Within 15 seconds, he estimated, the disc came directly at him again and once more dipped suddenly at the last possible moment to avoid a collision. This happened repeatedly, he said, for five to ten minutes.

Each time, he said, he would look back, but by then the strange object had disappeared. Kinman tried to put his plane in position to use the cameras in his fuselage, adjusted to shoot the ground while in level flight. He was not successful and his films, when developed, showed nothing.

"I was upset and scared by the whole thing," Kinman told me. "While this was going on I radioed the nearest Civil Aeronautics Authority traffic control center. (This is routine procedure for a pilot who sights unscheduled air traffic.)

"On its final pass at me, the disc whirled upward. I thought it was going to take a piece of my canopy with it." Then, he said, it disappeared.

After landing, Kinman, his face chalk-white, walked into the operations offices at Lawson and told the airdrome officer. "I just saw something very strange, like a flying saucer. What should I do?"

I was called. I heard part of Kinman's story and informed him the Air Force had a formal intelligence report he would be requested to fill out. I stood by as he went over the details with an intelligence officer.

Kinman was reluctant to volunteer details and had to be "pumped." He seemed to think we'd belittle his reports, maybe think he was out of his head. He wouldn't estimate the speed of the "disc," but said "it was awfully fast."

Several days later, his report was sent to Washington. Kinman was called to Macon, Ga., where the Air Materials Command has a big base, and interviewed by high Air Force officers.

Some laughed

A few fellows at the base, when the story got around, were inclined to poo-poo the idea. They thought Kinman was pulling a fast one. But the higher-up officers thought it was a serious incident.

Knowing Kinman's experience, ability, observant powers and reputation for truth, I see [REST OF SENTENCE NOT LEGIBLE DUE TO MICROFILM DEFECT]

He still is a pilot with the 117th flying jets in Germany.

To my knowledge, Kinman's was the first and only report of an actual attack by a flying saucer, but the carefully guarded Air Force files may contain stories to match his.

I, for one, wouldn't be surprised.

Comments:

The date of this event was JULY 9, 1951. Unclassified document on incident from OSI ROBINS AFB MACON, GA retained. As follows:

STAFF MESSAGE DIVISION
INCOMING CLASSIFIED MESSAGE

From: OSI ROBINS AFB MACON

TO: CS, UFAS, WASH DC

INFO: CG AMC WRIGHT PATTERSON AFB OHIO
            LAWSON AFB COLUMUS GA
            WRAMA ROBINS AFB MACON GA

10 Jul 51

Object sighted by 1/Lt. George H. Kinman Jr, AO-555857, 160 Tae Racon Sq Lawson AFB, Ga at 1340, 9 Jul 51 until about 1350, same date. Object described as flat on top and bottom and appearing from a front view to have rounded edges and slightly beveled. From view as object dived from top of plane was completely round and spinning in a clockwise direction. From front view as object dived observer noted small spots on the object which he described as being similar to craters observed on the moon through a high powered telescope. Object did not appear to be aluminum. Only 1 object observed. Color white. No vapor trails or exhaust or visible systems of propulsion. Described as traveling tremendous speed. Object appeared near Dearing, Ga (note=sp?) 25 miles west of Augusta, Ga., while pilot was on a rout. tag flt. from Lawson AFB, Ga. Pilot had leveled off at 8,500 feet altitude on a course of 247 degrees. As he leveled off, object dived from around the plane for a period of tend minutes, when it disappeared under the plane. Pilot states object was 300 to 400 feet from plane and appeared to be 10 to 15 feet in diameter. He compares its speed to that of a jet plane. Pilot states he felt disturbance in the air described as a "bump" when object passed under plane. Object left the plane a few miles South of Milladgeville, Ga., and 15 to 20 miles from Macon, Ga. Pilot was flying F-51 at 270 miles per hour when object was sighted. Weather conditions .6 to .8 broken clouds. Wind 2 to 7 miles per hour. Pilot states he was in good physical condition, has 1,500 hours flying time and has been flying since 1942. Pilot flew in combat in Europe for 12 months 1944-45. Pilot considered by associates to be highly reliable, of mature judgement and a creditable observer. Pilot notified tower, Robins AFB by radio and contacted fl(not legible) at Maxwell AFB. Above info obtained from Int Off, WRAMA, and from pilot at Lawson AFB. Pilot unable to take photographs to camera.

CAP IN: 96109

Note: The transcription of this document may not be entirely correct, as certain words and letters were poorly reproduced during copying and were barely legible.