Within Blue Book
Why the Portage County UFO Chase Still Divides Readers
The 1966 police chase in northeast Ohio became a lasting argument over whether Blue Book handled dramatic witness reports fairly.
On this page
- What officers reported during the chase
- How Blue Book explained the sightings
- Why the case damaged public trust
Page outline Jump by section
Introduction
The Portage County UFO chase remains one of Ohio’s most disputed UFO cases because the argument is no longer only about what police officers saw in the sky. It is also about how Project Blue Book handled the report afterwards. In April 1966, several law-enforcement officers in north-east Ohio and western Pennsylvania reported pursuing a bright airborne object for dozens of miles before dawn. Within days, the Air Force’s official UFO programme concluded that the officers had misidentified astronomical objects, principally a satellite and the planet Venus. Critics argued that the explanation was rushed, incomplete and dismissive. Supporters of Blue Book replied that excitement, darkness and misperception can produce dramatic but mistaken observations. More than half a century later, the case still serves as one of the clearest examples of the credibility gap that developed between UFO witnesses and official investigators in Ohio. [documents2.theblackvault.com]documents2.theblackvault.comp,.-v-c Ff,, 7-r'>'· –/f·l·f'Portage County Ohio sheriff's\.hen the picture. was de- deputies… "Project Blue Book,'' the Air. Force oCricial UFO in"csti:a· 1 tion projtd…Read more… [NICAP]nicap.orgNICAPThe Portage County Ohio UFO ChaseOne of the most dramatic encounters by police officers with an apparently structured, low-level UFO…
What officers reported during the chase
The incident began in the early hours of 17 April 1966 near Ravenna in Portage County. Deputy sheriffs Dale Spaur and Wilbur Neff reported seeing a bright object rise from a wooded area while they were investigating a parked vehicle. According to their accounts, the object appeared metallic or disc-shaped and emitted an intense light from below. They radioed their observations and began following it. [NICAP]nicap.orgTwo Articles About the Ravenna / Portage CoOhio UFO ChaseSpaur and Neff were checking on a car parked alongside U.S. 224 between Randolph and Atwater. The car was filled with radio… [NICAP]nicap.org660417ravenna dirUFO Report1966. Deputy Sheriff Dale Spaur and Mandalay Village Police Chief, Gerald Booker, give their narratives of the UFO chase incide…
What transformed the sighting into a national story was the length of the pursuit. The officers claimed they followed the object across large stretches of Ohio and into Pennsylvania. Additional police officers reportedly joined or observed parts of the chase after hearing radio communications. Witnesses described the object as moving ahead of them, sometimes appearing to stop, descend or change position before continuing onward. Estimates of the distance travelled varied, but contemporary accounts commonly placed the pursuit at roughly 80 to 90 miles. [NICAP]nicap.orgNICAPThe Portage County Ohio UFO ChaseOne of the most dramatic encounters by police officers with an apparently structured, low-level UFO… [Medium]medium.comSomething Happened to Dale' | Point of Contact JUST BEFORE DAWN on Sunday,Something Happened to Dale' | Point of ContactJUST BEFORE DAWN on Sunday, April 17, 1966, police officers pursued a UFO for nearly 90 mi…
Several features made the case unusually difficult to dismiss outright:
- The principal witnesses were police officers rather than anonymous members of the public.
- Multiple jurisdictions became aware of the pursuit through radio traffic.
- The event unfolded over an extended period rather than a brief sighting.
