NUFORC Sighting 54454

Occurred: 1968-05-15 14:00 Local - Approximate
Reported: 2007-01-04 12:54 Pacific
Duration: 10 minutes
No of observers: 1

Location: Trabzon (Turkey), , Turkey

Shape: Disk

Disk over Trabzon, Turkey

Memorable experience brought back to mind by the recent O'Hare UFO report and how national news is trying to dismiss it (Fox news, for example, had a crawler stating that FAA said it was likely a lenticular cloud).

While I knew a bit about UFOs and had heard about lenticular cloud formations in college science classes, I had never seen such a formation, however (other than pictures). Then, in 1968, I was assigned to an Air Force 'outpost' in Trabzon, Turkey. Trabzon is an old city with a harbor, located on the Black Sea coast within 'striking distance' of the border between Turkey and Russia. Our facility was on a high mountain (Boztepe) that overlooked the city below and had an unobstructed view out to the Black Sea beyond.

One afternoon in late spring, I was walking somewhere and happended to look up/out toward the sea (view was toward North). I saw a dull metallic looking 'disk' shaped object hovering in the distance. While I had little to judge size and distance by, it appeared to be pretty good sized and several thousand feet up in the air.

As I watched it, I became sure that I was seeing an actual lenticular cloud formation. I did not see anything like ports or windows, and did not hear any engine sounds, etc. There were a lot of clouds on the horizon...clearly, a significant weather front was moving in...and the light / sun angle / etc. was a little 'off'. Everything had that 'pre-storm' look, if you know what I mean.

Then, after several minutes of observation, during which the object hovered in one spot, it pulled the same maneuver the United Airlinea employees observed at O'Hare. Suddenly, it shot off at an upward angle...against the prevailing wind direction...directly into / through the approaching front. Punched a hole clear through it, like drilling a tunnel.

I was dumb-founded and realized this was no 'lenticular cloud'.

NUFORC Note:

Witness indicates that the date of the sighting is approximate. PD

Posted 2007-02-01