UFOs? Well, Not Really

contributed by Edward L. Fritts

Chronicles of USAF 738th AC&W Radar Squadron Olathe NAS Kansas 1959- 1962:

THE UFO...
One morning I was pulling day shift at the 738th remote transmitter site. My Sarge gets a phone call then tells me "Fritts go over to radar ops and fix their intercom system.". Radar ops was a bunker type concrete building surrounded by radar units, diesel backup power plant, stores, security, etc. I`m in the scope pit surrounded by about 6 radar scopes and scope dopes tracing wires when an operator reports to the duty officer "Sir! I`ve got a skin paint UFO on heading 145, speed 1800 knots, altitude 60,000 ft! Doesn`t respond to radio!". The DO promptly loses interest in his coffee and starts paying attention along with everyone else. He leaves his desk and goes to a scope to see for himself. He says "Try radio frequency such and such." No response from UFO. Then "Try emergency radio frequency such and such." No response from UFO. This UFO was moving so fast it would be off our scopes in about 10 minutes and was already approaching our height finder altitude limit. Action was necessary soon!

The Squadron Commander was notified. F-104s were scrambled from nearby Richards Gebaur AFB. The Navy probably put something in the air also but of this I`m not sure. The on site Army Nike missle unit was alerted and the Nikes were targeted.

The radar ops switch board lit up like a Christmas tree and some higher brass showed up in a hurry.

Meanwhile the clock is ticking and we all knew that fingers were on red buttons. It becomes silent in the scope pit. It looks like the sh.. is going to hit the fan. The UFO has crossed the center of our search sweep and still no radio response or transponder.

A little sweat was flowing. Just waiting...

After a tense moment or two this laid back cool voice comes over the speakers: "This is SAC flight ??? on mission ??? etc..." Scuttlebutt had it later that this airplane was a SAC B-58 that came down over the north pole to test US radar defenses. It had crossed the DEW line undetected. The 738th AC&W Squadron in the US heartland was the first radar to pick it up. I imagined some heads rolled. Those of us who were aware of this incident were told later to keep our mouths shut.

About this time the U-2 became public knowledge and our radar techs busted their asses trying to soup up the height finders. They managed to get up to 70,000-80,000 ft and every now and then would pick up a U-2.

Disclaimer: My memory is a little fuzzy after all these years but the gist of this event is true. I was there.

Edward L. Fritts
sojourner@military.com

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