by several watchers over Lockbourne Air Force Base, Columbus, Ohio. It
was described as 'round or oval, larger than a C-47, and traveling in
level

{p. 21}

flight faster than 500 miles per hour.' The object was followed from
the Lockbourne observation tower for more than 20 minutes. Observers
said it glowed from white to amber, leaving an amber exhaust trail
five times its own length. It made motions like an elevator and at one
time appeared to touch the ground. No sound was heard. Finally, the
object faded and lowered toward the horizon."

Purdy buzzed for his secretary, and she brought me a copy of the first
Post article.

"You can get a copy of this Air Force report in Washington," Purdy
told me. "This is the only one I have. But you'll find the same answer
for most of the important cases--the sightings at Muroc Air Base, the
airline pilots' reports, the disks Kenneth Arnold saw--they're all
unidentified."

"I remember the Arnold case. That was the first sighting."

"You've got contacts in Washington," Purdy went on. "Start at the
Pentagon first. They know we're working on it. Sam Boal, the first man
on this job, was down there for a day or two."

"What did he find out?"