- The officers maintained their accounts after national media attention arrived. NICAP [Cleveland Scene]clevescene.comstrangers in the night 1485939Cleveland SceneStrangers in the Night31 Mar 2004 — In 1966, Ohio cops chased a UFO into Pennsylvania. Then the government got involved, a…
At the same time, the reports were not identical. Witness descriptions differed on altitude, shape and movement. The observation occurred before sunrise under conditions where bright celestial objects, atmospheric effects and changing viewing angles could complicate judgement. Those ambiguities would become central to later sceptical interpretations. [Wikipedia]WikipediaProject Blue BookProject Blue Book
How Blue Book explained the sightings
Project Blue Book was already under pressure in 1966. The United States was experiencing a major wave of UFO reports, and public criticism of Air Force investigations was growing. The Portage County chase therefore arrived at a sensitive moment. [Wikipedia]WikipediaIdentification studies of UFOs1966 Portage County UFO Chase case have both been associated with astronomical sources. In 2009, Peter Davenport, Director of the Nationa…
Major Hector Quintanilla, then head of Project Blue Book, announced an explanation only days after the event. According to the Air Force conclusion, the officers had not followed a single extraordinary craft. Instead, Blue Book argued that they initially observed a satellite or satellite-related object and later mistook Venus for the same target while continuing the pursuit. [Apple Podcasts]podcasts.apple.comApple PodcastsAudioBlog- A 1966 UFO Police ChaseOn the morning of April 17, 1966, two sheriff deputies, Dale Spaur and Wilbur “Barney” Ne…
The explanation immediately attracted criticism. The officers insisted that what they observed behaved unlike a fixed celestial object. They argued that it appeared to manoeuvre, change altitude and respond to their movements. Critics also pointed out that Blue Book had interviewed only a limited number of participants before issuing its public conclusion. [Wikipedia]WikipediaMichigan "swamp gas" UFO reportsMichigan "swamp gas" UFO reportsThe Michigan "swamp gas" UFO reports were two mass sightings of unidentified flying objects during the… [NICAP]nicap.orgTwo Articles About the Ravenna / Portage CoOhio UFO ChaseSpaur and Neff were checking on a car parked alongside U.S. 224 between Randolph and Atwater. The car was filled with radio…
Astronomer J. Allen Hynek, who served as Blue Book’s scientific consultant, became an important part of the controversy. Although Hynek did not endorse extraterrestrial claims, he reportedly disagreed with the simplicity of the official explanation. His view was that some witness observations may indeed have involved Venus or other astronomical objects, but he considered the Air Force’s public account overly reductive. Later retellings often cite the case as one of several incidents that contributed to Hynek’s growing frustration with Blue Book’s handling of difficult reports. [ufologie]ufologie.patrickgross.orgUfologiethe 1966 Portage County police UFO chase7 Nov 2003 — J. Allen Hynek, the respected astronomer who was supposed to "explain" UFO c… The disagreement exposed a deeper problem. Even if some portion of the sighting could be explained astronomically, many observers felt Blue Book had not convincingly reconstructed the entire sequence of events. The gap between “partially explained” and “case closed” became a recurring criticism of the programme. [Wikipedia]WikipediaProject Blue BookProject Blue Book
Why the case damaged public trust
The Portage County chase mattered because it arrived during a period when confidence in official UFO investigations was already weakening. Earlier in 1966, public controversy over Michigan sightings and the infamous “swamp gas” explanation had fuelled accusations that authorities were more interested in defusing publicity than pursuing difficult cases. Against that backdrop, the Ohio chase became another test of credibility. [Popular Mechanics]popularmechanics.comPopular Mechanics JAllen Hynek & Project Blue Book: UFO Secrets RevealedApril 12, 2026 — 12 Apr 2026 — Explore the UFO mysteries J. Allen Hynek uncovered wi…
For many readers and reporters, the central question was simple: if trained police officers could describe a dramatic event and receive an explanation they considered absurd, how seriously was Blue Book investigating reports at all? The issue was not necessarily whether the officers had seen an alien craft. It was whether the investigative process appeared fair and thorough. [Wikipedia]WikipediaIdentification studies of UFOs1966 Portage County UFO Chase case have both been associated with astronomical sources. In 2009, Peter Davenport, Director of the Nationa…
Critics focused on several points:
- The speed with which the Air Force announced its conclusion.
- The limited witness interviews conducted before that announcement.
- The perceived mismatch between witness testimony and the Venus explanation.
