DOW-UAP-D179: Three Boy Scouts at Camp Fox - A Silver Object Faster Than a Jet That Disintegrated over Catalina Island, 1952

Source file: DOW-UAP-D179_Unresolved_UAP_Report_Catalina_Island-1952.pdf Originating agency: U.S. Air Force (USAF), 807th Air Base Group, March Air Force Base, California Document type: Air Intelligence Information Report (AF Form 112, Part I) and record card Date: Incident 25 June 1952; report 28 August 1952 Classification: UNCLASSIFIED (an earlier marking is blacked out; stamp "DOWNGRADED AT 3 YEAR INTERVALS; DECLASSIFIED AFTER 12 YEARS. DOD DIR 5200.10"); released in 2026 Page count: 2 VIRIN: 260508-D-D0360-1171 PURSUE Release: 7

Summary

DOW-UAP-D179 is the second in the series of four Catalina Island files in Release 7 (D181 of 1949, D179 of 1952, D178 of 1953 and D177 of 1955), and the only one in which the sighting was made in the island's open country, away from the town of Avalon and from the mainland: three Boy Scouts from the "Camp Fox" summer camp saw the object while hiking up one of Santa Catalina's mountains.

It is also the only daylight sighting in the series: 1200 hours, Pacific daylight time. The report describes a silver, silent object, faster than a conventional jet, that made a climbing turn and then "disintegrated" from view.

The report is candid about its limits. Its author, Lt Colonel E. D. H. Maddox, states that he cannot estimate the report's reliability, notes that the duration was not recorded, and explains that no electrical (teletype) report was sent because of the delay in the information reaching his base. Four letters were inclosed, two of them, according to the report, with a sketch of what was seen; none is part of the released file.

Research Article

The sighting: noon, on a mountain hike

The core page (page 2) is an AIIR on AF Form 112, Part I, report number MAFB-1, subject "Unidentified Flying Objects Reporting", area "Southern California". Paragraph 1 sets out the case: "This report of alleged "Flying Saucers" in the vicinity of Santa Catalina, which is just off the coast of Southern California, was reported by three (3) Boy Scouts in summer camp (Camp Fox) on 25 June 1952."

Paragraph 2 summarises the description in seven sub-paragraphs. Under 2a, "The object was silver in color, altitude is uncertain, and speed estimated to be faster than a conventional Jet. There was no sound observed." A single manoeuvre was seen, "apparently a climbing turn immediately prior to its disappearance by disintegration". Paragraph 2b fixes the time, "1200 hours (PSDT)", and adds: "Length of time observed is not recorded." Under 2c the sighting was made "during a hike up one of the mountains on Santa Catalina Island", and under 2d the boys had no observing instruments of any sort and were all in the same group.

Paragraph 2f records skies "clear and unlimited" but "No reports on wind conditions". That matters: without wind data a balloon is hard to test for, whereas in D178 (1953) it was precisely the winds aloft that ruled such an explanation out.

One object or several?

The report uses the plural in its opening, "Flying Saucers" in quotation marks, but every later line speaks of "The object" in the singular, and the record card gives the number of objects as "One". The quotation marks appear to cite the popular term rather than indicate a count. The official release blurb also says "flying saucers" in the plural and describes the object as "climbing quickly"; the report itself speaks of a "climbing turn" and does not describe the rate of climb.

The reliability caveat

Paragraph 2e is the sentence the document is remembered for: "No estimate of the reliability can be attempted by the reporter. The experience of the observers is probably meager at best." The Evaluation box at the top of the form reads "None". It is a reasoned professional caveat: the reporters were youngsters at a summer camp, and the officer did not interview them himself but received their accounts in letters.

Paragraph 1 also explains why no message was sent: "No report has been made by electrical means due to the time lag in the receipt of the information at this installation." The report is dated 28 August 1952, two months after the event, and the fourth inclosure is dated 1 July 1952. The references box cites "AF Letter 200-5 dated 29 April 1952", the directive under which the report was filed. As general context, the summer of 1952 was a peak period for UFO reports in the United States, which helps explain why even a late and thin report was forwarded.

The missing inclosures

Four inclosures are listed at the foot of the report: letters from four individuals, the fourth dated 1 July 1952 (the writers' names are typed on the form, but they are private civilians and are not named here). Paragraph 2g states: "A rough sketch is inclosed on two (2) of the Inclosures of what the observers saw." The released file contains none of the inclosures, and so none of the sketches. Everything known about the object's appearance comes from the officer's summary.

Distribution was to the Commanding General, Strategic Air Command (CG, SAC), the Commanding General, 15th Air Force, and the Commanding Officer, 12th Air Division, with a copy to the "Chief, Air Tech. Intel. Center", attention ATIAA-2c, at Wright-Patterson AFB. At the top of the form someone added "100" by hand and, in red, "Insuff", presumably short for Insufficient (Data).

The record card

Page 1 is a very faded record card, several of whose field labels are barely legible. Legible entries: "25 June 1952", "SANTA CATALINA, CALIFORNIA", "1200 PDT", source "3 Boy Scouts", number of objects "One", and the summary: "Silver object faster than jet, which apparently made a climbing turn before disintegrating." The comments field holds one word: "Disintegrated." In the conclusions column a mark appears beside "Insufficient Data for Evaluation", though the card is too faint for certainty; it is consistent with the "Insuff" on the report.

Significance

DOW-UAP-D179 neither offers an explanation nor asks for one. Its value lies in openly documenting the limits of collection: young witnesses, no duration, no wind data, no sketches in the file, and a report filed two months late. Within the Catalina series it is the link between the unanswered private letter of 1949 (D181) and the structured reports of 1953 and 1955 (D178 and D177), which already show numbered teletype formats, winds aloft and consultation with astronomers. A silver object's noon "climbing turn" and "disintegration" remained, by the document's own account, unevaluated.

Key People

Locations

Incidents

Notable Quotes

"This report of alleged "Flying Saucers" in the vicinity of Santa Catalina, which is just off the coast of Southern California, was reported by three (3) Boy Scouts in summer camp (Camp Fox) on 25 June 1952." -- page 2

"The object was silver in color, altitude is uncertain, and speed estimated to be faster than a conventional Jet. There was no sound observed." -- page 2

"One (1) maneuver was observed which was apparently a climbing turn immediately prior to its disappearance by disintegration." -- page 2

"The sighting was made by three (3) Boy Scouts during a hike up one of the mountains on Santa Catalina Island." -- page 2

"No estimate of the reliability can be attempted by the reporter. The experience of the observers is probably meager at best." -- page 2

"No report has been made by electrical means due to the time lag in the receipt of the information at this installation." -- page 2

"A rough sketch is inclosed on two (2) of the Inclosures of what the observers saw." -- page 2

"Silver object faster than jet, which apparently made a climbing turn before disintegrating." -- page 1