the “projectile” would suddenly cut off for periods, and then spurt out again, which convinced Lt. Karl that they were seeing a jet-propelled plane at a distance, for it's the habit of these craft to accumulate speed and then glide for several miles to conserve fuel.

The plane disappeared, and was not seen again until something leaving a trail like a comet and screaming [?] like a runaway express train suddenly “whooshed” past the Fort's tail going straight up; no one got a good look at it until it was a tiny dark speck miles above, trailing a cloud of white smoke. The enemy plane made no attempt to attack the bomber formation.

Lt. Karl flies with [illegible][the 96th?]Bomb Wing the president cited for its success [illegible] Group, veteran combat unit for bombing the Focke-Wulf fighter plane factories in Posen, Poland. It is the unit of the Third Bomb Division which also has been cited by the President. This Division was also honored [?] for its England-Africa shuttle mission attacking Messerschmidt airplane factories at Regensburg, Germany.

Lt. Karl is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Evla M. Karl, 214 Columbia avenue. He was a student at the University of Illinois before entering the Army at Chicago, July 1942. He received his pilot's wings at Marfa, Texas in April 1944. His brother, Aviation Cadet Eugene R. Karl, is now undergoing training at San Marcos, Texas.





S E C R E T



1st W/Ind



D-W-2



HEADQUARTERS XII TACTICAL AIR COMMAND, APO #374, U.S. Army, 23 January 1945.



TO: S-2, 415 Night Fighter Squadron.



Forwarded for compliance with paragraph 2 of 1st Ind.





/s/



LEAVITT CORNING, JR,.

Lt. Colonel, G.S.C,.

A/C of S, A-2.





2nd W/Ind



D-W-2



415th. NIGHT FIGHTER SQUADRON, APO #374, U. S. Army, 30 January 1945.



TO: AC of S A-2. XII Tactical Air Command, APO 374, U. S. Army.







1. In compliance with paragraph 2 of Ist. Ind., the following extracts from the Sortie reports of various pilots who have encountered the Night Phenomenon are submitted for your information.



Night of 14-15 December 1944 - "In vicinity of Erstein (V-9381) flying at 1000 ft. observed large red light at 2000 ft. going East at 18:40 hrs. Travelling at approximately 200 MPH"

Night of 16-17 December 1944 - "20 miles North of Breisach (W-0173) at 800 ft. observed 5 or 6 flashing red and green lights in "T" shape. Thought they were flak. About 10 minutes later saw the same lights much closer and behind me. We turned port and Starboard and the lights followed. They closed in to about 8 O'clock and 1000 ft. and remained in that position for several minutes and then disappeared."

Night of 22-23 December 1944 - "Patrolling at Angels 10 from Sarrebourg to Strasbourg North and South of highway. At 06:00 hrs. saw two lights coming towards A/C from the ground. Upon reaching altitude of plane, they leveled off and stayed on my tail for approximately 2 minutes. Lights appeared to be a large orange glow. After staying with A/C for approximately 2 minutes, they would peel off and turn away, fly along level for a few minutes and then go out. They appeared to be under perfect control at all times. Lights were seen somewhere in vicinity of Hagenau."







S E C R E T







S E C R E T





2nd. W/lnd., 415th. Night Fighter Squadron. 30. January 1945 con't.



Night of 23-24 December 1944 - "Observed reddish colored flames at considerable distance and at approximately 10,000 ft."

Night of 23-24 December 1944 - "Approximately 10 miles South of Point X (Q6745) noticed to NE approximately 5 miles a glowing red object shooting straight up. Changed suddenly to plane view of A/C doing a wing over and going into a dive and disappearing."

Night of 26-27 December 1944 - "At 01:45 hrs. saw two yellow streaks of flame flying at same level at approximately 3000 ft. off port side. We also saw red balls of fire that stayed up for 10 seconds approximately 45 miles away. After seeing yellow streaks, made starboard vector lost altitude and streaks disappeared from view. Called GCI Blunder and asked if any E/A were in vicinity. They answered No. Instructed to return to Angels 10. We felt what was thought to be prop wash; very distinct. Noticed several groups of lights off port while patrolling in vicinity of Q-9050 and R-1556. Lights made distinct lines somewhat like arrows."