- Hynek’s reported reservations about the official account. [2ufohistoryfiles.com]ufohistoryfiles.comPortage County materialPortage County, Chio… Project Blue Book's actions regarding the April 17 UFO sighting which began.Read more…
Supporters of Blue Book responded that extraordinary claims require strong evidence. They noted that long-distance night-time chases are especially vulnerable to perceptual errors. A bright planet near the horizon can appear to move relative to a moving observer, while changing terrain and road directions can create the illusion that an object is pacing a vehicle. From this perspective, the Air Force may have reached an unpopular conclusion, but not an irrational one. [Wikipedia]WikipediaMichigan "swamp gas" UFO reportsMichigan "swamp gas" UFO reportsThe Michigan "swamp gas" UFO reports were two mass sightings of unidentified flying objects during the…
The problem was that Blue Book increasingly struggled to persuade sceptical members of the public that its explanations were the result of careful investigation rather than institutional convenience. The Portage County case became one of the examples repeatedly cited by organisations such as NICAP, which accused the Air Force of dismissing reports too readily. NICAP [Center for UFO Studies]cufos.orgCenter for UFO Studies Preliminary NICAP investigation by William BWeitzel (1966)to the Portage County UFO sightings. You have truly amazed me by the… UFO sightings by Project Blue vestigator and chair…
Did later reporting strengthen or weaken the original claim?
Later research has not produced decisive evidence that resolves the case. No radar record, photograph or physical trace has emerged that clearly demonstrates the presence of an extraordinary craft. The strongest evidence remains the testimony of the officers involved and the consistency with which some of them defended their accounts. [NICAP]nicap.org660417ravenna dirUFO Report1966. Deputy Sheriff Dale Spaur and Mandalay Village Police Chief, Gerald Booker, give their narratives of the UFO chase incide… [NICAP]nicap.org660417ravenna dirUFO Report1966. Deputy Sheriff Dale Spaur and Mandalay Village Police Chief, Gerald Booker, give their narratives of the UFO chase incide…
At the same time, later sceptical analysis has continued to argue that the pursuit can be understood through a combination of astronomical misidentification, expectation and the psychological effects of a prolonged chase. The fact that different witnesses may have been observing different lights at different moments complicates any attempt to treat the event as a single continuous encounter with one object. [Wikipedia]WikipediaMichigan "swamp gas" UFO reportsMichigan "swamp gas" UFO reportsThe Michigan "swamp gas" UFO reports were two mass sightings of unidentified flying objects during the…
The human aftermath also became part of the story. Dale Spaur in particular was frequently portrayed in later accounts as a witness whose life was damaged by publicity, ridicule and controversy. Whether or not one accepts his interpretation of the event, the personal consequences helped cement the case in UFO folklore and contributed to its reputation as more than a simple sighting report. [Reddit]reddit.comI made an hour long video about the Portage County ChaseRedditI made an hour long video about the Portage County Chase…August 30, 2021 — Dale Spaur was gaslighted by Hector Quintanilla of pr… [Medium]medium.comSeeing a UFO ruined Dale Spaur's life | by Ben WolfordAn Ohio police chief took the only picture of the UFO that Sheriff's Deputy Dale Sp…
Why the Portage County chase still matters in Ohio UFO history
Many Ohio UFO cases are remembered because of what witnesses claimed to see. The Portage County chase is remembered because of what happened afterwards. It became a symbol of the growing divide between official explanations and public confidence in those explanations. [Wikipedia]WikipediaMichigan "swamp gas" UFO reportsMichigan "swamp gas" UFO reportsThe Michigan "swamp gas" UFO reports were two mass sightings of unidentified flying objects during the…
Within the broader story of Project Blue Book’s Ohio legacy, the case illustrates both the strengths and weaknesses of the programme. Blue Book gathered reports, preserved records and attempted explanations. Yet the Portage County controversy showed how quickly confidence could erode when witnesses felt unheard or when official conclusions appeared to outrun the available evidence. [documents2.theblackvault.com]documents2.theblackvault.comp,.-v-c Ff,, 7-r'>'· –/f·l·f'Portage County Ohio sheriff's\.hen the picture. was de- deputies… "Project Blue Book,'' the Air. Force oCricial UFO in"csti:a· 1 tion projtd…Read more… [National Archives]archives.govFord Press ReleasesNational ArchivesBulk Downloads for Records Related to Unidentified…ARCHIVES: NATIONAL: PROJECT BLUE BOOK: UFO SIGHTINGS · catalog-exp…
That is why the case remains unresolved in a broader historical sense. The question is no longer only whether the officers chased a UFO. The lasting question is whether Project Blue Book convinced the public that it had genuinely answered them. For many readers of Ohio UFO history, the answer to that second question remains as contested as the sighting itself. [2ufohistoryfiles.com]ufohistoryfiles.comPortage County materialPortage County, Chio… Project Blue Book's actions regarding the April 17 UFO sighting which began.Read more…
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Further Reading
Books and field guides related to Why the Portage County UFO Chase Still Divides Readers. Use these as the next step if you want deeper reading beyond the article.
