The Washington DC UFO Flap

On consecutive weekends in July 1952, unidentified flying objects appeared over Washington, DC—directly over the White House, Capitol Building, and Pentagon. Radar at multiple facilities tracked the objects, jets were scrambled to intercept, and the nation’s capital experienced the most dramatic UFO incursion in American history.

July 19-20, 1952

The first weekend:

• At 11:40 PM, radar operators at Washington National Airport detected seven objects
• Andrews Air Force Base radar confirmed the contacts
• Objects were tracked moving at impossible speeds—then hovering
• Visual observers confirmed lights in the sky
• Objects appeared directly over the White House

Radar Confirmation

Multiple radar systems tracked the objects:

• Washington National Airport’s ARTC radar
• Andrews Air Force Base radar
• Both systems showed the same objects
• Objects demonstrated speeds up to 7,000 mph followed by complete stops

Jet Intercepts

F-94 jets were scrambled:

• Pilots made visual contact with lights
• Objects would accelerate away when jets approached
• One pilot reported being surrounded by the objects
• Jets were unable to close with any target

July 26-27, 1952

The following weekend, it happened again:

• Radar again tracked unknown objects over DC
• Visual sightings were reported across the region
• Jets were again scrambled
• The objects again outmaneuvered the interceptors

Media Frenzy

The sightings created a media sensation:

• Headlines appeared nationwide
• The Pentagon was flooded with press inquiries
• President Truman demanded answers
• It became the biggest news story in the country

Pentagon Press Conference

On July 29, Major General John Samford held a press conference:

• The largest Pentagon press conference since WWII
• Samford attributed sightings to “temperature inversions”
• This explanation was widely questioned
• The press conference failed to satisfy public concern

Temperature Inversion Debate

The official explanation faced challenges:

• Experienced radar operators knew how to identify inversions
• Visual sightings couldn’t be explained by inversions
• The objects’ intelligent behavior seemed impossible for false returns
• Multiple radar systems confirmed the same objects

The Robertson Panel

The CIA convened a secret panel in January 1953:

• Scientists reviewed the DC evidence
• The panel recommended debunking UFO reports
• Public concern was deemed the real threat
• The result was increased secrecy, not investigation

Significance

The Washington flap is significant for:

• UFOs over the nation’s capital
• Multiple radar confirmation
• Military jet intercepts
• Presidential attention
• Pentagon press conference
• Still officially unexplained

Legacy

The 1952 Washington DC UFO flap remains the most dramatic UFO incursion over American territory. Objects appeared directly over the seat of government, were tracked on military radar, and evaded jet interceptors—yet no satisfactory explanation has ever been provided.