Night of 26-27 December 1944 - "While on vector 090 near V-7050 during patrol we observed airborne white lights. They were staggered evenly vertically and we could see from 1 to 4 swing at once. They appeared stationary at 10,000 ft."

Night of 26-27 December 1944 - Observed light at same altitude while in vicinity of Worms. Observer saw light come within 100. Peeled off and took evasive action but light continued to follow for 5 minutes. Light then pulled up rapidly and went out of sight."

Night of 27-28 December 1944 - "While on North heading in patrol area noticed in vicinity of Q-1378 lights suspended in air moving slowly and would then disappear. Were orange in color. Lights appeared singly and in pairs. Observed these lights four or five times during period."

Night of 27-28 December 1944 - Eight miles NE of Luneville at 19:10 hrs. saw three sets of three lights (red and white) one on starboard and one on port from 1000ft. to 2000 ft. to rear and closing in at Angels 10. Pulled up to Angels 8 and lights went out. Called Churchman to see if there was anything in area. Received a negative reply."

Night of 30-31 December 1944 - "Saw a group of lights flying through the air 30 or 40 miles East of base while flying at Angels 9 - 10."

Night of 1-2 January 1945 - "Saw *Foofighters North of Strasbourg and North of Saverne".

Night of 14-15 January 1945 - "Observed a large orange glow in sky approx. 5 ft. in diameter in vicinity of Ingweiller at 6000 ft. at 20:00 hrs."







S E C R E T









S E C R E T





2nd. W/Ind., 415th. Night Fighter Squadron, 30 January 1945 Con't.



Night of 29-30 January 1945 - "At about 00:10 hrs. sighted a Foofighter about half way between Weissembourg and Landau. Foofighter was off to the starboard and rear at Angels 2. Lights were amber and one was 20 -50 ft. above the other and of about 30 seconds duration. Foofighter was about 1000 ft. away and following. The lights were about a foot in diameter. Lights disappeared when Travel 34 turned into them."



2. In every case where pilot called GCI Control and asked if there was a Bogey A/C in the area he received a negative answer.





/s/



F. B. Ringwald

Captain, A.C.

Intelligence Officer





* Foofighters is the name given these phenomenon by combat crews of this Squadron.









S E C R E T









S E C R E T



2nd Ind D-W-2 HEADQUARTERS XII TACTICAL AIR COMMAND (ADV) APO #374. U.S. Army,

4 February 1945.



TO: Commanding General, First Tactical Air Force (Prov) APO #374

U.S. Army. Attn: A/C of S, A-2.



Attention is invited to 2nd W/Ind.



/s/

John E Woodley for

LEAVITT CORNING, JR.,

Lt. Colonel, G. S. C.,

A/C of S, A-2.



3rd Ind D-Y-1 HEADQUARTERS, FIRST TACTICAL AIR FORCE (PROV), APO 374, U S Army,

5 February 1945.



TO: Chief Intelligence Officer, Air Staff SHAEF, APO 757



1. Forwarded for your information.



2. This headquarters has no further information or explanation in connection with these phenomena.



3. It is believed that further investigation is warranted. Since appropriate technical personnel are not available within the First Tactical Air Force, the matter is forwarded for such further investigation as may be advisable.



/signed/



C.A. YOUNG

Colonel, AC,

AC of S, A-2





1 Incl.

#1. - 1st & and 2nd W/Ind, 23 Jan 45

and 30 Jan 45









S E C R E T













SECRET





AIR STAFF

SUPREME HEADQUARTERS

ALLIED EXPEDITIONARY FORCE







REF:- 37153 11 February 1945 TO:- First Tactical Air Force (Prov.), APO 374, U.S. ARMY



1. Reference to your 3rd Indorsment on the subject of night phenomenon originated by the 415th Night Fighter Squadron, there is no information at this Headquarters which might explain the nature and cause of the lights and other phenomena described by the pilots of this Squadron.

2. The matter is, therefore, being referred to the Air Ministry in order to find out whether any further information can be obtained from that source. It is also hoped to make arrangements for an Air Technical Intelligence Officer from USSTAF to visit the unit concerned.