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Endnotes
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Source: documents2.theblackvault.com
Title: p,.-v-c Ff,, 7-r’>’· –/f·l·f’Portage County Ohio sheriff’s
Link: https://documents2.theblackvault.com/documents/projectbluebook/ProjectBlueBook-April171966-Ravenna-Mantua-Ohio.pdfSource snippet
\\.hen the picture. was de- deputies... "Project Blue Book,'' the Air. Force oCricial UFO in"csti:a· 1 tion projtd...Read more...
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Source: nicap.org
Link: https://www.nicap.org/reports2/660417portage.htmSource snippet
NICAPThe Portage County Ohio UFO ChaseOne of the most dramatic encounters by police officers with an apparently structured, low-level UFO...
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Source: Wikipedia
Title: Project Blue Book
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Blue_Book -
Source: nicap.org
Title: Two Articles About the Ravenna / Portage Co
Link: https://www.nicap.org/reports2/660417portage2.htmSource snippet
Ohio UFO ChaseSpaur and Neff were checking on a car parked alongside U.S. 224 between Randolph and Atwater. The car was filled with radio...
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Source: medium.com
Title: ‘Something Happened to Dale’ | Point of Contact JUST BEFORE DAWN on Sunday,
Link: https://medium.com/on-the-trail-of-the-saucers/something-happened-to-dale-68c2ac39d5a8Source snippet
'Something Happened to Dale' | Point of ContactJUST BEFORE DAWN on Sunday, April 17, 1966, police officers pursued a UFO for nearly 90 mi...
Published: April 17, 1966
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Source: podcasts.apple.com
Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/audioblog-a-1966-ufo-police-chase/id483046074?i=1000721527313Source snippet
Apple PodcastsAudioBlog- A 1966 UFO Police ChaseOn the morning of April 17, 1966, two sheriff deputies, Dale Spaur and Wilbur “Barney” Ne...
Published: April 17, 1966
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Source: nicap.org
Title: 660417ravenna dir
Link: https://www.nicap.org/660417ravenna_dir.htmSource snippet
UFO Report1966. Deputy Sheriff Dale Spaur and Mandalay Village Police Chief, Gerald Booker, give their narratives of the UFO chase incide...
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Source: podcasts.apple.com
Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/audioblog-a-1966-ufo-police-chase/id483046074?i=1000721527313Source snippet
Apple PodcastsAudioBlog- A 1966 UFO Police ChaseAccording to Project Blue Book Director Hector Quintanilla, the officers chased the plane...
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Source: ufohistoryfiles.com
Title: Portage County material
Link: https://ufohistoryfiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/145C.pdfSource snippet
Portage County, Chio... Project Blue Book's actions regarding the April 17 UFO sighting which began.Read more...
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Source: Wikipedia
Title: Identification studies of UFOs
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Identification_studies_of_UFOsSource snippet
1966 Portage County UFO Chase case have both been associated with astronomical sources. In 2009, Peter Davenport, Director of the Nationa...
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Source: reddit.com
Title: I made an hour long video about the Portage County Chase
Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/UFOs/comments/pen5gw/i_made_an_hour_long_video_about_the_portage/Source snippet
RedditI made an hour long video about the Portage County Chase...August 30, 2021 — Dale Spaur was gaslighted by Hector Quintanilla of pr...
