Kenneth Arnold Sighting - Birth of Flying Saucers

The Kenneth Arnold sighting of June 24, 1947, is the most historically significant UFO case ever documented - not because it was the most dramatic, but because it birthed the modern UFO phenomenon. Arnold’s report gave us the term “flying saucer” and opened the floodgates to thousands of subsequent reports. The modern UFO era began over Mount Rainier.

Kenneth Arnold

Kenneth Arnold was an unlikely figure to launch an era:

Profession: A 32-year-old businessman who sold fire suppression equipment.

Pilot: An experienced private pilot with over 4,000 flight hours.

Character: Known as reliable, honest, and not prone to exaggeration.

Location: Based in Boise, Idaho.

June 24, 1947

Arnold was flying his CallAir A-2 from Chehalis to Yakima, Washington:

The Mission: He had diverted to help search for a Marine transport plane that had crashed.

The Location: Flying near Mount Rainier at approximately 9,200 feet altitude.

The Time: Approximately 3:00 PM on a clear afternoon.

Visibility: Excellent - he could see clearly for many miles.

The Sighting

While flying, Arnold observed something extraordinary:

Initial Flash: A bright flash caught his attention, which he first thought was a reflection off another aircraft.

The Objects: He then saw nine objects flying in a long chain formation.

Direction: They were flying from north to south, from Mount Baker toward Mount Adams.

Formation: In a diagonal, echelon formation like geese.

Speed: Moving extremely fast - he later calculated approximately 1,200 mph.

What He Described

Arnold’s description was precise:

Shape: Crescent-shaped or like a pie plate with a piece cut out - NOT saucer-shaped as later popularized.

Size: He estimated 45-50 feet in diameter.

Appearance: Extremely bright, as if made of nickel or highly polished metal.

Movement: Undulating or weaving slightly as they flew, “like a saucer skipping across water.”

No Tail: No visible tail section or conventional aircraft features.

No Sound: Silent, though at that distance he might not have heard engines anyway.

The Calculation

Arnold attempted to determine their speed scientifically:

Landmarks: He timed their travel between Mount Rainier and Mount Adams.

Distance: Approximately 47 miles.

Time: About 102 seconds.

Result: Approximately 1,200-1,700 mph - impossibly fast for 1947 technology.

The fastest aircraft in 1947 was far slower than what Arnold calculated.

The Report

Arnold reported his sighting that same day:

Initial Report: He told airport personnel in Yakima and Pendleton.

The Press: Reporter Bill Bequette of the East Oregonian interviewed Arnold.

The Phrase: Describing their movement “like a saucer would if you skipped it across the water,” the reporter coined “flying saucer.”

National Story: The story went out on the AP wire and made national headlines.

The Term “Flying Saucer”

A misunderstanding created an icon:

Arnold’s Words: He described their movement like a saucer skipping - not their shape.

Media Interpretation: Headlines used “flying saucer” to describe the objects.

Shape Assumption: People assumed the objects were saucer-shaped.

Cultural Impact: The term “flying saucer” entered the global lexicon.

Irony: Subsequent witnesses often described classic saucer shapes, possibly influenced by the term.

The Response

Arnold’s report triggered a phenomenon:

More Sightings: In the days and weeks following, hundreds of UFO reports flooded in from across America.

Media Coverage: The story dominated news for weeks.

Military Interest: The Army Air Forces took notice and began collecting reports.

Project Sign: Within a year, the first official UFO investigation was launched.

Arnold’s Credibility

Arnold was thoroughly vetted:

Air Force Investigation: Army Air Forces investigators interviewed him and found him credible.

Polygraph: He reportedly passed a polygraph test.

Consistency: His account never changed in any significant detail.

No Profit Motive: He didn’t seek to profit from the sighting.

Subsequent Sightings: He reported other UFO sightings later, which some see as either supporting evidence or reason for skepticism.

Attempted Explanations

Various explanations have been proposed:

Pelicans: Dr. J. Allen Hynek initially suggested white pelicans. Arnold rejected this - experienced pilots know what birds look like.

Mirages: Atmospheric effects creating optical illusions. This doesn’t explain the timed, calculated speed.

Secret Aircraft: Classified military jets. No known 1947 aircraft could achieve the speeds Arnold calculated.

Meteors: Bright meteors flying in formation. Meteors don’t fly horizontally in formation.

Hoax: Arnold fabricated the story. His character and consistency argue against this.

Historical Significance

The Arnold sighting matters because:

The Beginning: It launched the modern UFO era.

The Term: It gave us “flying saucer” (however inaccurately).

Official Response: It prompted the first government UFO investigations.

Cultural Impact: It created a phenomenon that continues 75+ years later.

Pattern Setting: It established patterns seen in thousands of subsequent reports.

What He Saw

The question remains: what did Kenneth Arnold see?

The objects he described:

• Flew faster than any known 1947 aircraft
• Maintained formation over 47 miles
• Reflected light like polished metal
• Made no sound
• Had unconventional shapes

No satisfactory conventional explanation has ever been provided.

Arnold’s Later Life

After the sighting:

Investigation Involvement: Arnold participated in investigating other UFO cases.

Public Speaking: He spoke publicly about his experience.

Additional Sightings: He reported seeing UFOs on subsequent occasions.

Maintained Account: He never recanted and maintained his account until his death in 1984.

Legacy

Kenneth Arnold’s 1947 sighting:

• Created the “flying saucer” phenomenon
• Launched official government UFO investigations
• Established a pattern for credible UFO reports
• Remains unexplained nearly 80 years later

On a clear June afternoon in 1947, a businessman flying his small plane saw something that changed how humanity looks at the sky. Whatever Kenneth Arnold saw over Mount Rainier that day started something that shows no sign of ending.

Sources

• Kenneth Arnold’s original account and later writings
• Army Air Forces investigation files
• Project Sign documentation
• Kenneth Arnold UFO sighting - Wikipedia