For the Deputy Supreme Commander



/s/



C.M. GRIERSON,

Air Commodore

A.C. of S., A-2





SECRET











SECRET





AIR STAFF

SUPREME HEADQUARTERS

ALLIED EXPEDITIONARY FORCE







REF: SHAEF AIR/TS.37153/A-2 11 February 1945 SUBJECT: Night Phenomena. TO: Headquarters, U.S.S.T.A.F

(For attention of Chief Technical Intelligence

Officer, Col. Bradley).





1. Attached are copies of papers received from the first Tac. Air Force (Prov). From the number of reports quoted in the 2nd W/Ind from the 415th Night Fighter Squadron, it would seem that there must be something more than mere imagination behind the matter, and in view of the fact that pilots and crews are becoming slightly worried by them, it is considered that everything possible should be done to get to the root of the matter.

2. Copies of the reports have been sent to the Air Ministry for their consideration, and the Scientific Investigation Division of this Headquarters (Mr. Robertson) has also been asked to consider the problem.

3. In the meantime, it is suggested that it might be as well for an Air Technical Intelligence Officer to visit the unit concerned and obtain reports and impressions at first hand from aircrew personnel.

For the Deputy Supreme Commander



/s/



C.M. GRIERSON,

Air Commodore

A.C. of S., A-2





SECRET







Stars and Stripes European Edition - 19 February, 1945

Men Who See ’Em

Say Foo-Fighters

Can't Be Poohed



By Ed Clark

Stars and Stripes Staff Writer

WITH THE 1st TACTICAL AlR FORCE. Feb. 18–Discussion of the Foo-Fignters, weird thingamajigs spotted by U.S. night fighters over enemy territory, reached a new peak here today as Beaufighter crews received news from home that the Foo-Fighters were figments of the imagination and strictly from the realm of make-believe.

Particularly disgusting to the night fliers who have seen Foo-Fighters off and on for the past four months was a recent article in Time which said “Skeptical scientists, baffled by the whole affair, were inclined to dismiss the fireballs as an illusion, perhaps an image of light which remained in the pilots' eyes after they had been dazzled by flak bursts.”

Nobody, the Beaufighter crew members agreed, was prepared to explain the Foo-Fighters, but they were incensed to learn that the phenomenon had been lightly passed off as a case of spots before their eyes.

Many of these night fighters are veterans of the African and Italian campaigns which lacked the added attraction of Foo-Fighters. As one pilot, Lt. Owen H. Davis, St Petersburg. Fla., and his navigator, Lt. Warren G. Rodick, New Orleans, put it:

“If we're starting to see things now, we'd better quit and go home.”

Without ever having actually met, these Beaufigbter men have at least accumulated a passing acquaintance–better than others–with the Foo-Fighters, during their last four months of operation over German territory.

They described them as balls of colored light which rise from the ground in Krautland and move in on the U.S. night fighters shortly after they near or cross the battle lines. Sometimes they are in sets, as many as ten. Their color has ranged from red to orange, yellow, white and even blue.

Playing it safe, no Beaufighter crew has yet allowed the Foo-Fighters to close in, but has always gone into evasive dives and turns while the thingamajigs were still a sure distance off the wing or tail tips

The Honolulu Advertiser - 23 April, 1950

Spots Before Eyes?



War Time ‘Foo Fighters’

Said Like Flying Discs

By EDGAR CLARK



ATHENS, Greece, April 22 (UP) — The technicolored “flying saucers” reported at various points in recent weeks recall the “foo-fighters” which shadowed U. S. night fighter pilots over Germany during the “Battle of the Bulge.”

This correspondent, although he has seen no flying saucers, saw the mysterious “foo-fighters” several times while flying with the air force over the Rhine valley.

They appeared to be red or orange colored balls, which rose suddenly from German territory and trailed American planes until they left the area.

• • •

THE GLOWING SPOTS first were seen by pilots of night fighter planes who were trying to spot the location of German artillery by the flash from its guns.

Until recently, most “flying saucers” were described as silvery or almost-transparent discs, and there appeared to be no connection between them and the “foo-fighters.”

