On June 24th, 1947 while searching for the remains of a downed
Marine C-46 transport, lost somewhere in the Mount Ranier area, a young
Idahoan businessman named Kenneth Arnold spotted something that would
change his life forever. Just north of his position flying at an altitude of
9,500 feet and an unprecedented airspeed of 1,700 mph he spotted nine
circular aircraft flying in formation. According to his estimate the aircraft
were approximately the size of a DC-4 airliner ( Jackson 4).
This account was the first sighting to ever receive a great deal of media
attention. This sighting gave birth to the phrase "flying Saucer" coined by a
reporter named Bill Begrette. Although not the first UFO sighting in history,
Kenneth Arnolds account is considered to be the first documented UFO
The following day Mr. Arnold discovered that in addition to his
sighting there were several others in the Mount Ranier area that same day
When most of think of UFO sightings we picture an unemployed, half-
crazed, alcoholic hick living in a trailer park in the middle small town USA.
Often times this description, although a little exaggerated, seems to fit
well. In the past when the average person spotted a UFO they were quickly
discounted as a kook or con-artist in search of either attention or monetary
reward. It wasn't until more reputable figures in our society began to come
forward that we that we started looking at this issue a little more seriously.
An article written 1957, entitled " Strange lights over Grenada" written by
Aime' Michel describes just such an account:
At 10:35 p.m. on September the 4th, 1957 Cpt Ferreira ordered his
wing to abandon a planned exercise and execute a 50 degree turn to
port. Ferreira was attempting to get a closer look at what he
described as brilliant, pulsating light hanging low over the horizon.
When the turn was completed he noticed that the ...