Published: August 30, 2021
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Source: medium.com
Link: https://medium.com/the-portager/seeing-a-ufo-ruined-dale-spaurs-life-f86bab152368Source snippet
Seeing a UFO ruined Dale Spaur's life | by Ben WolfordAn Ohio police chief took the only picture of the UFO that Sheriff's Deputy Dale Sp...
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Source: archives.gov
Title: Ford Press Releases
Link: https://www.archives.gov/research/catalog/catalog-bulk-downloads/uap-bulk-downloadSource snippet
National ArchivesBulk Downloads for Records Related to Unidentified...ARCHIVES: NATIONAL: PROJECT BLUE BOOK: UFO SIGHTINGS · catalog-exp...
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Source: medium.com
Title: the ufo chase you saw in close encounters 649637923267
Link: https://medium.com/on-the-trail-of-the-saucers/the-ufo-chase-you-saw-in-close-encounters-649637923267Source snippet
The UFO Chase You Saw in 'Close Encounters'In 1966, Ohio police pursued a UFO at high speeds, inspiring 'Close... File card for April 17...
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Source: reddit.com
Title: in 1966 3 police officers chased a ufo for 86
Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/nonmurdermysteries/comments/pg6wss/in_1966_3_police_officers_chased_a_ufo_for_86/Source snippet
In 1966, 3 police officers chased a UFO for 86 miles, across...Project Blue Book Case No. 10270 - sighting of an antigravity vehicle wit...
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Source: podcasts.apple.com
Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/sa/podcast/audioblog-a-1966-ufo-police-chase/id483046074?i=1000721527313Source snippet
apple.comAudioBlog- A 1966 UFO Police ChaseOn the morning of April 17, 1966, two sheriff deputies, Dale Spaur and Wilbur “Barney” Neff, c...
Published: April 17, 1966
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Source: archives.gov
Title: Project BLUE BOOK
Link: https://www.archives.gov/research/military/air-force/ufosSource snippet
Unidentified Flying Objects25 Jun 2024 — Pro-UFO researchers claim that an extraterrestrial spacecraft and its alien occupants were recov...
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Source: Wikipedia
Title: Michigan “swamp gas” UFO reports
Link: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michigan_%22swamp_gas%22UFO_reports](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michigan%22swamp_gas%22_UFO_reports)Source snippet
Michigan "swamp gas" UFO reportsThe Michigan "swamp gas" UFO reports were two mass sightings of unidentified flying objects during the...
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Source: clevescene.com
Title: strangers in the night 1485939
Link: https://www.clevescene.com/news/strangers-in-the-night-1485939/Source snippet
Cleveland SceneStrangers in the Night31 Mar 2004 — In 1966, Ohio cops chased a UFO into Pennsylvania. Then the government got involved, a...
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Source: ufologie.patrickgross.org
Link: https://ufologie.patrickgross.org/htm/portage66.htmSource snippet
Ufologiethe 1966 Portage County police UFO chase7 Nov 2003 — J. Allen Hynek, the respected astronomer who was supposed to "explain" UFO c...
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Source: popularmechanics.com
Title: Popular Mechanics J
Link: https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/a70995826/j-allen-hynek-project-blue-book-ufo-investigation-truth/Source snippet
Allen Hynek & Project Blue Book: UFO Secrets RevealedApril 12, 2026 — 12 Apr 2026 — Explore the UFO mysteries J. Allen Hynek uncovered wi...
Published: April 12, 2026
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Source: cufos.org
Title: Center for UFO Studies Preliminary NICAP investigation by William B
Link: https://cufos.org/PDFs/Portage-County/1966_04_17_US_OH_Portage-County_NICAP_Weitzel_P-13_UFO_Reportr.pdfSource snippet
Weitzel (1966)to the Portage County UFO sightings. You have truly amazed me by the... UFO sightings by Project Blue vestigator and chair...