Some reports of the last few weeks, however, have described the saucers as being reddish or, orange in color—similar in appearance to the unexplained sights seen by American airmen.

• • •

“FOO-FIGHTERS” appeared at the height of the Battle of the Bulge, with the last-round rush of German “V” and other radar controlled weapons.

I had my first experience with them Christmas Eve, 1944, in the vicinity of Karlsruhe. We suddenly saw a red ball appear on the blacked-out ground below us and to our left.

• • •

IN SPLIT seconds we watched it take off, gain altitude with tremendous speed and draw level off our left wing. Because of the darkness we were unable to judge its distance from us or its size.

As the red ball moved along with us, the pilot went into evasive action in an effort to shake it off. We turned, we rolled, we dived, we climbed, but the red ball stayed with us.

• • •

WITH OUR unwelcome companion, we continued north for a while and then turned back toward Karlsruhe. In the area where it had first joined us, the red ball disappeared from sight as suddenly as it had appeared and we continued back to the Nancy area alone.

Fliers believed the foo-fighters were German radar-controlled devices, used to track the course of aircraft. Soon after the appearance of the foo-fighters, the area where they were observed was overrun by American ground forces and nothing more was seen or heard of the mysterious red balls.

• • •

AT THE TIME of the first reports of “foo-fighters,” scientific circles explained them as St. Elmo’s fire, spots before the eyes of the pilots or plain imagination.

No official explanation of this phenomena ever has been published.

PROJECT 1947 Comment: In Lt. Col. Jo Chamberlin's personal papers was this cryptic note:



"On Christmas Eve, Sergeant Ed Clark scooped Associate Press reporter Bob Wilson."

In the spring of 1945, Lt. Col. Chamberlin, a special aide to General Hap Arnold , Commander of the Army Air Forces, was on temporary duty in Europe. He had stopped at the 415th Night Fighter Squadron to learn more about reports of the so-called "foo-fighters."

Chamberlin found that both Sgt. Edgar (Ed) Clark and Robert Wilson had been there back in December 1945. Clark had even gone up on a 415th NFS mission over enemy territory. He wrote up a description of his flight in the Stars and Stripes newspaper, but did not mention seeing "foo-fighters." However in several columns he wrote after the war he did mention seeing the strange lights and in this article he gives a vivid description of the phenomenon.

The operational report dealing with the Christmas Eve foo-fighter no longer exists, but the unit history does mention that foo-fighters were active on Christmas Eve. Clark was probably unable to write about the foo-fighter incident in December 1944 due to official censorship.





SECRET





To: A/Cmdr. Grierson

A.C. of S. A-2

Air Staff S.H.A.E.F. From: Air Ministry, D.D.I.2. Date: 13th March, 1945 Ref: 111/45/DDI2



BALLS OF FIRE - RED



The papers dealing with the above subject which you enclosed with your memo SHAEF Air/TS.37153/A2 dated 11th February, have been carefully examined and discussed with the various other Departments concerned.

Bomber Command crews have for some time been reporting similar phononema. A few of the alleged aircraft may have been Me.262 and for the rest, flak rockets are suggested as the most likely explanation.

The whole affair is still something of a mystery and the evidence is very sketchy and varied so that no definite and satisfactory explanation can yet be given.

/s/



E. D. M. Hopkins ,



Group Captain















SECRET





AIR STAFF

SUPREME HEADQUARTERS

ALLIED EXPEDITIONARY FORCE







REF:- SHAEF/A/TS.37153/A.2. 18 March 1945 SUB:- Night Phenomena. TO:- First Tactical Air Force (Prov.), APO 374, US ARMY.





1. With reference to reports forwarded from the XIIth Tactical Air Command through your Headquarters on the subject of night phenomena (foofighter), and further to this Headquarters' letter of even reference dated 11 February, a reply has now been received from the Air Ministry who say that Bomber Command crews have for some time been reporting similar phenonema.

2. The Air Ministry view is that a few of the alleged aircraft may have been Me.262’s and for the rest, flak rockets are suggested as the most likely explanation.

3. It is regretted that no further, or more definite, information can be given.

For the Deputy Supreme Commander



/s/



C.M. GRIERSON,

Air Commodore

A.C. of S., A-2





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