Maine: Gray oval chased by F-94B pilots
On January 29, 1953, at 9:55 a.m., 2nd Lt. Fred T. Goetting Jr. and Lt. Howard C. Kelley spotted a small gray oval object above their F-94B near Houlton and Chatham, Maine. They pursued it at high speed for 8 minutes but broke off due to fuel shortage; other fighters confirmed sighting.
Background
Sighting and Pursuit
On January 29, 1953 at 9:55, 2nd Lt. Fred T. Goetting Jr., pilot of an F-94B at 23,000 feet, observed a small grey oval object between Houlton and Chatham, Maine. He pointed it out to his radar operator, Lt. Howard C. Kelley, who at first had difficulty making it out. The object hung about 10 degrees above the aircraft, showed no luminosity, engine traces, or contrails, and had clear outlines.
Pursuit Maneuvers
Goetting accelerated to 0.8 Mach to close on the object, but it held its distance for over 8 minutes and some 40 miles. Low on fuel, he broke off the chase and returned to base. At least two further fighters from other squadrons reported the same observation.
Witness Statements and Sources
Both pilots described the object as thin, grey, and matt, with no visible means of propulsion. The reports come from NICAP archives, Sparks (p. 197), and the Hynek UFO Report (p. 58). Project Blue Book speculated about Venus, which is doubted on account of the timing and the details.
Significance
The case points to military UAP encounters in the 1950s, with multiple witnesses and technical data that resist conventional explanation.