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Source: nuforc.org
Link: https://nuforc.org/sighting/?id=44698Source snippet
NUFORC UFO Sighting 44698Jul 5, 2005 — Much of the material is on the NICAP web site, just search under Portage County Ohio UFO Chase. Ho...
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Source: shadowfrequencypodcast.com
Title: the portage county ufo chase
Link: https://www.shadowfrequencypodcast.com/blog/the-portage-county-ufo-chase/Source snippet
1 day ago — In Episode 315, The Shadow Frequency investigates the 1966 Portage County UFO Chase, where Ohio deputies pursued a glowing ob...
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Source: oreohio.org
Title: Portage County UFO Chase | OREohio
Link: https://oreohio.org/portage-county-ufo-chaseSource snippet
April 17, 1966... Deputy Dale Spaur and Deputy Barney Neff at 5:00 AM responded to a call.... “Portage County Ohio UFO Chase.” NICAP.ORG...
Published: April 17, 1966
Additional References
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Source: facebook.com
Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/12117541695/posts/10161336608271696/Source snippet
Police chase cone shaped UFO across state linesPortage Ohio UFO Chase This is probably the most famous UFO sighting in Ohio. On the morni...
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Source: thislocallife.com
Link: https://www.thislocallife.com/5-ufo-cases-in-ohioSource snippet
Venus, a scientist who assisted in the investigation at Wright...Read more...
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Source: tusccountystories.com
Title: mystery in the woods the ufo incident of 1966
Link: https://tusccountystories.com/2024/09/05/mystery-in-the-woods-the-ufo-incident-of-1966/Source snippet
Mystery in the Woods: The “UFO” Incident of 19665 Sept 2024 — In the spring of 1966, as UFO sightings gripped Ohio with intrigue and fear...
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Source: fordlibrarymuseum.gov
Title: Ford Press Releases
Link: https://www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov/library/document/0054/4525586.pdfSource snippet
UFO, 1966... Project Blue Book responsibilities of receiving, investigating and evaluating UFO reports. END. (DOD Release No. 388-66, May...
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Source: theohioproject.net
Title: ohio and the great ufo chase of 1966
Link: https://theohioproject.net/history/ohio-and-the-great-ufo-chase-of-1966/Source snippet
The Ohio ProjectThe film features one scene that is said to be inspired by the Portage County UFO Chase, in which a small group of police...
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Source: yahoo.com
Title: project blue book 12 000 020900953
Link: https://www.yahoo.com/news/project-blue-book-12-000-020900953.htmlSource snippet
Project Blue Book: 12000-plus UFO reports were once...Jan 12, 2024 — —A Blue Book investigation in July 1965 showed that a UFO seen by t...
Published: July 1965
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Source: upload.wikimedia.org
Title: Project Blue Book, BBA PBSR1 300
Link: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/Project_Blue_Book%2C_BBA-PBSR1-300.pdfSource snippet
Project Blue Book ArchiveIn addition to individual UFO reports the Archive includes administrative files that provide insight into Projec...
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Source: studyguides.com
Title: Blue Book, Project (UFO)
Link: https://studyguides.com/topics/cmhnd9pqg4qqw018egspouemqSource snippet
OverviewThe Portage County Chase in 1966, involving a police pursuit of an unidentified object, is also significant due to the detailed a...
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Source: vault.fbi.gov
Link: https://vault.fbi.gov/Project%20Blue%20Book%20%28UFO%29%20/Project%20Blue%20Book%20%28UFO%29%20Part%2001%20%28Final%29/at_download/fileSource snippet
Blue Book (UFO) part 1 of 1alisting of UFO-related materials currently available. Since the termination of. Project Blue. Book, no eviden...
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Source: amazon.co.uk
Link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Project-BlueBook-Ravenna-Mantua-Ohio-Intelligence-Collection-ebook/dp/B09DBYZ3LVSource snippet
Dale F. Spaur, Badge #15, Portage County Sheriff's Office, Ravenna, Ohio., 17 Apr 66. Sighting between 0300 and 0600...Read more...
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